Foods of China

Geography:

- 18°15?N to 53°30?N Latitude, 74°E to 134°30?°E longitude

- China

1,341,000,000

- Beijing

- Afghanistan, Bhutan,India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geo/Climate/Land:

- China has a climate mainly dominated by dry seasons and wet monsoons, which leads to temperature differences in winter and summer.

- In winter, northern winds coming from high latitude areas are cold and dry; in summer, southern winds from sea areas at lower latitude are warm and moist.

- The climate in China differs from region to region because of the country's extensive and complex topography.

- The warmest areas in winter are to be found in the South and Southwest, such as Xishuangbanna in Yunnan, and Hainan Island. In summer the coolest spots are in the far northeast.

Interesting Current Information:

- Chinese Money is called Renminbi (means "People's Currency"). The popular unit of RMB is Yuan. The official exchange rate between U.S. Dollar and Renminbi Yuan currently is about 1 : 8.3 (1.00 Dollar = 8.30 Yuan). 1 Yuan to 10 Jiao, 1 Jiao to 10 Fen (There are parts of China the Yuan is also known as Kuai and Jiao is known as Mao. Chinese currency is issued in the following denominations: one, two, five, ten, fifty and a hundred Yuan; one, two and five Jiao; and one, two and five Fen

-CHINA CIVIL ELECTRICAL POWER AC 220 V, 50 Hz (bathrooms of many luxury and medium-grade hotels may have 110-volt sockets).

Mainland China 86; Hong Kong 852; Mcacu 853; Taiwan 886. (Special Telephone Numbers: Police 110; Fire 119; Emergency 120.)

-CHINA ROAD DRIVE SIDE Continental China: on the right. Hong Kong: on the left. Macau: on the left. Taiwan: on the right.

- China is a multi-religious country. Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism

- Chinese Lunar New Year's Day: (Between January and February (The exact date varies, depends on the Lunar Calendar, Chinese New Year's Day in 2011 is Feb. 3.  is the Year of Rabbit in Chinese calendar

Cultural Background:

- My family moved to Toronto, Ontario when my mother was pregnant. It was only my mother and father, so we didn't have any relatives here. Shortly after I was born, we moved to Vancouver, BC. We had my aunt here.

Foods:

i/ii- Rice is China's staple food. The Chinese word for rice is "fan" which also means "meal." Rice may be served with any meal, and is eaten several times a day. Scallions, bean sprouts, cabbage, and gingerroot are other traditional foods. Soybean curd, called tofu, is an important source of protein for the Chinese. Although the Chinese generally do not eat a lot of meat, pork and chicken are the most commonly eaten meats. Vegetables play a central role in Chinese cooking, too.

- There are four main regional types of Chinese cooking. The cooking of Canton province in the south is called Cantonese cooking. It features rice and lightly seasoned stir-fried dishes. Because many Chinese immigrants to America came from this region, it is the type of Chinese cooking that is most widely known in the United States. Typical Cantonese dishes are wonton soup, egg rolls, and sweet and sour pork

- The Mandarin cuisine of Mandarin province in northern China features dishes made with wheat flour, such as noodles, dumplings, and thin pancakes. The best known dish from this region is Peking duck, a dish made up of roast duck and strips of crispy duck skin wrapped in thin pancakes. (Peking was the name of Beijing, the capital of China, until after the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s. This traditional recipe is still known in the United States as "Peking duck.") Shanghai cooking, from China's east coast, emphasizes seafood and strong-flavored sauces. The cuisine of the Szechuan province in inland China is known for its hot and spicy dishes made with hot peppers, garlic, onions, and leeks.

iii - Salt, Vinegar, Soy sauce, white sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Cooking wine, Prickly Ash Seeds, Cinnamon (gui pi), Chicken Essence, Broad Bean Paste ,Dry Chili Sections , Pepper