New-York tribune., 1903-08-30
ODD CHINESE DISHES.
1n 4ppeti@ing Description Of the
Way IN Which Then Are Made.

Chinese cooks and Chinese foods are acquir-
ms more and more popularity in America. The
manifestations of this popularity are:
First-In some American restaurants such
> nese dishes as chop suey" and "geish y
main" are served side by side with soft shell
crabs and broiled lobster.
Second-There is hardly an American city
that has not it's Chinese restaurants. to which
rersl rs Of every class like to 60
Thrd-Few Bohemian gatherings are COM
1lete without pail of chop suey, brought fresh
ID hot, from China town.
Fourth-Many rich families employ Chinese
Colls-men expert in the best French and
American dishes, and expert also in the best
dishes Of China which, and then, they
ierve.
1t is not strange that Chinese food. in cos
EcpOlitan country like America, should be
popular, for Chinese cooking. art as difficult
- French cooking, has a taste that is as pleas
ant TO the Occidental to the Oriental palate,
while Chinese cooks and Chinese kitchens are
IS clean as many white tiled dairy.
Some Chinese restaurants are furnished ex-
rensVely with teakwood stools and tables in
aid with ivory and mother of pearl. They have
entrances so constructed that the patron to
reach the dining room. must pass through the
l-tchen, the idea being that the patron should
examine the kitchen-should see how clean it is
before he eats the food that comes out of it.
ChoTsticks, as well the customary knives
ind forks, provided with the food. and the
american finds it interesting to try to learn to
cat with these two little ebony or ivory utensils
The Chinese menu is puzzling. 1t is composed
of dishes with such names as mo gu sue XII"
chow Main," "geish main," "yock a main"
fin ka nau yok." I'll chee,'' Isl ah, up tread
MAN," yang waH.' "muy gu guy pan." etc.
All these dishes are agreeable to the American
taste. They range in price from 81 80 or 81 for
mo gu sue XII" (Which is made Of chicken
breasts and mushrooms, principally to Is cents
for ''yock MAN," q composition of noodles
chicken and pork.
"Geish main" and chop suey" are the
dishes that Americans like best In each of
them chicken. pork, mushrooms and celery fig
uIe and over each of them very salty, appe-
tizrg sauce, called "see yow,' is poured Bread
is seldom served in Chinatown; rice takes its
place-rice steamed instead OF boiled. Tea is
served with almost every order; a pot OF tea
drunk out of little, handleless CUPS Neither
cream nor sugar should go with it, for the Chi
nese claim-perhaps correctly-that cream and
sugar spoil the flavor of good tea. which they
knew how to brew Ions before the Occident was
aware that such beverage existed In the hest
Chlnese restaurants every pot and pan is washed
after use, even though it is to be used in the
making Of the same dish again Immediately
Ihus, II cook is preparing an order of .'chop
Euey" and another order for chop suey' comes
in before he has finished, he does not begin on
the second order until. having emptied the pan
of the first one, he has scraped and washed il
thoroughly
The Chinese range has an odd look because i+e
front is protected by a double wooden casing