Traditions of healthy Russian food. Japanese food traditions

Food accompanies all important events in human life and is an integral part of our lives. There are centuries-old traditions associated with food. In Russia, for example, special importance has always been attached to cordiality, hospitality and the ability to cook well. Let's remember the good old traditions and talk about the modern culture of eating in haste.

The modern eating routine is different from that practiced by our ancestors. In particular, pies were served first, then the main dishes (meat, poultry, fish) and at the end of the meal - soups, after which you could try dessert. Even if any of these dishes were missing, lunch could not be canceled under any circumstances, because the root of the word "lunch" indicates that this is the main meal of the day.

The dining table for a Russian person has also always been on a special account and was not perceived as an ordinary piece of furniture. Eating was supposed to take place in complete silence, because it was no coincidence that the proverb “When I eat, I am deaf and dumb” appeared. In our time, this rule has already been forgotten, like many traditions in the culture of food. One of the characteristic features of Russian cuisine was the use of forest products, especially nuts, berries and mushrooms. These traditions have been preserved in the villages to this day, but wild berries and mushrooms are present on the menu of residents of megacities only in the form of jam or pickles.

Meat in Russian cuisine was not considered a main dish until the 17th century - fish dishes were much more often prepared. This was also explained by the fact that there were many fasting days in the calendar, when it was forbidden to cook and eat meat dishes. Salted, dried and dried fish was one of the most favorite dishes, but gradually meat was included in the diet - hunted (game) or livestock meat (slaughter). The traditional alcoholic drink was and remains vodka, without which not a single festive table can do. Since ancient times, Russians have retained the tradition of drinking vodka not in small sips, but in one gulp, but the very attitude towards public drunkenness today is not as loyal as in the days of boyar Rus'. Previously, everyone was required to get drunk at a party (or at least pretend to be drunk) in order to respect the hosts, but today in a decent society this is considered a violation of all ethical and cultural norms of behavior. From time immemorial, kvass has been considered the second most popular drink in Rus', which should have been present in every home, regardless of the social status of the owners. Kvass in the house was considered a sign of well-being, and going to the field or other hard work, the peasants invariably took a jug of kvass with them, as this drink quickly restored strength.

Borrowing dishes from other cultures and traditions was practiced as early as the 18th century, and to this day this process is ongoing. If we make a short digression into the past, then at first ground meat dishes (cutlets, casseroles, pates, rolls) and soups of European cuisine began to come into use. It was in the 18th century that it became fashionable to bring overseas chefs and include dishes unusual for a Russian person in the menu - mainly from German, French, English and Dutch cuisine. Over time, salads have acquired the status of independent dishes, and sandwiches with butter, cheese, sausage or ham have become almost universal for breakfast.

In our daily life, eating is of paramount importance, because not only our vital activity and health, but also our mood and inner self-awareness depend on nutrition. However, it is precisely today that the food culture comes to the fore, as there are many ways to replace a meal with a quick meal or eat unusual food, forgetting about the traditions that have been formed over the centuries.

Medicine has proven that eating rough and poor-quality food can cause diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract (gastric ulcer and gastritis, diabetes), allergic reactions and the appearance of excess weight are not rare. According to the results of 14-year observations of English scientists, published in the British Medical Journal, fast food lovers are more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis and coronary disease.

Fast food does not contain anything useful. His goal is to quickly satisfy his hunger, and he does it very well, because it is high in calories and rich in cholesterol and fats - hence the “secret” of instant saturation with it. And in order for “fast food” to bring, in addition to satisfying hunger, pleasure, a large amount of food additives, spices, and various sauces are added to it without sparing. In general, there is nothing useful in such food. In addition to this, regular non-compliance with the temperature regime for storing finished products (pizzas, hamburgers, shawarma, hot dogs) and violation of the deadlines for their implementation - and a very terrible picture emerges.

The main difference between homemade food is that it is made with love. It is love that makes food really healthy, nutritious and right for our mind, body and soul. It is widely believed that mother's food is the best. Probably because we associate food from childhood with reliability and comfort when we grow up. Also, undoubtedly, cohesion is considered an important argument in favor of home cooking. In order for the family to be happy, all family members are simply required to gather at a common table at least once a day.

