What are the major differences in Schezwan and Cantonese cuisine and what
are the major ingridients used in both. I would like someone from China to
answer this

On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 13:47:03 -0600, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 10:11:08 -0600, Asia wrote:
>
>> What are the major differences in Schezwan and Cantonese cuisine and what
>> are the major ingridients used in both. I would like someone from China to
>> answer this
>
>Well, I could tell you this, But I'm not in China so I don't fir
>your prejudiced requirements.
>
>-sw

besides, how many americans would read alt.food.american?

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:32:43 GMT, blake murphy >
wrote:

>On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 13:47:03 -0600, Sqwertz >
>wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 10:11:08 -0600, Asia wrote:
>>
>>> What are the major differences in Schezwan and Cantonese cuisine and what
>>> are the major ingridients used in both. I would like someone from China to
>>> answer this
>>
>>Well, I could tell you this, But I'm not in China so I don't fir
>>your prejudiced requirements.
>>
>>-sw
>
>besides, how many americans would read alt.food.american?
>
>your pal,
>blake

actually, those interested in regional differences in cuisine would
find more variety in the US; not just because of geography influencing
native ingredients, etc. but because of the varying cultures of the
immigrants.

and since my family is originally from southern china, i'll point out
that any cuisine near a coast is likely to have more seafood in the
cuisine and this is true for cantonese & chiu chow cuisines. also,
rice tends to be more a staple crop near water & a wamer climate; a
lot of rice is grown in the gulf coast, the mississippi delta,
arkansas, and (oddly enough) the sacramento valley in northern CA
(major irrigation), whereas the landlocked states tend to produce
wheat (and corn - which isn't common in china). similarly, in inland
china (like in the schezuan province, wheat is the staple crop, so you
should expect to find breads and noodles instead of rice. most chinese
do not eat rice. i expect this to be more of a surprise since the
primary "chinese" cuisine seen in the states tends to be cantonese due
to the emigration/immigration patterns.

regardless of the region, there will always be an emphasis on balance
with texture complementing tastes, which tends to be a foreign concept
in western cuisines. as to the reputed spiciness of nothern cuisines,
this tends to be true, but asians in general tend to combine hot
spices with foods that have a texture/mouth feel that could be
described as slippery. this is not limited to chinese cuisine - udon
or tofu is often ornamented by yuzukosho (a citrus pepper sauce).

i am not saying that this is the only reason - i suspect that the
origins are similar to that of chili - without refrigeration, spicing
up meat past its prime might have been a way to make it palatable.
also, the alkaloid capsaicin (sp?) is known to have an effect on the
body's ability to regulate temperature - and you can find spicy
cuisines in regions where the weather could be considered unbearably
hot. but this is merely conjecture on my part.











--------
"any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

Thanks Barry for these insights.
I knew that Schezwan tends to be spicier than the Cantonese but didn't know
that rice is not the main carb of China.


"barry" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:32:43 GMT, blake murphy >
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 13:47:03 -0600, Sqwertz >
> >wrote:
> >
> >>On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 10:11:08 -0600, Asia wrote:
> >>
> >>> What are the major differences in Schezwan and Cantonese cuisine and
what
> >>> are the major ingridients used in both. I would like someone from
China to
> >>> answer this
> >>
> >>Well, I could tell you this, But I'm not in China so I don't fir
> >>your prejudiced requirements.
> >>
> >>-sw
> >
> >besides, how many americans would read alt.food.american?
> >
> >your pal,
> >blake
>
> actually, those interested in regional differences in cuisine would
> find more variety in the US; not just because of geography influencing
> native ingredients, etc. but because of the varying cultures of the
> immigrants.
>
> and since my family is originally from southern china, i'll point out
> that any cuisine near a coast is likely to have more seafood in the
> cuisine and this is true for cantonese & chiu chow cuisines. also,
> rice tends to be more a staple crop near water & a wamer climate; a
> lot of rice is grown in the gulf coast, the mississippi delta,
> arkansas, and (oddly enough) the sacramento valley in northern CA
> (major irrigation), whereas the landlocked states tend to produce
> wheat (and corn - which isn't common in china). similarly, in inland
> china (like in the schezuan province, wheat is the staple crop, so you
> should expect to find breads and noodles instead of rice. most chinese
> do not eat rice. i expect this to be more of a surprise since the
> primary "chinese" cuisine seen in the states tends to be cantonese due
> to the emigration/immigration patterns.
>
> regardless of the region, there will always be an emphasis on balance
> with texture complementing tastes, which tends to be a foreign concept
> in western cuisines. as to the reputed spiciness of nothern cuisines,
> this tends to be true, but asians in general tend to combine hot
> spices with foods that have a texture/mouth feel that could be
> described as slippery. this is not limited to chinese cuisine - udon
> or tofu is often ornamented by yuzukosho (a citrus pepper sauce).
>
> i am not saying that this is the only reason - i suspect that the
> origins are similar to that of chili - without refrigeration, spicing
> up meat past its prime might have been a way to make it palatable.
> also, the alkaloid capsaicin (sp?) is known to have an effect on the
> body's ability to regulate temperature - and you can find spicy
> cuisines in regions where the weather could be considered unbearably
> hot. but this is merely conjecture on my part.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --------
> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

