This is quite simple. There are individuals who understand the way people
get insulted and there are ones that do not. Usually its their parents who
were the same way and never wanted to improve.
I have seen people who would look at their companion's plate in the
restaurant and say - this is awful, how can you eat that? And they do not
mean anything insulting, they just were never brought up the proper way.
They would also stare at a paraplegic person, pick their nose in public and
belch when they have eaten enough. Yes, they probably understand the
improperness of passing wind in the presence of others, but that is as far
as their upbringing goes.
The simple rule that you never use the words "stink, awful, yuk, etc"
speaking about food that others eat and admire, never call "ugly, awful or
terrible" things that people wear - is too sophisticated for them. There are
many ways to express your personal rejections for certain foods, styles and
many other things - you can say that this scent is a bit too rough for you,
that you have never developed a taste, etc. But their childish minds find it
easier to just compare things they do not like to snot and poo.

Sasha.



"Tea" > wrote in message
...
>I don't think the rice is stinky- but Pu-erh is stinky. It makes me feel
> better when I have a cold, but it still tastes and smells like poo. Having
> a
> respect for many aspects of Asian culture (I'm not Asian) doesn't stop me
> from thinking that Pu-erh is stinky, that natto is like snot and smells
> worse, and that I'd probably rather eat ground glass than kimchee.
>
> Sometimes I think crymad is so busy showing that he's the only Westerner
> who
> truly understands the 'mysterious' East that he doesn't realize it lost
> its
> mystery for a lot of us long ago. Wanting to learn more about a various
> cultures and their histories isn't the same as treating cultures like they
> have all the answers. The BF used to do English Civil War reenactments
> and
> revered aspects of the period, but he wasn't crazy enough to want to build
> a
> time machine and live in the real Britain of that period, anymore than
> practicing kendo and eating sushi makes him wish he could have been a
> ronin.
> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I hope you meant Chinese rice wine and not Chinese rice? Soy sauce
> doesn't
>> stink heaven high, fish sauce does the job better. Soy sauce stinks
>> terribly while fermenting, but the end product can make the food taste
>> better. I'm not sure how many types of soy sauce Japanese have in their
>> cuisine, I'm always baffled by the soy sauce for the sushi and the
>> tempura
>> and many others, but in Chinese cuisine, we have more than 4 types, and
> some
>> soy sauce can be sweet instead of salty, so I wonder to which soy sauce
> the
>> self-respecting Japanese considers stinky?
>>
>> Samar
>>
>> "crymad" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> >
>> > cc wrote:
>> > >
>> > > "crymad" > wrote in message
>> > >
>> > > > I'd be interested to learn Kuri's impressions of Puerh drinking in
>> > > > Japan. Not because I place greater faith in the good taste of the
>> > > > Japanese when it comes to tea, but simply because I think
>> > > > non-Asians
>> are
>> > > > overly respectful and hesitant to voice criticism for fear of
>> insulting
>> > > > the mysterious East's rich cultural heritage.
>> > >
>> > > And you think you'll find many Japanese to voice criticism on
>> > > holy-saint-Chinese-tea ? That's not their style.
>> >
>> > Oh, you give them too much credit. Any self-respecting Japanese knows
>> > Chinese rice and soy sauce stinks to high heaven. Why should tea get
>> > special treatment?
>> >
>>
>>
>
>