Regulations 

Aesthetics of nutrition. Japanese cuisine: food aesthetics. State of mind while eating

“The value of vegetables and fruits in baby food. Aesthetics of nutrition "

Compiled by:
deputy head
on educational and methodical work
Olga Bazhenova

Everything that includes the concept of "aesthetics" of nutrition is of great importance in the process of feeding. During his stay at the preschool educational institution, the child learns to behave correctly at the table, to use appliances (spoon, knife, fork), and acquires certain skills in food culture. The sooner the correct eating habits are formed, the more firmly they will become a habit.

It is important to remember that the success of a simple lunch or a festive dinner largely depends on the ability to decorate the table beautifully and correctly, to create maximum comfort for all children. A boring word like “Serving” can mean a creative and enjoyable process, make life beautiful, and turn lunches and dinners for children into a special pleasure.

What are the classic table setting rules?
This is the arrangement of the dishes! Plates and cutlery should be placed in the order in which the food will be served. For example: a snack plate is placed on a hot plate. The bread plate should also be placed on the left. Forks and knives are placed the further away from the plate, the sooner they are needed. Those. the salad fork will be the farthest, and the hot spoon will be the last, near the plate. Dessert utensils are placed on top of the plate. Knives should be placed on the right with the blade towards the plate, spoons - with the bulge down, and forks - to the left of the plate with the cloves up, so as not to spoil the tablecloth. Soup spoons can be placed to the right, to the right of the last knife. If butter is served with bread, then a small butter knife is placed on the bread plate, which should be located to the left of the fork. The distance between the plates should be approximately 60 cm, and the distance between the plates and cutlery, as well as between the cutlery itself, should be 0.5 cm.

It is recommended to serve the table with the same utensils and utensils. If it is not enough, then dishes of a different shape and color should be placed two or three plates from the main service. It will look nice. All plates should stand a short distance from the edge of the table, forming a straight line parallel to the edge.

What makes children's table setting different?

The principle is the same, but do not forget that there are children in front of you, and they always expect something unusual and surprising from any meal. For children, for sure, you can find and pick up plates and glasses with the image of "cartoon" characters, funny straws for drinks. The most ordinary napkins can become fun, for this each of them can be decorated with a corset made of multi-colored paper, and on top you can attach a small and unpretentious toy. For a festive dinner, instead of a white traditional tablecloth, you can spread a colorful and elegant one. For each baby, name plates in the form of candy, berries, cake can be made of colored paper ...

Do not forget that children's meals should not only be tasty and healthy, but also beautiful and attractive.

When setting the table for children in a preschool institution, it is necessary to strictly and strictly observe all technologies.

  • MINIMUM TABLE SERVICE

A table of any shape is divided along the perimeter into four equal parts. Each equal part of the table is designed for one seat. It is served with a pie plate, a table knife, a fork, a spoon, a glass or a glass, a napkin holder with paper napkins, a vase of flowers. On the left, in relation to the children, who will take places at the serving table, stepping back 5-10 cm, set a pie plate.

Snack plates are not placed on the table, as cold snacks are served directly in them. But if salad bowls are used when serving cold snacks, the teacher complements the serving with a snack plate. To the left of the plate into which the dish will be served, place a table fork with the prongs up, to the right - a table knife, with the blade to the plate and a tablespoon with a groove up.

Having retreated 2 cm from the edge of the table so that you can put a plate, a glass or glass is placed in the middle in front of the child. In the middle of the table, place a napkin holder with paper napkins folded so that they can be easily removed (napkin size 25 x 25 cm). In a low porcelain or glass vase, a small bouquet of flowers is placed in the middle of the table.

  • MORE COMPLETE TABLE SERVICE

It is carried out during festive events. For example, when organizing a holiday for each child, at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table, put a small dinner plate (dummy), on it - a snack bar. On the right, with a blade to the plate at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table, put a snack knife, on the left - a snack fork. (in the adult diet, a table, fish, snack knife, on the left - a snack fork). On the left, behind a fork, at a distance of 5 - 10 cm from the edge of the table, place a pie plate. The rolled linen napkin is placed on the snack plate. The number of glasses and glasses depends on the assortment of drinks. They are placed in one row behind the plates. Flowers in vases and vases with fruit are symmetrically placed in the middle of the table. They define the boundaries of the table section. If the snacks are not put on the table, but served as a round-up, dessert utensils are placed on the table over the glasses: a knife, a spoon, a fork. The arrangement of dessert items may vary. They can be positioned behind the glass in the following order: parallel to the edge of the table, put a knife with the handle to the right, put a fork on the blade with the prongs up, with the handle to the right to the edge of the table, then a spoon with a depression upward, handle to the right to the edge of the table (the handles of dessert cutlery are fanned out). to lay and to the right above the knives, parallel to the edge of the table, the knife and spoon with the handle to the right, the fork between them with the handle to the left. There may be such an option: when glasses and glasses are placed behind the knives, and dessert utensils behind snack plates.

When serving national tables, national dishes may be included in the table setting.

  • BREAKFAST TABLE SERVICE

For each child, they put a snack plate, to the right of which they have a snack knife, with the blade facing the plate, to the left, a snack fork with the prongs up, a glass behind the snack plate in the middle. White and black bread, toasts are served on a pie plate. If hot drinks are served, a cup, saucer and teaspoon are placed on the right behind the snack plate.

Snacks can be served in advance in multi-portion dishes, dairy products in glasses, boiled water, juices, branded drinks in jugs or decanters.

A vase of flowers, a napkin holder with paper napkins, or linen napkins must be placed on the table. If there are fruits on the menu, you can put them on the table in advance on a fruit knife stand, and serve the fruits in a vase.

