The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-09-21

A CHINESE RESTAURANT IN PEKING.
Juicy brOiled rat would not suffer
Roast dog and eggs OF very ancient
vintage are highly esteemed delicacies
among the richer classes OF Chinese.
while live young crabs. dipped in vine
gar formed the piece de resistance ut a
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 neveI each
the tables OF the mass Of the Chinese
people. They seem fantastic and re-
pulsive 10 American taste. and yet the
gustO with which the wealthy China
man enjoys them Is very amusing. Cor
responding 10 their hearty enjoyment
Is the very evident delight with which
II Chinaman Of the poorer class will
pick up n small fish. somewhat like our
sardine. and swallow 1t raw.
The Chinese. for the most part. are
good trenchermen and EMO their meals.
and they take no pains to conceal their
pleasure. At n recent large dinner in
Washington one OF the guests was Il
Chinese attache. who had just arrived
from his native country. After the
last course. I'm accordance with the pO-
lite Chinese custom OF showing his ap-
prevail OF the good things enjoyed. he
leaned back on his chair. crossed his
hands over his stomach and emitted n
rcsOundlng grunt. The other diners.
among whom were the president and
his wife. were naturally taken by sur
prise. But the hostess saved the day
and possibly the feelings Of the other
Cinnamon present by Immediately iml-
tatinE him. Her example was follow
eel 10y the rest Of the dinner party.
Never before had a Washington dining
room sounded so much like Il pigSty.
The cultured Chinese minister later eX
planned the action Of his assistant rs
common Chinese way Of expressing
approval of II good dinner.
Contrary 60 general belief, the food
grain most generally used throughout
China is not rice, but wheat. This
statement. however, must be made
and its variety OF climate must be- TAX
Ell into consideration. In the south,
rice il. OF course. most generally used.
Next L. wheat. millct is most impur-
tant food grain in the north. Boil
eel or prepared in other ways. one
Of these grains forms the principal
dish of the Chinese bill OF fare. with
-. IL Il
lies In the side dishes ar rcliShrS. AMI
herein there Is great variety. With the
laboriug CLASSES Il vegetable or two
give the necessary variation. with
sometimes II Iii of pork. while un feast
days or OH the occasion of the birth of
II son or AT other uncommon times fish
AMI meat are added.
The principal meat of China is pork.
The pig is seen everywhere. hohnuh-
hing with the family in the living
rooms ami In all other places. Chinese
butchers know nothing Of our system
uf division IF meat 10y joints. ana they
cut of chunks of Varym" size and
weight with no regard L. arti"ular dlNi-
SinlS. Pork il not the principal dish
al the meal, when il * had; il * used
rather 10 give Il llaInr Ia the boiled
rice or other grain. The food = all
boiled together in II mass. and when
the family is assembled around the pa
tcrual board each ILLS his bowl with
the mixture from the center bowl. rV-
cry one putting his chup>ticks into II.
Fish is highly esteemed all over The
empire. and every part Of the hSh Is
d,vourcd. M fish iS considered small
enough Ia be cast aside, AMI none IL
too large Ia he divided. The Chinese
are expert fishermen. and everything
literally is fish that comes to their net.
As in everything else. the mc"ncrlva-
hle economy of the Chnaman crops out
In his food arrangements. The sea
Yields To him not only the kinds Of fish
enjoyed 10y civilized peoples. hut also
some things that cause disgust to for
rlEncrS. Imagine eating cuttlciish or
sharks or SEA ancmun"S or S"aweed.
Chinese dried oysters. however, are an