Chinese+Food

** Chinese Food ** By: Sarah, Cameron, and Laura If you drill a hole in your backyard, directly through the earth’s core, you will eventually end up in the country of China. Once you arrive, you will be very hungry from your long trip. However the food you will find here is very different from back home in Pennsylvania…  media type="youtube" key="BoIMHaXEYaM" height="344" width="425" This is a video about the history of Chinese Food in America.

** Chinese American Food ** by Sarah There are many people who can taste the difference between American Chinese food and original Chinese food. Usually when you eat Chinese food there is always a fortune cookie. American Chinese food is very different from authentic Chinese food because of its preparation, health, and main meals. Americans have greatly changed Chinese food by adding their own personal style to it. A major difference in American Chinese food and Original Chinese is how it is prepared. In America, Chinese food is heavily covered in fatty oils, while real Chinese food has a lot of sauces, like soy sauce. “ The way most American cook Chinese food is by Stir-frying, pan frying, and deep frying tend to be the most common cooking techniques”(Authentic Chinese).These are the most used to cook Chinese food in America. Common styles of cooking are usually steamed, which is why real Chinese food is healthier. Eating Chinese food gives you a healthy reward. Real Chinese food is mainly based on fresh meats and seafood. But the American style is frying everything. This is the reason why American Chinese food is very unhealthy. These two categories of food can be similar, but focus on different meals. Real Chinese cuisine has mainly noodles, rice, and many vegetables. While the main meals in American Chinese food are sweet and sour pork and chicken with broccoli. The meals in original Chinese foods are unusual like Kung Pao chicken and pecking duck. This one type of food category is now seen as two different catergories. Now that its preparation, health, and main dishes prove the difference in real or fake Chinese food it distinguishes what type of food is healthier. Through each different version of Chinese food has pro and cons. It is now two noticeable different types of food because it was always seen as just ordinary Chinese food.

 In China, rice is more than just a food. To find its true importance you have to follow it back to its roots. Before anyone can eat it, many millions of Chinese farm workers have to clean, husk, separate, mill, and grade it. Then more workers are used to sell the rice to other countries, like the United States, so that China can make money.  Just like many Americans eat bread at each meal, the Chinese eat rice. Think about it. Instead of eating toast for breakfast, you eat a bowl of rice. Then at lunch, instead of eating a turkey sandwich, you eat rice with meat. At dinner, that same night, instead of having buttered rolls, you have a side dish of rice. Next time you eat bread, you can bet someone just like you, living in China, is eating rice instead. Before the people living in China can eat the rice, they have to spend hours getting it ready to eat. Since there are five long steps to rice milling, many workers are needed. This means that more people in China have a job and more people have money. Just like here in the United States, people in China need jobs. What would happen if your mom or dad didn’t have a job? Making rice provides jobs for many mothers and fathers in China. However, not all the rice that China makes is eaten by the people living in China. The extra has to be sold to other countries like the United States. By selling the extra rice, China makes money and gets richer. Last year, China made 330 million dollars selling rice. That means, for every dollar made, one YouTube video was watched in August! As you can see, rice is a very food in China. It is a popular food, it makes money for families, and it makes money for the country. Can you think of anything that you depend on ?
 * Rice of China ** by Cameron

