The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-03-12

b osnl of all animals. chickens, geese,
and ducks are everywhere reared IN
large numbers cheaply and supply by
people. The eggs of fowls and ducks
arc hatchcd artilicially. Pigeons are
raised to a great extent, and their eggs
form an ingredient in soups. The Chi
ncsc are perfectly omniverous with re-
spcct to aquatic production. Here
nothing comes amiss. All waters are
vexed with their fisheries. Every pos
siblc way of catching and rearing fish is
practiccd. Fish are usually sold alive
in tubs in tho street so us to guarantee
their freshness. All sorts Of crabs,
prawns, and shrimps are very largely
eaten. either fresh or simply dried in
the sun. Both salt and fresh water
shellfish are abundant. There is much
insect food consumed, such rs locusts,
gras choppers, grubs, and silkworms.
We.,cannot mention all the different
things the people cat, the products of
earth, air, and sea. The gelatinous
birds nests are we'll known. Sharks
fins and fish maws are boiled into gela-
tinous soups that are both nourishing
and palatable. and different parts of an
imals are sought after rs delicacies.
Many of these odd dishes are supposed
to have particularly Strengthening quail
tiles, and are therefore much sought
after by the wealthy official classes
The art of cookery has reached very
high state of perfection. 1t is withal
very economical, and consists of stews
and fried dishes more than baked and
roasted. Salt, being q government
monopoly, is proportionally dear, and
hence onions have become largely used
in seasoning. The kitchen utensils are
few, simple, and cheap. The meals are
never cooked in large joints or steaks,
but both meat and vegetables are previ-
ously hashcd into moufhfuls and then
stewed Or fried in oil or fat. This cut
ting the food into small pieces secures
its thorough cooking with less fuel (fuel
there is scarccr and therefore valuable)
than it would otherwise require, and is
necessary where chop-sticks, not knives
and forks, are used. Two or three veg
etables are boiled together, meat soups
are seldom seen, and the great variety
of desserts known to lis are almost un-
known in China. To sum up, lot us
generalize by saying that the everyday
ordinary food Of the Chinese is plain,
simple. light, non-stimulating, and
cheap. The people are most frugal and
economical, making use of substances
which would meet with culinary con-
tempt in our country. A poor man in
Glasgow would starvc on the food which
keeps poor Chinaman and his family.
In ~ of
ransackcd to provide food for this re-
markablc people. Everything that lives
and grows from the animal and vegetable
world is laid under contribution. Divine
Providence has filled the air, earth and
water with food for man. ..And God
said, behold. 1 have given you every
herb bearing seed Which is upon the
face of all the earth, and every tree. in
the which is fruit of tree yielding
seed; to you it shall be for meat" They
have found fish, when combined with
bread and fatty substances, to constitute
an exceedingly wholesome food. Their
diet is very largely farinaccous and
vegetarian, mixed now and then with a
small amount of animal food. do not
stop to inquire into the reasons of this
abstinence from butcher meat; price,
difficulty in preserving in hot weather,
increased difficulty of indgcstion-ten-
dcncy to heating, being among some Of
the reasons. Pork is the most highly
priced of animal food. Calves and the
young of all animals are as rule never
killed except for their skins. Immature
flesh is deprecated as general rule. So
much is rice and flour (vcrmicelli and
maccaronD considered the basis of a
meal (why the word meal in one Saxon
tongue?) that meat is looked upon and
spoken Of as a vegetable or aljunct The
Chinese partakc usually of two meals
daily. Tea Is meyer indulged in as a
mcal-it is constant restorative bcver-
age during the day taken very weak
and hardly any time to infuse. Hot
water is largely drank, and the good cf-
fects of this custom are worthy of Il
trial by lis. The mouth is rinsed with
hot water or tea after each meal. Ev-
Dairy produce is unknown, and its want
is unfelt. Bread is steamed, net baked.
The place of dairy produce is ably and
cheaply taken by the lcgumcs and beam
curd which is largely eaten by all the
people. Vegetable cascin is said to be
more easily and quickly digestcd than
the same article when of animal origin.
Cheese is twice richer in flcsh-forming
material than butchers meat, and with
bread may be constantly employed
as complete diet. Tic homely
"brcal and cheese" used to indicate the
whole nourishment of our ancestors,
and aptly describes the dictctic value
placed upon these articles by them, and
the needs of the human system which
these two great substances SO iitly and
Adequately supply. Out of their vcgc-
table products Oceans, for example) the
cheaper, and not whit inferior in the
amount of flesh formers it contains, rs
we who consume high-priccd meat, and
do as much bodily work.
Climate and race largely determine
our food. We can adapt ourselves to
our environment. We can derive all
the system needs from either animals
or vegetables, or both combined. Ex-
cess of the heterogeneous induces diseases
of an intlammatory and gouty nature,
which is the prevailing type Of the we'll
ACN AIuAVllCs1I. Liz AOOA VI IllC OllCuC-
al comprises both the nitrogenous and
non-nitrogenous in the most remark
able degree. Vegetable foods supply
enough nourishmcnt ut q sum infinitely
cheaper than animal foods. If VIC in
crease tho demand for vegetables the
supply increases and prices fall; if, on
the other hand, we increase the demand
for animal products the supply dimin-
ishes, and the price is enhanced. The
neccssaries of life are cheap and whole
some; the luxurics are dear, and tend to
the development of disease. The Chin
csc are temperate in all things, and in
nothing more than their drinks. Lii
censes are not required to check or
regulate the consumption. Local option
applied to drink would seem to them
utterly unnecessary. They would not,
however, object to have their opium SO
regulated. In u quarter of q century
have not seen five drunk persons, and
yet the people are not by any means alb
stainers. The sense of propriety large
ly corrects any tendency to indulgence
in intoxicating liquors.