Chinese cuisine and its cultural background

"Food is the first priority for the people." The prosperity of a society is based on adequate food and clothing. Our country's food culture is extensive, profound and exquisite, and is an important part of the traditional national culture.

Staple food is the core of the dietary system. The staple foods in our country are mainly rice and wheat. In addition, millet, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes and various beans also have a place. In addition to rice, various pastas such as steamed buns, noodles, fried dough sticks, as well as a variety of porridge, cakes and ever-changing snacks make people's dining tables rich and colorful.

The formation of a cuisine is inseparable from its long history and unique cooking characteristics. At the same time, it is also affected by the natural geography, climate conditions, resources, specialties, and eating habits of the area. Some people describe the "Eight Major Cuisines" in an anthropomorphic way: Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisines are like the delicate and graceful beauties from the south of the Yangtze River; Shandong and Anhui cuisines are like the simple and honest northern men; Cantonese and Fujian cuisines are like elegant young men; Sichuan and Hunan cuisines Just like a celebrity with rich connotations and talents.

China has a long history and a vast territory. Due to differences in climate, products and customs, eating habits and taste preferences vary from place to place. The time-honored cooking art has been created by people of successive generations, forming a rich and colorful local cuisine. Among them, the eight most prestigious cuisines are Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hunan, Fujian and Anhui.

Shandong cuisine is divided into two schools: Jinan and Jiaodong, which are famous for their richness, less purity and more, mellow and not greasy.

Shandong cuisine is also called Shandong cuisine. It has a long history and wide influence. It is an important part of Chinese food culture and has become one of the four major Chinese cuisines. It is famous at home and abroad for its fresh, salty, crisp and tender taste, unique flavor and exquisite production. Ancient books say: "The territory of the East is where heaven and earth came into being. The land of fish and salt, the seaside and the water, the people eat fish and are addicted to salt. They all live in their place and enjoy their food." ("Huangdi Neijing·Suwen· The land of Qilu is a beautiful region with mountains and sea, rich products and developed economy, which provides good conditions for the development of cooking culture and the formation of Shandong cuisine. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Yi Ya, the favorite of Duke Huan of Qi, was a famous chef known for his "goodness and five flavors"; during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Jia Sixie, the governor of Gaoyang, in his book "Qi Min Yao Shu", described the cooking methods in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. He made a more systematic summary of cooking techniques and recorded the recipes of many famous dishes, reflecting the superb skills of the development of Shandong cuisine at that time. In the Tang Dynasty, Duan Wenchang was a native of Linzi, Shandong Province. Mu Zong was the prime minister at the time. He was good at diet and compiled his own food classics. Fifty volumes, it has become a historical anecdote. By the Song Dynasty, the so-called "Northern Food" in Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was another name for Shandong cuisine, and it had already taken shape. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it had developed its own cuisine, from Qilu to Gyeonggi, from inside the Pass to outside the Pass. Its influence had reached the Yellow River Basin and the Northeast, and it had a broad base of food consumers.

Shandong was a state of Qilu in ancient times. It is located on a peninsula, surrounded by the sea on three sides, with hills and plains in its hinterland. It has a suitable climate and four distinct seasons. Seafood, aquarium, grain, oil, livestock, vegetables, fruits, insects and game are all available, providing abundant material conditions for cooking. The chef has comprehensive cooking skills, is skillful in using ingredients, pays attention to seasoning, and can adapt to a wide range of dishes. Among them, "explosion, stir-frying, roasting, and collapse" are the most distinctive. Just as Yuan Mei said in the Qing Dynasty: "Stir-fry with a boiling oil gun, add ingredients and cook until it is extremely crispy. This is the northern method." It is done in an instant, the nutrients are well protected, and the food is refreshing and not greasy; it can be braised in red or white. Burning, the famous "Nine-turn Large Intestine" is the representative of cooking; "Taking" is a unique cooking method in Shandong. The main ingredients must be marinated with seasonings or stuffed in the filling, then dipped in flour or batter, and fried on both sides. The golden color. Add seasonings or clear soup and simmer over slow heat until all the soup is soaked in the main ingredients to increase the umami flavor. Shandong's popular hotpot tofu and hotpot spinach are traditional dishes that have long been enjoyed by people.

Shandong cuisine is also good at making soup. Soup can be divided into "clear soup" and "milk soup". There is a record of making clear soup in "Qi Min Yao Shu", which was a flavor-enhancing condiment before the emergence of MSG. Commonly known as "the chef's soup, the opera's accent". After long-term practice, it has evolved to use fat chicken, fat duck, and fat elbow as the main ingredients. After boiling, lightly boiling, and "clearing", the soup is clear and delicious. The milk soup becomes milky white. Dozens of dishes made with "clear soup" and "milk soup" are often included as delicacies in high-end banquets.

