Unit2ChineseFoodandTeaCulture

Unit 2 Chinese Food and Tea Culture Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale. Elsa SchiaparelliText A Chinese Dietary Culture Dietary culture is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It has rich connotations including the resources of food, cooking skill, food production, dietotherapy, public dietary ways and customs, and dietary art.Throughout the long history of China, cuisine has played an important role and is now considered an integral part of, traditional Chinese culture. Generally speaking, there are three essential factors by which Chinese cooking is judged, namely, “color, aroma and taste”. “Color” refers to the layout and design of the dishes. “Aroma” implies not only the smell of the dish, but also the freshness of the materials and the blending of seasonings. “Taste” involves proper seasoning and fine slicing techniques. These three essential factors are achieved by careful coordination of a series of delicate activities： selecting ingredients, mixing flavors, timing and cooking, adjustment of the heat, and laying out the food on the plate. A gourmet can find out slight differences in the tastes. People living in different regions display great variety in their diets. People in coastal areas eat more seafood and aquatic products, whereas those in central and northwest China eat more domestic animals and poultry. Foods vary from north to south. Tastes also differ regionally because of the climatic differences. One popular summary of Chinese food is“sweet in the south, salty in the north, sour in the west, and spicy in the east.” People in different regions have created their own cuisines to suit their tastes. There are four major cooking styles in China: Sichuan, Canton, Shandong and Huaiyang, each distinctly different. There are called the “Grand Four Categories of Chinese Cuisine”. Another way of categorization has divided Chinese cuisines into eight main schools: Shandong cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Guangdong (also Cantonese) cuisine, Fujian cuisine, Jiangsu (also called Huaiyang) cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine, Hunan cuisine and Anhui cuisine. Ingredients in Cantonese food range from fish, shrimp and poultry to snake, wild cat and giant salamander. Dim Sum, or Yum Cha, as it is commonly referred to in English, is something like a local institution in Canton. Sichuan (Chuan) cuisine is distinctly spicy. Shandong (Lu) cuisine excels in fish and seafood dishes such as sea cucumber, squirrel fish, crab and eel. Huaiyang specialties are “West Lake Fish” and“Beggars Chicken”, baked in lotus leaves in a clay pot . Chopsticks are the dining utensils most frequently used in Chinese peoples daily life. It is said that chopsticks reflect gentleness and benevolence, the main moral teachings of Confucianism. It may be an awkward experience for foreigners to use chopsticks to have a meal. Fortunately, learning to eat with chopsticks is not difficult.筷子在中國人日常生活中是最常使用的餐具。