Sushi etiquette, or memos to novice sushi lovers. Why do you need hot towels? What is a wet towel for in sushi

The so-called hot towels today are actively used in various fields: in cafes and restaurants, in beauty salons, in medical organizations. Hot “Oshibori” are, respectively, terry towels heated to the desired temperature (as far as it is most pleasant for tactile perception), which are served before the process of eating in a cafe or restaurant. Hot towel culture originates in Japan and has gained immense popularity throughout the restaurant industry around the world. Today, hot oshibori napkins are also served on international and regional air flights and even in stores if you order takeaway food.

Small, damp hot towels, usually rectangular or square shape, are folded according to tradition in the form of a neat roll, which is then convenient to roll out. There is one important aesthetic and hygienic feature in the use of hot towels: they should be changed several times during the meal. After all, it is very important that they are not cold, as this is not very pleasant for the skin, besides, the napkins become dirty, which is not entirely aesthetically pleasing. Often hot towels are also served cold, if the client so desires or if the specifics of the prepared dish require it. The towel can also be soaked in lemon juice or essential oil of this or that plant, combined with the taste of the ordered food.

In self-respecting Japanese restaurants, there are stoves specially designed for this purpose, heated to the required temperature, on which, directly, the sacrament of heating and washing hot “oshibori” takes place. This ritual of the ancient Japanese is still relevant today, which is explained not only by a tribute to the traditions of the ancestors, but also by the fact that they are an integral part of the rules for eating, in compliance with proper hygiene standards, combined with comfort and coziness.

The use of hot wipes in cosmetology

Hot wipes or towels are actively used in cosmetology in wrapping procedures. To do this, towels are immersed in hot water saturated with useful components, squeezed out and wrapped around hair, parts of the body, or the entire body.

This allows you to saturate the skin and hair structure with useful herbal extracts, thereby curing and making them beautiful and healthy. Often hot towels are alternated with cold ones. This procedure perfectly tones, moisturizes the skin, stimulates the process of blood circulation in the epidermis, thereby cleansing the pores, improving the complexion, smoothing fine wrinkles.

Although the tradition of wrapping with a hot towel has roots in many nations. Our ancestors, for example, thus treated a whole range of diseases of various kinds. Let's remember the fairy tale where Baba Yaga put brother Ivanushka on a shovel, wrapping him in dough and ... in the oven. Few people know that she was not going to eat it at all, but simply treated him for ailments.

The first Japanese restaurants began to open in Russia about nine years ago. Since then, we have not come to a consensus on how to speak correctly - sushi or sushi, but, nevertheless, rolls and sashimi have become an integral part of our lives, and for some gourmets and those who are concerned proper nutrition, even an indispensable and irreplaceable part of the diet.

Japanese etiquette rules

However, in order to truly enjoy traditional Japanese dishes, you need to follow special rules that are, in fact, part of Japanese etiquette.

In a good restaurant, before the start of the meal, the waiter will surely serve the guest oshibori- a hot towel to wipe your hands before touching food.

First you need to order sashimi. This Japanese delicacy is a dish consisting of slices of fish of various types, cut in a special way. Sashimi is served with vegetables, soy sauce, ginger and wasabi. Wasabi should be mentioned separately. Contrary to the belief that this word refers to Japanese mustard, wasabi is a plant that has a pleasant aroma and a sweetish aftertaste that enriches the taste of fish seasoned with it.

How to eat sushi

There is no specific order in which you need to eat different types of sushi. But it is still preferable to start with pieces wrapped in nori seaweed, since its crunchy properties are lost very quickly.

There are two ways to eat it. You can lay the sushi on its side and lift its upper part with rice with chopsticks or hands, and then dip the edge of the top layer (but not rice!) soy sauce. Putting a piece in your mouth should be in such a way that the sauce is on the tongue so that its taste is felt brighter.

Another way is to smear the sauce over the top layer with a piece of pickled ginger, using it as a brush. In general, there should not be a lot of pickled ginger on a plate. Small pieces of it should be eaten between sushi to cleanse the palate in order to better feel the taste of food. Eating ginger in excess is considered bad manners by the Japanese. If you don't like the taste of ginger, you can ask the waiter to bring oshinko, which is pickled roots, for example, radishes. Seasonings are not recommended. Only their moderate use will allow you to appreciate the harmony of sushi ingredients.

If it is necessary to replace some pieces on the plate, this should be done before the start of the meal. When you start your meal, be sure to eat everything. It is especially bad form to leave half-eaten rice on your plate.

While there is no need to use chopsticks, you should place them on the table parallel to its edge, with narrow ends on a special stand - hashi oke. A knife is not used at all in Japanese restaurants. This is understandable - after all, food is served in such portions that there is simply no need to use a knife.