  • TEA TABLE

It is served with dessert plates on which colored linen napkins are placed. To the right of the dessert plate, put a teacup and saucer, put a teaspoon on the saucer. In the middle of the table they put a vase of flowers, a sugar bowl, teapots of brewed, topping up, and a samovar.

The aesthetics of the table depends on the tablecloth, napkins, cutlery, dishes, flower arrangements present on the table, as well as on the general harmony with the interior of the room, its colors and style. In addition, the table setting should be combined with the menu. And, of course, each item must be in its place.

  • TABLECLOTH

The table is covered with a well-ironed white tablecloth. It is recommended to put a flannel or some other heavy soft cloth under the tablecloth: the tablecloth will lie more evenly, the clatter of plates and cutlery will soften. The tablecloth used to cover the table should be in harmony with napkins, cutlery, plates and glasses.

  • DISHES

By purpose, the dishes are divided into two types: daily use and festive.

  • Small plates are used every day: snack bars, pies, for main courses and dessert. Deep bowls for first courses. Cups and glasses - for tea, coffee, cocoa and compote. A plate of bread.
  • For the festive table, salad bowls, a tureen, oval, round and dessert dishes for fish, homemade roast are added.
  • For the tea table, use cups and saucers, teapots or coffee pots, sockets for sugar or jam, a dish and dessert plates for pies, cookies, cakes, a sugar bowl with shared spoons or tongs. A fork is served with a plate of lemon.
  • NAPKINS

Napkins are an indispensable attribute in table setting, which are laid out immediately after placing the dishes on the table. A napkin is placed on a pie plate for everyone or placed in a variety of beautiful shapes in the center of the snack plate.

An elegant and original folded napkin will give even a modest table a particularly attractive and festive look.

  • When setting the table for breakfast, lunch or dinner, usually napkins folded in four, triangular, halved or wrapped roll.
  • For a gala, festive lunch or dinner, more than complex forms of folding napkins.

We offer several ways to fold napkins that do not require much time and effort:

There are many ways to roll napkins, both simple and skillful. But if you master this art, the kids will love it.

  • CUTLERY

There are three main sets of cutlery: large tableware, snack bar, dessert. Each includes a spoon, fork and knife, but their purpose and, accordingly, sizes are different.

There are also so-called non-basic appliances for fish, salad, roast, vegetables.

The best decoration for a table, especially a festive one, is flowers placed in low vases.

In the process of serving, it is important to pay attention not only to the beauty of the table, but also to the aesthetics of the decoration of the served dishes. A creative approach to table setting will make every meal for children especially appetizing and unusual, they will remember them for a long time and with pleasure. All these conditions will certainly contribute to the stimulation of appetite and create a benevolent mood in the pupils towards each other.

Culture of behavior at the table ... Perhaps every parent sooner or later thinks about this issue, because the organization of baby food is directly related to dining etiquette. Acquaintance with him allows the child to be confident in himself, behave correctly at the table, skillfully use cutlery, be courteous in table communication.

Everything that includes the concept of "aesthetics" of nutrition is of great importance during the feeding process. During his stay at the preschool educational institution, the child learns to behave correctly at the table, to use appliances (spoon, knife, fork), and acquires certain skills in food culture. The sooner the correct eating habits are formed, the more firmly they will become a habit.

At the preschool educational institution, cultural and hygienic eating habits are considered taking into account the age characteristics of children. Compliance with hygienic requirements by children is one of the responsibilities of the educator during the feeding process. Caregivers should pay great attention to children with reduced appetite; individual tastes and habits must be taken into account.

Vegetables and fruits are good for everyone: both adults and children. They are an integral part of our food, making our food varied and nutritious. Our body cannot do without vegetables and fruits, since they are the main suppliers of minerals, vitamins and other food elements, without which our body cannot normally exist. Vegetables and fruits contain substances that are absent in other products and which improve digestion, metabolism, help the body absorb proteins, fats, carbohydrates from other foods.

Cutting vegetables is of great importance in food preparation. It contributes to their more uniform heat treatment, gives the dishes a beautiful appearance, and improves the taste.

The rule for cutting vegetables is as follows. If we are cooking cabbage soup, then we cut the cabbage into strips, carrots and potatoes into cubes, onion into strips, half rings. If the cabbage is diced, then diced potatoes, carrots and onions diced.

Vegetables are cut mechanically and by hand.

Slicing by hand is a laborious process, therefore special tools or vegetable cutting machines are widely used to facilitate it.

The simplest most common forms of cutting include straws, sticks, cubes, circles, slices, wedges. When cutting straws and slices by hand, the method of shredding is used.

Complex forms of cutting include: barrels, balls, spirals, shavings, pears, garlic. Complex shapes are cut by hand, by turning.

They use the method of carbation, the shape of an asterisk, and a scallop. Nowadays, carving is widely used - cutting, artistic carving used to decorate festive tables.

The preschool educational institution uses complex cuts for vitamin and holiday tables.

Remember that it is in our power to provide children with a reserve of strength and health for many years, because a balanced, properly organized food rich in vegetables is the key to the health and proper development of children.

It is important that the baby develops a positive attitude towards food intake so that by the time of feeding he is not irritated or tired.

20-30 minutes before the next meal, children are returned from a walk or stop classes, games. This time is used to create a certain mood in children, conducive to eating. Before eating, they tidy up their clothes, wash their hands thoroughly, the attendants take an active part in setting the table. Shifts help in fostering in children a love of order and cleanliness, respect for the work of adults, in the development of a meaningful desire and ability to selflessly help others, and a good beginning in a little person is the beginning of all beginnings.

I would like to draw attention to the clothes of the attendants and assistant educators. The set is selected in accordance with the name of the group, for example, "Merry Beehive", "Strawberry Shortcake", "Ladybug".

The employees of the preschool educational institution draw the attention of children to a beautiful set table, flowers in the center of the dining table, creative design of dishes and constantly encourage the children themselves to try to create a cozy atmosphere around.

