Chinese Culture Discussion Thread

[aohige]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

It varies from country to country and the quality of the restaurant itself. Of course, I have no direct experience of the genuine article, though I did eat chinese food in Vancouver (which I think has more "Authentic" chinese cuisine then most cities). Generally, the US is a mixed bag, if you find the right place, you can get a good meal, but most places the food is oversweetened and genericised.

The same can also be said for Britain and Ireland (Britain has better Chinese food then Ireland though, in that several British cities have proper Chinatowns). Interestingly, the manner in which the food is "westernized" is quite different in Britain and the US. For instance, General Tso's Chicken is ubiquitous in the US, and unheard of in Britain/Ireland. On the flipside, our chinese places tend to drench the dishes in immense amounts of sauce, which is again not seen in America. Our Chinese takeaways also commonly sell "Chips" (french fries) alongside the more traditional rice, which most would find rather unusual.

The "wetness" of the Chinese food is particularly interesting, because it corresponds to a predilection for foods in Northwest Britain, Ireland and Scotland for other "wet" food, namely Gravy (very common), Stew and in terms of "chip culture", Chips are often drenched in vinegar. You also have the equally strange phenomenon of "curry chips".

I actually like a lot of Americanized Chinese food.
In a junk food kind of way, much like Tex-Mex is abhorred by Mexican community here, but I actually like it a lot.

First time you get like "Pepper Steak" and you go WTF is this this isn't Chinjao what is this garbage it's not even pork blah blah.
And then you have a good Pepper Steak with juicy Texan beef steak and savory flavor, and go "hmm... this isn't so bad after all."

[LeoXiao]

A youtube series on Medieval Chinese I found a year or so ago seems to take the position that the language was neither directly related to Cantonese nor was it a "northern" language. I don't know enough about the linguistics of it to say much more though.

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by aohige

I actually like a lot of Americanized Chinese food.
In a junk food kind of way, much like Tex-Mex is abhorred by Mexican community here, but I actually like it a lot.

First time you get like "Pepper Steak" and you go WTF is this this isn't Chinjao what is this garbage it's not even pork blah blah.
And then you have a good Pepper Steak with juicy Texan beef steak and savory flavor, and go "hmm... this isn't so bad after all."

There's something to be said for syncretic dishes (for instance, a quality American Burger is a fine thing indeed). That said, I've developed a bit of an aversion to the stereotypical "Gloopy, shiny" dishes you see in bad joints. I prefer it if I can't see my own reflection in my food.

That said, I think there's great potential in mixing culinary traditions. Chinese food can gain a lot from adding European ingredients, and vice versa. Ironically we see a lot of "Asian fusion" places, where every asian cuisine gets mixed together (though in a jack of all trades master of none kind of way), but we rarely see Eurasian fusion. For instance, I often wonder if Potatoes could be integrated into Chinese cuisine, somehow.

[Endless Soul]

Question: I never heard of tomato slices sprinkled with sugar for desert until I met my wife's family in China. Is this a Chinese invention? Despite how it sounds. it actually tasted pretty good.


Endless "New experiences" Soul

[Sumeragi]

That sounds horrible. Tomato/watermelon are meant to be eaten with salt.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

Question: I never heard of tomato slices sprinkled with sugar for desert until I met my wife's family in China. Is this a Chinese invention? Despite how it sounds. it actually tasted pretty good.


Endless "New experiences" Soul

Not sure about being Chinese, my mom made it for me when I was a kid as well. It tasted aright and the best thing about was the juice afterwards.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

Question: I never heard of tomato slices sprinkled with sugar for desert until I met my wife's family in China. Is this a Chinese invention? Despite how it sounds. it actually tasted pretty good.

If it is, I'm less Chinese than I thought because despite all the nagging at everything else, nobody in this country told me that before

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

That sounds horrible. Tomato/watermelon are meant to be eaten with salt.

No, watermelons are meant to be eaten pure >_< !

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Not sure about being Chinese, my mom made it for me when I was a kid as well. It tasted aright and the best thing about was the juice afterwards.

As expected of my new enemy, completely different taste from me!

[Endless Soul]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

That sounds horrible. Tomato/watermelon are meant to be eaten with salt.

Agreed! Be that as it may, the tomato slices tasted pretty good with sugar.

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

No, watermelons are meant to be eaten pure >_< !

Watermelon tastes good with salt. Tastes even better with certain Mexican hot sauces (I forget which ones).

Endless "Tasty" Soul

[Chaos2Frozen]

I reject your reality Endless >_<!

[Endless Soul]

Sure.

The question still stands, is this a Chinese thing?

Endless "" Soul

[Seitsuki]

My dad makes that sort of thing. I think it's more typical of cuisine from the Shanghai area, which tends to put sugar in everything.

Tomatoes are still ick tho.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Seitsuki

Tomatoes are still ick tho.

Oh my god I know right >_< ?

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

Oh my god I know right >_< ?

I have gained a new torture method.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Seitsuki

My dad makes that sort of thing. I think it's more typical of cuisine from the Shanghai area, which tends to put sugar in everything.

Or maybe sugar just goes well with anything... >_>

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

I have gained a new torture method.

I didn't know you were making a list

[Tom Bombadil]

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

Question: I never heard of tomato slices sprinkled with sugar for desert until I met my wife's family in China. Is this a Chinese invention? Despite how it sounds. it actually tasted pretty good.


Endless "New experiences" Soul

I don't know why it sounds horrible. Anyway, it is pretty common. It leans toward kids food, though adults eats it as well.

Edit: another pretty common summer dish is 凉拌黄瓜。 Sliced cucumber with soy sauce, vinegar, salt, sesame oil, and smashed garlic if you like garlic. Mix well and season for 15-20 mins. Simple and taste great.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Seitsuki

My dad makes that sort of thing. I think it's more typical of cuisine from the Shanghai area, which tends to put sugar in everything.

Tomatoes are still ick tho.

Tomatoes are nice! They are good for the skin!

What I hav heard from some of my China classmates is that the Chinese in SEA have a weird taste for food. Alot of stuff is being fried with chilli and spices that makes it totally alien.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

A youtube series on Medieval Chinese I found a year or so ago seems to take the position that the language was neither directly related to Cantonese nor was it a "northern" language. I don't know enough about the linguistics of it to say much more though.

For those who are interested, the Wikipedia entries for the various stages of Chinese are listed below:

Old Chinese

Middle Chinese

Standard (Modern) Chinese


Hilariously, it takes a Canadian-Indian comedian to hammer home the ignorance of asking someone "to speak Chinese".

YouTube

https://youtu.be/jL8hV-zjJ_4

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[MeoTwister5]

In my family it's usually tomatoes with salt, not sugar. And definitely not for dessert.

[Seitsuki]

Tomatoes = fruit right? Fruit = eat with sugar right??

That'd be like salty chocolate or something!

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

I didn't know you were making a list

I keep quite a few notes.