Sushi bars are non-smoking

To the deep disappointment of heavy smokers, the sushi bar is non-smoking, as the smell of cigarette smoke interferes with enjoying the true aroma and taste of food. Smoking is allowed only in specially designated smoking rooms, although this is also regarded as bad form - disrespect for the sushi chef (itamae).

Sushi bars are not only tasty, but also interesting. Plunging into the atmosphere of Japanese traditions and observing all the necessary rituals, even Europeans get inexpressible pleasure from eating Japanese dishes.

In Russia, the most popular dish representing Japanese cuisine is different kinds sushi. In Penza, you can try them in establishments specializing in the preparation of this food. All sushi differ in size, filling, while they always contain rice, fresh or smoked sea fish, seafood, nori seaweed. You can always clarify information about the types of sushi from the sushi master or read the menu. However, it is useful for lovers of this dish to know some rules for their use.

How to eat sushi

A variety of sushi bars have similarities in the manner of serving dishes, consistent with Japanese etiquette. The first thing that guests receive when they sit down at a table is a hot towel and a cloth napkin. One is served to cleanse the hands on the eve of the meal, the other is placed on the knees. Chopsticks are the main cutlery. They must be disposable, made of wood or bamboo, and have a smooth surface. Those who have not learned how to use them can eat with their hands, but you can only take sushi from a common dish with chopsticks or a fork.

A knife or a spoon on a Japanese table is bad form. When ordering a liquid soup served in the likeness of a bowl, the Japanese drink the liquid from it directly from the plate, and eat the remaining pieces of vegetables, algae, mushrooms, picking them up with chopsticks. It is strictly forbidden to transfer sushi from your plate to another guest using these wooden tools. In Japan, such a gesture is associated with the transfer of the remains of a deceased person after cremation.

Everyone can make their own spicy seasoning for sushi. To do this, you need to mix a little wasabi in a gravy boat to taste, which everyone offers and soy sauce. It is customary to dip sushi without decorations into the resulting mixture. Pickled ginger is served on a plate with various rolls. A piece of it is recommended to be eaten between different types main dish - it emphasizes and enhances the taste. Having sated, you can not finish eating pieces of fish, seafood, seaweed, but you can’t leave rice - in Japan, this is considered an insult to the owners, and in our case, a sushi bar. The smell of tobacco smoke reduces the perception of the taste of sushi, so it is not customary to smoke in establishments specializing in Japanese cuisine.

And a few tips for those who have learned how to handle chopsticks. They cannot be woven into food - such a gesture is only permissible during a funeral. They can not gesticulate during a conversation. Japanese etiquette forbids licking chopsticks, tapping them on the table to call the waiter, or drawing.

In Japan, eating sushi is a ritual comparable in importance to the tea ceremony. Compliance with the above rules of etiquette will help demonstrate respect for this country, its traditions, which is very important when visiting establishments where staff trained in Japanese sushi bars work.

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Etiquette rules for Japanese cuisine go far beyond "don't put your elbows on the table". What everyone is used to will look strange in a Japanese restaurant, and vice versa. This overview contains rules of conduct that you need to master,
to feel comfortable in a Japanese restaurant.

1. Do not pass food with chopsticks!

In Western and Slavic culture, it is not customary to pass food to each other with your hands, this is usually done with a fork. The Japanese, on the contrary, cannot pass food with chopsticks, as this reminds the Japanese of the ceremony of passing cremated bones between chopsticks at a funeral. To pass food, you need to put a piece on a small plate and pass it exactly.

2. Don't drink alone!

Japanese restaurants, as any sushi lover knows, always serve sake and beer. But you should be careful not to drink alone. The rules of etiquette say that you must first fill the glasses of everyone, and then one of the participants in the feast must say a toast or simply say "kanpai", which means "drink to the bottom" in Japanese, after which everyone drinks. There is also one piece of advice: the Japanese are very fond of pouring drinks to each other, so you should pour the interlocutor first and not be surprised if he is going to pour in return.

3. Don't rub sticks!

Many people, taking out wooden disposable chopsticks from paper packaging, break them and rub them against each other to get rid of burrs. In Japan, this is considered an insult. This shows that the customer considers the chopsticks in the restaurant to be of poor quality. If suddenly there is a burr, then you just need to ask for a new pair of chopsticks.

4. Don't put chopsticks in rice!

It seems natural: if you need to “take a break from eating” to drink water or chat with an interlocutor, then chopsticks can be stuck in rice. You never need to do this. Vertically standing chopsticks in a bowl of rice in Japan can only be seen at funerals (a bowl of rice with chopsticks stuck in it is placed in front of the coffin of the deceased). Instead, place your chopsticks straight in front of you, parallel to the edge of the table.