據(jù)說筷子能反映溫柔和愛心,是儒家思想的主要道德教義。外國人用筷子吃飯時(shí)可能會(huì)是一個(gè)尷尬的經(jīng)歷。幸運(yùn)的是,學(xué)習(xí)用筷子吃飯是不困難的。China has long been known as the “l(fā)and of ceremony and propriety”. Consequently, there are certain manners that should be observed at banquets or formal dinners. First, Chinese people attach great importance to the seating order at banquets or formal dinners. In ancient times, the most honorable guest sat facing the east, and the next important guest sat facing the south, next facing the north and the last facing the west. These days, normally the host sits facing the door, the person sitting on his right is the most honored guest, and the one on his left is the next most honored.中國長期以來一直被稱為“禮儀之邦”。因此,在宴會(huì)或正式晚餐上能夠觀察到一定的禮儀。首先,中國人非常重視在宴會(huì)或正式晚宴上的座位順序。在古代,最尊貴的客人坐朝東,第二重要的客人面對南方坐,下面客人對北和最后客人面對西方。目前,通常主人坐在面對門,坐在他右邊的人是最尊貴的客人,左邊是下一個(gè)受崇敬的人。 Apart from the seating order, there are also rules regarding the order of serving dishes and the way dishes are set on the table. Normally cold dishes are served before hot ones, and dry dishes are served before soup. Newly served dishes are always put near the most honorable guest; when whole fish, whole chicken or whole duck is served, the dish is normally put in such a way that the head is towards the most important guest. This is a way to show respect.除了座位順序有要求,還有關(guān)于上菜的順序以及碟子擺放也有一定規(guī)則。通常是先上冷菜后上熱菜,先上干菜后上湯。新上的菜總是放在最尊貴的來賓附近;當(dāng)全雞全魚,或者是全鴨,這道菜通常是以這樣一種方式擺放：把頭朝向最重要的客人。這是一種尊重的方式。 In China, people tend to eat together. Habitually the host will serve some dishes with his or her own chopsticks to guests to show his or her hospitality.在中國,人們常常一起吃飯。主人習(xí)慣性地將用他或她自己的筷子夾給客人一些菜肴以展示他或她的好客。 Traditional Chinese Dietotherapy Guided by fundamental theories of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), traditional Chinese dietotherapy(TCD) (also called Chinese medicatedadj. 含藥物的，藥制的medicated soap 藥皂 diet) is a specialty that concerns the study of how to make good use of foods and natural nutriments as well as Chinese material medicine to preserve health, prevent and heal diseases, quicken recoveries, and slow down aging. Dietotherapy is a gem in Chinese scientific cultural heritage.以中醫(yī)基本理論為指導(dǎo)（TCM）,傳統(tǒng)中國飲食療法(TCD)(也稱為中國藥膳)是一個(gè)專業(yè),涉及研究如何充分利用食品和天然成份以及保護(hù)健康,預(yù)防和治療疾病,加速恢復(fù),延緩衰老的中成藥。飲食療法是中國科學(xué)文化遺產(chǎn)中的瑰寶。 The overriding idea about food in China is that the kind and the amount of food one takes are intimately relevant to ones health. Food not only affects health as a matter of general principle, the selection of the right food at any particular time must also be dependent upon ones health condition at that time. Food, therefore, is also medicine. The bodily functions, in the Chinese view, follow the basic, yin-yang principles. Many foods are also classifiable into those that possess the yin quality and those of the yang quality. When yin and yang forces in the body are not balanced, problems result. Proper amounts of food of one kind or the other may then be administered (i.e.adv. 也就是abbr. （拉?。