The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-24
DIET o. TIE CHINESE.

The cuisine Of the Chinese and the
| mode and ceremonies attending their
| feasts have done much To give them
a somewhat extraordinary reputation.
| Globe trotters, striving TO make their
| letters brilliant and their books sensa-
| tiOnal, have told such wonderful tales
Of bird nest soup canine hams. grim
alklng fricassees, rats, snakes worms
/. and other culinary novelties. served up
in such marvellous styles and eaten
with such apparent relish. that their
readers naturally take il for granted
that these things form a large propor-
tion Of the food of the people Of China.
Generally speaking, SAYS a writer in
the Forum. the diet of the Chinese is
sufficient in variety. wholesome and
well cooked, even If their methods are
essentially different from our own.
Doubtless many of the dishes are found
extremely unpalatabe 10 Americans.
because of the quantity Of nut oil used
ana by reason OF the pungent flavor of
the large amounts OF garlic introduced
I'm the latter respect. however. the dish
cs of Southern Europe are equally OBJ
Jectionable. As to the assortment OF
food, ii has been said that there is a
wider difference. perhaps between the
rich and the poor OF China than OF any
, other country.
IL is probably true that the Chinese
use 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 a common meat
principally because of the Buddhistic
prejudice against killing any animal
and particularly such a useful one Since
hogs can be SO economically reared
pork II undoubtedly. after rice. the lead
ing article of food. This is eaten in ev-
cry form. and one may say that every
part OF the animal is utilized for food
Horse flesh. venison. antelope and bear
are often seen, but I'm passing through
the markets pork. mutton and fowls are
tho most conspicuous For fish the Chi
nese has an omniVcrous appetite. moth
iuR from the water, efth"r fresh or salt
being rejected 4 few kittens and pup
,ips may be- offered for sale in cages
Those which are intended for the table
arc fed uoon grain and clean food: so
that it the nature of this food be con
sidercd it Is TAR more wholesome than
is the unclelu hog. 70 assert thar cats
AMI dogs futm a. staple article Of food
i~ purv fiction.
one may live for years i'm a Chinese
city without seeing rats or mice offered
for sale az food. They are sold for med
icine, but even for This purpose they
ave not so easily caught as tu bp chcap.
The treatment to which the common
people often suhie g unfortun aae rats
which have been caught in tho granar.,,
initiates strongly against the notion
ilat these animals are selected as
choice fd-bits FOR lhc table. Because
thsIp3te siaal THEW most precious arti.
rln of food rice thn Chnces hold that
thov Aro criminals " tho dccpest dve
'rI ihat th'y mrrit thc worst kind of
tortur. Black dogs and cats ara favor
iirF among The mo-i spperstliioue no-
fiNcs NJ the south. These animals invo-
1ab'v r0wmand y hirhcr nrfce than
Others ~nd are e0ten at nld-tummcr iu
che boiler th7t ihn r,uGt nsuros both
h'oitN 30 strength FOR The ensuing
v.7r The blood % ~ animals is hken
so f7r ne cononrne roli~anue scruri.s
evccr' hv Bu4ihist nrlorts. hv n fev ~
the e.r.oter l2~men and of course. hy
tho Mohammedlns. 81 ~ hon thnro er.
'.''tn " o"'nher Zoo the northern ulit ~
the counfty.