Traveling, you can notice not only the difference in traditions and customs, but also in the mentality. Therefore, it is important to know the unusual national features of etiquette.

Every person, born in a certain country, remembers the generally accepted rules and norms from childhood. Growing up, he subconsciously feels which of his actions will be evaluated adequately, and which - with a misunderstanding.

For a clearer distinction, let's analyze the interesting features of national etiquette using an example. How do we go to visit? Often, if pleasant gatherings are planned, they take a cake (or something else for tea) with them, but “empty-handed” is considered bad manners. On a holiday, it’s nice to take a bouquet of flowers with you for the hostess.

But among the Chinese people it is absolutely not customary to go on a visit with flowers - this only offends the hostess. Bringing a beautiful bouquet, the guest, as it were, hints that the house is uncomfortable, and he decided to decorate it on his own. Therefore, being in the "Celestial Empire", do not overdo it with different gifts.

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You shouldn't be too kind in Greece either. Getting into the house of new people, we are accustomed to praise something there. According to an unusual Greek custom, the owner will have to give the guest the thing he likes.

Eating traditions in different countries

Knowledge of the peculiarities of national etiquette provides for the rules of conduct at the table. What forks and knives to use, do not keep your elbows on the table, do not champ, keep your back straight, eat slowly and carefully ...

If you don't slurp at the table in China, the hosts may think that you didn't like the dishes and you eat them without pleasure. In a restaurant, you can easily offend the chef with this. Therefore, do not forget to slurp juicy, taking very tasty food. Also, don't worry about an accidentally soiled tablecloth. It is even advisable to put a small spot on purpose, thereby showing that you appreciated unusual dishes and ate with appetite.

South Korea is known throughout the world for various spicy dishes, but it is considered bad manners to hold back tears at a party. Trying to hide this fact, you show disrespect for the hospitality of the hosts. Tears and snot are the best compliment for a cook.

Interesting and unusual traditions among the peoples of Mongolia and the Republic of Buryatia, where it is not customary to restrain belching at the table. So that the owners do not feed until they lose consciousness, it is recommended to release it without permission. Until this happens, the guest is considered hungry.

Customs and drinks

In the countries of Central Asia, do not be offended if you are not served a full mug of tea. Pouring no more than half a cup, the hosts show a desire to continue gatherings. As soon as you finish your tea, they will immediately pour you more, paying attention. And a full mug can be perceived as “drink and go!”. This is such an interesting tradition in this part of the world.

In Georgia, your glass of wine will always be full. If you drink it, you will immediately pour another. Therefore, if you want to sit out with the people until the end of the feast, it is better to drink a little.

Traditions in relationships

In Norway, don't give up your seat on public transport. So people will think that you are trying to show your superiority. The school cannot announce grades in front of the whole class, as some students may be humiliated. No need to ask about the health of the employee after the sick leave - this is considered personal life and too intimate things.

In the United States, it is not customary to open the door for a woman, pay for her in a restaurant and help carry bags. By doing this, you show your financial or physical superiority, which is rude.

Compliments deserve special attention, which, as it turns out, not all peoples of the world are happy with:

• Finland - compliments are not accepted in public, they can only be spoken tete-a-tete;
• Norway - one should not get carried away admiring the virtues of a person, this is perceived as flattery;
• USA - compliments to a woman about her appearance may be considered harassment;
• Korea - do not look for unusual beauty in a girl, rather tell her how bad she looks: it is believed that a woman should look sickly and fragile so that a man wants to protect her.

As part of the Hungry Planet project, photographer Peter Menzel travels the world to photograph families from different countries and their grocery shopping for the week.

By studying these photos, you can come to very interesting conclusions about the benefits or harms of certain products that are popular in each region. For example, American families eat fast food, chips, candy bars, and other second-rate foods.
The Germans, as you might guess, have a large amount of beer and other alcoholic beverages in their diet. And the inhabitants of Ecuador have a 100% healthy diet: cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Each picture has a small caption with the cost of groceries for the week, as well as the culinary preferences of each family. Unfortunately, most families are dominated by meat dishes. The author of these photos tried to choose the average full-fledged families in each country. The number of family members in a family varies from 4 to 15 people! But paradoxically, families of 10 can spend 10 times less on food than families of 4 in other countries. From the unhealthy appearance of most European families, it can be concluded that they are just biomachines for round-the-clock processing of food biomass into rotting manure.

