The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-11-11
Manners and Cusiom>--w ha, Chinese Ea,


which ,tey are cooked, and the garlic tha,
almost universally tainls them. But, judy
ing from the exhalalloEs that assault ones
oilar,otics in passing American restaurants
and Kitchens about dmaer time, our county
men would be likely To make no serious ob.
jeclion TO taking dinner with a Celestial on
account of the altaoeous plants, with which
the viands are Favored, As for the oher
offensive Ingredients in the dishes OF John
Chinaman, namely, the vegetable oil, il it is
of any other kind in the world bu, the pro.
duct ot tho castor bean, We calnul imagine
il TO be moss disgusting than such strong
hogs tat and rancid butter, as minoe 80
plcntdully in almost all American attempts
At the culinary att, The very perfume of
the ingredients mentioned is frequently
strong enough 10 hear up AN eas, aud for that
reason ar" every where used to ''raiser pie
crust aud short cake.
In h,l's Of fare in tho Middle Kingdom,
dogs, cats, rats, snakes, worms, figure more
which enjoys the highest reputation ior lts
cuisine ia the world, has AT equally aulheu.
lic calm 10 prcemincnce lor its comprehen.
s've appropriation OF the hounies Of nature
TO the suslenauce Of man. Ficassccs are
rarely or never ptotessed 10 w composed of
canine hams, gtimalkin Ions, rats, snakes
and worms. This tho elegance oi neither
the Feench nor American taste would permit
But who knows what part ot animated na,arc
il some times hidden under the sweet susri-
cious word 'agon, or is disguised in humhe
reIectotes by the all embracing name ot
soupt Reptiles aud scmitep',les, such as
GELS and iross, are not articles OF tool ic
CHA alone. Even creatures Of lower Of
der, SO low indeed that they can hardly be
said 10 live nj all, such as muscles, oysters
and clans, are gtced'ly eaten by some, aud
strange TO relate, the Two latter bear an OK.
ceediu2ly remunetating price, though not.
wi,hstanding their inward gtaccs, they must
be classcd IN ou,wari scmhlanrc among The
most repulsive naturally Of tho works OF cte
alton.
lftho Chinese have been detected occa.
sional'y in pressing into tho service oI tho
kitchen creatures, which have not yet earn-
ed favorable European or American reputa.
ton, II will be simply caudid 10 remark, that
these cases are probably occasional, where
peorle have been caught with 'heir-we
mean, il dishabille. Another thing must be
sald in their excuse. According to Barrow,
there il a wider difference perhaps between
the rich aud the poor Of China than in any
United would be expended in tat,cring the
vanity Of it's possessors, is now applied 10
the purchase of dsnties TO pamper the appe-
uc.
The animal food consumed by the Chinese
is probably less IN proportion 10 the whole,
than that of other nations oil the same ai-
tude. Cne dish Of fish or flesh and some.
times both. is the usual allowance on the
tables of the poor. Rice, mile, and whea,
furnish most OF the cereal food. It's long and
common use is indicated by the number of
terms employed to describe it, and the vari-
ETY. Of illusions TO it in common phtaseology.
Rice is cooked hy sleaming, and bread, veg
e,abies, aud other articles in the same man.
ncr Wbea, flour is boiled into cakes, dun.
pings att other articles, not baked into
bread: but foreigners a Canton are supplied
Maizs, huckwhea, and barley are not ground,
but the grain is cooked in various ways alone
or mixed with other dishes.
China abounds in culinary vegetables
fill their gardens; peas, beans, cabbage. broc-
coli kale, caulflo wers, cress, coworl, lettuce,
southlsle, spinach, celery, dandelion, suc.
cory, sweet basil, ginger, mustard, radishes,
(ehenopodium,) pursawe, shepard's purse,
Glove, garllcs, leeks, scalions, onions, chves,
carrots, gourds, squashes, cucumhers, water-
melons, tomatoes, tnrnips, brinja pumpkins,
okers, and multitude more are cultivated
and used as green's or otherwise. Beside
these, several kinds of water plants are in
request, as The nelumbium, taro, water cal.
trons and water chesnuts, the last when
boiled tasting like new cheese. The sweet
potato is The most common tuber, for though
The Irish has been cultivated in the vicinity
of Whampoa for scores of years, it has not
entered into common consumption.
We subion some easy rules for trying tea.
Prove il by putting small quantity in cup,
pour on il pure spring wafer at boiling heat,
place the saucer also filled with boiling water
over The cup to increase the heat, and after
sufficient time for the leaves TO unfold them
selves has elapsed, examine their appear
ance and The color OF the infusion. II it be
Bohea, The infusion will be of deep yellow
color W iih taste not over ausiere. IL 1t be
Congo or Cong-fee, which is finer kind OF
Bohea, the infusion will De of lighter col
or, incInins 10 green, but the flavor not so
agreeable. If II be Sushong, one of The finest
kinds OF Black ,es, it's leaves should be free
from spots, the infusion should have deli
cafe greeuish tinge and very agreeable
oder. The Pekuo tea gives u light green
linge TO the water, and has II sweet violet