at just what time does "too early" end in a culture that eats dinner in the middle of the night?
Well...
The short answer is anything before "noon" it would be too early. In fact, most places in Lat Am. Lunch is more like 2:00 p.m. and it may take a few hours, depending on the occasion. However, more and more, I see a move to eating the big dinner the "American way" which is later, I assume this has to do with efficiency issues so one can get a longer and fuller day's work.
This opens the door to eat later (more like 8:00 p.m. and in Argentina it is more like 10:00 p.m. or later, for some people, not everyone) Restaurants here stay open much later, people do not show up to eat until 10:00 or even 11:00 p.m.
For Latin culture the act of getting together for dinner is a great celebration, where friends and family get together and enjoy the food and the company. I assume the reason, has to do with the concept of family, this being a much stronger and closer concept than in the US. Once again, I see this changing more and more based on the demands of "making a living" where this gatherings become a luxury and not the norm. To a certain extent it is sad to see the change. We lose the meaning of living. or rather, the enjoyment of life.
I guess it also has to do with the concept of food. Once, I heard that: "The French, (read Latins), live so they can eat. Englishmen, (read Anglo-Saxons), eat, so they can live. In other words food is THE event, rather than a mere survival act.
You also need to understand the difference between a Latin's perspective of wine, (particularly someone from [Latin] European background, as opposed to an American.
I say this because wine, from the Latin perspective, is not really seen as an "alcoholic" beverage, as it is seen from the American perspective. Wine is merely something you serve with your meals, particularly when it is "watered down" with mineral water as a "chaser" that you drink with the wine at the same time (separate glasses). This makes sense since the alcohol in the wine tends to de-hydrate you, by drinking mineral water (sparkling is my choice), it alleviates the problem.
The American perspective is somehow different, I do not know why, it seems they "demonize" the mere act of drinking anything with alcohol. I suspect this has religious roots, but I would rather stay away from that subject. (and I guess it also has to do with taxation).
Myself, I only drink wine, formerly, in my younger days I would drink good beer, as in German, Pilsener Czechoslovakian, Mexican and "boutique" American beer. -- What is known as "beer" in the US such as Budweiser, Coors, Miller and the like, as far as I am concern they should ban the stuff, not because of its alcohol content, but because it violates the truth in advertising act. Such is not beer, it is something more closely related to donkey's waste. [and probably it may have something to do with the fact that Americans consider McDonalds, food that is fit for human consumption... he he he he] --but that is a different subject.
With the exception of Lagavulin single malt Scotch, all other drinks I do not touch them, they really go to my head.
On the other hand, the citizens of Sonoma, Napa Valley, and Yakima (in Washington), are doing a fine job of educating Americans in the civilized act of wine consumption.
I never could get used to the meal times. Slept right through dinner.
Hmmm did you try changing "sleep" times ? Better, did you learn how to spell "Siesta" ? he he he... |