There is something unique about cooking seafood. The cooking of delicacies from the sea and small seafood is exquisite. In Shandong, whether it is ginseng, wings, swallows, shells, or scales, shellfish, shrimps, and crabs, they can all become wonderful and delicious delicacies when cooked by local chefs. Only the flatfish (commonly known as "partial fish" locally) that grows along the coast of Jiaodong can be cooked into dozens of delicacies using a variety of knife techniques and different techniques. Its color, aroma, taste, and shape are all unique and change in a variety of ways. In one fish. "Oil-fried Double Flowers", "Braised Conch", "Fried Oyster Yellow" cooked with small seafood, and "Crab Roe Shark's Fin", "Grilled Abalone in Original Shell", "Hydrangea Scallop" made with sea treasures are all unique. Unique seafood treasures.

Good at seasoning with green onions. In the process of cooking dishes, whether it is stir-frying, stir-frying, roasting, stewing, or cooking soup, shredded green onions (or minced green onions) are used to stir-fry the pot. Even dishes such as steaming, grilling, frying, roasting, etc. also use green onions to enhance the flavor. Flavors such as "roast duck", "roast suckling pig", "pot roasted elbow", "fried fat cover", etc. all use green onions as seasonings.

With the evolution of history and the development of economy, culture, and transportation, Shandong cuisine has gradually formed the local flavors of Jinan and Jiaodong, representing the inland and coastal areas respectively.

Yantai cuisine belongs to Jiaodong style and is famous for cooking seafood.

Jiaodong cuisine originated from Fushan and has a history of more than a hundred years. As the hometown of cooking, Fushan area has produced many famous chefs. Through their efforts, Fushan cuisine has spread inside and outside the province, and has contributed to the spread and development of Shandong cuisine. Yantai is a beautiful coastal city with beautiful mountains and green waters, fruity fish and fish fat. It is known as the "Pearl of the Bohai Sea". "Every house is lit with lights, and music and music are played everywhere" is a vivid portrayal of the prosperity of Yantai restaurants in history. Shandong's unique seafood dishes are represented by Yantai. Banquets made only with seafood, such as whole fish banquets, shark fin banquets, sea cucumber banquets, sea crab banquets, small fresh banquets, etc., form a wide variety of seafood menus. Famous flavor restaurants include Penglaichun, Huibinlou, Songzhulin, Swan Hotel, etc., all of which are famous for selling traditional Jiaodong flavor dishes.

Qingdao not only has beautiful seaside scenery for people to visit, but also delicious food for people to taste. Qingdao is also famous for being good at cooking seafood, which basically belongs to Fushan style, but also has local characteristics. The taste focuses on light, fresh and tender, and pays attention to the color and shape. With the opening up to the outside world and the development of tourism, a large number of hotels and restaurants are opening in Qingdao; some famous historical stores and old stores have also been given a new life after decoration and renovation. The famous Chunhelou Hotel and the Qingdao Hotel, known as the Pearl of the Island, are both famous for their neat and elegant equipment, exquisite and delicious dishes, and warm and thoughtful service. Confucius cuisine originating from Qufu has a long history, with exquisite ingredients, delicate knife skills, and strict and complicated cooking procedures. The taste should be light and tender, soft and fragrant, and authentic. It strives for excellence in the preparation of dishes and always maintains the traditional flavor, making it a leader in Shandong cuisine. Confucius cuisine, which was once confined to the Confucius Mansion, has also entered the market since the 1980s. "Confucius Shantang" has been opened in Jinan and Beijing.

Poultry and egg dishes in western Shandong and northern Shandong, vegetarian dishes using soy products as the main raw material in Tai'an, and meat and fish dishes with Qi heritage in central Shandong, each with its own characteristics.

Shandong cuisine is the result of a long-term historical evolution that combines the strengths of cooking techniques from all over Shandong and incorporates the characteristics of local flavors while developing and sublimating them. Since the 1980s, the state and government have regarded the culinary art of Shandong cuisine as a precious national cultural heritage, and have adopted the policy of inheriting and carrying forward it. A new generation of rising chefs are growing vigorously, and they are making new contributions to the continued development of Shandong cuisine. .

Sichuan cuisine is known as "one dish, one style, one hundred dishes, one hundred flavors". It is famous for its spicy, spicy and strong flavor. It is divided into two branches: Du and Chongqing.

Regionally speaking, Sichuan cuisine is a dish that appears in Sichuan, western China. According to the administrative province, Sichuan cuisine is Sichuan cuisine. Just looking at it this way, it seems mechanical. Sichuan cuisine has long been loved not only by Sichuan people, but also by people from all over China and even many overseas countries. In this sense, Sichuan cuisine also belongs to China and the world.