Moreover, in the process of introducing children to etiquette, much attention is paid to the interaction of preschool educational institutions and parents. Each age group has a newspaper for parents called "Big Boys", which offers different headings.

One of the rubrics is called “Nutritional Conversation”. This section contains consultations and useful tips for parents on how to organize proper nutrition for their children twice a month. Here are some sample topics:

  • Parents' Memo "Table Behavior";
  • Consultation "What porridge is made from and how to make porridge tastier";
  • Useful tips "Vegetables, berries and fruits are the most vitamin foods";
  • Cheat sheet for parents "Where to find vitamins in the spring?";

It has become a tradition to organize joint exhibitions with parents at the beginning of the school year. A regulation has been developed for each exhibition, according to which the participants are assessed and awarded. At the beginning of this school year, there was an exhibition entitled "Gifts of Autumn", where parents presented their talents.

At the seminar we present to your attention the thematic table "Children's Birthday". When organizing a children's birthday party, one cannot do without creative imagination and a talent for improvisation. Preparation is often time-consuming, but it is a great pleasure: it’s like you’re in your very childhood. Fill the festive table with things that make children's hearts beat more joyfully - you will provide yourself and your children with an unforgettable holiday.

On the vitamin table, three new options are presented that we use at the preschool educational institution. You will see the vitamin tables menu on the screen.

A child's appetite, his mood and behavior during meals largely depend on the behavior of adults and on the attitude of children towards this. Therefore, it is important for preschool educational institutions to remember that all skills are formed and consolidated gradually in the process of repeated repetition and it is necessary to ensure a calm, friendly attitude towards the child, and then success will be ensured!

Improving appetite and improving the quality of assimilation of food is promoted by its variety. For this purpose, the preschool educational institution practices the use of vitamin tables. In each group, the vitamin table is designed in accordance with the theme of the group, taking into account the age characteristics of the children. On the vitamin table, taking into account the season, a variety of salads, vegetables, juices are presented.

When organizing meals in a preschool educational institution, great importance is attached to working with parents. It has become a tradition to organize joint exhibitions with parents at the beginning of the school year. A regulation has been developed for each exhibition, according to which the participants are assessed and awarded.

Remember that it is in our power to provide children with a reserve of strength and health for many years, because a balanced, properly organized, vitamin-rich diet is the key to the health and proper development of children.

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The general appearance of the table, good serving, correct alternation and combination of dishes contribute to the development of appetite, and this, in turn, has a positive effect on the digestibility of food. The role of a properly organized meal is enormous. Such food is the key to not only a balanced diet, but also a healthy psychological climate. Eating together unites team members, develops healthy habits, and instills useful skills. The concept of "food aesthetics" includes many attributes that serve as conditions for comfort: good lighting in the hall, comfortable seats, rational arrangement of dishes on the table. The aroma of dishes and sound accompaniment are very important for the development of appetite and activation of digestion.

    1. Types of feasts

A meal together has been a welcome event throughout human history. She gave rise to positive emotions, helping to relieve fatigue, anxiety and nervous tension, giving a certain relaxedness, new acquaintances, as well as, at least temporarily, joy and peace to fellow diners. Many of them received a pleasant opportunity to eat plenty and tasty food, which was not always available to everyone.

The solemn general feast, the festive meal, was usually called by the Scandinavians a "feast". It was arranged on the occasion, so to speak, of the "peaks" of private and public life. The feast, relatively crowded, requiring significant costs and a customary organization, presented to the public the status, consistency and properties of companions, made it possible to evaluate them, as well as clarify and, to a certain extent, adjust relations between relatives and neighbors. And right away it is worth making a reservation that the socializing role of the feast was manifested not only through friendly libations, but also through disagreements, sometimes bloody fights of companions, revealing the arrangement, the balance of their forces.

Literary sources allow, to some extent, to restore the order of such banquet gatherings, to a certain extent to adequately imagine their role in the then Scandinavian society, which had already begun to integrate into the feudal system of the European Middle Ages. At the same time, the information available, for example, in the sagas, is quite selective, including socially, because they draw in the most detail the upper strata of society, the kings, the nobility, more sparingly, the rich top of the commoner bonds; it is about such feasts that you can read in the sagas.

From these descriptions, the feasts were of several types. One of them is a regular collective plentiful meal, which, for example, kings practiced in non-war time almost every day, sitting for a long time at the table with their entourage and immediately discussing important issues for the country and for them personally, as well as incidents that happened during yard. Then from morning to evening “the cup bearer poured honey mash into chased bowls” 76. Judging by the sagas, the feast was a common pastime of the king and his retinue-retinue in between battles, ceremonies, hunting and, in general, matters requiring active action on the part of the sovereign.

On such days the king rose early; if it happened already in a Christian environment, he prayed, then in the company of a retinue and, often, guests went to the hall. There, perhaps, he washed his hands together with his companions, then took the main place at the table. Everyone began to eat, and if a new interesting person got into this society, he was asked to tell about himself and what he saw. It was even better if the guest knew how to play musical instruments and sing, tell sagas. We sat at the table for a long time, ate and especially drank a lot. As a sign that it was time for the servants to clear the table, the king knocked on the table with the handle of his knife 77. As is known from the sagas, every Scandinavian had such a knife, which served as a cutlery or a weapon as needed. Sometimes, having overloaded, the feasts went to rest, so that then, interrupting the feast only for the evening church service, continue it until night, and then with difficulty get to bed. In "Strands about Audun from the Western Fjords" it is said that after the feast the king and the squad "go drunk to vespers" 78.

In the fall, the entire courtyard was removed from its place and roamed from "feast to feast". Many cases and fates were decided at the table. In the poem about Beowulf, the hero praises the leader, who "did not destroy friends in honey feasts, did not have evil intentions in mind ... he was gentle and meek in heart."

