I just came across a new blog (for me) called What Japan Thinks. As I am a lover of all things Japanese, this could be an invaluable resource. Of particular interest to me, on this visit to the blog, was an article on chop stick etiquette.

The blog post is really a vehicle to share the opinions offered in two surveys about using chop sticks. One deals with bad habits that you can't break, and the other is about bad habits that you can't help but notice other people doing.

I thought I was sure to have bad chop stick etiquette, as I have never had any pointers from anyone beyond the very basics of how to use them, but I actually did pretty well based on the habits mentioned in the two surveys. I am really bad about laying the utensils across the top of the plate, but I definitely don't stick them straight up in a bowl of rice. Check it out, and see how your chop stick manners compare.

We're not jetsetters who flit around the world dropping in on one pricey, critically acclaimed restaurant after another. Not that we wouldn't like to, mind you. This is probably why we enjoy seeing photo sets from and reading the experiences of other bloggers who are lucky enough to stop in to these establishments from time to time. One of our very favorite wine bloggers, Dr Vino, recently had the opportunity to eat at Homaru Cantu's Moto, in Chicago.

The opportunity arose from the fact that, after a discussion of Cantu's "caramelaserized" wine between the chef and the blogger, Dr Vino wrote to Cantu to tell him that he would have the opportunity to stop by the restaurant in November and would like to try the "lazerized" wine. Cantu, very generously, sent him a note back saying "you will be my guest" for dinner. So Dr Vino went and enjoyed a meal chosen by the chef, a wine tasting and a visit to the kitchen to experience the caramelaserization technique - wine flavored with smoke produced by firing a laser at some other element, like vanilla or orange - first hand. The meal is recounted great detail and it sounds as though the food really was excellent.

But a bill was presented at the end of the night and, at over $100 per person, it was a bit of a shock to a diner who had the impression (based on the "you will be my guest" comment and the fact that the menu was chosen for them) that the diner, excluding tip, would be covered for them. Was this too much to expect, given the circumstances? Knowing that he would have had to pay for everything, Dr Vino probably would have gone only for a taste of the special wine that he wanted to sample.

[Thanks, Matt]

The Chicago Tribune brought up an interesting question this week: when should a server clear your plate from the table? Should a server remove plates as a diner finishes them, regardless of whether dining companions are finished? Or should the server wait until the end, when everyone has finished, and clear the entire table at once?

Some people belong to the "Clear at the End" camp, thinking it rude. It disrupts the conversation at the table, and may make fellow diners who have not finished eating, feel rushed.

Other people belong to the "Clear as You Go" camp, and according to Emily Post, this is a newer practice. The argument is that clearing plates keeps the dining table less cluttered, and in fact, many diners see this as attentive service on the part of the waitstaff. Additionally, I know that some people like to have plates of unfinished food removed because they don't want to continue to pick at it.

The Seattle Times brought up a good point with an article about dealing with dietary restrictions in social situations. In restaurants, it is a relatively simple matter to let your waiter or the chef know that you have food allergies or would prefer to have your dish without, say, cilantro. But food issues can be more problematic when dining at the home of friends or acquaintances.

It is always acceptable to let people know when you have allergies - preferably in advance - but what about food preferences? Should you tell the host that you follow the Atkins diet and your significant other doesn't eat any dairy products and hates onions?

Unfortunately, there is no one real answer, but since most hosts and hostesses want people to enjoy the party and the food they prepare, it can be easier to mention some things up front, than to refuse all food at the dinner. As a general rule, it is a good idea to politely mention "big" things, such as whether you are a vegetarian or vegan, but if you really have a laundry list of foods you just don't like, be willing to compromise and pick some out. To play it safe, offer to bring a dish (or two), which will not only take pressure off the host/hostess, but will make sure there is something you can eat.

Every so often - by which I mean frequently - a thread (or three) comes up at Chowhound about tipping. Since Chowhound is a community of people who not only love food, but love to eat out in restaurants, the debates can get pretty heated. Though some feel that the new minimum tip should be 20%, the standard tip is about 15% of the check. Since most places have a significantly lowered minimum wage for tipped employees, tips are not bonuses, but a substantial part of the income of servers.

Tipping philosophies vary widely with age, life experiences and even personality. Some people tip the same percentage - no matter what. Others take into consideration every aspect of the service, as though they have a formula that deducts or adds percentage points accordingly. A few seem to begrudge the fact that they have to pay to eat out at all (despite the fact that these people often eat out frequently) and tip little to nothing.

In California, where the sales tax is fairly high, I double it to get the tip amount and usually end up tipping somewhere from 16-18%, depending on which county/city I am in. If I'm visiting friends in a state with low sales tax (6% or less), I'll triple it. This makes my calculations short and sweet, though I'll definitely consider tipping extra for excellent service or if a member of my party was difficult for some reason.

How much do you tip, and would anything about the service change the amount?

In the Etiquette column of this month's Good Housekeeping, there was a strange query. A reader wanted to know whether it would be appropriate to move someone's shopping cart when it is blocking the aisle in the supermarket. I'll let that sink in for a moment. Assuming that the reader was not planning on moving the offending cart to the far end of the store, was this really a question that needed to be asked? Does she simply stand there behind the cart and wait for something to happen? If the owner of the blocking cart had moved off to look for something else, leaving the cart unattended, one must wonder how long she would wait behind the unmoving cart. The columnist suggested that a polite "Excuse me" would probably suffice, but that it was acceptable to "gently push the cart aside" if left with no alternative. Is this sort of issue really such a crisis that they needed to write to a national magazine to have it sorted out? I can only hope that she doesn't live in my neighborhood, because if she is that unable to navigate the grocery store, I'd hate to see her in busy traffic.

If you are planning on doing any traveling in 2006, it might be worth checking out the Don't Gross Out The World quiz. The quiz features eleven multiple choice questions about the culinary quirks of various cultures, from Canada to Japan. The answers reveal the proper manners you need to exhibit to show your enjoyment and appreciation when dining at foreign dinner tables. Even if you are not planning on visiting Iran or the Inuits this year, it is still an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes. Raise your glasses, your fork and your mouse and take the quiz. My score was 9 out of 11. How did you do?