Food 1
Workers in our Chinese Furniture factory in East China and in our Oriental Furniture office on South West China hail from all over the country. Some of the Chinese Furniture workers are very passionate about their food and although we have tried every type of cuisine oursleves it was quite interesting to talk to people in the OF factory canteen and in the Oriental Furniture office about their regional food varities. Some of the Chinese Furniture workers had huge knowledge and exanded well beyond a basic summary. This blog gives a big of an overview, later blogs go into more detail in some areas.
A lot of our Chinese Furniture team are from Guangdong province, formely Canton, as are a lot of the employees at our Oriental Furniture office which is near Guangzhuo City. Cantonese cuisine of curse originated from the areas of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong in southern China. Our Chinese Furniture expert explained that Dim sum meaning touch the heart, the Chinese meal of small tidbits of food presented on roving carts, began in this region. Freshness is supreme to the Cantonese. Live fish and seafood are held in tanks just before being dispatched immediately for cooking. Cantonese sauces are mild and subtle so as to not overpower the freshness of the ingredients. Popular Cantonese dishes, according to our Oriental Furniture worker include steamed whole fish, crispy-skinned chicken, shark’s fin soup, and roast suckling pig.
Mandarin cuisine is the food of the northern imperial courts of old Peking, known today as Beijing. According to the man we spoke to in the Chinese Furniture factor, in this region, wheat instead of rice is widely used, as is a pale leafy cabbage, known as Napa cabbage in America. The crepe like wraparound mu-shu pork and crispy Peking duck accompanied with steamed buns originated in this area. While in the Oriental Furniture canteed has informed us that Mandarin cuisine, an elaborate style arising from the imperial days, is often intricately decorated with vegetables carved into flowers, animals, and designs. Another northern dish, Mongolian hot pot, was described to us by a different Chinese Furniture worker. Here diners cook their own meats and vegetables in a large boiling pot of flavorful broth at the table. We actually ate this quite oftern ourselves in the Oriental Furniture office canteen. Other popular Mandarin foods are pan-fried pot stickers, garlic and scallion Mongolian beef, and beggar’s chicken
The Shanghainese have mastered the arts of braising and stewing so full-bodied flavors commingle on the tongue. Generally considered the cuisine of China is southeastern region of Zhejiang Province, the sauces tend to be rich due to slow cooking techniques and reduction of sauces. Zhejiang is the region where our Chinese Furniture factory is based and in the Oriental Furniture production warehouse there were tens of people able to talk about he regioin’s food. Related to us by one of the Chinese Furniture workers was the fact that the area is also known for preserving food by pickling vegetables and curing meats. Noodle products are heartier as in Shanghai noodles.