5. Don't put wasabi in soy sauce!

In good restaurants, the sushi chef himself places the right amount of wasabi and soy sauce on the fish to ensure the perfect balance. However, if this is not done, then you need to dip the nigiri or sushi in soy sauce (fish down so that the rice does not crumble), and then put the wasabi on top.

6. Eat in the "correct" order!

7. Use a wet towel properly!

In many restaurants, the visitor immediately after he sat down at the table, bring a damp towel. In no case should it be used to wipe the face or neck, even if it is very hot. The towel is intended exclusively for cleaning hands. Immediately after drying your hands, it should be folded and set aside. A wet towel is brought in because you are expected to eat with your hands, so you need to wipe your fingertips.

8. Smack your lips!

Everyone is used to the fact that slurping and smacking at the table is an extremely bad form. In Japanese etiquette, the opposite is true. In fact, it's a good idea to drink the miso soup liquid from the bowl first (while smacking your lips as the Japanese believe this helps bring out the flavor) and then eat the dressing with chopsticks. Another option is to bring the plate to your mouth and scoop the contents into your mouth with a spoon. Chefs believe that smacking is a sign of contentment, so you shouldn't be surprised at how much noise there will be in a restaurant.

9. Finish everything that is ordered!

If you do not finish your order and leave food on your plate, it will look like bad form. To be more precise, this is an insult to the chef who made everything “perfect”, and is also considered wasteful. You only need to order what you can eat. It is also assumed that, while enjoying the meal, the client will eat each piece of sushi, and not bite off and put the halves on a plate.

Do you want to join the large army of people who cannot imagine their lives without sushi, this popular Japanese delicacy? The main thing that should not be forgotten: a good sushi meal does not tolerate fuss! Keeping this in mind and observing special rules, you will get real pleasure from properly prepared sushi!

This is what a “sushi ritual” should look like in a proper sushi bar:

The first thing the waiter brings is an oshibori, a hot towel rolled into a tube. They need to wipe their hands before eating. It can be taken away before serving sashimi (usually the first course), or it can be left for the entire meal. In addition, they will bring you a napkin, which should be laid on your knees.
Separate the brought sticks. You can rub the sticks together if you feel that they are not very well processed and can splinter your hand.
If you are uncomfortable eating with chopsticks, then just take sushi with your hands. However, to take a piece from a common dish, be sure to use chopsticks.
When you take something from a common plate, raise the chopsticks with the thin ends up. When you bring food to your plate, raise the chopsticks with opposite ends up. It is allowed to take sushi from your plate with your hands, and also to separate small pieces from them.
In a sushi meal, there is a taboo to pass food to a neighbor with chopsticks. This prohibition is rooted in the history of Japan, where there was a tradition among family members to transfer the cremated bones of deceased relatives to each other. Therefore, if you want to treat someone, pass him a plate and the person himself will take a piece.
If you like spicy and spicy, then add a little wasabi (wasabi), a spicy green seasoning, to the soy sauce where you dip your sushi. Soy sauce is usually served in a small gravy boat, where you can stir the amount of this "Japanese horseradish" you need - as wasabi is often called. The main thing is not to overdo it, because wasabi is very spicy! Pinch off a small piece of wasabi with chopsticks and put it in a gravy boat, then stir. By the way, in Japan they often eat sushi a little differently: wasabi is placed directly on the sushi and dipped in soy sauce. If you like it better, you can eat sushi in this way.
Don't dip your sushi in soy sauce with rice: you need to rotate the sushi so that only the fish gets into the sauce.
Remember how to eat a sandwich according to Matroskin the cat? Similarly, it is best to eat nigiri sushi: put it upside down on the tongue to distinguish all the flavors.
In the sushi bar, you will definitely be served pickled ginger - “petals” of pink color. A leaf of ginger usually “seizes” the taste of the previous piece of sushi, and prepares the palate for the taste of the next one.
Didn't like ginger? Ask the waiter if they have any other osinko (oshinko), that is, pickled roots.
The unspoken rule is that if you don't like something on your plate, then ask for it to be removed or replaced before the meal begins. If you have already started eating, then you need to eat the entire serving.
Don't use chopsticks? Place them on the table so that they are parallel to the edge of the sushi bar. If you eat with chopsticks, then put them with their narrow ends on a stand, hashi oke (hashi oke).
It has already been mentioned that one should not leave half-eaten, especially for rice.
Finally, sushi bars do not serve knives: portions are small, so sushi is eaten without this cutlery