How is it hanging, Dungeon Meshi Maniacs? Did that hot mushroom risotto get you through the cold spell? I know I've had to cook up a lot of comfort foods over the past week. The cold and the holiday season means I'm relying on food to get me through it! But just because I'm cold and maybe a bit melancholy doesn't mean I just shove food into my mouth willy-nilly, DMMs. Nope. There is a proper order to the way I eat. A strict set of rules that I and I alone hold myself to. I, much like Senshi, am a firm believer in proper table manners.
Always wild to see Senshi upset. But wasting food is a solid no-no in his book. He's also a little put off by the way Izutsumi holds her spoon. In the story, Senshi is trying to teach her a greater lesson of the proper way to use tools effectively. I mean, in this world if you break some rules a Hag could show up and attack!
Spooky! I thought about writing about the Hag itself this week, DMMs. But I feel table manners is a more interesting story. As long as we have gathered around the table together we've created rules on the "proper" way to do things. Cups go here, knives go there, don't throw bread across the table to your cousin. Simple rules to follow when one sits down to eat. Of course, like with any rule they are not without their controversy, DMMs. Table manners can be used as a cudgel to use against people you have more power over. Think about how you felt getting yelled at for maybe leaving your elbows on the table or eating before everyone was seated?
The bread plate goes on the left and the drink on the right. Pretty easy if you're right handed, you just easily reach for your drink. The left-handed person has to reach across their plate and could drag their sleave through the dish so it doesn't work for them. That's where my personal first rule for table manners come in. Your table manners are YOURS and not to be applied to someone else. I feel that they enhance your meal and make it more fun. Even a fast food dinner can feel super fancy if you follow proper table manners! At least that's how I feel.
I have never called out someone else's bad table manners, DMMs. And I ask that you not either. If someone bothers you that much at a table you can always just leave. There are plenty of tables in the world. If someone is acting like a lout they aren't worth your time. Of course there is one exception to even this mightiest of rules. You are correct to tell someone to not chew with their mouth open. Just...why? It's one of the rudest ways to eat! Gross sounding and they are spraying it everywhere.
Before I let you go I would like to talk about one of my favorite rules. Don't slurp spaghetti, do slurp ramen. Different foods can have contrary rules of manners even if they are fairly similar. But I feel that you follow the rules for the food from the culture of their origin. Italian etiquette says that it is rude to slurp spaghetti so I don't slurp it. But the Japanese say slurp away when it comes to ramen. I wonder if things would be different if the Italians used chopsticks rather than a fork? Pretty deep thoughts. So what are your feelings on table manners? Are they a way to make the meal fancier or are they a constraint that takes away from enjoyment? Whatever you choose just remember that it's your way of eating and try not to judge others for being a little different. That's it for this week, DMMs. Be sure to come back next time when we get our meal from the land of dreams.
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