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Eastern Chinese Cuisine Posted by sasha on May 8, 2019
We’ve been all over China in the last few months, sampling some of the many delicious flavors that are unique to Chinese cuisine. From the imperial bird that is Beijing roast duck, (北京烤鸭 – běi jīng kǎo yā), to the numbing sensation induced by the Sichuan peppercorns (四川胡椒 – sì chuān hú jiāo), to the…
Northern Chinese Food Posted by sasha on Apr 22, 2019
One of the most common questions I get asked about living in China is “What’s real Chinese food like?” Well, it’s really hard to generalize Chinese food. One thing’s for sure, though – real Chinese food is a stark contrast from the sweet & sour chicken, egg rolls, and fortune cookies that are served up…
Sichuan and Hunan Cuisine Posted by sasha on Apr 3, 2019
After learning all about Cantonese cuisine last month, we’re shifting towards western China to explore the rich flavors of this region. When it comes to the food from western China, the two most notable examples are certainly Sichuan cuisine (四川菜 – sì chuān cài) and Hunan cuisine (湖南菜 – hú nán cài). Let’s head west and delve…
Cantonese Food Posted by sasha on Mar 25, 2019
One of the most famous styles of Chinese food is Cantonese cuisine, known in Chinese simply as Guangdong cuisine (广东菜 – guǎng dōng cài). In terms of the Eight Great Culinary Traditions of China (中国的八大菜系 – zhōng guó de bā dà cài xì), it’s known simply as Yue Cuisine (粤菜 – yuè cài). In this…
All About Chairman Mao Posted by sasha on Mar 11, 2019
It’s been over 40 years since Mao Zedong (毛泽东 – máo zé dōng) passed away, but he remains a very important figure in China to this very day. While the China of 2019 would certainly be unrecognizable to Chairman Mao (people driving Audis, drinking Starbucks, and eating KFC), he is still ever-present in the modern…
A Guide to the Chinese Lantern Festival Posted by sasha on Feb 19, 2019
Today marks the fifteenth and final day of the Spring Festival. Known as the Lantern Festival (元宵节 – yuán xiāo jié), the Chinese name can be broken down as such – the character 元 refers to the first lunar month, and 宵 means “night.” A full moon shines brightly on this night, but that’s not the only light you’ll…
The Year of the Pig Posted by sasha on Feb 5, 2019
Today is the most important holiday in China – the Spring Festival (春节 – chūn jié). Otherwise known as the Chinese New Year, it’s the start of a 15-day holiday full of interesting customs and traditions. According to the Chinese zodiac (生肖 – shēng xiào), we are now in the Year of the Pig (猪年 –…