It is also possible to trace the dependence of the development of the country and the number of second-rate products in the weekly consumption ration. In European countries, various store-bought drinks, refined foods and other benefits of civilizations necessary for feeding bio-slaves predominate. In Arab and underdeveloped countries, cereals, fruits and vegetables predominate. All photos are sorted in descending order of product value. But, since the photographs were taken over the course of several years, one should not draw unambiguous conclusions based on them.

What foods do people in Germany eat for $500.07 a week?

The price of food in Germany for a week for 4 people was 375.39 euros or 500 dollars and 7 cents on the day of purchase. What do Germans eat? Favorite food of a German family: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding. The photo is dominated by meat, bread, vegetables, a huge number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic store drinks.

What foods are eaten in Luxembourg for $465.84 a week?

The price of food in Luxembourg for a week for 4 people was 347.64 euros or 465 dollars and 84 cents on the day of purchase. What do Luxembourgers eat? Luxembourgish family favorite food: shrimp pizza, chicken in wine sauce and Turkish kebab. The photo is dominated by bread, pizza, alcohol, store-bought drinks, fruits.

The price of food in France for a week for 4 people was 315.17 euros or 419 dollars and 95 cents on the day of purchase. What do the French eat? Favorite food of the French family: pasta carbonara, apricot pies, Thai cuisine. The photo is dominated by factory products and some fruit.

The price of food in Australia for a week for 7 people was 481.14 Australian dollars or 376 dollars and 45 cents on the day of purchase. What do Australians eat? Favorite Australian family food: Australian peaches, pie, yogurt. The photo is dominated by a huge amount of meat, store-bought drinks and refined foods, fruits.

The price of food in Canada for a week for 5 people was $345 on the day of purchase. What do Canadians eat? Favorite food of the Canadian family: narwhal and polar bear meat, pizza with cheese, watermelons. The photo is dominated by meat, fish, vegetables, factory products.

The price of food in America for a week for 4 people was 341 dollars and 98 cents on the day of purchase. What do Americans eat? Favorite American family food: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken. The photo is dominated by chips, pizzas and a huge amount of refined meat products and semi-finished meat products, store-bought drinks.

The price of food in Japan for a week for 4 people was 37,699 yen, or 317 dollars and 25 cents on the day of purchase. What do the Japanese eat? Japanese family favorite food: sashimi fish dish, fruits, cakes and chips. The photo is dominated by fish products, sauces and specific Japanese food.

The price of food in Greenland for a week for 5 people was DKK 1,928.80 or $277.12 on the day of purchase. What do Greenlanders eat? Favorite food of the Greenlandic family: polar bear and narwhal meat, seal stew. The photo is dominated by meat and factory products.

The price of food in Italy for a week for 5 people was 214.36 euros or 260 dollars and 11 cents on the day of purchase. What do Italians eat? Italian family favorite food: fish and frozen fish fingers, pasta (spaghetti and macaroni) with stews and hot dogs. The photo is dominated by fruit, bread, canned food and store-bought sodas.

The price of food in the UK for a week for 4 people was 155.54 British pounds or 253 dollars and 15 cents on the day of purchase. What do the British eat? British family favorite food: avocado, mayonnaise sandwiches, shrimp soup, chocolate cream cake. The photo is dominated by chocolate bars, refined foods and some vegetables.

The price of food in America for a week for 5 people was 242 dollars and 48 cents on the day of purchase. What do Americans eat? Favorite food of the American family: shrimp with sauce, chicken, BBQ ribs, pizza. The photo is dominated by canned food, meat, refined products.

The price of food in Kuwait for a week for 8 people was 63.63 dinars or 221 dollars and 45 cents on the day of purchase. What do Kuwaitis eat? Kuwaiti family favorite food: chicken with basmati rice. The photo is dominated by fruits, vegetables, pita bread, eggs and some strange boxes.

The price of food in Mexico for a week for 5 people was 1,862.78 Mexican pesos or 189 dollars and 9 cents on the day of purchase. What do Mexicans eat? Mexican family favorite food: pizza, crab, pasta (macaroni) and chicken. The photo is dominated by fruits, bread, a huge amount of Coca-Cola and beer.

