Wichita daily eagle., 1886-03-23
WHAT CHINAMEN EAT.

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Hal CHlNAMEN EAl.
ALL THE KINGDOMS OF ATUHe KAN
cAcken ro PROVIDE FOOD.
A Long List of Culinary Vegetables
c.,.,o~,e of Fruits-Beyerages-F Fish,
r,-Y,sscts and Oth.r
Miscellaneous
IT,. -o,ort;ou ~ animal food consumed ia
,,rohablv smaller among the Chinese than
atber nations in the same latitude. Rice in
the south. maize. millet and wheat in the
north furnish the cereal food. The first is
emnbatically the staff Of Life. and is con-
s;dered Indispensable all over the land. It is
thoroughly cooked without forming a nasty
mass as is too often the case with us. The
diet is sufficiently varied. wholesome and
we'll cooked Much yeg.,ta.ble oil In rsed in
its preparation. which makes it unpaiatable,
rs n ruie. 10 Europeaus until accustomed to il.
Italian millet or canary seed furnishes large
amount of nutritious cereal food in the north
The -four is yellow and sweet, and mlght with
advantage be imported into this country, and
n altafnat6Q
The Chinese have a long list of culinary
vegetables, and much Of their agriculture
consists in rearing them More than twenty
different sorts of peas and beans are culti-
waited. and occupy the largest part of the
kitchen garden Sow, used as a universal
condiment instead of butter and Jam. is made
from beans. Bean curd takes the place of
cheese. gypsum being employed tc precipitate
%
cabbage cress and cruciferous plants is euor-
NOUS. Garlic, onions, leeks and others of fhis
class ar. eaten by ali classes. detected upon
all persons, and sinelt in all rooms where they
ARE eating or cooking. The variety of cucur.
bitaceous plants extends to nearly twenty
That are cultivated among garden vegetables.
Water chestnuts are extensively consumed
The sweet potato is the most common tuber
The Irish potato is not eaten except ON the
borders of Mongolia It is considered a food
only fit for famine periods.
FRUITS AND Nurs-rEA AND SPIRITS
The catalogue Of fruits is indeed formida-
BILE. Grapes are plentiful in the north, and
are preserved all the year round. Among
common nuts are the chestnut. walnut, and
ground nut. The first and last are largely
eaten. The former. roasted or used as meal
in so,.r,s. forms valuable and nourishinC
food. The iuiubs-i is largely grown, and eaten
in dumplings. etc Preserved fruits are COM
mon Ginger. ioftus roots bamboo shoots.
and even the common potato and other vege-
tables are thus prepared for export as well as
domestic use.
The Chinese have no butter, milk, O,
cheese They have no cattle except for agri-
cultural purposes. which has made them com
parativeiy dear. and therefore meat from this
source has fallen into disuse except among
the Mongols and Manchus. The European
is dissatisfied with a meal with neither bread,
butter. nor milk, and he is disguised with
the oiiy and alliaceous stews set before him.
The Chinese would be equally shocked at the
cheese we sometimes eat, which can almost
walk. Women's milk is sold on the streets in
some cities for the sustenance of infants and
old people. it being believed peculiarly nour-
ishing to aged persons
The common beverage is tea Our sitting
down to tea meal seems strange to them,
and they can not understand our spelling the
beverage by making it SO strong, black, and
adding sugar and milk Tea is never in
dulged in as meal-it is a constant restora-
tive beverage during the day taken very
weak and hardly allowed any time to infuse.
Hot water is largely drank, and the good ef-
fects of this custom are worthy Of trial by
US The mouth is rinsed with hot water or
tea after each meal. Cold water is seldom
drank Cold liquids of any kind are not con-
sidered wholesome The people boil all their
water, and this renders them careless and in
dependent as to its source Coffee, chocolate,
and cocoa are unknown, as are also beer.
cider, porter, wine brandy, etc. They have
a coarse fiery spirit called samsboo, distilled
from sorghum, and mild wine fermented
from rice, which is drank hot. The badness,
want of fragrance, and paucity of kinds of
spirituous liquors have had something to do
in keeping them sober.
FLFsB-EArING-FIsH AND INSECTS.
The Chinese eat a larger variety of meats
than the people of other countries, and at the
same time very little land is appropriated to
rearing animals for food Beef is only eaten,
when it can be had, by the very lowest classes.
No respectable person eats so useful and
sacred an animal. Buddhistic prejudice
against killing has had a powerful effect in
restraining the flesh eating propensities Of the
people Mutton, except in the extreme north,
bordering on the lofty grass plateau Of Mon
golia is dear and poor. There is large Mo
hammedan population in the north. The flesh
of the buffalo and goat are still less used. Pork
is the principal meat consumed, and surpasses
all others, and no meat can be raised so eco
nomically
The Chinese are perfectly omnivorous with
respect to acquatic production. Here nothing
comes amiss All waters are vexed with their
fisheries Every possible way Of catching
anu rearing nsh : l'ac'ioi fiSn A.e "'u"'Iy
so'" nm ~ ~. ,un ~ 1u nv A., -
qua, aii'ee one" -. :.