Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual

Teochew porridge is a banquet-style meal where bowls of plain white rice porridge are served accompanied by a variety of side dishes &ndash; from meats and fish to eggs and vegetables. The porridge is typically prepared with firmer rice grains which are quickly boiled. Due to its bland flavor, the porridge goes well with a variety of salty side dishes &ndash; and there is no fixed list of those, so you can find wildly different side dishes from one stall to the next. Teochew porridge is most commonly consumed as comfort food for breakfast or dinner.

Teochew Porridge

Thorramatur is a selection of traditional Icelandic foods consumed predominantly during the Nordic month of &THORN;orri, taking place from mid-January to mid-February each year. Cured fish and meat products are cut into slices or bite-sized pieces and served alongside r&uacute;gbrau&eth; and butter on numerous buffet tables. The standard choice includes specialties like fermented shark meat, smoked lamb, seared lamb head, blood sausages, and much more, all of which can be additionally soured according to personal preferences. Typical accompaniments include brenniv&iacute;n, Iceland's flavored spirit drink, and seasonal &THORN;orri beer that is traditionally produced by local breweries specifically for the occasion.

Thorramatur

Before every traditional Russian main meal, there are zakuski, a course of appetizers that are usually served to guests who are seated around the table, although a buffet arrangement is also quite common. For special events, there might be a dozen or two dozen zakuski served to the guests. Typically, zakuski include appetizers such as cold cuts of meat, salads, pirozhki, cured fishes, pickled vegetables, a selection of cheeses, bread, and caviar. Zakuski is the most important course, and most hosts will spend much more time preparing and arranging zakuski than preparing the main course. The origins of zakuski are still shrouded in a veil of mystery, but it is speculated that the custom arose before the 19th century as a way of feeding guests who traveled long distances and whose arrival couldn't be predicted, so they were fed small bites of food while the main meal was being prepared. A bottle of vodka often takes the center spot on the table, since the zakuski table is meant to accompany and enhance the experience of drinking it, and shots of vodka are often repeated throughout the meal. Along with butter and bread, such as white, black, or a combination of rye and wheat, caviar is the most famous part of zakuski, often served in glass containers and consumed on its own, or on a piece of toasted white bread.