Both kings and other wealthy people dined solemnly during the stay, sometimes for a long time. There was no longer any talk of the feasts of the nobility. In The Saga of Olav the Saint, there is an expressive story about the feast that the little king of Wesfold Sigurd Pig arranged for his stepson, the “chief king” of Norway, Olav Tolstoy 80. The guest was greeted, led by the hand into the house and seated in a place of honor. Sigurd's wife Asta asked her son to stay, disposed of "everything that she had, land and people." Sigurd “ordered his men to take care of the clothes of those who were with Olav and feed their horses,” then “sat down in his place. And the feast was wonderful. "

So, the preparation for the feast in honor of the distinguished guest included cleaning and festive decoration of the chambers, preparation of tables and treats on them, and necessarily festive, "precious" or at least "good" clothes of both the owners and their servants and guests, as well as those who accompanied them. It was required to invite all the noble people of the area, who, of course, came with their escorts. The guests were supposed to be greeted with crowds and solemnity. The saga does not tell about the course of the feast, only notes that Sigurd, during the visit to Olav and all those accompanying him, "fed them day with fish and milk, and the day with meat and beer." At the same time, the saga explains the reasons for the visit of the guest to Sigurd. Olav the Tolstoy planned to win the throne of Norway and wanted to get Sigurd's assistance. And the "power-hungry" Asta supported her son's plans, believing that even if, having become king of Norway, he lives as little as Olav's son Tryggvi, it is still better than vegetating in obscurity to a ripe old age, like her husband.

The circumstances of other solemn feasts were similar, which (apparently, one by one) arranged for the kings by local landmen and rich bonds of one or another district, when the rulers "rode around the feasts." They also set up benches, invited the "best people" living in the neighborhood with their retinues, who hung their shields on the wall, together with the king sometimes received up to twenty dozen escorts, generously treated everyone, and so on. The owners boasted of expensive dishes, the decoration of the house, everyone present - clothes and weapons, those who wished to "measure their strength", especially respected guests received rich gifts upon departure.

Finally, the sagas also speak of a collective meal, which was arranged on special occasions - in honor of a religious or other holiday, tinga, victory over the enemy, weddings and funerals, i.e. coincided with the remarkable events of public and private life. For example, Hovding Samund organized a wide feast every winter "for the Mass of Nikulas" (St. Nicholas, December 6), inviting all the prominent people of the area. Samund himself was then sitting in the middle of a long bench, next to him was his relative Loft, in a place of honor opposite the owner - another noble hoving. Everyone drank a lot, "some" poems were read, apparently offensive for one of the groups of feasts, since everyone parted in "greater enmity" than they had been before the feast 81.

Judging by the order in which the guests were seated - in proportion to their nobility and closeness to the owner, one can speak of the well-known "parochialism". Probably, not only wealth and nobility were taken into account, but also age and merits, especially military ones. It is no coincidence that Skald Egil wrote this visu: “Why are you / are you occupying my bench? / Did you give the wolf / Are the fresh food corpses? / I saw how from the warriors / Vrana drank home brew? / Have you been in the surf / The shine of your carved blades? / I am with the screaming warrior / Wandered. On the wounds / Vorog rushed like a whirlwind / Vikings raged ... / Borzo we were at the coast / fought and chopped ... "82.

Of course, the feasts were not cheap for the owners, so in most cases they were organized by wealthy people. The wealthy and influential Snorri Godi arranged a "big autumn feast", perhaps traditional, timed to coincide with the autumn tinga and sacrifice - after all, he was the year of the local temple. The owner “invited his friends to him. He made a lot of hot mash, and drank hard. There was also a lot of drinking fun ", of which one, apparently familiar, was named:" people were compared "from the neighborhood -" who is the biggest hoving. " Upon departure, the guests received gifts, which was one of the rituals of visiting at that time, because Snorri Godi himself, when leaving the guests, also received gifts 83.

In "The Saga of Eirik the Red" (Chapter VII) it is said: "In the winter, the nobility arranged feasts and [there] told sagas, and engaged in many others, which makes home life fun." The richest, most solemn and prestigious were those feasts that were hosted or attended by kings. The sagas contain many references about them.

Unusually interesting, and sometimes unique information about such feasts is brought to us by the poem "Beowulf". It says that the arrangement of the solemn feast by the local king was preceded by the "construction of a banquet palace", which was erected by "all the people", converging for this from all sides. The king, who ruled over the Danes for a long time, "gave gold there ... rings to all who feasted" 84.

It was customary to meet a guest with a feast, to whom they wanted to give special honor. For example, in honor of Sverrir, who came from Norway to the Swedish region of Vermaland, his delighted sister hosted a feast with invited guests 85. Or: “The noble and wealthy Höskuld and the sons of Njal invited each other to visit. First Höskuld went to visit the sons of Njal. " One of them “had a brown horse, four years old, tall and handsome. The horse ... was never taken out to battle with other horses. " Höskuld was presented with this horse "and two more mares to boot." The hosts made other gifts to the guest, and both sides assured each other of friendship. “Then Hölskud invited them to his Ossaber. He already had many guests there. Even before that, he had ordered the demolition of his main house, but he had three sheds in which the beds were made. Everyone he invited came. The feast was great. And when it was time to leave, Höskuld brought rich gifts to the guests and, together with some guests and his household, went to see off the sons of Njal ”86.

A certain Murd made a feast to celebrate a feast for his father, “and prepared everything for the feast. He invited many Bonds, and there were many people at this feast. " Everyone returned home with gifts 87. In the "Saga of Nyala" it is said that at a feast they commemorated their dead relatives and drank in honor of the gods 88.

