Chinese Style Cooking

Chinese style dining traditions go back thousands of years. The elaborate customs are an interesting mixture of practicality, superstition and social inertia. Westerners aren’t expected to know the details but, as with learning a bit of the local language, it always helps. Following them will make for an enjoyable new experience and bring pleasure to a gracious host. read more..

Tea has been cultivated in China for many centuries. In Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries tea was largely limited to royal houses. But the liquid made from the camellia sinensis bush has always been consumed by everyone in China. Whether as a quick pick me up or as part of an elaborate ritual, traditional Chinese tea drinking is an indelible part of Chinese life. read more..

In many cultures, eating is a means of providing sustenance for the body. That is true in Chinese cuisine as well, of course. But for the Chinese, dining is a much larger part of life. It is an art used as part of a celebration, even when attached to no special event. read more..

Surrounded by mountains, including the famed Himalayas to the north, Szechuan province has given the world a unique cuisine. In English, the province is also often spelled Sichuan. The more common spelling is influenced by the Cantonese dialect. Whether it’s Kung Pao chicken, Ma Po Tofu or Bang Bang Chicken, Szechuan cuisine is renowned for being hot and spicy. read more..

Shanghai is one of the most prosperous, active and cosmopolitan cities in the world. At any given time there are over a thousand major construction projects taking place in this city of over 20 million. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Shanghai cuisine should be equally cosmopolitan. read more..