The price of food in America for a week for 4 people was 159 dollars and 18 cents on the day of purchase. What do Americans eat? Favorite food of the American family: beef stew, berry yogurt, clam chowder, popsicles. The photo is dominated by store-bought refined products, meat and some fruit.

The price of food in China for a week for 4 people was 1,233.76 yuan, or 155 dollars and 6 cents on the day of purchase. What do the Chinese eat? Chinese family favorite food: fried pork with sweet and sour sauce. The photo is dominated by fruits, vegetables, meat, refined foods.

The price of food in Poland for a week for 5 people was 582.48 zlotys or 151 dollars and 27 cents on the day of purchase. What do Poles eat? Polish family favorite food: pork feet with carrots, celery and parsnips. The photo is dominated by vegetables, fruits, chocolate bars and pet food.

The price of food in Turkey for a week for 6 people was 198.48 new Turkish liras or 145 dollars and 18 cents on the day of purchase. What do Turks eat? Turkish family favorite food: Melahat biscuits. The photo is dominated by bread, vegetables, fruits.

The price of food in Guatemala for a week for 7 people was 573 quetzals or 75 dollars and 70 cents on the day of purchase. What do Guatemalans eat? Guatemalan family favorite food: Turkish turkey stew and sheep soup. The photo is dominated by vegetables, cereals and fruits.

The price of food in Egypt for a week for 12 people was 387.85 Egyptian pounds or 68 dollars and 53 cents on the day of purchase. What do Egyptians eat? Egyptian family favorite food: okra with lamb. The photo is dominated by vegetables, fruits, herbs and meat.

The price of food in Mongolia for a week for 4 people was 41,985.85 tugriks or 40 dollars and 2 cents on the day of purchase. What do Mongols eat? Mongolian family's favorite food: lamb dumplings. The photo is dominated by meat, eggs, bread, vegetables.

Historically, the diet of the inhabitants of different countries varied greatly - and only now, with the advent of the age of Internet communications, when it became possible in moments of seconds to find out the recipe for a new dish, traditional in some other country, a clear separation begins to blur - many foods and dishes become extremely popular in Russia. Also, the change in the traditional diet is also influenced by the expansion of logistics options - fruits that do not grow in Russia, or fish that lives exclusively in southern waters, are increasingly appearing on store shelves, and all this “exotic” is not so much. But not every diet is right, especially when it comes to traditional products. In this article, we will look at several countries of the world, from the diet of whose inhabitants you can learn a lot of new and useful products for your body.

Is the diet of the average Russian useful?

Having studied the indicators of Rosstat from 2016, one can understand the approximate diet of the average Russian. And the data, alas, indicate the presence of certain problems. So, it has historically developed that in almost all of Russia (with the exception of coastlines, of course) fish, especially sea fish, are not particularly popular. Hence the lack of fatty acids, such as omega-3, which leads to cardiovascular diseases. The lack of seafood in the diet of most regions leads to a lack of vitamin B12 in the body. The result of this is low immunity, anemia (anemia).

In a sense, compensating for the lack of fish, on the table of Russian people there is a large number of cereals and soups, mostly sour ones - okroshka, cabbage soup, borscht, hodgepodge, river fish soup. Soups are good for digestion due to the fact that often this type of heat treatment affects the ingredients more sparingly than frying or baking. Despite all this, the average Russian person basically eats in such a way that carbohydrates, fats and sugars predominate in his diet, and he lacks vitamins and trace elements. What can be done to fix this?

What can be learned from the diet of other countries?

China is considered a fairly healthy country in terms of nutrition. Their cuisine includes many products useful for humans - specific Chinese mushrooms, a lot of fish and lean steamed meat seasoned with spicy or spicy sauces. Also in the diet of the Chinese, algae are quite common, which by their nature are unique sources of vitamins that are difficult to find in terrestrial nature. In the diet of the Chinese, vegetables (cabbage, carrots, young bamboo shoots, radish) are approximately on the same level as meat consumption. Thanks to this diet, the Chinese later begin to suffer from obesity and heart disease.

Also, attention should be paid to the diet. Finland and Scandinavian countries. In fact, it also has its drawbacks - the Scandinavian countries have cold weather conditions, which makes it problematic to grow vegetables and fruits there. However, the fish there dominates over all types of meat - the sea supplies fresh seafood all the time. It is they who are so lacking in food for Russians. Even despite the rather high prices, seafood should be present in the diet - the content of all kinds of fatty acids, which we have already mentioned, makes them literally priceless.