> I knew that Schezwan tends to be spicier than the Cantonese but didn't know
> that rice is not the main carb of China.

Rice does not grow above a certain latitude. It is said that south of
Shanghai, rice is the staple, where as wheat is staple for north of
Shanghai, and that city has a mix of both. Since the northern portion
of China is larger in area than the southern, it could be argued that
more Chinese eat wheat as a staple compared to those who eat rice.

On Tue, 5 Feb 2008 11:33:46 -0800 (PST), Tippi >
wrote:

> > I knew that Schezwan tends to be spicier than the Cantonese but didn't know
> > that rice is not the main carb of China.
>
> Rice does not grow above a certain latitude. It is said that south of
> Shanghai, rice is the staple, where as wheat is staple for north of
> Shanghai, and that city has a mix of both. Since the northern portion
> of China is larger in area than the southern, it could be argued that
> more Chinese eat wheat as a staple compared to those who eat rice.


I know nothing about whether there is more rice eaten than wheat in
China or vice versa, but that argument doesn't hold water. Being
larger in area doesn't mean that there are more people north of
Shanghai than south of it. I believe that the south is considerably
more densely populated than the North.

That's not to say that there are more people in the south than the
north, either. I don't know. My only point is that you can't find out
simply by looking at a map.

--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:49:09 GMT, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:59:10 GMT, Asia wrote:
>
>> Thanks Barry for these insights.
>> I knew that Schezwan tends to be spicier than the Cantonese but didn't know
>> that rice is not the main carb of China.
>
>I have read a lot of Chinese food and culture books and there is
>no way a lone person on Usenet can convice me that "most Chinese
>people do not eat rice". That is just plain bull.
>
>-sw

it may not be most, but it's more than you were ever aware of, which
refutes your first obnoxious commment.

--------
"any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

>actually, those interested in regional differences in cuisine would
>find more variety in the US; not just because of geography influencing
>native ingredients, etc. but because of the varying cultures of the
>immigrants.

Friends,
As someone who lives in Queens County, New York (NYC)--the
immigration capital of North America (or is it the World?), I would
have to agree with this,
I can find almost any ingredient, spice, vegetable, sauce, or food
stuff that I can imagine if I look hard enough for it. This is due to
the immigrants that flock into NYC from all of the
prefectures/provinces of China and Taiwan/Hong Kong/Tibet (please no
politics here!).
The simple truth is the immigrants come to a city, set up the supply
lines from the old country, and everyone enjoys in the bounty.

On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 10:46:22 -0600, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:32:43 GMT, blake murphy wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 13:47:03 -0600, Sqwertz >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 10:11:08 -0600, Asia wrote:
>>>
>>>> What are the major differences in Schezwan and Cantonese cuisine and what
>>>> are the major ingridients used in both. I would like someone from China to
>>>> answer this
>>>
>>>Well, I could tell you this, But I'm not in China so I don't fir
>>>your prejudiced requirements.
>>
>> besides, how many americans would read alt.food.american?
>
>We have quite a few Asians that hang out here, but there's more
>Americans (like me) that know a lot about Chinese foods rather
>than actual Chinese - none of which ever post from China.

It's been my experience that people from one part of a country quite
often know less about another region's cusine than non-natives who are
"into" that country's cousine.

I grew up in a Sicilian neighborhood and damn few would have any idea
about polenta or risotto. SImilarly those from southern China or
India have little knowledge of their northern counterparts'
ingredients cooking techniques.

I know very few northern US folks who have any idea what country ham
is, or grits, or pot licker, etc.
------------
There are no atheists in foxholes
or in Fenway Park in an extra inning
game.
____

Cape Cod Bob

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