The history of Sichuan cuisine

In summary, Sichuan cuisine originated from the ancient Ba and Shu countries, and it was formed under the cultural background of Bashu. In terms of dynasties, the order of Chinese historical evolution, Sichuan cuisine has experienced the enlightenment period from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Qin Dynasty. By the time of the Han and Jin Dynasties, Sichuan cuisine had already shown its initial outline. During the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, Sichuan cuisine developed greatly. During the Song Dynasty, Sichuan cuisine had crossed the border between Bashu and Sichuan and entered Tokyo in the Northern Song Dynasty and Lin'an in the Southern Song Dynasty, becoming known to people outside Sichuan. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Sichuan cuisine used introduced and cultivated peppers for seasoning, further developing the seasoning tradition of "high taste" and "good spiciness" formed by Bashu. After the late Qing Dynasty, it gradually formed a system with extremely strong local flavor, ranking with Shandong cuisine in the Yellow River Basin, Cantonese cuisine in the Lingnan region, and Huainan and Yang cuisine in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Basic characteristics of Sichuan cuisine

Since its development, Sichuan cuisine has three characteristics: a wide range of ingredients, diverse flavors, and a wide range of dishes. It is especially famous for its many flavor types and clever changes. . "The taste lies in Sichuan" is recognized by the world.

People who know how to cook have a common sense: food is based on delicious food. Delicious flavors require seasoning skills to create.

Sichuan cuisine is famous for its spicy food. Let’s look at how Sichuan cuisine uses spiciness, and you can compare its strengths with other places. When chili peppers are used together or separately with other spicy ingredients, there are dry spicy (dried chili), crispy spicy (paste spicy shell), oily spicy (pepper), aromatic spicy (onion, ginger, garlic), sweet spicy ( There are ten different spiciness flavors including green onions or coriander heads), spicy sauce (Pixian douban or Yuanhong douban). Of the 23 commonly used flavors in Sichuan, 13 are related to spicy food, such as the home-style flavor that tastes salty and slightly spicy, the fish flavor that has both salty, sweet, spicy, and spicy flavors, and the strange flavor that has a harmonious balance of sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and fresh flavors. Flavor types, as well as red oil flavor, spicy flavor, hot and sour flavor, paste spicy flavor, tangerine peel flavor, pepper and numbing flavor, salt and pepper flavor, mustard flavor, garlic flavor, ginger flavor that express different levels of spiciness. The juice type allows spicy seasonings to play their respective strengths and bring out the spicy flavor.

Cooking methods of Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan cuisine has more than 4,000 varieties of dishes and snacks. These dishes are composed of five categories: banquet dishes, light lunch dishes, home-cooked dishes, three-steamed and nine-duck dishes, and snacks. Today's popular Sichuan cuisine varieties are not only the inheritance of Sichuan cuisine varieties from previous generations, but also the continuous development and innovation of cooking technology workers.

Many varieties of Sichuan cuisine are prepared using a variety of cooking methods. There are 30 commonly used cooking methods in broad categories, including some that are common across the country and some that are unique to Sichuan. For example, Sichuan's original stir-fry, dry stir-fry, dry roast, and home-style roast are unique.

The method of stir-frying is to use only oil, no need to change the pan, adjust the sauce temporarily, and stir-fry for a short period of time. The dish is ready in one pot, and the dishes are put on the plate, and the aroma is immediately overflowing. For the dry stir-frying method, use medium heat to heat oil, stir-fry the filamentous raw materials continuously to make them dehydrated, mature and fragrant. The dry-cooking method involves slow-cooking over medium heat so that the thick-flavored soup penetrates into the raw materials and naturally becomes a juice with a mellow and rich flavor. For homemade cooking, first stir-fry the watercress in hot oil over medium heat, add the soup and bring to a boil to remove the dregs, then add the ingredients and simmer over low heat until mature and tasty. Mapo Tofu, which is familiar to people outside Sichuan, is cooked using the home cooking method.

Specialty raw materials of Sichuan cuisine

Since Sichuan is called the "Land of Abundance", of course there are many and wide range of cooking raw materials. Within the territory of 560,000 square kilometers, there are thousands of miles of fertile fields, crisscrossed rivers and rich products. Cows, sheep, pigs, dogs, chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits can be said to be prosperous. Bamboo shoots, leeks, celery, lotus root, spinach, and spinach (Weng) can be said to be evergreen all year round. There are many good freshwater fish, such as Jiangtuan, Rock carp, Ya fish, and Yangtze River sturgeon are the most precious species produced in Sichuan. Even some dried sundries, such as white fungus from Tongjiang and Wanyuan, bamboo fungus from Yibin, Leshan, Fuling, Liangshan and other places, black fungus from Qingchuan, Guangyuan and other places, Yibin, Wanxian, Fuling, Dachuan and other places The shiitake mushrooms produced and the konjac produced in most places in Sichuan are both outstanding. Even wild crops such as rock fungus, ground fungus, green vegetables, pleurotus root and purslane, which grow on the edges of fields and in deep mountains and river valleys, have become good ingredients for Sichuan cuisine. In addition, Cordyceps Sinensis, Fritillaria fritillaris, Eucommia Sichuanensis, and Gastrodia elata are also used as cooking ingredients for health-preserving diets. Sichuan people pay special attention to the taste of their diet, so they pay great attention to cultivating excellent condiments and producing and brewing high-quality condiments. Zigong well salt, Neijiang white sugar, Langzhong Baoning vinegar, Zhongba soy sauce, Pixian bean curd, Qingxi pepper, Yongchuan tempeh, Fuling mustard, Xufu sprouts, Nanchong winter vegetables, Xinfan kimchi, Zhongzhou bean curd, Wenjiang garlic , Beibei lettuce, Chengdu Erjin Bar sea pepper, etc., are all of excellent quality. Sichuan tea and Sichuan wine, which are closely related to cooking and banquets, are recognized worldwide for their high-quality varieties.

