Table Manners
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- Nicaraguan Arts & Crafts
- Nicaragua’s Great Green North
- Sportfishing in Nicaragua
- Down the Río San Juan
- Nicaragua’s Celebrations & Fiestas
- Volunteering in Nicaragua
- Diving & Snorkeling in Nicaragua
- Managua’s Revolutionary Driving Tour
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Dig in! Grab that fried chicken between two hands and gnaw at it, shovel down vigorón from its banana-leaf wrapper as best as you can without letting all the shaved cabbage and chile spill down your shirt. Chase it with long swigs of a cold drink.
Nicaraguans enjoy good food and good times, and if you’re too dainty, the signal is all too clear you’re not pleased with the meal. There are limits, of course, so keep an eye on your dining companions for what’s appropriate and what’s not, but while you’re picking away at your fried cheese and sweet plantains, the guy next to you has finished his meal, pulled his shirt up with one hand and is happily rubbing his belly with the other.
Don’t be afraid to enjoy what’s on your plate. If you’d like to get a laugh out of your Nicaraguan hosts or waiters, after you’ve finished your plate, tell them, “Barriga llena, corazón contenta” ("Belly full, happy heart").
© Randall Wood & Joshua Berman from Moon Nicaragua, 4th Edition
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