The wedding feast was particularly splendid 89. Many guests were invited to it. The wedding of a noble person demanded considerable expenses, since relatives and eminent guests came from all over the country and even from abroad, and everyone was with their families and companions. At the same time, they received and, especially gave guests a lot of gifts. They ate, drank honey mash, and listened with joy to the performances of the skalds. It is especially noted that the young Egil first read the hanging he had folded at a wedding feast 90.

They certainly feasted on the occasion of the Tings, regional and, especially, common to the whole country. Traditional common or large tinges gathered for holidays three times a year: on yule, in spring and autumn. For each of these holidays, not only a common ting was timed, but also a large, solemn sacrifice, and with the adoption of Christianity, a Catholic service and, in addition, according to ancient custom, a fair 91.

When Skald Egil planned to visit Norway, he landed on the shore and went to his good acquaintance, the wealthy and noble Arinbjärn, who invited him to stay "with those of the companions whom he would like to leave with him." Egil pulled the ship ashore, "the oarsmen found a haven for themselves," and he and his 11 companions went to Arinbjarn. The owner was presented with "a magnificent sail of the ship", which Egil ordered to make in advance, as well as "many other gifts." Egil stayed at a party all winter, "surrounded by honor." Yule was celebrated at Arinbjarn, who “summoned his friends and the surrounding bonds to it. A great many people gathered there, and a rich feast was arranged. Arinbjarn ordered this garment to be made according to Egil's height. He also gave him a full outfit, tailored for yule. It was cut from colorful English fabric. " In addition, "Arinbjarn honored his guests with all kinds of friendly gifts, since he was a very generous and worthy person." On this occasion, Egil composed a visu: “A worthy husband gave up / A rich outfit. / Never meet / More loyal than a friend. / An expensive gift / He gave me. / I will not find that I, / Who would compare with him ”92.

There are not so many cuisines of the world classified as the World Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. The highlight of this collection is Japanese cuisine. Small plates of various shapes on the table, small pieces of food that can be conveniently grabbed with chopsticks and sent to your mouth, a clear appearance of the ingredients that make up the meal - this expresses the Japanese striving for elegance and aesthetics. Japanese attention to detail can be traced in their attitude to food: young people are served larger portions than older people due to different metabolism, food in the winter season is different from summer, and the design of dishes turns into a real art.

Simplicity, ease of preparation, freshness of products are the foundations of Japanese cuisine. A regular corner grocery store or a high-end restaurant in the city center will offer their customers equally fresh food. In Japan, prepackaged and offered food has a shelf life of no more than a day. It is hard to believe that the ubiquitous and well-known Japanese cuisine was once closed to the world due to the policy of national seclusion that was pursued until 1868.

History of the kitchen

The earliest evidence of Japanese cuisine dates back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic times, when the main diet of the Japanese at that time was fish, various types of millet, and shellfish. Even then, the Japanese used pots in which all kinds of stews were cooked. The famous Japanese dish shabu-shabu, which is also called "a dish from one pot", dates from just that period. Archaeologists who conducted excavations in Japan noted that even then people used natural refrigerators in the form of deep pits and preserved food with salt.

The main product of the cuisine - rice - began to be cultivated in Japan in the 3rd century BC. BC, and rice was not only a food product, but also a monetary unit, a measure of remuneration for samurai until the end of the 19th century. Rice stocks spoke about the material wealth of the family. In the 6th century, China influenced Japanese cuisine and laid the foundations for the tea ceremony.

During the same period, Buddhism penetrated the country, and therefore, already in 675, a law appeared prohibiting the use of meat. Violation of the ban was punishable by death. True, the ban itself did not apply to all types of meat. For example, the meat of wild pigs and deer could continue to be eaten with impunity. Fishing was also banned in 752. The fishermen were left without a job and a source of food. But to prevent the fishermen from starving to death, the imperial house dated them with a certain amount of rice annually. Chopsticks are not a Japanese invention. The Japanese borrowed them from the Chinese, just like the recipe for soy sauce and udon noodles.

"Rice was not only a food product, but also a currency"

With the beginning of the aristocratic era, which began in 710 after the founding of the permanent capital in Nara, Japanese cuisine takes on its inherent features. The dishes at the imperial court are elegant and understated, the finesse and external aesthetics of the dishes are appreciated, not their abundance. Everything on the plates acquires a certain symbolism, the color of the dishes is determined by the season and the events taking place.

Until the arrival of the first Portuguese in Japan in 1543, sweets, as such, were absent from the diet of the population. Although sugar was discovered by the Japanese in the 8th century, it was considered a cure for lung disease and was not eaten. Most often, fruits, chestnuts, honey were sweet for tea. Everything changed with the arrival of Europeans in Japan. Sweet candies, caramels, cookies and lollipops are the "sweets of the southern barbarians" with which they tried to persuade the Japanese to convert to Christianity. Japan closes itself off from the world again in 1639 and opens to the West only after 1868. Bakeries, steakhouses, breweries, ice cream and chocolate shops, coffee and liquor stores have all come to Japan and have become cosmically popular among young foodies and intellectuals. Cheeses, milk, and butter did not emerge from the popularity of the cheesecake dessert until the 1970s.

But American hamburgers were not destined to flood the market. Back in 1958, Ando Momofuku invented the revolutionary instant noodles in plastic cups that the whole of Japan, and not only Japan, fell in love with. Japanese food traditions are losing their relevance in their own country, but suddenly the Japanese discover that it is their cuisine that inspires the entire modern world. People from all over the world flocked to an internship with Japanese chefs. After all, the line in your resume that you were trained by a Japanese chef increases your competitiveness.

Japanese catering

Eating outside the home gained its popularity in the Edo period in the early 18th century, when the city (which would be renamed Tokyo in the future) was twice the population of what was then Paris, and the majority of its inhabitants were unmarried men and visiting provincials. Many of them huddled in small rooms and there was simply nowhere to cook. This gave a powerful boost to the fast food industry. In 1751, the world's first restaurant opened in Edo. The ability to understand the quality of food has become a matter of honor. Edo, Osaka and Kyoto began printing the first restaurant appraisal brochures.

