Author: Michael Taylor

Located in Sichuan Province, the city of Chongqing became a provincial level municipality – one of only four in the country – in 19??. Its cuisine – which is highly spiced and strongly flavoured – would best be described as a subcategory of Sichuanese cuisine. Popular Chongqing dishes include twice-cooked pork, Aunt Ma's tofu, and …

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Next to Cantonese cuisine, the two most widely known styles of Chinese cooking outside the mainland are Sichuanese, known in Putonghua as Chuan Cai (川菜), and Hunanese, known as Xiang Cai (湘菜). The name is derived from the Xiang River, which flows through the province. Shenzhen is awash with restaurants serving dishes from both provinces. …

Continue reading "Hunanese Cuisine: Chairman Mao’s Favourite"

Jiangnan refers to the region just south of the lower reaches of China's legendary Yangtze River. It includes the northern parts of Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces and the southern parts of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. Important cities include Changzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shaoxing, and Wuxi – as well as the legendary twin cities of Suzhou …

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If Suzhou is known for classical gardens, canals, fine silks, and beautiful women, Hangzhou has a different set of attributes. With West Lake at its heart, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, embodying the very essence of a traditional Chinese landscape painting. Pagodas and temples dot the landscape. Marco Polo was so enchanted …

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Anhui cuisine, known as Hui Cai (徽菜) in Mandarin, is perhaps China’s best kept culinary secret. The flavours are rich and subtle thanks to the careful use to hams and sugared candies to enrich and deepen flavours. Wild herbs – from both the land and the sea – are frequently used. It is similar in …

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My desire to eat my way around China, exploring its Eight Great Cuisines, began several years ago during a press trip to Shandong Province. Starting in the provincial capital of Jinan, we worked our ways to the coastal city of Qingdao, making several stops along the way. Every noon and evening, we would be hosted …

Continue reading "Shandong Cuisine"