Japanese food, along with Chinese, can tell you how to diversify your diet with dishes with rice and beans. The latter are useful for the body by normalizing blood pressure, as well as reducing the risk of developing breast, colon and prostate cancer - but, unfortunately, these studies still need to be confirmed.

Despite the popularity of fermented milk products in Russia, many often forget about cheeses - especially soft ones, like mozzarella or burrata, which came to us from Italy and Italian cuisine. In addition to their taste, these cheeses retain their freshness, provided they are properly stored for a week, and give the body the very necessary elements that are found in fermented milk products.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, undoubtedly, all of the above countries also have harmful parts of their national eating habits - the Italians consume a lot of wine and bread products, the Japanese often abuse rice, which is not very healthy in large quantities, and the Scandinavians do not get enough vitamins due to the inaccessibility of fruits and vegetables. But, despite all this, it is worth taking the best from their cuisines, and leaving the bad behind. Well, do not forget that only one healthy diet is not able to maintain your health at the required level - sleep, exercise and lack of stress are also important.

Chinese cuisine has the most ancient history and rich traditions. Like medicine, culture and all spheres of life in China, it is inextricably linked with ancient Chinese philosophy. As far back as the second millennium BC, the sage Yi Yin created the theory of “food harmonization”.

"Food is the Sky of people," says the classic maxim from the Confucian canon.

The Chinese took these words extremely seriously, so seriously that they turned food into a true cult, a refined art and a source of the purest pleasure, which, with a smart attitude, can be quite combined with good.

Food for the Chinese is not only a necessity and a ritual, but also a holiday in the full sense of the word, and, like any holiday, it is capable of delivering special, unique pleasures every time.

Chinese experts in gastronomy meticulously established correlations between various foods and seasons, weather, life cycles of the body, and gourmets prepared their feasts ahead of time, choosing the most suitable wines and snacks, and even places for a feast. In the imperial palace, the dishes presented to the ancestors of the dynasty had to be updated daily. Quite a few famous poets and scholars of China gave their names to the dishes they created and contributed to Chinese cookbooks.

The need forced the Chinese to learn to eat almost everything that grows on the ground or moves on it. On the one hand, numerous wars and natural disasters throughout history, and on the other hand, the desire of the nobility to decorate their tables with a variety of exotic dishes, contributed to the fact that today almost everything that nature gives is used in this cuisine, including such exotic for our table, like shark fins, sea turtles, dried jellyfish, swallow nests, sea cucumbers, snakes, frogs, lotus seeds and more. But even this need they managed to turn into a virtue, and today Chinese cuisine boasts the most extensive set of dishes in the world for every taste.

Foods used in Chinese cuisine have traditionally been divided into two categories: "essential" and "additional". - The first group included cereals, which have always formed the basis of the Chinese diet. In ancient times, the main grain crops in China were millet, oats and barley, from the era of ancient empires they were replaced by wheat, but later, rice acquired paramount importance - at least in southern China.

It is no coincidence that in Chinese the word "rice" also acquired the meaning of food in general.
- The category of "complementary food" included various meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The most commonly used type of meat in Chinese cuisine was pork (pork legs were considered a special delicacy). From freshwater fish, carp and perch are in the greatest demand, and from sea fish - salmon, flounder, tuna.
Vegetable dishes and seasonings are so numerous that it is impossible to list them even briefly. In total, there are about five thousand dishes on the Chinese cuisine menu.

In some periods of Chinese history - in particular, in the early Middle Ages - the Chinese, under the influence of nomadic conquerors, could also eat dairy products, but the latter never became part of traditional Chinese cuisine. True, these days, many Chinese willingly drink milk.
The daily diet of a Chinese peasant usually consisted of boiled rice with vegetable seasoning; meat on his table was a rarity. The grain used for food was cleaned with a hand grinder.

Since ancient times, the Chinese have also prepared flour dishes, and flour was usually ground at home in a hand mill. It is from flour that the Chinese have cooked noodles since ancient times - one of their favorite foods.

