The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-12-07
CHINESE DIET.

The cuisine OF the Chinese and the
mode and ceremonies attending their
feasts have done much 20 give them a
! somewhat extraordinary reputation.
( Globe-trotters, striving TO make their
! letters brilliant and their books sensa-
/ tional have tot. such wonderful tales OF
bird-nest soup. canine hams. grlmal-
kin fricassees. rats, snakes. worms and
other culinary novelties, served up in
such marvellous styles and eaten with
such apparent relish. that their read
ers naturally take il for granted that
these things form a large proportion Of
the food of the people OF China, says a
writer in the Forum.
Generally speaking, the diet OF the
Chinese Is sufficient in variety. whole
some. and well cooked, even if their
methods are essentially different from
our own Doubtless, many OF the dish
es are found extremely unpalatablc 10
Americans, because of the quantity OF
nut-ol used and by reason OF the pun
gent flavor OF The large amount OF gar
lie introduced. In the latter respect.
however the dishes OF Southern Eu-
rope are equally Objectionable. AS to
the assortment OF food. IL has been
said. that there is a wider difference,
perhaps. between the rich and the
poor of China than OF any othr coun-
try.
II is probably true that the Chinese
use "a greater variety of meats than do
the people OF other countries, although
but little land is set apart for grazing
or for the cultivation OF food for live
stock. Beef is not common meat,
principally because of the Buddhistlc
prejudice against killing any animal,
ANA particularly such a useful one.
Since hogs can be So economically
reared. pork is undoubtedly. after rice,
the leading article OF food. This IS eat
en- In every form, and one may say
that every part Of the animal is utiliz-
ed Tor FOOD. Horse flesh. venison, an
ttlope and bear are often seen. but, in
passing through the markets. pork.
mutton and fowls are the most con-
spicuous. For fish the Chinese have an
omniVorous appetite; nothing from the
water either fresh or salt. being re-
Jected. y Few kittens and puppies may
De offered fOr sale i'm cages. Those
which are intended for the table are
FED upon grain ana clean food; SO that
III the nature OF this food be consider
ed. IL Is far more wholesome than is
the unclean hog To assert that cats
ana uogs form staple article of food
is pure fiction.
one may live for years ina a Chinese
city without seeing rats or mice Of
Tered Tor sale as food They are sold
Tor medicine; but even for this pur-
pose they are not SO easily caught as
70 be cheap The treatment TO which
the common people often subject un-
fortunate rats which have been caught
IN the granary initiates strongly
against the notion that these animals
are selected as choice tid-bits for the
table. Because the rats steal their
most precious article OF fo,9d. rice. the
Chinese hold that they are criminals
OF the deepest dye. and that they merit
The worst kind OF torture Black dogs
and cats are favorites among the su-
perstitious natives OF the south. These
animals Invariably command a higher
price than others ana are eaten at
midsummer in the belief that the meat
insures both health and strength for
the ensuing year The blood OF the ami
mails is taken. so far as concerns relig-
lous scruples, except by Buddhist
priests by few OF the stricter laymen.
ana, OF course, by the Mohammedans
OF whom there are quite number i'm
the northern part Of the country.