In modern Japan, the main feature of catering that distinguishes it from the rest of the world is the tradition of displaying display cases at the entrance with dummies of main dishes and their prices. Green tea will be served with food, and a tip will be considered an insult - it is not customary to leave it here. You can often see a picture of a Japanese waiter catching up on the street to a European in order to tip him, which he left out of habit.

"You can often see a picture of a Japanese waiter catching up on the street to a European in order to tip him, which he left out of habit."

All active life in big cities takes place around metro stations and train stations, so most cafes and restaurants are concentrated there. Food prices can be either quite reasonable or obscenely high. It all depends on the level of the restaurant, the range of dishes and the quality of service.

An inexpensive and tasty option for a tourist to have a snack will be sushi establishments, organized according to the principle of a conveyor belt, where small plates pass you by and you can take whatever you like right from the belt. The cost of meals is determined by the color of the plate. After the end of the meal, the waiter counts the number and color of the plates, fixes them in the check, which you pay at the checkout when you leave the establishment. The order is usually made using an electronic display installed near each table.

It happens that a cafe offers only options for complex meals and it is impossible to change anything in the stated combinations. For example, if you want a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables, but without a bowl of rice, do not even hope that they will understand you and fulfill your wish or adjust the price. There is a menu and that's it, no other items are provided.

"Back in 1958, Ando Momofuku invented the revolutionary instant noodles in plastic cups that the whole of Japan loved and loved."

Superstitions / habits / omens

There are a number of rules associated with chopsticks in Japan. For example, women can only eat food with chopsticks, while men can eat some food with their hands. Sticks should not be inserted vertically into food, especially rice, as they do only at funerals. Chopsticks do not move plates, do not point, do not clamp them in a fist, and do not place them across the bowl. The chopsticks should be placed on the table before asking for additional rice.

Before a meal, always say "Bon appetit" and a damp warm and sometimes hot oshibori towel to rub your hands before eating. Getting up from the table with half-eaten rice in a bowl is impolite, they eat rice to the last grain.

Dishes

Japanese cuisine can be roughly divided into three groups: rice dishes, noodle dishes, and fish and meat dishes. The degree of heat treatment varies from completely raw meat and fish to products fried in batter over high heat.

There are three types of Japanese noodles: ramen, udon, and soba.

Ramen brought to Japan from China. Basically, they are noodles in broth. Most often, in chicken, but also in pork or seafood broth. Vegetarian ramen is also gaining popularity in recent years. Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour and eggs.

Noodles udon made from wheat flour, but without adding eggs. Due to its composition, it takes a little longer to cook than ramen noodles, but it is also more nutritious. Unlike ramen, udon noodles are consumed both as an independent dish with soy sauce and as part of a soup.

Sobu made from buckwheat flour, sometimes with the addition of wheat. It is a famous dish since the Nara era, when it was served at tea ceremonies. Soba is usually eaten cold with seasonings and soy sauce, but sometimes added to hot broth.

Eating noodles of any kind, it is customary in Japan to smack their lips, thus showing that the dish is delicious.

Tempura- shrimp, fish and seasonal vegetables fried in batter. It is consumed with soy sauce broth. This crispy dish was brought to Japan by Christian missionaries.

Sukiyaki- The "dish from the cauldron", like the shabu-shabu, is cooked in a saucepan right on the table. Thin slices of beef, noodles, tofu and vegetables. Nothing complicated, but the taste is very exquisite.

Shabu shabu- the principle of cooking is close to sukiyaki, although here a thin piece of meat is dipped into a pot of boiling water, due to which excess fat is removed from the meat and the calorie content of the dish is reduced. The broth with meat is traditionally seasoned with onions, cabbage and vegetables.

Sushi, known and beloved by everyone, initially looked quite different. Previously, rice and fish were carefully marinated and left for at least a year, and more often for three, before eating. The modern look of sushi was given by samurai who appreciated the taste of raw fresh fish. It is thanks to their taste preferences that sushi became a bun of rice and a piece of fish. As a rule, sushi is dipped in soy sauce and seasoned with "Japanese horseradish" wasabi. We are used to seeing wasabi on the table in a separate bowl, but in Japan, wasabi is put right inside sushi. It is believed that different types of sushi should be eaten with pickled ginger in order to fully experience different tastes.

Sashimi- sliced ​​fillets of raw fish of various types, which are eaten dipped in soy sauce. Daikon, a Japanese radish, is often served with sashimi, which helps to fully reveal the taste of fish.

Japanese curry is the only rice dish that is eaten with spoons. The dish came to Japan from India and was positioned as English (at that time India was a British colony). Later, the Japanese transformed the curry sauce to suit their taste, and now this dish cannot be called a fusion version of the Indian, the taste of the sauce is completely different.

Yakitori is a favorite snack for alcoholic drinks in Japan. Chicken meat, vegetables and mushrooms on bamboo skewers, grilled with coals. Mini barbecues are available at the numerous izakaya pubs.

Tonkatsu is a super popular dish in Japanese cafes. Just like tempura, it is deep-fried, but it is a pork chop and is served not with soy, but with another, slightly sweetish in taste, sauce.

It is impossible to ignore the delicacy - puffer fish, which is considered food for extreme lovers. After all, only a drop of poison, contained mainly in the liver of a fish, can lead a gourmet to complete paralysis and death. All the chefs who prepare puffer fish have a special license to prepare it. According to Japanese tradition, the chef who has poisoned the client is obliged to make himself hara-kiri, however, is this still relevant today? That is the question.

The second famous Japanese delicacy is considered marbled meat... The meat of the bulls turns out to be especially tender and soft due to the fact that they are almost never let out of the stall and are generously watered with beer.

