There are many options for food choices these days. Traditional Chinese cuisine and its many modern adaptations are one such option. The Chinese also brought their traditions, customs, ingredients and recipes to the United States, sparking a renaissance in food culture. Later, Chinese cuisine became popular and consumed not only in the United States, but all over the world. Chinese cuisine has a long history that imbues food with philosophy.
History and Development of Chinese Food
In the 1848s and 1850s, a huge influx of Chinese immigrants arrived in California during the Gold Rush. At the same time, there is a surge in the development of fast food in the United States, which is why Chinese street food in oyster pails has gained unprecedented popularity (Roberts, 2021). The advantages of the boxes are that the paper, being environmentally friendly and safe for humans, keeps food warm and fresh for a long time. In such a package, noodles and other dishes were easy to transport and reheat, and the use of chopsticks attracted with its novelty.
The number of Chinese immigrants continued to grow, prompting the opening of full-fledged restaurants with a menu not limited to noodles. Chinese cuisine is extremely varied and interesting, so restaurants quickly found their audience. Already in the very first year of their stay in America, Chinese immigrants opened several restaurants with their own cuisine. Then the number of small restaurants with Chinese cuisine began to grow and spread throughout America. It also led to the emergence of Chinatowns in many American cities. So, the Chinese brought their cuisine and traditions to America.
Popularity, Consumers, and Foodscapes
At first, Chinese restaurants were mainly used by Chinese migrant workers, and Americans did not show interest in their cuisine for a long time. A penchant for avant-garde and a search for exotic pushed a certain layer of Americans to break stereotypes and try Chinese food, which was also cheap at the time. Additionally, in the modern times, American Chinese cuisine has been created that reflects the traditions of Chinese Americans and attracts both local population and tourists (Goffe, 2020). Thereafter, Chinese and Asian cuisine in general became popular and consumption became international.
As a result, there are many Chinese restaurants in the 21st century USA. There are fine dining restaurants, take-out or delivery, food stalls and many other variations. Variations of Chinese cuisine including traditional and modern recipes can be found in every state. The culinary canons of China require to ensure that the food is not only tasty, but also healthy, and sometimes even medicinal. The gustatory aspect is achieved through cutting and cooking technologies. All ingredients are cut finely, on the one hand, to make it easier to eat, on the other, to cook quickly. Heat treatment allows to preserve maximum benefits and richness of taste in products (Rong, 2019). Chinese chefs bring traditions through the years of development.
Chinese cuisine consists of unusual cooking products, unique history and traditions. The Chinese are supporters of a healthy lifestyle. Thus, Chinese cuisine is not only a cuisine for gourmets, but also for those who want to be healthy. The culinary arts in China have improved over the centuries. For thousands of years of its existence, it has acquired and retained all the valuable knowledge and skills. In different places in America, different variations of Chinese cuisine and its adaptations are prepared and consumed.
References
Goffe, T. L. (2020). Chop suey surplus: Chinese food, sex, and the political economy of Afro-Asia. Women & Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory, 30(1), 20-47. Web.
Nguyen, T. (2019). Thomas Nguyen: The development of Chinese cuisine in the United States. Development. Web.
Roberts, C., Young, L., & Johanson, M. (2021). Theory of dining. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 1096348020988338. Web.
Rong, C., Liu, Z., Huo, N., & Sun, H. (2019). Exploring Chinese dietary habits using recipes extracted from websites. IEEE Access, 7, 24354-24361. Web.
Zhu, J., Xu, Y., Fang, Z., Shaw, S. L., & Liu, X. (2018). Geographic prevalence and mix of regional cuisines in Chinese cities. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 7(5), 183. Web.