Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world — from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa. Where there are historical immigrant Chinese populations, the style of food has evolved – for example, American Chinese cuisine and Indian Chinese cuisine are prominent examples of Chinese cuisine that has been adapted to suit local palates. In recent years, connoisseurs of Chinese food have also sprouted in Eastern Europe and South Asia. The culinary Michelin Guide has also taken an interest in Chinese cuisine, establishing Hong Kong and Macao versions of its publication.
Traditional staples
Flour and rice are the two main food staples in China. In general, rice is the major food source for people from rice farming areas in southern China.
Regional cuisines
A number of different styles contribute to Chinese cuisine, but perhaps the best known and most influential are Sichuan cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine and Guangdong cuisine. These styles are distinctive from one another due to factors such as available resources, climate, geography, history, cooking techniques and lifestyle. Hairy crab is a highly sought after local delicacy in Shanghai, as it can be found in lakes within the region. Beijing Roast Duck is another popular dish which is well known outside China. Many traditional regional cuisines rely on basic methods of preservation such as drying, salting, pickling and fermentation.
Dim Sum
Dim Sum is a Cantonese term for small snacks. These bite-sized portions are prepared using traditional cooking methods such as frying, steaming, stewing and baking. It is designed so that one person may taste a variety of different dishes. Some of these may include rice rolls, lotus leaf rice, turnip cakes, buns, shui jiao style dumplings, stir-fried green vegetables, congee porridge, soups, etc. The Cantonese style of dining, yum cha, combines the variety of dim sum dishes with the drinking of tea.
Tea
China was the earliest country to cultivate and drink tea and it is enjoyed by people from all social classes. Chinese tea is often classified into several different categories according to the species of plant from which it is sourced, the region in which it is grown, and the method of production used. Some of these are green tea, oolong tea, black tea, scented tea, white tea, and compressed tea. Well known types of green tea include Longjing, Huangshan, Mao Feng, Bilochun, Putuofeng Cha, and Liu’an Guapian. . China is the world’s largest exporter of green tea “supplying 90 percent of the total in the international market.Tea is a major part of chinese life”
Presentation
A Chinese painting of an outdoor banquet. The painting is a Song Dynasty remake of a Tang Dynasty original.
In most dishes in Chinese cuisine, food is prepared in bite-sized pieces, ready for direct picking up and eating. In traditional Chinese cultures, chopsticks are used at the table.
Traditional Chinese cuisine is also based on opposites, whereby hot balances cold, pickled balances fresh and spicy balances mild.
Chinese table manners
Chinese table manners are the traditional styles that are used for eating in the region of China. In most dishes in Chinese cuisine, food is cooked in bite-sized pieces and easy to grab and eat. Therefore, chopsticks are used at the table instead of forks and knives.
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Eating in Chinese Culture
Eating is a dominant aspect of the Chinese culture. For instance, the Manchu Han Imperial Feast - a feast that consisted of at least 108 unique dishes from the Manchu and Han cultures- is one of the most notable Chinese cuisines since the Qing Dynasty. In China, eating out is one of the most accepted ways to treat guests. Similar to Westerners drinking in a bar with friends, eating together in China is a way to socialize and deepen friendship.
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Table Manners
There are many traditions that govern table manners in China such as the correct treatment of guests and how to use chopsticks correctly. Although each Chinese household has its own set of table manners and rules, the foundational traditions used to welcome guests are the same.
Table Manners for Inviting Guests
There are common rules for inviting guests over. When the guest of honor enters into the room, the hosts stand until the guest of honor is seated. The host then orders the dishes brought, and the guest should be silent. When the dishes arrive, the meal begins with a toast from the host, and the guests then make a toast in turn in the honor of the host. The guest of honor should be the first one to start the meal. The best food in a dish should be left for the guest of honor. When the hostess says her food is not good enough, the guest must be courteous and tell her it is the best food he has ever tasted. Guests should never “split the bill” with the host. A guest who “split(s) the bill” is very ungracious and embarrassing to the host. However, it is expected for the guest to offer to pay for the meal multiple times, but ultimately allow the host to pay.
Chopstick usage
Since chopsticks are often used in many dishes in Chinese cuisine, knowing the correct chopsticks usage is essential. The most common chopsticks usages are the following:
- It does not matter whether you grab the chopsticks in the middle or at the end, but you should make sure that the ends are even.
- Chopsticks are not used to move bowls or plates.
- Chopsticks are not used to toy with one's food or with dishes in common.
- When not in use, chopsticks must always be placed neatly on the table with two sticks lying tidily next to each other at both ends.
- Treat chopsticks as extension of your fingers, and do not point at other people or wave chopsticks around.
- Do not suck the tips of chopsticks.
- Do not pierce food with chopsticks.
- Do not point the chopsticks at another person. This amounts to insulting that person.
- Do not bang your chopsticks like drums. It implies you are a child.
- Do not stick chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice; it implies the food is for the dead.
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Importance of Table Manners
Chinese table etiquette is very important to Chinese people. Moreover, in Chinese culture, using correct table manners is believed to bring “luck” to the family while the incorrect will bring shame. Similarly, table etiquette indicates children’s educational status: holding chopsticks incorrectly leaves a bad impression on guests and shames the parents, who have the responsibility of teaching them
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