The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-15
THE COOK In THE ORIENT.
A cH1HAMAN WRITES ABOUT CHI
NESH FRUITS.
Fruits q MaInstay OF Lie in China
Odd Ways OF Preparing Thorn
The ROlO and Sai-c1ht.

Fruits q MaInstay OF Lie in China
Odd Ways OF Preparing Thorn
The Bolo and Sai-chi.
From time immemorial fruits have
been a mainstay of life in China. Their
culture gives support to millions, and is
brought to a perfection almost unknown
in the Occident. All of the kinds ia.
miliar to Americans are everywhere
grown, so also, are the semi-tropical and
tropical; such as the orange, pineapple,
lemon, lime, c~itron, banana, star-fruit,
guava, mangoc, tamarind, date, fig, and
shaddock. Beside these arc q long Sc
ries of fruits indigenous to the East; the
Bolo, Dai-chi, Ma-tag, and q score of
others.
Frnits arc more frequently cooked IN
China than here. They enter into cakes,
tarts, pies, puddiugs, stuffing: They
arc baked, roasted. fried, broiled, and
boiled. They are also dried, evaporatedl,
dcssicatcd, smoked, picked, soused,
preserved, candied and made into j~ellics,
jams, and marmalades.
Among odd ways Of preparing and
preserving them, is one in which a fruit
swcetened to taste, is perforated with o
cochincal stick, then wrapped IN q
water lily leaf, and then boiled in syrup.
The heat and moisture transfer the GRIM
son color of the wood to the interior
flesh, while the lily-leaf stains the ex-
terrier o rich green, and at the same time,
penetrates it to a moderate depth with
its gclatinous or mucilaginous elements.
Fruits thus treated are put in largo jars,
and sent over the world. Even when
opened, they resist fermentation for
weeks.
In the use of fruits, the Chinese do
not follow the Portuguese adage OF
"Golden at morn, silver at noon, and
lead ut night" but on the contrary in
dulce to an extent that would astonish
q physician of the old school. 1t is a
common sight in o Monaghan home to
find the entire family %devouring oranges,
bananas, and sugar cane, at midnight.
In the main, acid and sub-acid fruits are
preferred to all Others.
The extremes to which fruit-culture Is
carried on in China is we'll exemplitied
by the Bolo. In a wild state, the fruit,
(Which grows from the trunk, and not
from the limbs Of the Bolo trec), is not
much larger than an apple, and in shape,
color, and interior construction resem-
blcs an orange. Cultivation for centuries
has increased it in size until it weighs
from 100 to 200 pounds. AS it buds in
the spring, the fruit farmer builds under
and around it q strong bamboo basket,
which in turn is firmly attached to the
tree trunk. When mature, the fruit can
he easily broken into spherical sections,
similar to an orange. Its taste is very
rich and sweet, resembling, somewhat,
that of a Hackensack melon. The seeds
are small, almost rudimentary, and never
sprout. The tree is p%ropagated by shoots
and gratis. The Bolo exerts a tascina'
ton upon the Chinese small boy, similar
to that failed to be exercised by the
watermelon upon the colored brother.
AS soon rs it begins to ripen, guards arc
stationed in the orchard, and there kept
until the last globe is gathered. The
enfant terrible in the East has one advan'
tage over his Ethiopian rival. Once
picked, he, or they-as it requires three
bows to properly do the busincss--maI
carry off the fruit before the owners eyes
A queer superstition among the farmers
forbids recapture, or even unkind words
to the malcfactors, on pals, it is sup
posed, of the blighting OF the tree or or
chard the next season. The Bolo sells
tor from 1000 to 5000 cash, $1,000 cash
being nearly equal to $1).. 1t is sold t.
pcddlers and vendors, who separate i
into its component sections. These mum
Der from 300 to 600, and are retailed &C
cording to their size from five cash up
ward. Covered with leaves, the section:
remain sweet and fresh several days.
Another fruit (now beginning to ap
pear in American markcts) isthe Sal-chl
As it grows it is the size and shape Of {
walnut, with a shell thinner than that o
the finest almond. Within is a fresh
and luscious pulpthat may be put hall
way between q strawberry and a ralsin'
After being gathered, it slowly dies I'm
til the pulp resembles a small date
Thus far only the dried fruit has beer
imported. Its success, however, indi
Gates that the fresh fruit'would in n short
time be extremely popular. The dried
are sold in American stores at forty cents
per pound, in Chinese stores at twenty
five, but in Canton and Hong Kong at
five to ten. Lai-chi has considerable
hygienic value. When fresh its action
is similar to that of. figs or tamarinds,
dried 10 that of pruncs. An essential
principle is extracted from it by the
Chinese physicians and apothecaries, and
has long been Il f~avorite remedy fol-
many complaints. Wong Mi@yoo, IN