Well, of course, wagashi- all kinds of Japanese desserts based on rice, legumes, agar-agar. It is difficult to call them sweet in the usual sense, but having got used to and having discovered the taste of wagashi for oneself, it is already difficult to refuse them.

Alcohol

The technology of making the most famous alcoholic drink - sake - is similar to brewing beer, but the amount of alcohol in Japanese vodka sake is three times higher than the "degree" of beer. Sake is also called rice wine because of the rice and water in it. Sake is drunk warm - to achieve a quick intoxication, or chilled, which is more familiar to Europeans. Sake is considered a drink for the smart, as research by Tokyo scientists suggests that the IQ of those who drink it daily is higher than that of those who abstain from it.

No less popular alcohol in Japan is beer, which is usually adorned with pretty, smiling Japanese women in short skirts. The whiskey that came from outside also won favor. Low alcohol fruit drinks are popular with young people. Fruit and berry wines, which we contemptuously call "ink", are made in Japan from plums - unlike ours, they have their own sophisticated interesting taste.

Fast food

The most popular Japanese snack is to buy onigiri. This is a triangular-shaped rice cake with filling (salmon, chicken, caviar, egg, vegetables, and so on). Once peasants took onigiri with them to the field, but now children take them with them to school and for a walk.

Okonomiyaki is "Japanese pizza". Only her base is not made from dough, but from chopped cabbage, fastened with raw eggs. In the form of a filling, noodles, seafood, vegetables are used. Fast and economical meal, complemented by sweet sauce and sprinkled with dried fish.

Takoyaki are small balls of flour with pieces of octopus meat inside. The sauce and dried fish are the same as in okonomiyaki. Typically, takoyaki are sold in 6 or 9 pieces. It seems that this snack can just "freeze the worm", but despite its size, takoyaki is a very satisfying meal.

“Many of them huddled in small rooms and there was simply nowhere to cook. This gave a powerful impetus to the fast food industry. "

Bento is a variant of a camping lunch. It is a box divided into sections, each of which contains different ingredients. Bento was originally sold at train station stations for travelers with a long journey ahead of them. Bento is based on rice and various mini-dishes (meat, fish, vegetables). Previously, caring wives and mothers were engaged in their preparation, now they can be bought in any supermarket. However, it will not work to take out a wooden bento box from Japan as a souvenir. They are considered national treasures and are prohibited for export.

In addition, Japanese street food includes fried squid, popcorn, crepe-type pancakes, fried chestnuts, steamed buns with niku-man meat filling, chicken on a stick kushi-yaki, kebabs made from various meats and quirky forms of tofu. You definitely won't stay hungry in Japan!

Photo by Lady and Pups , I am a Food Blog, Fitness on Toast

Food aesthetics.

Everything that includes the concept of "nutrition aesthetics" is of great importance in the feeding process. During his stay in kindergarten, the child learns to behave correctly at the table, to use appliances (fork, knife, spoon), and acquires certain skills in food culture.

It is necessary to start instilling all these skills from an early age. The sooner a child has the right eating habits, the more firmly they become established and become a good habit.

It is important that the baby develops a positive attitude towards food intake so that by the time of feeding he is not irritated and tired. To do this, educators in the group should take care of creating a calm environment. Before eating, one should avoid noisy games, strong impressions, which can inhibit the production of digestive juices in children and suppress the food reflex.

20-30 minutes before the next meal, children are returned from a walk or they stop classes or games. This time is used to create a certain mood in children, conducive to eating.

Before eating, children put their clothes in order, wash their hands thoroughly, and the attendants (starting from 3-4 years old) take an active part in setting the table. Every child should have a permanent seat at the table. And tables and chairs should be appropriate for the height of the child. (marking)

It is important to keep the babies in a good mood during feeding. To do this, you need to have beautiful, comfortable, stable dishes, in terms of volume corresponding to the age of children, cutlery. Tables are covered with individual beautiful napkins, napkin holders are placed in the center of the table. The dishes are served as beautifully presented as possible, not very hot, but not cold either. Fresh herbs, bright vegetables and fruits are used to decorate the dishes.

In the process of feeding, the educator should not rush the children, distract them with extraneous conversations, remarks. During feeding, children are told about the pleasant appearance, taste, smell of food, about its usefulness, they try to focus the child's attention on food. It is necessary to monitor the behavior of children at the table, the observance of cleanliness and neatness, teach them to chew food well, not to swallow it in large pieces, to eat everything that is offered.

Compliance with hygiene requirements is one of the responsibilities of the educator during the feeding process. This is especially important in early age groups, when skills and habits are actively formed and consolidated in babies. Young children are taught to sit quietly at the table, skillfully use a napkin, chew with a closed mouth, and not talk while eating. Children learn to use cutlery: from 1.5-2 years old they eat with a spoon on their own, and from 3 years old they eat with a fork. In preschool groups, children are advised to be given a full table set (knives should not be sharp). Children of the senior and preparatory groups should be able to correctly use a knife and fork, holding it in both the right and left hand.

After finishing the meal, the children gently blot their mouths with a napkin and wipe their hands, thank for the meal and leave the table. Children should not be allowed to leave the table with a piece of bread or other food, including fruits and berries, cookies or candy.

When feeding children, especially young children, it is necessary to follow the sequence of processes, not to force children to sit at the table for a long time, waiting for the start of a meal or a change of dishes. The next dish is served immediately after the previous one has been eaten. Children who have finished eating before others may be allowed to leave the table and engage in a quiet game or get ready for bed.

Educators pay great attention to children with reduced appetite. When feeding such children, it is especially important to observe the recommended age norms, to take into account their individual taste and habits. Too much food can only scare the baby away and lead to an even greater loss of appetite.