┘矗╥d est）, eaten) to counterbalance the yin and yang disequilibrium. 在中國關(guān)于食物高于一切的想法,表現(xiàn)在一個(gè)人所攝入食物的種類和數(shù)量與他的健康密切相關(guān)。食物不僅作為影響健康問題的一般原則,而且在任何特定的時(shí)間里選擇正確的食物還必須依賴于一個(gè)人當(dāng)時(shí)的健康狀態(tài)。因此,食物也是藥品。在中國看來, 身體的功能遵循基本的陰陽原則。許多食物都可分類為具有陰的品質(zhì)和陽的品質(zhì)。身體出現(xiàn)問題的原因，就是身體中陰陽勢力出現(xiàn)了不平衡。某一種或其他種適當(dāng)數(shù)量的食物可能被專門使用(即,飲食),以抵消身體中陰陽的失調(diào)。 It is understood in TCM that like herbs, foods are also in different natures and flavors, accounting for their actions of reinforcement or reduction. Chinese traditional medicine has analyzed the properties of different foods, and divided them into four categories of cool, warm, hot and moderate foods. Hot and warm foods generate heat, expel coldness, warm up the viscera and smooth the channels. Cool foods reduce heat, detoxify and tranquilize. Moderate foods are middle way between the hot and the cool. Knowledge of the properties of foods is contributory to disease treatment and health care.據(jù)悉，在中醫(yī)里，草藥和食物有不同的性質(zhì)和口味，以此成為醫(yī)生加強(qiáng)或減少使用的依據(jù)。中醫(yī)學(xué)分析了屬性不同的食物，并把食物分成涼、熱、燙以及溫和的四個(gè)類別。燙和熱的食物能產(chǎn)生熱量、驅(qū)逐寒冷、溫暖臟器、疏通經(jīng)絡(luò)。涼食物可降溫、解毒、清心安神。溫和的食物處于冷食物與熱食物之間。食物屬性的知識有助于疾病的治療和身體保健。Chinese medicated diet lays stress on the whole and medicated diet is selected on the basis of differential diagnosis. It is suitable for both prevention and treatment, and it is outstanding in effect. Finally, the medicated diet is good in taste and convenient for taking. There goes the saying“Good medicine tastes bitter” among the people, because most of the decoctions of Chinese drugs are bitter. Some people, especially children, take an aversion to the bitterness of Chinese drugs and refuse to take them. Most of the drugs used in the medicated diet are both edible and medicinal, and retain the properties of food. This explains why the diet not only has the efficiency of medicine, but also the delicacy of food.中國藥膳注重整體性。選擇藥膳是建立在辨別診斷的基礎(chǔ)上。它適用于預(yù)防和治療，而且有顯著的效果。最后,藥膳的品味好和交流方便。民間有一句老話說：“良藥苦口”,因?yàn)榇蠖鄶?shù)的中藥熬制的藥是苦的。有些人,尤其是兒童嫌惡中藥的苦澀而拒絕服用。藥膳中使用的多數(shù)的藥物都是即可食用也藥用，保留了食物的屬性。這就解釋了為什么飲食不僅有藥的功效,還有食物的美味。 The Features of Chinese Food The Chinese way of eating is characterized by a notable flexibility and adaptability. 中國的飲食方式的特點(diǎn)在于顯著的靈活性和適應(yīng)性。Since a dish is made of a mixture of ingredients, its distinctive appearance, taste, and flavor do not depend on the exact number of ingredients, nor, in most cases, on any single item. The same is true for a meal made up of a combination of dishes. In times of affluence, a few more expensive items may be added, but if the times are hard they may be omitted without doing irreparable damage. If the season is not quite right, substitutes may be used. With the basic principles, a Chinese cook can prepare“Chinese” dishes for the poor as well as the rich, in times of scarcity as well as abundance, and even in a foreign country without many familiar ingredients. The Chinese cook the way they do because of their need of and desire for adaptability.