Chinese Food Culture

Ashley Whitmore

Section 4

In the Chinese culture it is a commendable custom to respect everyone at the table; this includes the elderly, guests, and teachers. While doing this, children have to be taking good care of. The Chinese practice presenting the fine or best food first to the elderly of the family which has been observed for countless generations.

The hosts in China are known as very friendly and hospitable but you should still show respect to them. When invited to dinner before eating you should wait until the host offers a greeting. If a person was to eat before this it would be shown as a sign of disrespect which causes displeasure.

The meal is placed on the table by arranging the main courses in the center and the other dishes evenly around them. The main dishes are to be prepared in a decorative way either by cut or some other mean and will be placed facing the elder and major guest at the table.

China is known as the hometown of chopsticks. The culture of chopsticks has a very long history and is now used as table ware in countries such as Vietnam, North Korea and South Korea. It is said that the chopsticks reflects the Chinese wisdom of ancient people. This is because they can nip, pick, rip and stir food. Some consider the chopstick to be a lucky gift for marriage or other ceremonies. For more details visit http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine.htm and click on the link Chinese Chopsticks.

When eating meals the Chinese have a rule "waste not, want not". This means that every part of a plant or animal is used. In China cooking is seen as an art. The Chinese allow for a creative and stylistic touch when cooking rather than following step by step instructions. Chinese cooking has many distinctive features. It is varied with flavor which is caused by differences in climate, products, habits, and customs. The taste of sweet, salty, sour, hot are even divided. Sweetness is in the south, saltiness is in the north, sourness is in the east, and hotness is found in the west.
There are four seasons and the Chinese season and match food with the variation of the season. The flavor is light and cool in the summer while pure and thick in the winter. During the winter the foods are mostly braised, stewed, and simmered. While in the summer the food is cold and dressed with sauce and frozen.

Chinese dishes are named by main ingredients, in accordance with historical literary quotations, myths, legends, the interesting events of celebrities taking food, supplementary ingredients and seasoning, or for the cooking methods or called in the image of dishes, such as "beggar's chicken" (roasted chicken in yellow mud) "family collections (made of all sorts of seafood and river food)", "red lion's head (fried meatballs in brown sauce)". For more detailed information visit http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/chinese-food/chinese-cooking-art.htm.

In China certain foods have different meanings and occasions, which can only be eaten by a specific individual, or the kind of food must be eaten during a specific occasion. If an honored guest is present the individual will be served a snapper’s head or shell to hail him or show warm welcome. Seniors and youngsters in China are fed long noodles because it is a symbol of longevity. For more information of the food symbolism used in China visit http://www.warriortours.com/intro/cuisine_culture.htm.

Works Cited
http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/chinese-food/chinese-cooking-art.htm
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine.htm
http://www.warriortours.com/intro/cuisine_culture.htm

How to Properly Use Chopsticks

Step One:
• Place one chopstick in the crook of your thumb and index finger. The chopstick should be at the base of your thumb and your thumb should be about 1/3 the way down from the broad end of the chopstick.

Step Two
• Rest the chopstick on your ring finger between ½ way and 2/3 the way down the chopstick. The first chopstick should now be very stable with one end securely between your thumb and index finger and the other end resting on your ring finger.

Step Three
• Place the second chopstick in your hand the way you would hold a pen. It should rest slightly on the tip of your thumb and be held into place with support from your middle finger.

Step Four
• Use your index and middle fingers to practice moving the tip of the top chopstick up and down. The bottom chopstick should remain relatively still. As you move the top one down the tip should meet up with the tip of the bottom one.

Step Five
• Imagine you are pinching something. If the tips aren't meeting up, adjust one chopstick so they do because it will be very difficult to pick anything up if the two chopsticks aren't evenly aligned.

Step Six
• Attempt to pick up some food! Start with large chunks of food like chopped up vegetables or meat. Once you get the hang of that you can try the trickier foods like rice and grains.

Step Seven
• Practice Practice Practice!
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• If you are more of a visual learner here is a video that also show how to use them.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3Ax_hL33mI&feature=related
• http://www.gomestic.com/Cooking/How-to-Use-Chopsticks-in-Seven-Easy-Steps.39217