Also, you should not force feed the child, entertain him while eating with toys, pictures, tell fairy tales, etc. Children with a poor appetite can be offered a small amount of water or fruit juice before meals so that they can drink heavy meals. With a child, one should not talk about his poor appetite, selective attitude to dishes, their intolerance. For this, it is very important to talk with the parents of the newly admitted children in order to find out such details.

A special approach is needed for overweight, obese, or advanced obese children. In the absence of attention from educators, these children often overeat. Usually, during feeding, they are seated at separate tables (if possible) so that they do not feel offended if they are restricted in their diet. If an overweight child refuses part of the meal, there is no need to insist on continuing to eat. These children should not eat quickly - caregivers should make sure that they eat the food slowly, chewing it thoroughly. Further nutritional recommendations for these children are developed in collaboration with the parents, pediatrician, nutritionist and nurse.

The concept of "food aesthetics" includes hygienic rules and the whole environment of food intake - room, lighting, furniture, dishes, table setting, appearance of food, table behavior, meal order, self-eating skills, appetite, mood.

The basis for a competent approach to the aesthetics of food intake is mood, in particular, positive or negative emotions. If the mood while eating is aggressive, then the body is not inclined to accept food, no matter how delicious or wholesome. If the mood is upbeat, satisfied, peaceful, then the meal will become a real holiday for the body.

The color of the dishes is of great importance. The same dish, laid out on plates of different colors, will affect your appetite in different ways. So, for example, orange and yellow colors will increase appetite, blue - on the contrary, will decrease.

An important factor influencing the development of appetite is table setting. The use of beautiful dishes, bright and colorful tablecloths, sophisticated glasses and pleasant colors of napkins is a big plus. After all, as scientists have proven, food is not only micronutrients and calories, it is a source of information that enters the brain using visual receptors.

Food will be useful if you eat it during its ripening season (for example, watermelon is good in August-September, fresh herbs in June). In addition, ethnically different foods are poorly absorbed by the body, which means that Mediterranean pasta is unlikely to be good with Slavic fried mushrooms. The palette law also works great, which means that meat is well absorbed with vegetables, simply because the colors of these products are combined with each other, and dairy products are best consumed autonomously.

Often at the table you have to communicate with people of different age, gender, profession, nationality, different cultural level, mental disposition, etc. only from deliciously prepared dishes, but also from good serving, as well as from communication. Therefore, it is very important to be able to behave correctly in society, a solid knowledge of the norms of behavior and the rules of etiquette.

Etiquette is a set of historically established rules of human behavior in society. The rules of etiquette are usually formed in close connection with the development of the culture of the people, its national traditions and are based on the education in people of politeness, attention, and respect for each other.

The rules of etiquette provide, in particular, the ability to keep oneself at the table, to use cutlery correctly, a skill that both hosts and guests should possess equally.

The rules of behavior at the table are based on the observance of aesthetic norms, convenience and expediency. So, it is not recommended to sit too far from the edge of the table or too close and put your elbows on the table. This can embarrass your neighbor. Sit upright in a chair without bending over the plate. If you sit too far back in your chair, you can dip the dressing into the suit. You are not supposed to reach across the table - the waiter can put the dish on the plate.

Taking a napkin intended for individual use, you need to unfold it and put it on your knees to protect the suit or dress from drops, splashes, crumbs. After eating, you can wipe the ends of your fingers with a napkin, but for the lips it is more correct to use your own handkerchief. After finishing the meal, they put the napkin on the table without folding it.

For children, a napkin is tucked into the collar.

Not aesthetic manner of eating irritates others. Eating with gusto does not mean eating hastily. If you like the dish, you can finish it to the end, but a piece of bread at the end of a fork looks ugly, which is sometimes used to clean the plate from the remains of the dish.

Usually the food is taken using a fork, spoon, spatula or tongs, but a number of foods are taken by hand. These are bread, cookies, cake, fruits and citrus fruits, sugar (if tongs are not put for it). This order was not adopted by chance: these products do not need to be divided with a knife or fork, they do not get fingers dirty, the hand touches only one piece, which is then put on a plate or in a cup.

A number of rules are dictated by the requirements of aesthetics. So, it is ugly to bite off a large piece of bread or a whole loaf, so small pieces are broken off from them as needed with your fingers; sometimes the bread is pre-cut into small pieces. When serving caviar, it is preliminarily placed with a spatula on a plate, and then spread on small pieces of bread. Having eaten the first piece, you can spread the second ... In the same way, they eat pates, butter, using special knives for spreading.

State of mind while eating

It turns out that the color of the plates matters. So, the same food, laid out on orange and blue plates, affects appetite in different ways. Orange will increase appetite, while blue will decrease it.

Table setting and the use of beautiful dishes are a big plus. Food is not only calories, vitamins and minerals, food is also information.

The moment of preparation for a meal is very important. You need to bring yourself into a balanced state. It would be nice to pray, to give thanks to the Creator for the food provided.

You can't sort things out at the table, scold children while eating. By this you will destroy health, since information during a meal enters the subconscious directly. Do you wish your child or other relative a stomach ulcer?

You can not watch TV while eating (there is more than enough negative things!).

It is categorically impossible to eat while working or playing at the computer - you can also "get involved in virtual reality"! And then to be treated from computer and gaming addiction.

Everything that you see and hear while eating goes directly to the subconscious and increases the corresponding emotions.

When eating, light casual communication is allowed. If this is impossible in your situation, then the best thing is silence!

Family tradition plays an important role in building competent eating habits. If it is customary in your home to dine together, at a large table, then you not only support the principles of a competent and traditional approach to eating, but also provide yourself with a balanced diet, with which your family will receive useful nutrients.

In addition, food is a powerful emotional channel, and a homemade meal prepared with love is the best prevention of diseases of the digestive tract and nervous system.