The above mentioned only four basic situations. In the process of the formation, development and improvement of Sichuan cuisine, there are also some factors, such as Sichuan's traditional food customs that promote taste, the culinary research of people who are enthusiastic about food, the fusion of national tastes, and the "take" people who are good at absorbing the essence of various aspects of cooking. "Laterism" spirit, etc. We hope that more people from outside Sichuan and overseas will visit Sichuan, appreciate the infinite mysteries of Sichuan cuisine, and share the Sichuan people’s joy of eating, drinking, tasting, and feasting. Sichuan people welcome everyone.

Jiangsu cuisine pays attention to the original soup and juice, which is thick and light, moderately sweet and salty. It is divided into three major factions: Yangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing.

Su cuisine is Jiangsu cuisine. It is composed of four local flavors: Huaiyang, Jinling, Suxi and Xuhai. Its influence spreads throughout the vast areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and it enjoys a high reputation at home and abroad. The characteristics of Jiangsu cuisine are: a wide range of ingredients, mainly fresh seafood from rivers, lakes and sea; fine knife skills and various cooking methods, specializing in stewing, stewing, simmering and stewing; pursuing the original taste, fresh and gentle, and strong adaptability; the dishes are elegant in style and texture. All beautiful.

Jiangsu is a land of plenty, rich in products and rich in dietary resources. The famous aquatic products include the three delicacies of the Yangtze River (sturgeon, saury, and catfish), Taihu whitebait, Yangcheng Lake clear water hairy crabs, Nanjing Longchi crucian carp, and many other seafood products. Excellent vegetables include Taihu water shield, Huai'an cattail, Baoying lotus root, chestnut, chicken head, water bamboo, winter bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, etc. Famous specialty products include Nanjing Lake cooked duck, Nantong Langshan chicken, Yangzhou goose, Gaoyou shelduck, Nanjing fragrant tripe, Rugao ham, Jingjiang preserved meat, Wuxi oil gluten, etc. In addition, there are all kinds of rare birds and game, which provide a solid material foundation for Jiangsu cuisine.

The style of Jiangsu cuisine is fresh and elegant, which is reflected in the fine knife skills and versatile knife techniques. Whether it is craft cold dishes, colorful hot dishes, or carving melons and fruits, or making them boneless, or carving them clearly, they all show the exquisite knife skills.

Jiangsu cuisine is famous for its emphasis on heat and knife skills, and is especially good at stewing and stewing. The famous "Zhenyang Three Heads" (braised whole pig head, braised lion head with crabmeal, and braised silver carp head) , "Suzhou Three Chickens" (Beggar's Chicken, Watermelon Chicken, Early Red Orange Cheese Chicken) and "Jinling Three Forks" (Shaked Roasted Duck, Scaffolded Mandarin Fish, Scaffolded Roasted Suckling Pig) are their representative famous products.

Fresh and gentle, pursuing original taste and strong adaptability are the keynotes of Jiangsu flavor. Mr. Fan Zeng wrote the inscription "Beautiful scenery and elegant flavor" for the album "Chinese Famous Recipes·Jiangsu Flavor", which is the best summary of Jiangsu flavor. Whether it is fresh food from rivers and lakes, or poultry, livestock and seasonal vegetables, the word "fresh" is emphasized to highlight the original taste. Pay attention to the changes in seasoning, and use Huai salt skillfully, and use mushrooms, glutinous rice grains, mellow wine, red yeast rice, and shrimp seeds to blend the five flavors without losing the freshness.

The combination of Jiangsu dishes is also quite unique. In addition to the emphasis on dish combinations in daily meals and various banquets, there are also "three banquets" that are unique. The first is a boat banquet, seen in Taihu Lake, Slender West Lake, and the Qinhuai River; the second is a fasting banquet, seen in Zhenjiang Jinshan, Jiaoshan Zhaitang, Suzhou Lingyan Zhaitang, Yangzhou Daming Temple Zhaitang, etc.; the third is a full banquet, such as Quan Fish mat, whole duck mat, eel mat, whole crab mat, etc.

