China is a country with a rich history, vibrant celebrations, and diverse cultures, but one particular aspect stands out most: Chinese cuisine. The food made and served in China is a representation of familial tradition, as well as cultural appreciation. Regions from across the country have their own distinctive characteristics, utilizing the surrounding resources to make each dish distinct. Chinese cuisine, like most other regions across the world, derives their cuisine from geographical features.
One of the most famous examples would be the region of Sichuan, known for their numbing spices as well as their humid climate. Dishes from Sichuan, like Mapo Dofu, Dan Dan Mian, and Gongbao JiDing traditionally incorporate their numbing Sichuan peppercorns to induce sweat and drive the excess moisture from their bodies to help with the humidity,
For Nanjing, a province on the coast of China, many of their traditional dishes are “light” containing seafood and chicken. And in Shanxi, a more nomadic province of China closer to the muslim population, a lot of dishes incorporate lamb and wheat, like Yang Rou Pao Mo (bread soaked in lamb broth). Even among dishes you can point to that are generally well associated with Chinese cuisine like dumplings, from region to region they vary in the flour used, inside fillings, and wrapping techniques.
But what is it like in America? Well, American food is well known globally by the common burger and hot dog. From restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, Chick-fil-a, etc, fast food is a staple of the American palate. Based on the idea of efficiency and quality, American fast foods provides delicious meals within the least amount of time, hence the name “fast food”. Not only could customers satisfy their hunger within a couple minutes, but for a cost that was affordable for a majority of people. The popularity of this cheap, delicious food was almost to be expected, as Americans spend $50 Billion on it every year.
Ultimately, both Western and Eastern mainstream food embody philosophies reflective of their communities and cultures. While it is a generalization, the widely successful fast food chains existent within the United States symbolize their American desire for instant satisfaction, affordability, and efficiency. While, to the East, the food famous within each region of China still reflects their interests in their centuries old traditions and the culture.
But what would you choose: The classic, can’t-go-wrong, hamburger of the West or the traditional, time tested dishes of the East?
Kevin Nguyen
