Don't Get Behind the Chinese in the Salad Bar Line

Don't worry. This is not about spitting, or peeing, or anything else that would put you off salad, or eating in China.

One thing the Chinese do well and pay attention to is food presentation. Everything is arranged and laid out very neatly. Even our ayi arranges our dinners to look like the ones on the left. We have "eaten" (I use that term rather loosely, because really it was inedible) food arranged to look like a pagoda (it was called barbecue pork, but it was barbecued fat), fried rice molded in the shape of a fish, and artfully stacked broccoli. Even food that I would definitely not eat (frog parts, things made with or out of blood, penises, and yes, that is NOT a typo) is cleverly arranged.

I found out today that it's not limited to things you pay for or people you pay. As I stood in the line for the salad bar (noticing my clothes slowly go out of style) I watched one of the Chinese workers assemble her salad. First of all, the plates are ridiculously small, at least by Western standards. The small plate is something I often refer to as a saucer, while the large plate is...well, less than large. At first I thought that the plate size was making her be careful--building your salad vertically, after all, does take some time. But no, she was arranging her salad. After making sure the lettuce was mounded in the center, she put individual cucumber slices around the edge, slightly overlapping. Next came slices of boiled egg, also in neat circles. Cherry tomatoes? Not a problem. Each one was placed in just the right spot to be cradled by a piece of lettuce, never daring to roll off. A small dollop of dressing. The final coup de grace was a sprinkling of sunflower seeds that magically onlylanded on the dressing, not on the lettuce or the rest of the plate.

This isn't the first time. A couple weeks ago, the sushi guy made a complete new roll because the one he tried to cut the slices from got squashed and so the bites were not perfectly circular. This is the school cafeteria, remember, not some posh Japanese bistro.

OK, I admit it. I was irritated both times. I was hungry, and salad is one of the foods I don't mind slopping all together. My food doesn't have to be symmetrical to be edible. But then I thought about her salad. Was it kind of a Zen thing, a means of slowing down to get ready to eat? A patience about doing things aesthetically? An acknowledgement that she is worthy of a meal that is nutritious and beautiful? An extension of a culture that is very patient and meticulous in so many other areas? Whatever the reason, I think I somehow missed out on something. We always exclaim at Ayi's food--last night's fajitas were very festive--slices of red and green peppers were arranged in a sunburst pattern, sprinkled with cilantro. The other vegetables and fruits were also arranged, not just piled on the plate. I admit it--it is fun to sit down to a meal that looks nice. People do notice.

Rats. Suddenly this is threatening to turn into one of those self-reflective things. It is possible that I could improve in this area, if not in my own personal salad bar forays, then in what goes on the table for my family on the nights it's not arranged by Ayi. It doesn't have to be at a fancy restaurant or a special occasion.

And who knows? Maybe a creative flair will dazzle that night's designated whiner (Are those onions? What's in this sauce? What's the smallest amount I have to take?) into more eating and less fussing!