Later, flat cakes made from wheat flour appeared, which for a long time were called "barbarian", since they came to China from Central Asia. Such cakes were usually sprinkled with sesame seeds on top and often had a meat or vegetable filling.

The appearance of so-beginning manti (Chinese mantou) - steamed unsalted bread rolls - dates back to the Tang era.

Another floury dish popular in China, most often used for breakfast, is long fried dough bundles, or butter sticks, fried in oil.

Meat, fish and vegetable dishes from ancient times were very diverse.

For example, the remains of food found in the Mawandui burials contain the bones of a hare, deer, goose, duck, bamboo chicken, stork, sparrow, magpie, etc., as well as a number of freshwater fish: carp, bream, crucian carp, perch. The ancient Chinese mainly dried meat to keep it in reserve. To do this, the sliced ​​meat was placed on the roof or kept on a slow fire using charcoal. Sometimes the meat was smoked or marinated.

The ancient inhabitants of China could still eat raw meat or fish, later this became impossible.
In general, the use of various methods of preparing for the future all kinds of food - from meat and fish to fruits - is one of the characteristic features of Chinese cuisine.

In the early Middle Ages, traditional Chinese cooking methods developed:
1. Food processing on an open fire, which could be done in two ways: roasting food (usually game) on a spit or baking it in an artificial shell - for example, clay. This method has not received wide distribution.
. 2. Cooking food in boiling water, which could also be done in different ways: in some cases, the water was drained after cooking, in others it became part of the finished dish. It was the second way that various kinds of cereal porridges and decoctions were prepared, which constituted perhaps the most important part of the peasant diet.
3. Steaming food. Rice and some other favorite dishes of the Chinese were often prepared in this way: dumplings, manti, and so on.
4.Frying with the addition of oil, which includes several varieties: frying in a pan greased with oil, frying with a small amount of oil, frying with a large amount of oil, cooking in oil, and so on. Note that this way of cooking was unfamiliar to the ancient Chinese.
The composition of dishes and methods of cooking in China have not changed much over the past millennium. Until the middle of this century, kitchen utensils remained just as unchanged in the Chinese house. They cooked food on a stove with three, less often five holes for boilers and pans. From the early Middle Ages, cast-iron and bronze utensils appeared in Chinese everyday life, replacing ceramic pots. There was a traditional set of kitchen knives, the largest of which had a shape close to rectangular. For the preparation of steam donuts and manti, special round boxes with a slatted bottom were used.

The basis of Chinese culinary art is the principle of combining "main" and "additional" food. This combination may take the form of a combination of rice and vegetables, or meat and vegetables, such as in various soups, an important category of Chinese dishes. I must say that for the ancient Chinese, the mixing of various edible components in the soup served as the most clear illustration of life harmony in general. Ancient Chinese sources mention several types of stews, including “basic soup” with nine meat ingredients, “light soup” with 12 kinds of meat, game, fish and vegetables, “celery soup”, “turnip soup”, etc. d. Subsequently, soups formed a separate category of Chinese dishes.

The ancient Chinese distinguished five main seasonings, corresponding to the traditional "five tastes":
ginger (spicy)
vinegar (sour)
wine (bitter)
molasses (sweet)
Salt (salty)
The most popular condiment in the Chinese diet is soy sauce.

When preparing dishes, Chinese chefs had to take into account five basic properties of any dish: shape, color, smell, taste, and even material properties. The love of the Chinese for young bamboo shoots, for example, is not least due to the fact that this food, according to the assurances of gourmets, has a very delicate property to “escape” from the teeth. The culinary art, in fact, consisted in the ability to achieve an impeccably harmonious and, therefore, simultaneously palatable and healthy combination of individual components of the dish. The individual aromas of the individual components of the dish were to create its unique "bouquet". There were as many opinions about these "bouquets" as there were connoisseurs of delicious food. So, according to Li Yu, crab dishes are distinguished by a particularly exquisite combination of color, smell and taste. The same bamboo shoots were not least valued for the fact that they give their taste to the meat and themselves adopt the meat aroma. Like a painting or even a dwelling, a Chinese dish is not a set of independent elements, but a harmonious unity of various types of food and taste sensations. Here we again encounter the principle of the Chinese worldview: "to place the real in the false." To this principle we owe the original tradition of Chinese cooking, especially in Buddhist monasteries, a tradition of vegetarian dishes that look and taste like meat or fish dishes. Even today, in many parts of China, you can try roast soybeans or fish from scrambled eggs. To ensure that the taste of the dish was impossible to guess its composition has always been the cherished goal of the Chinese chef.