Jiangsu cuisine has a long history. According to unearthed cultural relics, Jiangsu ancestors used pottery for cooking at least 6,000 years ago. "Chu Ci Tianwen" records the legend of Peng Keng making pheasant soup to serve Emperor Yao. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Jiangsu already had whole fish roasted, dew chicken, Wu Geng and fish dumplings that emphasized knife skills, etc.

According to "Qing Yi Lu" records, Yangzhou's Laziziwan, Jiankang Qimiao, Suzhou Linglong Peony Gun, etc. are known as "the delicious delicacies of the Southeast", which shows that Jiangsu cuisine has reached a high level in the Song Dynasty. By the Qing Dynasty, Jiangsu cuisine had been further developed. According to the section of "Qingyi Leichao: Dishes with Characteristics of Each Province": "The cuisine has its own characteristics, such as those in Jingshi, Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangning, Suzhou, and Zhenjiang , Yangzhou, Huai'an." Jiangsu accounts for five of the ten places listed, which shows its wide influence.

Jiangsu is also the birthplace of famous chefs: Peng Keng in the reign of Emperor Yao, Duke Taihe (or Duke of Taihu) in the Spring and Autumn Period, Cao Ding in the Ming Dynasty, and the first biographer in China. Chefs Wang Xiaoyu, Yizheng Xiaomei and Dong Taomei, known as the "Heavenly Chef Star".

Jiangsu’s culinary literature is also very rich. Famous ones include "Yunlintang Food System Collection" by the great painter Ni Zan of the Yuan Dynasty, "Yi Ya Yi Yi" by Wu Men Han Yi of the Ming Dynasty, "Suiyuan Food List" by Yuan Mei of the Qing Dynasty, etc. In addition, history books, poems, etc. It is not uncommon to write down famous products and delicacies of Jiangsu.

Jiangsu cuisine can be divided into four major schools according to its own flavor system: Huaiyang flavor, Jinling flavor, Suxi flavor and Xuhai flavor.

Huaiyang flavor is centered in Yangzhou and Huai'an, and the dishes are famous for their lightness. Historically, Yangzhou was my country's north-south transportation hub, the southeast economic and cultural center, and its food market was prosperous. The kitchen knife, one of the "Three Knives of Yangzhou", is world-famous, and Yangzhou's famous chefs can be found at home and abroad. Premier Zhou Enlai served dishes based on Huaiyang flavor at the reception for the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China. Famous dishes include "Zhenyang Three Heads", "Zhenjiang Three Fresh Foods", Huai'an "Long Fish Banquet", etc.

Jinling flavor is characterized by a mild, mellow and palatable taste, taking in the beauty of all directions and adapting to the needs of all directions. Especially good at cooking duck dishes, Jinling roast duck, sweet-scented osmanthus salted duck, Nanjing salted duck and duck blood soup are quite famous. Halal cuisine is also quite distinctive in Nanjing, represented by the four famous dishes (squirrel fish, egg shaomai, beauty liver, and anchovy shrimp) from the famous restaurant Ma Xiangxing. In addition, Confucius Temple snacks have a wide variety of varieties, different flavors, and are famous far and wide.

Suxi flavor, centered on Suzhou and Wuxi. Suxi cuisine originally focused on sweetness, salty finish, and rich oily red sauce. In modern times, it has developed in the direction of freshness and elegance, with less sweetness and lighter saltiness. Suxi has developed rapidly in recent years. On the basis of inheriting the traditional flavor, Suxi boldly innovates and pays attention to both taste and appreciation, forming a pattern that is both delicious and delicious. Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Mother Oil Boat Duck, Liangxi Crispy Eel, Changshu Beggar's Chicken, Changzhou Braised Pork, etc. are all popular delicacies. In addition, Suzhou cake dumplings are unique and well-known at home and abroad. Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple and Wuxi Chong'an Temple snacks are also famous.

Xuhai flavor refers to Xuzhou and Lianyungang areas. Xuhai cuisine is mainly fresh and salty, with all five flavors, simple style, emphasis on affordability, and unique dishes. Famous dishes such as Farewell My Concubine, Peigong Dog Meat, Tibetan Fish with Mutton, and Braised Shaguang Fish are its representatives.

In the past ten years or so, Jiangsu’s culinary education has developed rapidly. School education and employee on-the-job training have greatly improved the cultural literacy and professional technical level of chefs. With the continuous deepening of culinary cultural exchanges, Jiangsu cuisine, on the basis of inheriting traditional flavors and styles, has the courage to make use of its strengths and avoid weaknesses, and is diligent in learning the exquisite skills and flavor characteristics of its brother cuisines, making it increasingly perfect.

Zhejiang cuisine is crispy, soft and smooth, crispy and glutinous, refreshing and not greasy. Including three branches: Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing.

