Global Food Etiquette You Might Not Be Aware Of


Placing chopsticks upright in a rice bowl in Japan is considered ominous ©dslrninja

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The next time you’re gallivanting around the globe and sampling the world’s culinary delights, you may want to exercise caution before you take a bite.

Many countries practice little-known etiquette rules particular to their cuisine. For instance, utensils have a love-hate relationship from Asia to South America. French fries must be eaten with forks in Chile, while in Thailand, the fork is often used to push food onto your spoon, or not used at all.

In Japan, placing your chopsticks upright into a bowl of rice is almost the equivalent of social suicide. And if your usual midday coffee pangs hit in Italy, you might want to skip it–Italians are quick to judge anyone who orders a cappuccino after noon, as tourists.

View additional tips at MSNBC.com

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