Traveling the World

Wuhan, China: “Meat on a stick” is a very common food item in China, usually prepared by Muslims (from Xinjiang or Langzhou). This woman makes the best “lamb on a stick” I’ve ever had. Think about how much lamb would cost in your country, and then be amazed by the fact that 1 stick here costs 2rmb, or less than $0.30!

Wuhan, China: Typical Chinese fast-food on the streets of Wuhan. People gather around little wagons of food and choose what they want to eat. The food tastes great, but be weary of how it’s prepared and don’t be surprised by the quick onset of the “runs.”

I was reading a good book I found online which highlights various countries around the world and gives samples and recipes from those countries. Well, one of the country’s highlighted was China, and instead of me trying to write a review (as I don’t know pretty much anything about Chinese history), I thought I would paste the text here directly. Don’t worry.. I’m not plagiarizing because I’m crediting them right now: This was written and published by

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Foods & Recipes of the World Vol. 2, PAGES 93-95
Copyrighted by U•X•L
An Imprint of The Gale Group

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT
The official name of China is the People’s Republic of China. Eastern China is made up of lowlands, whereas the middle and western sections of the country are mountainous. The largest river in China is the Yangtze, which travels almost 4,000 miles. Water pollution is a problem in China, but most Chinese people have access to safe drinking water. About two-thirds of the population lives outside of the cities, but there are many people living in cities, too. More than sixty cities have populations over 750,000.

Shanghai has over 14 million people, and Beijing has over 12 million. (To compare to U.S. cities: New York City has about 16 million people, Los Angeles has about 13 million, and Chicago has about 7 million.)

HISTORY AND FOOD
Throughout its history, China’s growing population has been difficult to feed. By A.D. 1000, China’s population reached 100 million (more than one-third of the U.S. population in 2000). The Chinese constantly had to adapt new eating habits because of the scarcity of food. Meat was scarce, so dishes were created using small amounts of meat mixed with rice or noodles, both of which were more plentiful. Vegetables were added, and stir-frying, the most common method of cooking, became a way to conserve fuel by cooking food quickly. Regional differences in cuisine became noticeable in the 1200s when invaders from neighboring Mongolia swept into China. Cooking styles and customs began to be exchanged between the two countries. As people traveled further from their homes, cooking methods and foods were shared among the different regions within China.

FOODS OF THE CHINESE
The Chinese eat many foods that are unfamiliar to North Americans. Shark fins, seaweed, frogs, snakes, and even dog and cat meat are eaten. However, the Chinese follow the spiritual teaching of balance signified by yin (“cool”) and yang (“hot”). This philosophy encourages the Chinese to find a balance in their lives, including in the foods they eat. While preparing meals, the Chinese may strive to balance the color, texture, or types of food they choose to eat. Rice is China’s staple food. The Chinese word for rice is “fan” which also means “meal.” Rice may be served with any meal, and is eaten several times a day. Scallions, bean sprouts, cabbage, and gingerroot are other traditional foods. Soybean curd, called tofu, is an important source of protein for the Chinese. Although the Chinese generally do not eat a lot of meat, pork and chicken are the most commonly eaten meats. Vegetables play a central role in Chinese cooking, too. There are four main regional types of Chinese cooking. The cooking of Canton province in the south is called Cantonese cooking. It features rice and lightly seasoned stir-fried dishes. Because many Chinese immigrants to America came from this region, it is the type of Chinese cooking that is most widely known in the United States. Typical Cantonese dishes are wonton soup, egg rolls, and sweet and sour pork. The Mandarin cuisine of Mandarin province in northern China features dishes made with wheat flour, such as noodles, dumplings, and thin pancakes. The best known dish from this region is Peking duck, a dish made up of roast duck and strips of crispy duck skin wrapped in thin pancakes. (Peking was the name of Beijing, the capital of China, until after the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s. This traditional recipe is still known in the United States as “Peking duck.”) Shanghai cooking, from China’s east coast, emphasizes seafood and strongflavored sauces. The cuisine of the Szechuan province in inland China is known for its hot and spicy dishes made with hot peppers, garlic, onions, and leeks. This type of cooking became popular in the United States in the 1990s. Tea, the beverage offered at most meals, is China’s national beverage. The most popular types of tea—green, black, and oolong—are commonly drunk plain, without milk or sugar added. Teacups have no handles or saucers.

No words have been edited or claimed to have been written by the owner of this website.

The past week has been bliss. There are so many more people in Wuhan now that the fall semester of university has begun. This also means that I have no work. Because we’re a private training center, most of our work comes during summer vacation and other holidays. So for all of September, New Oriental has canceled all of their courses in my department and are a week away from completing a new center. It is this center where I will be testing students and doing consultation (yes, this is a business after all, and us teachers DID complain how our students were not in the correct classes). So from September 20th to the 26th I’ll be working in this center for 12 hours a day (thus completing my entire required hours).