** Chinese Tea ** By Laura  __Definition of Tea:__ Tea is the dried and prepared leaves of a shrub from which a somewhat bitter, aromatic beverage is prepared by infusion in hot water Think of an everyday food that many families depend on in America. Some foods that I came up with were bread and water. But in China, they have ve ry different foods that they depend on such as rice and tea. Tea in China is part of one’s daily lifestyle. T ea is an important part of Chinese culture because it can be easily grown and supplied, it has a religious meaning, and it has many traditional customs. Tea was first produced in Southwestern China, and it is said to be that the god of agriculture discovered of tea. Tea became so important to one’s life because it was used everyday; whether if it was just as a drinking beverage, used in a soup, or even as medicine (which is what it was originally used for). Either way, Chinese tea was, and still is, a great importance to all Chinese citizens.   “ China produces 600 million pounds, of which only 70 million are exported a year.” ( www.herbcompanion.com ). Today, it is the second largest tea grower, India coming in first. The first step in the tea-making process starts with working people. A tea plant must be planted and grown for five years before its leaves can be picked. The plant can be replanted and reused for about one hundred years. Then, a skilled worker collects the leaves and they are then sent off to be processed, grinded, and dried into the popular beverage. The ability to easily grow Chinese tealeaves allows the beverage to be a part of one’s daily routine. This ability also allows the tea culture to become into a religious meaning, or something called a “Chinese Tea Ceremony”. The tea ceremony is supposed to cover everything about tea; its smell, its flavor, and its quality. This ceremony is meant to show the appreciation of tea. “ <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">This style of tea-drinking uses small cups to match the small, clay teapots; each cup is just large enough to hold about two small sips of tea.” ([|www.holymtn.com]) The <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ceremony can also be viewed as a way of preparing tea. The first step is to rinse the teapot with hot water and than fill it with tealeaves. Then, one must rinse the leaves by pouring water into the pot at draining it. After the leaves are clean, hot water is added to the teapot, which is than entirely placed into a large bowl where additional water is poured over the pot. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">In less than a minute, pour the tea into the cups by moving the teapot around in a continual motion over the cups so that they are filled together. Most tea is served this way in China and has been for a while. The steps to this ceremony are not specific and it can be preformed in many different ways. On the other hand, other tea customs have specific meanings and “rules”. Not only is Chinese tea a relaxing drink, it is also as a sign of respect, for a family gathering, to apologize, to express thanks to your elders on one’s wedding <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> day, and to pass the tradition. Many people in China drink tea because it is part of the culture and heritage. They also use it as an apology by pouring tea for them, which is also a sign of respect. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In Chinese society, the younger generation always shows its respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"> As you can tell, tea in China is a sign of a heart felt apology, respect, and love. Chinese tea has helped advance China throughout the years, and is still active in the Chinese community today. Chinese tea in one’s life is critical for many reasons. Whether its for making up for a mistake or reconnecting with a family member, it will always influence the Chinese lifestyle. Chinese tea is important <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">because of its ability for tealeaves to easily be grown and supplied, its religious meaning, and its traditional customs. Tea is the most common drink that is consumed in the world and it will always be effective in China’s life.

"Authentic Chinese Food." __Hubpages.__ [authentic Chinese food].
 * Works Cited **

__ China's rice exports soar after years of stagnancy __. 30 Nov. 2006. 24 Feb. 2009 <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200611/30/eng20061130_327011.html>. "Chinese Tea Ceremony." __Welcome to Holy Mountain Trading Company__. 01 Mar. 2009 <[]>.

<span style="color: rgb(38,42,44); font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Chinese tea culture -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 01 Mar. 2009 <[]>. "Chinese tea culture: Healthier, artistic and enjoyment." __Chinese food index: food and tea culture, recipe and pictures__. 01 Mar. 2009 <[]>. <span style="color: rgb(38,42,44); font-family: 'Times New Roman';">"Cook authentic or American Chinese dinner." __Commercial Appeal.__ <[]>.

"Health." __Means Health.__ <[]>.

"Reading the tea leaves." __Herb Companion Magazine__. 01 Mar. 2009 <[]>. __ Rice Staple of the East __. Asian Art Mall. 24 Feb. 2009 <http://www.asianartmall.com/ricearticle.htm>. __Sacks of rice are unloaded at Manila port as rice prices hit a record high.__ Comp. Grace Davies.

__ The Rice Industry __. Duke. 24 Feb. 2009 <http://www.duke.edu/web/soc142/team3/Group%20Rice/Rice%20Website.htm>.