Chinese Food Culture

 

China is a vast country with a rich culinary culture. Over a long period of time, different styles of regional cuisine took shape due to factors such as available resources climate, geography, history, tradition and customs. The best-known and most influential among them are the cuisines of Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Guangdong. They are quite different in taste; for example, Jiangsu cuisine( Huaiyang cuisine in particular) is known for its light and delicate flavors, while Sichuan cuisine is known for its hot and spicy flavors.

Chinese people are very particular about food. The three essential factors by which Chinese cooking is judged are color, aroma and taste. The Quanjude Restaurant chain is the most popular of the traditional Peking roast duck restaurants. It uses an open oven. with fires of fruit tree wood, After roasting, the ducks become plump and claret-colored, with a shiny gloss. Slicing cooked duck Is quite demanding, as each duck should be carved into 100 to 120 pieces of almost the same size.

The real charm of Chinese food comes from its taste, which lies in proper seasoning. The original tastes of the food, the post-cooking taste, plus the taste of other ingredients and seasoning should be all integrated. In contrast to taste-oriented Chinese food, Western food is more focused on a rational diet. Whatever the color, aroma and taste of the food, its nutrition must be guaranteed with proper calories, vitamins and protein.
 

 

Tea comes from the buds of the tea bush, an evergreen perennial woody plant. China is the original tea-growing region, and was the first country to produce and drink tea. Tea is a daily necessity for the Chinese people. Tea also has an indissoluble bond with art. Most ancient Chinese scholars enjoyed drinking tea, and pursuing spiritual purity and tranquility by tasting tea. Modern science has proved that tea contains elements beneficial for human health. Tea can refresh the mind, relieve internal heat, assist digestion, eliminate phlegm, reduce fat, improve eyesight and relieve diarrhea. Longjing (dragon well), one of China’s most renowned teas, is produced in the Xihu District of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The Longjing leaves are long and narrow. The buds are tender and of similar sizes, with one bud plus one or two stemless leaves. They are green-yellow in color, smooth and faintly scented. Biluochun produced in Dongshan Town, Suzhou, is another kind of excellent green tea. Together with Longjing, it is on the list of China’s Ten Famous Teas.