Cuisine of different countries

EATING TRADITIONS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Ugolnikova Ekaterina
3731-11
Murmansk Construction College

Cuisine is not only a list of dishes, it comprises history, traditions and the reflection of the life style. The subject of my project is Russian and Chinese cuisines. The aim of my work is to analyze different aspects such as meal habits, traditional dishes, food traditions of two countries to identify differences and similarities. I have chosen Chinese cuisine because nowadays we have quite a lot of tourists from China. So I was curious to learn more about these people.

The national Russian cuisine has evolved in a multicultural and multiethnic state, with strong mutual influence from the cuisines of other ethnic groups that live within the nation's borders or had been a part of the Russian state historically. Despite such deep mutual influence, many national cuisines within the borders of the Russian Federation maintain their uniqueness, such as Tatar cuisine, Sakha cuisine, or Yamal cuisine.
Russian people widely use such ways of cooking as roasting, frying, grilling, baking, stewing, boiling but besides these main ones soaking and pickling are very popular in our country

One of the characteristic features of the Russian cuisine is bread, pies and buns. We have a huge variety of them as for bread white, brown, yeasted or with seeds, with herbs or even with cheese. But a number of pies is much bigger than you can imagine rasstegai, kulebiaka, vatrushki, krendeli, boubliki, baranki, sooshki, koolichi….

True national Russian food is often associated with cooking in village ovens and it is not a mistake because only food cooked in ovens has a very special aroma and absolutely extraordinary flavor

As for Chinese cuisine, it is influenced by different regions food traditions. Chinese cuisine is deeply interwined with traditional Chinese medicine, such as the practice of food therapy. Traditional Chinese cuisine is like a colorful picture from taste to decoration. Each dish is a harmonious combination of fresh ingredients and healthy herbs. China has a large territory with the highest population in the world. Thus, the cuisine there is very varied and plentiful. Depending on the climate and diversity of living beings of each region, there is a considerable difference in processing method and combination of ingredients as well. The traditional Chinese cuisine is not simply cooking anymore, but becomes an “art”, and definitely, the chefs are the “artists. The Chinese dining table is extremely respectful to the person enjoying it, the best dishes are often prioritized to serve the elderly or the elders in the family.

The daily Chinese meal consists of four food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, and meat. The Chinese do not consume large amounts of dairy products that contain a considerable amount of lactose. Instead, they replace these with soy milk and tofu, which contain large amounts of protein and calcium. The local people often eat fresh meats, vegetables, and fruits. Chinese people rarely eat canned or frozen food. Items such as cakes, cookies, pies, etc. are only eaten on special occasions.
A traditional Chinese meal typically consists of several shared dishes accompanied by steamed rice, noodles The dishes are served all at once and are meant to be shared among the diners.

In Russia soup plays an important part of a Russian meal. The traditional Russian soups are shchee, borshch, rassolnik, solyanka, ukha, mushroom soup, okroshka and cold beetroot soup. Chinese soups are also widely spread but comparing to Russian ones they are more liquid and it is even possible to drink them.

One more aspect should be mentioned and it is spices. Giving a general characteristic we can say, the most popular spices in Russia are pepper, salt and some herbs like parsley and dill, Russian dishes are mild spiced. As for Chinese dishes, they are seasoned by lots of spices that’s why you should be ready for spicy meal. One more significant feature of Russian eating habits is adding bread to every dish, this way of eating helps you to feel full faster.

EATING HABITS

Eating habits are also a very interesting aspect to be analyzed. Most Russian soups are served hot and they are called the first dish but as for Chinese ones, a lot of them are served cold and they are mainly eaten at the end of the meal. They believe it helps to digest food better.
The main eating utensils are chopsticks and ceramic spoons in China. People use chopsticks to pick up solid foods such as meat, vegetables, or noodles. Ceramic spoons are used for soups and congees. In a Chinese meal, it is typical to eat a mouthful of rice together with each dish. This helps to balance out the different flavors and textures of the accompanying dishes and is considered good table manners.

In China people usually serve huge bowls of food and put them in the center of the table and every person grabs his (her) portion from the shared plates. In some Chinese restaurants there are the so-called turning tables, guests can spin the table trying different dishes. As for Russian tradition of sitting around the table, we prefer long tables and all the dishes are usually served at the beginning and guests are free to decide what dish to begin with. In our country to eat in a quite way, noiselessly is considered to be a good manner but in china it is on the contrary.

TRADITIONAL DISHES

The traditional feature of any Russian feast is the Olivier salad. It consists of potatoes, green peas and cold veal or chicken and dressed with mayonnaise.
Vinaigrette, another Russian-style salad, is based on boiled beetroot. Then boiled carrots and potatoes, salted cucumbers, finely chopped onions and sauerkraut are added. The salad is dressed with sunflower oil.
Jellied dishes are also popular in Russia. Boiled fish, meat or poultry is covered with aspic and decorative pieces of vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and spices are added to make the dish more attractive and flavoury.
One more popular dish in Russia is pancakes. They are made of different types of flour and the dough must be liquid. So it is easily poured into a frying pan and cooked from both sides for some minutes.

As for traditional Chinese dishes, they incorporate a wide range of ingredients, including meats, seafood, vegetables, herbs and spices. One of them is Chinese BBQ pork. The process of making this dish involves cooking meat on skewers or in an oven or over a fire. But the magic of it lies in its marinade which is sweet and salty at the same time.
The dish which lightly reminds our Russian dish pelmeni is Dim sum. These dumplings can have different fillings , it depends on the region. They are typically served with tea.
One more dish, which is famous all over the world is Peking duck. First of all, this Chinese duck is known for its thin and crispy skin. Typically, chefs serve the skin in thin slices to diners, while the meat is served in small portions.
Kung pao chicken is a European favorite Chinese dish. It includes chicken, bell pepper, chili and vegetables. The secret of this dish is in its spicy sauce, which creates a mouthwatering blend of sweet and savory notes that’s hard to resist.

CONCLUSION

Different cultures have different cuisines with their own peculiarities and we should respect each other tastes and food traditions. Every food tradition is unique and special.
Russian and Chinese cuisines have not only differences but also some similarities, that is why traditional food attract so many tourists, amateurs and professionals of culinary art.
Information from my research can be used at English lessons talking about national cuisines. Studying any cuisine you discover lots of facts about history, traditions, habits and way of life so it is a great possibility to broaden your outlook

Information sources:

English for cooking and catering, Н.И. Щербакова, Н.С. Звенигородская. – 2005.- 320с.
Eating for good health, 2010
Food ingredients and analysis international, 2003
lanacademie.com
chinahighlights.com
prochinese.ru
Ttavelfoodatlas.com
chinatrevel.com