Chicken head etiquette
(STR/AFP/Getty Images)
My editor, Kate, stopped over to ask me what I thought the etiquette was in this situation. (Like I would know.) Last weekend she attended an authentic Chinese banquet in a Virginia restaurant, one at which many of the guests were Chinese.
The dinner was seated but had shared dishes. By mistake the first thing she served herself was the chicken head that was being used as a garnish in a chicken dish. ...
She stared at it in horror (it stared back) and decided she couldn't eat anything with a chicken head on her plate. Even if she covered it with a lettuce leaf she would know it was there.
Her dilemma was this: Her plate was untouched. The chicken and its garnish was the first thing she had put on it. Should she put the head back and be able to eat the rest of her meal? Apparently she didn't think of asking for another plate.
Or should she suck it up and try to enjoy her chicken head? (Haha. Just kidding.)
I thought she probably couldn't put it back, but she managed to do it without offending anyone.
Any thoughts?
BTW, I wasn't able to come up with chicken head-specific art, so that's why the generic photo of a restaurant kitchen in China.
Comments
I don't know what I would do with that!
Posted by: rachel | June 13, 2007 9:23 AM
It's dead. Cover it up if you have to, but don't be a crybaby and refuse to eat. And for goodness sake, it's tacky to try to put it back. If you're a real wimp, find a tissue in your purse, put the head in it, and then excuse yourself for the restroom to flush it.
If anyone noticed that you 1) took the head; 2) put it back, they talked about it later. :)
Posted by: Kathy | June 13, 2007 12:20 PM
ok.. if you were siting with Chinese people at the same table. I'd just say, "I mistakenly took the head, anyone want it?" No one would mind. Specially some Chinese people like to pick at it. (ie. people in my family). just like when we order fresh fish steamed or not, we'd normally ofer it to the eldest at the table first. No need to hide it and flush it down the toilet and make a fool of yourself. That's just my opinion.
Posted by: Ming | June 13, 2007 4:02 PM