Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-06

CHINESE RESTAURANT IN PEKING.
a juicy broled rat would not suffer
Roast dog and eggs Of very ancient
vintage are highly esteemed dellcacies
among the richer classes of Chinese,
while live young crabs dipped In vine
gar, formed the piece de resistance at
recent Chinatown dinner.
TO this list Of curious foods may be
added the celebrated birds nest soup,
sharks fins, sea slugs, raw pigs kid
neys and crabs tails. These are, how
ever, very high in price and never reach
the tables OF the mass of the Chinese
people They seem fantastic and re-
pulsive to American taste, and yet the
gusto with which the wealthy China
man enjoys them is very amusing. Cor
responding to their hearty enjoyment
is the very evident delight with which
Chnaman of the poorer class will
pick up small fish, somewhat like our
sardine, and swallow it raw.
The Chinese for the most part, are
good trenchermenan and enjoy their meals,
and they take no pains to conceal their
~ q lCNCht ttti ~ pAhAACA ~
Washington one of the guests was a
Chinese attache. who had just arrived
from his native country. After the
last course, in accordance with the pO-
lite Chinese custom of showing his APP
prevail of the good things enjoyed, he
leaned back on his chair, crossed his
hands over his stomach and emitted a
among whom were the president and
mis- wife, We're naturally taken by sur
prise But the hostess saved the day
and possibly the feelings of the other
Cinnamon present by Immediately imi-
tating him. Her example was follow
ed by the rest Of the dinner party.
Never before had Il Washington dining
room sounded so much like a pigsty.
The cultured Chinese minister later ex-
planned the action Of his assistant as
a common Chinese way of expressing
approval of a good dinner.
Contrary to general belief the food
grain most generally used throughout
China is not rice. but wheat. This
statement, however, must be made
qualifedly and the vastness Of China
and its variety of climate must be TAX
en- into consideration. In the south,
rice is of course, most generally used.
Next to wheat, millet is a most impor-
tant food grain in the north. Boil
ed or prepared in other ways, one
of these grains forms the principal
dish of the Chinese bill of fare with
rich and poor alike. The difference
lies in the side dishes or relishes, and
herein there is great variety. With the
labOring classes vegetable or two
give the necessary variation, with
sometimes a bit of pork. while on feast
days or on the occasion of the birth of
son or at other uncommon times fish
ana meat are added.
The principal meat of China is pork.
The pig is seen everywhere, hobnob-
bling with the family in the living
rooms and in all other places. Chinese
butchers know nothing Of our system
Of division Of meat by joints, and they
cut off chunks Of varying size and
weight with no regard to articular divi-
sions. Pork is not the principal dish
of the meal, when it is had, it is used
rather to give a flavor to the boiled
rice or other grain. The food is all
boiled together In a mass, and when
the family is assembled around the pa
ternal board each fills his bowl with
the mixture from the center bowl ev-
cry one putting his chopsticks into it.
Fish is highly esteemed all over the
empire and every part of the fish is
devoured. No fish is considered small
enough to be east aside, and none is
too large to be divided The Chinese
are expert fishermen, and everything
literally is fish that comes to their net.
As I'm everything else the iuconceiva-
bic economy Of the Chinamhu crops out
In his food arrangements The sea
yields to him not only the kinds of fish
! enjoyed by civilized peoples, but also
some things that cause disgust to for
eigners Imagine eating cuttlefsh or
sharks or sea anemones or seaweed!
| Chinese dried oysters, however, are an
exceedingly interesting ana toothsome
| proposition, proving that in some
| things John is not so far behind us. In
passing. it may be noted that in dry
ing, preserving or picking the Chinese
need acknowledge no masters in the
world. The dried oysters are prepared
by spreading them in the sun for sew
eral weeks. How they are preserved