由于一道菜是由混合材料做成, 因此在大多數(shù)情況下,其獨(dú)特的外觀、口味和風(fēng)味既不依賴于精確數(shù)量的原料,也不依賴其中任何一種材料。對于由一組合菜肴構(gòu)成的一頓飯來說也是同樣的道理。富裕的時(shí)候, 可能添加一些更昂貴的材料,但如果困難的時(shí)候他們可以省略不做，不造成不可挽回的損害。如果季節(jié)不對，可能會(huì)使用替代品?；谶@一原則，一個(gè)中國廚師無論是在匱乏時(shí)期還是富裕時(shí)期，甚至在國外沒有更多熟悉的食材的情況下，都可以為不管是窮人還是富人準(zhǔn)備“中國”菜。中國廚師之所以這樣做是因?yàn)樗麄兊男枰涂释m應(yīng)性。This adaptability is shown in at least two other features. The first is the amazing knowledge the Chinese have acquired about their wild plant resources. The Chinese peasants apparently know every edible plant in their environment, and plants there are many. Another feature of Chinese food habits that contributes to their notable adaptability is the large number and great variety of preserved foods. Again, with preserved foods, the Chinese people are every ready in the event of hardship or scarcity. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Chinese food culture is the importance of food itself in Chinese culture. Few can take exception to the statement that few other culture are as food-oriented as the Chinese. And this orientation appears to be as ancient as Chinese culture itself. 這種適應(yīng)性是顯示在至少兩個(gè)其他的特性。第一個(gè)是中國人獲得了驚人的關(guān)于野生植物資源的知識。中國農(nóng)民顯然知道在他們的環(huán)境中各種可食用的植物，并且種植了很多。另一個(gè)有助于他們顯著的適應(yīng)性的中國飲食習(xí)慣的特征是，大量和品種繁多的腌制的食物。再次, 每一個(gè)中國人民都以腌菜防備萬一遇上匱乏或艱苦時(shí)期。也許最重要的中國食品文化是食物本身在中國文化中的重要性。很少人能反對聲明,很少有象中國人那樣以食品為主導(dǎo)的文化。這個(gè)方向似乎是古老的中國文化本身。Text B Chinese Tea CultureChinese people like to drink tea, and often entertain friends and guests with it. They are the first to discover the tea leaf and have been drinking tea in many varieties ever since.Chinese tea may keeps the original color of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing. This category consists mainly of longjing, Maofeng and Biluochun. Black tea is fermented before baking; it is a later variety developed on the basis of the green tea. Oolong tea represents a variety half way between the green and the black teas, made after partial fermentation. Scented tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers in the tea leaves in the course of processing. The flowers commonly used for this purpose are jasmine tea and magnolia among others. Jasmine tea is a well-known favorite with the northerners of China and with a growing number of foreigners. Different tea-drinking customs in various parts of China make up the culture. Among the customs, a host will only fill a teacup to seven-tenths of its capacity. It is said that the other three-tenths will be filled with friendship and affection. Moreover, the teacup should be emptied in three gulps. Tea plays an important role in Chinese social life. Tea is always offered to a guest immediately upon entering a Chinese home. Serving a cup of tea is more than a matter of mere politeness. It is a symbol of togetherness, a sharing of something enjoyable, and a way of showing respect to visitors. In some areas of China, it might be considered rude not to take at least a sip. Although there has been an increasing amount of literature about tea in recent