Japan at the table: tableware

We have the ingredients, the recipe and the basic elements to cook each dish, but what’s missing is setting the table! Surely more than once you have wondered if you are presenting a recipe properly, what kind of tableware do we need, individual or sharing plates? This week, on the Oriental Market blog, we want to give you some tips to keep in mind when serving food on the table. Take note:

As you may well know, in Japan, preserving and maintaining forms and traditions is very important. The presentation of the food could not be less so if you are going to visit the country or you want to surprise your guests with an oriental meal at home in the traditional way it is very important that you know some of the basic elements that you cannot forget.

If we talk about eating, we will use the word “gozan”, which is how rice is called and is synonymous with “food”. Rice is a fundamental part of the Japanese diet and can often be found on the table at mealtimes. The number of dishes on the table is usually odd (5 or 7), all of them prepared with a different cooking technique with recipes such as a soup or broth, vegetables, meat or fish, etc. All presented on trays or on individual tables. The protocol says: the rice on the left, the soup on the right, the rest of the dishes behind in the background and the chopsticks in front with the tips facing to the left and resting on a small chopstick rest – Hashioki. However, when it comes down to it, there are many people who do not follow an order and place the plates in the centre of the table so that they can share with the rest of the diners. We love this option!

Instant Ice Plates!

To present each dish, at Oriental Market you will find a wide collection of top quality designer Japanese tableware. Some examples are: Sets of two bowls and chopsticks with a floral or geometric theme, ideal for enjoying some noodles; we also have sushi kits that include two flat plates, sauce boats and oriental chopsticks.There are also plates with division so as not to mix ingredients from the same recipe, an example is the white porcelain divided plate. Boat-shaped plates are also an excellent option for presenting sushi at a dinner with friends or family. We have the classic wooden and bamboo ones, but also melamine ones like this boat in black and red. If you want to see more, take a look at our tableware section in the online shop, we have lots of models! We love the flat plates, so you can place your food in an elegant way, and the bolds when it comes to enjoy some noodles or miso soup.

What are you planning to cook today?