Of course, the kitchen has been heavily influenced by the theory of yin and yang. All products by themselves and in a particular dish in particular correlated with one of these polar forces of the universe.
The principle of complementarity of yin and yang had to be especially consistent with the ratio of food and seasonings. For this reason, by the way, the Chinese do not add soy sauce to boiled rice, since both of them belong to the yang components of food. The division of products into “cold” and “hot” was also of great importance. Differences in the economic structure of the inhabitants of certain regions of the Middle Empire and the wide possibilities provided by culinary theory for combining products led to the existence of many local cuisine traditions. There were, of course, especially great differences in the cuisine of the northern and southern provinces. For example, the northerners were almost unfamiliar with seafood, and the southerners were almost unfamiliar with dumplings and manti. Southern Chinese cuisine as a whole was more prone to spicy and sweet things. Almost every province, and sometimes even a separate city, had its own signature dish. Such are Peking roast duck, Tianjin pancakes, Yangzhou steam donuts, Suzhou canal shells. In the north, Peking and Shandong cuisines were the most famous. In the South, the use of hot peppers was widely used.

There are three levels of Chinese cooking: casual, festive, and formal. In everyday cuisine, dishes are very affordable. The Chinese eat three times a day. Breakfast is very early and light. At noon during lunch, dishes made from rice, flour, vegetables (especially legumes), herbs and a variety of seasonings are popular. Festive dishes make up the menu of most restaurants.
But the highest achievements of Chinese chefs (which can only be men) are demonstrated in the ceremonial "Mandarin" cuisine, which can be tasted at official receptions or in restaurants of the highest category.

Of course, the favorite drink of the Chinese has been and remains tea for a millennium and a half. During festive dinners, it is supposed to drink wine. According to custom, only one type of wine was served at the table, and they drank it slightly warmed up.

Drinking alone was considered extremely indecent. Each participant in the feast had to fill a neighbor's glass with wine and say a toast in his honor (the so-called custom of offering wine - ceinjiu), because in China no one could praise himself without damaging his reputation.
Unlike a cup of tea, wine was supposed to be drunk to the very top. “Pour tea halfway, wine to the brim,” says a Chinese proverb.

Another popular proverb sounds like this: “Without three cups, the ritual is not complete,” that is, the interlocutor should have been honored with a glass of wine three times: the first time out of respect, the second as a sign of consent, and the third time to complete the conversation.

Chinese peasants often consume small amounts of alcoholic beverages in winter. But alcoholism and drunkenness are practically absent in China.

In ancient times, the ancestors of modern Chinese ate mainly with their hands, and only from the last centuries BC. e. the ancient inhabitants of China began to use two chopsticks while eating, holding them in one hand.

In old China, the sticks usually had rounded edges and were longer than the sticks used by the Koreans and the Japanese. Since it was not customary to use a knife for food, food was served on the table already cut. The exception was fish. In ancient times, food was brought in large pots, which were placed on dishes, but they were eaten from shallow oval cups, and, depending on the circumstances, it was possible to put solid food or pour soup into the cup.

Wine was drunk from ceramic mugs with a volume of about half a liter.

Subsequently, pots and mugs were replaced by more elegant dishes and cups.

So that everyone sitting at the table had an equal opportunity to taste the dishes on the table, the central part of the dining table was usually made rotating. Only rice was served on the table in separate cups.

At festive banquets, the number of dishes was in the dozens. There was also a generally accepted meal order: first, the traditional “eight cold appetizers” were served on the table, among which cold chicken, beans, black baked eggs, shrimp, and various vegetables most often appeared.
Then came the turn of hot dishes, which should also have been eight. Often the last dish in this category was boiled or fried whole fish. Rice was served only somewhere in the middle of dinner (in the South this was done more often already at the beginning).

Contrary to the European custom, it was customary to eat soup at the end of the whole meal. Dinner ended with several types of sweet dishes and fruits.

At the end of the meal, hot napkins were served, with which the participants in the feast wiped their shiny hands and sweaty faces.