Eating and Drinking
The Chinese enthusiasm for food can be seen in the specially prepared and presented edibles at celebrations and religious festivals, in the careful combining of certain foods thought to promote good health and long life, and in the abundant restaurant and ‘take-aways’ serving Chinese dishes in and outside China. Part of China have known terrible famine years and perhaps the need to make a little go a long way has made Chinese cooks more ingenious with the scant ingredients available. The rich endemic plant and animal life there has been exploited to the full in producing what must be considered as one of the world’s greatest cuisines.
The Chinese divide their foodstuffs into two broad categories, fan and cai. The first consists of grains and starch food. Rice, millet and wheat are examples of fan. Cai are vegetables and meat. Each group has its own utensils for cooking and serving, and a balanced meal must contain both fan and cai. Dairy products and raw foods are not traditionally part of the Chinese diet although preserved food is widely used to prolong seasonal choices and also to protect against food shortages.