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The
Cuisine of China Beijing Cuisine ( 北 京 菜 ) Of
course,
there is Beijing Duck. But
there is also a wide range
specialties of China are
represented in Beijing's
restaurants, limited only by
the availability of local
ingredients. Some
of the capital's finest dining
spots specialize in Shandong,
Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese, Mongolian,
Shanghai, and other regional
styles of cooking. Northern
or Beijing cuisine is naturally
generic to most of the city's
restaurants. Local cuisine
features dishes such as pickled
consommé, bird's nest
soup, steamed and fried
dumplings (jiaozi and guotie). All
of this can go with some
excellent beers, such as
Beijing, Qingdao, or some good
Chinese wine made from sorghum
or grapes. People like sweet
wine; the most highly regarded
is the semisweet Shaoxing,
usually warmed before serving. Mutton
is the staple of the Mongolian
table. It is often served in
large chunks meat to be carved
and eaten with a Mongolian-style
knife, the only utensil on the
table besides chopsticks. The
mutton may be barbecued,
spit-roasted, or grilled.
Mongolia Hot Pot has become a
popular dish throughout China. A
pot of bubbling broth is
simmered at the table in Swiss
fondue fashion, and diner's
watch as their slivers of lamb
and vegetables quickly cook.
Then the lamb is dipped into
spicy sauces and condiments, and
eaten together with round sesame
buns. Mongolian-style, hotly
peppered has also become a
favorite national dish of China. The
traditional tea is also worth a
try, especially since it is a
breakfast staple on the
grasslands. It consists of rich,
warm broth made from boiled
brick tea (using the roots of
the tea, not the leaves) and
either cow's or goat's milk. The
brew is served with millet (to
be put in the tea), crackers, or
fried dough. Hard cheese is a
frequent accompaniment , the
cheese can also be dipped in the
tea to soften it up a bit. |