A CHINESE BANQUET.

Otaki Mail, 2 May 1923, Page 4

A CHINESE BANQUET.

<4 dj:u:(tabu; msm>. One or the members of the ChineiK Customs Service was invited, some time ago. to an official Chines" banquet, and gives the following account of it: The master of the house receivi d the guests, and showed them into the dining room, which Is only divided from the courtyard by :i glass partition. In th< middle of th, room was a large round table, and against the walls were chairs with a small table before each to put teacups on, tea being served immediately before dinner. The wails were covered with Chinese pictures.' and numberless lamps and lanterns hung from the ceiling'. After a short conversation In the Chinese language, the table was lata in the presence of the guests. When all was ready the host asked eacn guest to come to the table pointing out his seat, and handing him with many compliments a set of red lacquered

chopsticks. When this ceremony was completed the company sat down to dinner. Rice win f . was first brought up. together with ham. eggs £j£«u various cold vegeI tables. *k. _. ! which were sharks' fins, a soup madr. of diminutive snails of the size of small beans, -which came from Lake Tahu. a ragout, of ducks' tongues, fishes' brains with brown sauce (a most disgusting dish to a European palate), and puddings baked in oil. Roast pork and ducks were also served; these were eatable, and the fish was particularly well cooked, but in my opinion the simplest European i dish is far preferable to the most ela- ' borate delicacy of th e Chinese cuisine ( and after dinner I felt as if I had J eaten boiled gutta percha. The best ] part of the entertainment was a dish ! of excellent fruit. j Champagne was served toward the? 1 end of the dinner; this is the only win e drunk by the Chinese and only the wealthy can afford to buy it, as a case costs from 10 to 15 Mexican du- j cats. Cigars were handed round pfter ' the soup, and it is the custom to go , away directly after dinner. It is a»«o . remarkable that at a banquet of thia j kind the host only appears in official costume the guests being at! in mufti. '