EASC Study Tour 2006
Topic of the Week

Welcome to the "Topic of the Week" series! Each week we will discuss areas of interest or things that need your attention in preparing for the Study Tour to China.

Week 9: Food and Drinks

China is a food lover's paradise! Be prepared for immense variation from region to region, city to city, and even neighborhood to neighborhood! Everyone goes to China for reasons other than its food, but once you leave there are few things that you miss more! Remember: Chinese food is based and served under a different philosophy than Chinese food in the United States. Go with the flow you find in the restaurant.

Chinese food is not served for individuals. Chinese meals are intended to be social occasions. Restaurants are noisy and crowded places. A meal in China is intended to be the highlight of your day.

Chinese food does follow specific rules and these should be understood by any traveler in China, as it can affect what you find on menus. Rice and noodles (grain) are the staple foods. Rice is traditionally served in the south and noodles in the north. However modernization in China is weakening this rule. You will find noodles in the south and rice in the north, but you may find more rice dishes south of Shanghai. If rice and noodles are the staple, then meat is the prize! Pork is by far the most common type of meat in Chinese food, except in Muslim areas (such as the Muslim Quarter in Xi'an ). You can find beef, fowl - especially chicken and duck, and varieties of seafood in almost every restaurant.

Accompanying your meat dish will be vegetables. Vegetables will generally be presented in small pieces, soaked in a marinade, and stir fried for quick preparation. The Chinese use vegetables in a different way than we do in the United States, so even the most committed non-vegetarian can make a complete and satisfying meal from only vegetables.

Do not expect to find your favorites from the US in China. Even familiar dishes such as sweet and sour pork will be prepared in a completely different way. In 2004 we were served sweet and sour pork with fresh peaches—it was delicious!

Regional Styles:

Almost every major Chinese city and every Chinese province has its own "style" of cooking. However, the best way to understand regional cooking is to look at the four major traditions: northern, eastern, western, and southern.

Northern Tradition - dominated by Beijing and its surrounding areas. The base here is noodles - noodle soup, stews, raw noodles, meat noodles, etc., etc., etc. This tradition was the food of the dynasties and besides southern cuisine is the type Americans are most familiar. Familiar Dishes: Peking Duck.

Eastern Tradition - dominated by the areas surrounding Shanghai, the Eastern style uses a lot of seafood. Wheat and noodles are the staples in this area. Eastern food is subtle with its spices and flavors - equally good for grabbing something on the run, or sitting down for a three hour banquet. Spiced dumplings (jiaozi) are a good example of Eastern cuisine.

Western Tradition - if you like the hot and spicy, then this is the style of food for you. Hunan and Sichuan, internationally renowned for their food, produce the dishes that are fused with Western cuisine to create American Chinese food. Peppers are commonly used and most dishes attack your senses with a barrage of flavors. Hotpots (the spicy variety) are perfect examples of the western style.

Southern Cuisine - while many forms of cooking make up the southern school, most people recognize and are familiar with Cantonese cuisine. The Chinese often joke that the Cantonese will eat anything, and they may not be too off the mark. In southern cuisine you can find various seafoods, including shark, all varieties of fowl, and other "unique" dishes. The southern style relies upon the mixture of different foods together and is not heavily spiced. The food is prepared quickly by stir frying. Southern cuisine is where the delightful dim sum (little eats) tradition was born.

Recommended dishes that you should try:

A Cautious Eater is a Healthy Traveler:

As in the US, Chinese restaurants are divided by style. The best and most luxurious establishments are obvious, as they fit the part. Impeccable cleanliness, high prices, set menus, and a large staff imply that you will get good food here that is safe to eat. Yet, some of these places increasingly cater to foreigners , and thus the Chinese food served is blander, more watered down. Try the neighborhood restaurants as these establishments will cater to local Chinese crowds, have wonderful food, and should be incredibly friendly. You can have an interesting and fantastic meal in a local restaurant if you prepare yourself for the experience. If the restaurant has no English menu, then make sure you have some desired dishes written down - the cooks will most likely prepare them for you. Or, for the very adventurous, sit down, open the menu, and point to something. Most people touring China have done this one time or another - sometimes you get the best dish in the world, but other times you can be disappointed. Remember: if you get something you do not like, you can always ask for something else.

The final type of restaurant is the street stall. You must be careful with these and should not buy food from there unless you see a constant throng of local Chinese purchasing from the stall. You will not find fantastic dishes at these places. The food is simple and prepared fast. Hence, because of their purpose, health standards tend to be lax and the probability of getting sick from the food is increased. Be cautious!

Drinks:

Throughout China you should have no problem finding soft drinks, coffee, or bottled water in the hotels. Soft drinks and bottled water are available in almost every convenience store and restaurant. Fruit juices and coffee are difficult to find outside hotels and western style restaurants. Tea is served with every meal and you will be offered it at almost every formal occasion. The variation of tea is immense, so be prepared to try some interesting flavors. CAUTION: when buying bottled water from road side stores, make sure that seal is not broken. If it is not, the water is safe to drink.

As with everything we will be experiencing this summer, do not be afraid to experiment. Try out new dishes, ask for a new flavor of tea, and go to that neighborhood restaurant. You will be pleasantly surprised with what you find. However, in the back of your head make sure to look for the popular local restaurants and watch to see if the food is prepared carefully and thoroughly.

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Last updated: 04/24/2006
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/studytour/accepted/
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