Zhejiang cooking has a long history. It is based on "a land of plenty and a land of culture", absorbing the beauty of the mountains and rivers of the south of the Yangtze River, and being influenced by the culture of the Central Plains. It has benefited from the cooking skills and unswerving pioneering and innovation of famous chefs in the past generations, and has gradually formed a mellow, fresh and delicate dish. , elegant dish layout. Zhejiang cuisine uses a wide range of ingredients, is exquisitely cooked, and is especially famous for its freshness and freshness. It is one of the eight famous cuisines in China and is a treasure in the splendid cultural treasure house of the Chinese nation.

Zhejiang Province, referred to as Zhejiang, occupies the northern edge of the ancient Chinese continent and borders the East China Sea. The province has a mild climate, rich products, convenient transportation, and prosperous culture. The northern half of the territory is located in the Yangtze River Delta plain, which is the "rich southeast" of my country. It has fertile land and dense river branches. It is rich in rice, wheat, millet, beans, fruits and vegetables. It is rich in aquatic resources and has a steady supply of fresh food in all seasons. The southwest is a hilly area. The slopes are covered with trees and bamboos, and are rich in delicacies and game. Farmers have flocks of chickens and ducks, and the cattle and hogs are fat and abundant. The southeastern coastal area has vast tidal flats and dotted islands. There is the most famous Zhoushan fish farm in my country, which produces all kinds of commercial fish. There are more than 500 kinds of shell and aquatic products, and the total output value ranks first in the country. For a long time, working people engaged in cooking have made extensive use of rich dietary resources in their production struggles and social life practices to create many popular delicacies. It means a kind of culture and art, embodies the crystallization of the wisdom of chefs, and reflects the civilization and progress of human history.

Zhejiang cooking has a history of thousands of years. Huangdi's "Nei Jing·Su Wen·Different Methods and Prescriptions" says: "The eastern region is where heaven and earth came into being. It is a land of fish and salt. It is near the seashore. Its people eat fish and are addicted to salt. They all live in their place and enjoy their food. ". There is a record in "Historical Records·Biography of Huozhi" that "the land of Chu and Yue... rice, rice, soup and fish".

In 1973, Chinese archaeologists excavated an early Neolithic cultural site in Hemudu, Yuyao, Zhejiang. The unearthed cultural relics contained a large amount of indica rice, chaff, and many water chestnut, gourd, and jujube cores. The remains of 40 species of animals, including pigs, deer, tigers, elk (four different elephants), rhinos, wild geese, crows, eagles, fish, turtles, and crocodiles, were also unearthed. Ancient pottery stoves and a number of cauldrons, pots, basins, and plates were also unearthed , bowls and other pottery for daily use. According to research by the scientific department, these cultural relics are about 7,000 years old and are one of the earliest Neolithic strata discovered in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the southeast coast.

Facts show that as early as ancient times, the working people of Zhejiang began to use natural resources to carry out simple cooking and eating, creating a rich and splendid primitive culture in the Yangtze River Basin. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Yue Kingdom established its capital in "Kuiji" (today's Shaoxing City). It is located on the seashore, with fertile land, suitable for agriculture, and has the benefits of fishing and salt. Under the influence of the economy, culture and production technology of various countries in the Central Plains, it has experienced " "Ten years of gathering, ten years of lessons" has laid a solid foundation for the Qiantang River Basin and achieved rapid development. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Jiangnan was free from wars for hundreds of years. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was opened in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The shipping industry in Ningbo and Wenzhou expanded, and foreign economic and trade exchanges were frequent. Especially in the Five Dynasties (AD 907), Wu Yueqian (Liu Liu) established Hangzhou as his capital. The economy and culture have become increasingly developed, the population has increased dramatically, and commerce has prospered. It was once known as "a wall of 20 miles long, a shop of 30,000 rooms". All these have influenced the rise and development of the culinary industry. At that time, cooking techniques such as palace dishes and folk diets have made great progress. In the Northern Song Dynasty, people in Bianliang called Hangzhou the "Heavenly Palace on Earth". The Song Dynasty moved south and settled in Lin'an (now Hangzhou). During this second great migration of the Chinese nation, a large number of northern celebrities and working people moved south and settled in Zhejiang, bringing with them the culinary culture of the capital. In the land south of the Yangtze River, economy and urban construction are advancing hand in hand, foreign trade and tourism are in the ascendant, and cooking techniques between the north and the south are widely exchanged, promoting the innovation and development of southern cuisine centered in Hangzhou. [Song Dynasty] Wu Zimu's "Meng Liang Lu" Volume 16 "Fencha Shop" records that at that time there were 280 kinds of dishes in Hangzhou, more than 15 kinds of cooking techniques, there were many exquisite and luxurious restaurants, and ordinary food Shops are "all over the streets and alleys, everywhere you look". The cooking flavors are available in both the north and the south, and the food market is booming.

