leading Chinese-style grain wines are classified as either "white" (bai jiu) or "yellow" (huang jiu). White wines are distilled spirits with an alcohol content ranging from 40 to 60 percent. The most famous brand of white—more accurately, clear—spirits is Maotai, made in the southwest province of Guizhou. These potent drinks are usually taken "straight up" in small cups or glasses during a meal.
Yellow wine, distilled from glutinous rice, is produced in the coastal area near Shanghai. The most famous source is Shaoxing, in Zhejiang Province. Yellow wine has an alcohol content of approximately 14 percent and is often compared to dry sherry It is frequently used in cooking and imparts a rich, yeasty flavor to fish and many other dishes.
The history of beer brewing in China goes back more than a century to the German concession in Qingdao (or Tsingtao), on the coast of Shandong Province. Qingdao is still home to the largest brewery in China today. Believe it or not, three billion beer bottles circulate freely among the breweries in China, and a bottle of beer costs no more than 25 cents.
Since 1990, food markets in China have been flooded with bottled mineral water; at present there are over 1,000 "sources" throughout the country. Several companies have also started selling distilled and filtered drinking water, yet another sign of the rising standard of living in China.
Chinese (understandably) never drink unboiled tap water. The strong chlorine taste in most city water—particularly in the Shanghai area where much of the drinking water is taken from the Yangtze and has a muddy fragrance as well—makes these bottled waters a welcome change, particularly for making tea, soup, rice and noodles.
The Emperor's Banquet
As the Son of Heaven, the emperor of China enjoyed a status so elevated above the common mortal that it is difficult to conceive of the awe in which he was held and the power that he enjoyed. In the realm of food, however, the emperor was subject to numerous restrictions.
The emperor could, however, take his meals at any time and in any place. In fact, there were no dining rooms per se in the Forbidden City; tables were set up before the emperor whenever and wherever he decided to eat.
Every meal was a banquet of approximately 100 dishes. These included 60 or 70 dishes from the imperial kitchens, and a few dozen more served by the chief concubines from their own kitchens. For reasons of security, however, the emperor could not order a specific dish lest it be poisoned the next time it was served. Nor could he express a positive opinion about any particular dish. Security was monitored by inserting a silver rod into each dish, which would turn black if it came into contact with arsenic. At every meal the emperor dined off museum-quality porcelain, with gold, silver, jade, rhinoceros horn, lacquer tableware and chopsticks. Many of the dishes were made purely for their visual appeal and were placed far away from the reach of the imperial chopsticks. These leftovers were spirited out of the palace to be sold to gourmets eager to "dine with the emperor".
The last Dowager Empress of China may well have dined in this very spot, on the edge of the take in the gardens of the Summer Palace outside Beijing.
Fastidious records were kept in the imperial kitchen, which had over 100 woks, with three men assigned to each. The names of each dish made by the chefs and the amount of ingredients used were recorded. At one imperial banquet held on the eve of Chinese New Year in 1784, the emperor Qianlong was personally served a total of about 150 kilograms of meat, including 3 ducks, 10 chickens, 6 pheasants, 5 geese. 12 kilograms of boar. 10 kilograms of mutton, 10 kilograms of fish, and 4 deer's tails—a fit repast for any emperor!
Today, Fangshan and Listening to the Orioles Pavilion are two restaurants in Beijing, specialize in dishes said to be prepared according to authentic imperial recipes.
Home and Market
The proliferation of refrigerators in China today is making inroads on an institution that for centuries has been an essential part of daily life, that is, shopping in the local food market. Quite unwittingly, markets in China make excellent destinations for tourists, sociologists and economists. Here, one can observe the locals squeezing fruit—and fruit sellers squeezing the customers—and the high-pitched haggling that revolves around the price of a fistful of pork which costs less than a penny, but where loss of face is at stake. You may also observe how the emerging middle class and nouveaux riche interact with the food sellers, who are usually of peasant origin.
Most dealers have their regular customers and try to please them by throwing in the extra strawberry or potato or backing off on the price, every now and then. With six people selling exactly the same cucumbers, tomatoes and string beans within earshot, competition is fierce.
Many men and women go to the market two or three times a day. In some state-run offices in Beijing, for example, half-hour rest periods are allotted for shopping for lunch and dinner. Although prices are not marked on most stands, the average housewife knows the price of every item in the market and what she paid two weeks ago. Food in China may appear inexpensive compared to the West, but food purchases consume 40-60 percent of the average household budget, as rent for many is negligible.
In addition to fresh food markets, there are shops selling a huge variety of prepared and packaged food, which can be fascinating for the first-time visitor. China's open policy since 1978 has resulted in what the locals call, "100 flowers blooming" in the area of comestibles, particularly in the major cities, where people have more disposable time and cash than before.
An old Chinese painting depicting an obviously important and wealthy Chinese gentleman being entertained by a woman playing music, while being tempted with a range of delicacies.
Along with food markets, most cities have areas where snack foods are sold in stand-up or sit-down stalls. Breakfast is well-catered for in almost every city, as the morning meal is the one people are most likely to eat outside the home or work place. Popular breakfasts are: a fried egg wrapped in a pancake; an "elephant ear", which is a plate-sized piece of fried bread; noodles; congee (rice gruel) or tofu jelly accompanied by a deep-fried cruller (you tiao); or a slice of cake and a jar of milk.
Every region has its own particular snacks, very often sold on the street. Snack food is very inexpensive and includes such regional specialties as Beijing's boiled tripe with fresh coriander, fried starch sausage with garlic, sour bean soup, and boiled pork and leek dumplings (jiaozi). Shanghai is known for its steamed baozi dumplings and sweet glutinous rice with eight sweetmeats (babaofan). Sichuan is noted for spicy dan dan noodles, dumplings in hot sauce and tofu jelly (dou hua), while Cantonese dim sum is a cuisine unto itself.
The average urban family eats its meal meal of the day in the evening. This meal usually consists of a staple such as rice or noodles, one or two fried dishes, at least one of which contains meat or fish, and a soup. Beer regularly accompanies meals at home. Cramped quarters make it difficult for home cooking to be fancy, but Sunday provides a good excuse for moderate culinary excesses. The whole family gets involved in the business of shopping and cooking, and friends or relatives may be invited to join in the feast. For the vast bulk of the population, it is rice and vegetables, the way Mother used to make it.
This Chinese kitchen has the traditional coal-tired stove in the corner, as well as a modern two-burner gas cooker.
Cooking and Eating Chinese
Perhaps the most
