The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-06
What THE CHINESE EAT
Rice the Staff Of Life in the Land
of MongOls.
The Average Celestial. However.
VIII Swallow Anything That He
Can Chew, Not Excepting Rats,
Mice. Days, Worms, and Snakes
Most Expensive Table Luxurics.

Richard NJ Burton, who is now in Wash
ington and who has Travelled extensively
in China, is authority for the statement
that Chinaman will eat anything that
he can bite. Mr. Burton said yesterday:
John Chinaman turns up his nose at
nothing, although he is not so fond of rats.
mice, and puppies as some people are in
clined to think. In fact, l have never seen
| either of these animals exposed for sale
in the market except at Canton. OF course,
the very poor, those who cannot get any
thing else, will eat what necessity COM
pels, which in all probability will be a
large sleek rodent. Such animals, care
fully fed for the purpose on rice and such
food, are no doubt to be found If you know
where to look for them, but to say that
these creatures form the common articles
of food for the millions in China is no
| more truthful than 1t would be to say that
| the American dimes on horsefiesh.
Rice is the staff Of life in China. That
| is, in the southern part, but in the north
ern regions millet takes its place as the
| maiIstay of the people. Both of these
! grains are consumed in enormous quanti
!
! in which you are, appears on the table
| twice a day, for that is as often as
Chinaman is supposed to eat, in the homes
/ of the rich and poor alike, though he gen.
orally slows away a few things between
meals. The difference between tie tables
| of the rich and the poor is to be found
| in the relishes or side dishes which ac-
| company this staple diet.
The laboTer is content to hr1 on his
! table his bowl of rice and vegetable or
! two. Sometimes piece OF pork or fowl
is added; FISH are greatly priced, and are
eaten in all manner of ways None are
too small to be thrown away, none so large
but what they can be deyoured. Sharks
fins are considered great luxury, and are
not found except on the tables of the
I rich. Neither are the fishes maws de-
spised, but rather considered as O dainty.
Small fishes of variety somewhat like the
sardine are eaten alive, and the evident
( enjoyment which the Celestial derives from
feeling them wriggle their way down
| affords a sight nearly as amusing as 1t is
disgusting.
This is not the least of the articles of
food considered as great delicacies by the
Chinese which are rather nauseous to us.
Hundreds of greenish-browD worms, fresh
from the rice fields. are offered for sale by
peddlers while sailed and picked eggs,
having for their recommendation their old
age, are greatly priced. There are, however,
certain things against which a Chinese
stomach rebels Our fondness for butter and
cheese for example, is utterly incompre-
hensible TO the Celestial. Cows milk is
rather tolerated than liked, while women's
milk is sold on the streets, being con-
sidered very healthy for the aged and
infrm.
Snakes are eaten by the poor people
in some parts of China; for instance. in
the neighborhood of Annoy. In some dis
tricts of the Canton province they are also
eaten, but many other varieties of the
reptile specie, as the eel, are undoubtedly
included in the term.
1.-THE famous birds nest soup is made
from birds nests brought all the way from
CeyIon and Malaga. where they are gath
cred at great risk from the caves on the
saashore These nests are not at all like
the ordinary birds nests OF which we are
accustomed to think, composed Of job lots
Of twigs and sticks and hay and grass,
but they are made almost entirely OF
eelatinous substance similar TO Irish moss.
The best quality. those free from twigs,
etc. command $50 to $50 per pound, while
none OF the poorest fall below SO. Here
is a recipe for preparing birds nest soup,
translated from the Chinese:
Take clean white birds nests shreds.
or birds nests. and soak thoroughly. Pick
out all the feathers. Boil in soup or water
Till tender and of the color of jade-stone.
Place pigeons eggs below and add some
ham shreds on top. Boil again slowly with
little fluid If required sweet, then boil
ip clear water till tender, add sugar can
~ and then eat. This is most clear and
pure article. and thick or oily substances
should not be added. It should be boiled
for long time; for. If not boiled till ten
der il will cause diarrhoea.'
1.-The manner of preparing food in China
is totally different than with US. Roasts
are seldom INDUCED In, nearly all kinds
of food being boiled, as the Chinese regard
roasted foods as very unhealthy. Meat,
instead OF being the staple food. is the
relish The meat when eaten at all, is
to relish the rice or the vegetables, and
not the vegetables to relish the meat. Al
though nominally taking but two meals a
day the first at about 10 10 and the other
at 5 or 6, nearly everyone knocks off at
noon for a bite between meals. These
lunches are procured at any one OF the
numerous restaurants and generally con-
sist of bowl of fish congee or some other
tasty soup or dish. Peanut oil and soy
are added to all of the made-up dishes
which form the food of the people. Tea is
drunken universally. Hard toiling labor
ers are allowed five good meals a day.
Perhaps you would like to try Genni
duck This is how It is done:
Take fat duck. Open and clean. Take
two mace of salt and rub over it both out
side and in. Put into an earthen dish and
take of fan spirits one cup and put the
cup with the spirits inside the duck. Do
not let the spirits fall onto the duck; only
the vapor of the spirits is wanted. Steam
over water till quite tender. Lift out
the wine cup into the bowl. Done in this
way. there is no need OF minor vegetables.
THE Chinaman is a natural cook, young
John Chinaman cooking as readily aud
neatly as his mother"
DESPERATE SHOOTING ARRAY.