For hundreds of years since the Southern Song Dynasty, although the political center was in the north, Zhejiang must be one of the richest in terms of material resources, developed culture, and prosperous industry and commerce.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhejiang's catering industry has developed rapidly. Restaurants and restaurants are well-proportioned, the dishes are dazzling, the service categories are becoming increasingly complete, and a backbone team of well-trained senior chefs has been established. It is an important sector of the tertiary industry and an industry that is indispensable in people's lives. Under the conditions of social material and cultural improvement, people's lifestyles and dietary structures have undergone profound changes. Eating nutritious, hygienic, and diverse tastes has become a common requirement for urban and rural people. In production practice, the majority of chefs have used the unique food resources to display their superb skills and cook more than 3,000 delicacies with various tastes and flavors, adding many wonders to Zhejiang's food scene. Exotic flowers. Zhejiang's famous chefs and gourmets have made important contributions to the development of the country's culinary industry.

As early as the Song Dynasty, Chen Renyu from Taizhou wrote "Mushroom Book", and Zan Ning from Deqing wrote "Bamboo Shoot" to summarize the cooking experience of using local specialties. [Southern Song Dynasty] Two female cooking experts, one is The Wu family from Pujiang wrote "Zhongfulu", which collected the preparation methods of 76 kinds of dishes in southwestern Zhejiang. Another one is Song Wusao, whose name and "Songsao Fish Soup" have been passed down for centuries. [Ming Dynasty] Pan Qingqu, a famous chef in Cixi, wrote the "Taotie Book", which recorded in detail 412 kinds of exquisite delicacies in Zhejiang and other places. By the Qing Dynasty, more books were written, especially the cooking secret book "Tiao Ding Ji" written by Tong Yuejian from Shaoxing, and the "Suiyuan Food List" by the famous writer Yuan Mei, which brought together many flavors from Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Cuisine combines the cooking experience of ancient my country with the practical activities of chefs, systematically organizes it, and elevates it to theory. These documents had a long-lasting impact on the culinary world of later generations, and many of the dishes can still be seen in restaurants and restaurants across Zhejiang today. The vast majority of contemporary chefs critically study and inherit this cultural heritage, innovate and innovate, further enriching and enriching the culinary treasure house of "Zhejiang cuisine". Feng Yuesheng, a famous chef in Hangzhou who is over seventy years old, was sent by the state as a cooking expert in the 1950s to Czechoslovakia to teach cooking techniques of Chinese cuisine. After returning to China, he has been committed to the research and innovation of Hangzhou cuisine. Jin Cifan, a master of cooking in southern Zhejiang, studied cooking theory diligently, paid attention to practice, and had a profound foundation. In 1983, he participated in the National Culinary Masters Technical Performance Appraisal Conference and won the title of "National Outstanding Chef". Wu Guoliang, the famous chef of Tianxiang House in Hangzhou, was invited to Philadelphia, the United States, to teach cooking techniques and became well-known across the ocean. There are also many famous chefs, each with their own unique skills. For example, Jiang Shuigen is good at cooking "West Lake Vinegar Fish" and is known as the "contemporary sister-in-law"; Ding Meixuan is good at knife skills and makes traditional dishes in a unique style; Chen Ada is comprehensive and skilled in skills. The operation is clean and neat, and the dishes have good color, aroma and taste; Xu Xianglin is good at food carving and cold meat platters, with unique and vivid shapes, harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

Zhejiang cuisine has experienced a long development mileage. Especially modern culinary workers have carefully researched, explored and improved, making the "Zhejiang cuisine" system increasingly complete and unified. It consists of Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing and It consists of four local schools represented by Wenzhou. Since the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou has been an important economic and cultural center in the southeast. The cooking skills have been inherited in one continuous line. The dishes are finely made, fresh and crispy, and elegant and delicate. They are the mainstream of Zhejiang cuisine, such as Dongpo Pork, Thin Sliced ??Ham, West Lake Vinegar Fish, and Song Sao Fish Soup Longjing. Shrimp, beggar's chicken, braised spring bamboo shoots, eight-treasure tofu, West Lake water shield soup, etc., all reflect the flavor characteristics of "Hangzhou cuisine". Ningbo and Shaoxing are close to the East China Sea and have the advantage of fishing and salt plains. The dishes are mostly with the unique taste of "fresh and salty". The dishes are rich in color and taste. In terms of ingredients, "Ning cuisine" mostly uses seafood, such as Ningbo pickled vegetable soup with yellow croaker, pot-roasted eel, yellow croaker soup, razor clams mixed with three shreds, and Fenghua shake clams. "Shao cuisine" is famous for its fresh river poultry and is rich in rural flavor. The pickled vegetables and tofu dishes cooked with Shaoxing distiller's grains are full of pastoral flavor, such as braised pork with dried vegetables, white button chicken, pickled shrimps, fish-roasted tofu, and fish balls in clear soup. wait. Wenzhou, known as "Ou" in ancient times, is located on the coast of southern Zhejiang. The local residents' language, customs, food and daily life are all unique, and it is known as the "Famous Town of Dong Ou". "Ou Cai" mainly focuses on seafood dishes, with a fresh taste, light but not thin. The cooking emphasizes "two light and one heavy" (light oil, light gravy, heavy knife work). Representative dishes include three-threaded fish, fried cuttlefish flowers, Splendid fish shreds, potato and yellow croaker with two flavors, orange fish brains, garlic fish skin, etc.

