Don't put in your mouth what you wouldn't put in your hand

To those of you who know me well, it will come as no surprise that as a kid my mother often told me, "Don't put in your mouth what you wouldn't put in your hand." (I had two older brothers and I think the first words I learned were cuss words!) Now I am remembering that advice in a totally new context.

Yesterday the Fulbright Office very graciously paid for an expensive lunch for the Fulbrighters and those of us spouses willing to come.  I was very excited. It was a beautiful traditional Japanese restaurant where the chair mat things sit on the floor and the table is low and all the waitresses are dressed in traditional attire and make up.  And, I was hungry (you might recall that this is a common occurrence for me in Japan).  So, I could hardly wait for the food to arrive. Then it arrived.

The first course consisted of raw squid, raw fish (it was red like salmon), and a raw whole shrimp thing looking at me through its big black eye.  With the shrimp thing, people seemed to be popping it into their mouths (eye and all).  I could not eat the raw fish food.  So, as I furtively looked around, I saw salvation. Sid would eat some of my raw fish food. Yes, it would look like I had eaten it!  Sid, sadly, is putting on weight now in Japan. Everyday he eats two lunches (his own and mine).  The next course was tempura (fried vegetables and shrimp) (yum--except the shrimp which I gave to Sid), some more raw fish stuff accompanied by a big, gelatinous piece of tofu (did not eat), a mayonnaise-based cold salad thing (I tasted but did not eat), and two cucumber pieces on a pile of something.  Then the main course in little individual stove things on the table--beef and noodles.  I ate the noodles. Sid later said he wished I had given him the beef. But, by his own admission he is eating too much.... Dessert was a bowl of milky white stuff (not sweet) with a piece of kiwi and mint on top.  Hmmm.

So, what did I do then?  I went for a little piece of home. Across the street was a Krispy Kreme so I went and munched down 2 American glazed donuts.  I was then satisfied.

Japanese desserts are much less sweet than American ones. Even cakes seem to be only about half as sweet.  Again, I wonder why the Japanese are so thin!?!