"Zhejiang cuisine" is based on the above four schools. On the whole, it has a relatively obvious characteristic style. , in a nutshell, there are the following four aspects:

1. Select materials that are “fine, special, fresh and tender”. Zhejiang is rich in products throughout the four seasons. The sea, rivers, lakes, plains, hills, mountains, and various breeding farms provide inexhaustible material resources for the four seasons' dishes.

Firstly, the selection of ingredients for "Zhejiang Cuisine" must be careful, and the essence of the ingredients should be used to make the dishes elegant and high-quality;

Second-use specialties make the dishes have obvious local characteristics;

Three stresses on freshness to keep the taste of the dishes pure;

The fourth focus is on tenderness to keep the dishes fresh and crispy. All seafood and river delicacies must be fresh and juicy, especially in season; all poultry and livestock must be specialty products, such as Xiaoshan chicken, Fenghua goose, Shaoxing shelduck, Jinhua ham, Hu sheep, southern meat, etc.; all fruits and vegetables must be fresh in season. For the above, it is said that "in the order of the four seasons, those who succeed will retreat, the essence has been exhausted, and the clothes (qiān Qian) will go away."

2. Good at cooking: stir-frying, deep-frying, braising, braising, steaming and roasting. Haicuo River's fresh food is unique in cooking. "The most important method of cooking food is heat." There are more than thirty types of cooking methods commonly used in Zhejiang cuisine. The tastes vary depending on the ingredients and techniques, and they are especially good at six types:

Stir-fried dishes are famous for stir-frying. Strive to cook quickly; fried vegetables are loose on the outside and tender on the inside, just right; stewed vegetables are smooth, tender and fresh, and the soup has a unique flavor; fried vegetables are crispy (smooth), tender and moist, and the marinade is fragrant; steamed vegetables pay attention to the heat and ingredients, and require more main ingredients It is a tender and plump product; the cooked food is soft and tasty, with a strong aroma and delicious taste.

Most of these cooking methods are in line with the texture characteristics of the raw materials and are suitable for the people in Jiangnan who like light and fresh food. Zhejiang's famous chefs are also unique in cooking seafood and river delicacies, which is significantly different from cooking fish in the north. Most of the fish cooked in Zhejiang are cooked through water. About 2/3 of the fish dishes are cooked with water as the heat transfer medium, which highlights the tenderness and freshness of the fish and maintains its original taste. For example, the famous West Lake vinegar fish is made from live fish, cooked in boiling water until soft, without adding any oil. It is famous for its smoothness, tenderness and deliciousness.

3. The taste should be fresh, crisp and tender, and the original color and taste of the main ingredients should be maintained. This is a comprehensive reflection of objective characteristics such as food raw materials, cooking methods and people's dietary customs. [Qing Dynasty] When summarizing his cooking experience, Li Yu from Hangzhou believed that "the good things in the world are in the lonely line" ("Xian Qing Ou Ji"), which means that you should eat the original taste of the best raw materials. However, the modern cooking exhibition shows that when cooking anything, To achieve success, we must assist in order to achieve the "wonder of harmony". "Zhejiang cuisine" is mostly supplemented by fresh and aromatic foods such as fresh bamboo shoots, ham, winter mushrooms, mushrooms and green leafy vegetables. At the same time, it pays great attention to seasoning with Shaoxing wine, onions, ginger, sugar and vinegar to remove fishy smell and avoid greasy taste. , fresh and fragrant. For example, the Dongpo Pork is stewed with Shaoxing wine instead of water, which is mellow and sweet, and the Yue Chicken in clear soup is lined with ham, young bamboo shoots, and steamed mushrooms, making the original soup overflowing with fragrance. Yellow croaker in pickled cabbage soup is combined with pickled mustard greens and bamboo shoots. The soup is rich in aroma. Dishes such as steamed mandarin fish, hibiscus clam, Zhijiang seabass and water shield soup are all distinguished by their main ingredients and pure taste.

4. The shape should be exquisite, delicate and elegant. The style of "Zhejiang Cuisine" can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. "Meng Liang Lu" says: "It is a custom in Hangzhou that people who sell food and drinks in department stores mostly decorate the hoods and food utensils, which are new, clean and exquisite, to show off to people's ears and eyes. ...".

Today, famous chefs in Zhejiang are good at comprehensively using a variety of cooking techniques and aesthetics such as knife skills, color matching, maturity, and plating to organically combine elegance and beauty, detail and skill to form delicious dishes. Delicious food.

For example, the traditional famous dish thin-sliced ??ham, the slices are of equal thickness, length and uniformity, each slice is red and white, and the shape is like a river