years, such literature is certainly not new. During the Song dynasty, lu yu, who is known as the “Tea Sage ”, wrote the Tea Scripture describes in detail the processes of planting tea bushes, picking tea leaves and preparing leaves for brewing. Famous poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi created large numbers of poems about tea. Famous painters Tang Bohu and Wen Zhengming even drew many pictures about tea. The Chinese pay great attention to their tea and the way they drink it. People have high requirements for the quality of the prepared tea leaf, the water they use to brew tea and the wares they use to prepare and serve tea. Normally, the finest tea is grown at altitudes of 3000 to 7000 feet (900to 2100 meters). People select their water carefully. The Chinese emphasize water quality and water taste. Fine water must be pure, sweet, cool, clean, and flowing. Chinese prefer pottery wares to wares made of metal or other materials. The best choice is the Purple clay wares made in yixing and jindezhen. The purple clay gives the ware their internationally-known purple color.Drinking tea can quench ones thirst, dispel fatigue, help digestion and prevent some diseases. The constant drinking of tea is quite beneficial to peoples health.飲食文化是中國傳統(tǒng)文化的重要組成部分。它有豐富的內(nèi)涵包括資源的食物,烹飪技巧、食品生產(chǎn)、飲食療法、公共飲食方式和風(fēng)俗以及飲食藝術(shù)。透過中國悠久歷史,烹飪扮演了重要的角色,現(xiàn)在被認(rèn)為是中國傳統(tǒng)文化不可分割的一部分。一般來說，判斷中國烹飪有三個(gè)基本因素, 即“色、香、味”?！吧敝傅氖遣穗鹊牟季趾驮O(shè)計(jì)。“香”不僅暗示著這道菜的味道,而且材料新鮮以及調(diào)料搭配。“品味”包括適當(dāng)?shù)恼{(diào)味料和精細(xì)刀工。這三個(gè)基本要素要通過仔細(xì)協(xié)調(diào)一系列精致的活動(dòng)來完成；選擇配料,混合調(diào)料,安排時(shí)間和烹飪,調(diào)整溫度，擺盤。一個(gè)美食家可以發(fā)現(xiàn)品味中的細(xì)微差異。 人們生活在不同的區(qū)域顯示在他們的飲食多種多樣。在沿海地區(qū)的人們吃更多的海鮮和水產(chǎn)品,而中部和西北多吃家畜和家禽。從北到南的食物有所不同?？谖兑膊煌瑓^(qū)域由于氣候差異。一個(gè)流行的對中國菜總結(jié)是：“南甜,北咸,東辣,西酸?！叭藗冊诓煌牡貐^(qū)創(chuàng)造了他們自己的菜系來適應(yīng)他們的口味。中國有四種主要的烹飪風(fēng)格:四川、廣東、山東和淮揚(yáng)菜。每一種都截然不同。被稱作四大中國菜系”。另一種分類方法將中國菜分成八大菜系:山東菜、四川菜、廣東菜(粵語),福建菜、江蘇(也叫淮陽)菜、浙江菜、湖南菜和安徽菜。廣東菜的食材范圍從魚、蝦和家禽到蛇,野貓和娃娃魚。吃點(diǎn)心或吃早茶,因?yàn)樗ǔＪ侵冈谟⒄Z使用,有點(diǎn)像一個(gè)廣東本地的機(jī)構(gòu)。四川(川)菜明顯辣。山東(Lu)菜擅長魚和海鮮如海參,松鼠魚、蟹和鰻魚?；磽P(yáng)特色菜是“西湖醋魚”和“叫化子雞”,用荷葉包好后放在一只陶罐里烤?？曜釉谥袊巳粘Ｉ钪惺亲畛Ｊ褂玫牟途?。據(jù)說筷子能反映溫柔和愛心,是儒家思想的主要道德教義。外國人用筷子吃飯時(shí)可能會(huì)是一個(gè)尷尬的經(jīng)歷。幸運(yùn)的是,學(xué)習(xí)用筷子吃飯是不困難的。中國長期以來一直被稱為“禮儀之邦”。因此,在宴會(huì)或正式晚餐上能夠觀察到一定的禮儀。首先,中國人非常重視在宴會(huì)或正式晚宴上的座位順序。在古代,最尊貴的客人坐朝東,第二重要的客人面對南方坐,下面客人對北和最后客人面對西方。目前,通常主人坐在面對門,坐在他右邊的人是最尊貴的客人,左邊是下一個(gè)受崇敬的人。除了座位順序有要求,還有關(guān)于上菜的順序以及碟子擺放也有一定規(guī)則。通常是先上冷菜后上熱菜,先上干菜后上湯。新上的菜總是放在最尊貴的來賓附近;當(dāng)全雞全魚,或者是全鴨,這道菜通常是以這樣一種方式擺放：把頭朝向最重要的客人。這是一種尊重的方式。在中國,人們常常一起吃飯。主人習(xí)慣性地將用他或她自己的筷子夾給客人一些菜肴以展示他或她的好客。以中醫(yī)基本理論為指導(dǎo)（TCM）,傳統(tǒng)中國飲食療法(TCD)(也稱為中國藥膳)是一個(gè)專業(yè),涉及研究如何充分利用食品和天然成份以及保護(hù)健康,預(yù)防和治療疾病,加速恢復(fù),延緩衰老的中成藥。飲食療法是中國科學(xué)文化遺產(chǎn)中的瑰寶。 在中國關(guān)于食物高于一切的想法,表現(xiàn)在一個(gè)人所攝入食物的種類和數(shù)量與他的健康密切相關(guān)。食物不僅作為影響健康問題的一般原則,而且在任何特定的時(shí)間里選擇正確的食物還必須依賴于一個(gè)人當(dāng)時(shí)的健康狀態(tài)。因此,食物也是藥品。在中國看來, 身體的功能遵循基本的陰陽原則。許多食物都可分類為具有陰的品質(zhì)和陽的品質(zhì)。身體出現(xiàn)問題的原因，就是身體中陰陽勢力出現(xiàn)了不平衡。某一種或其他種適當(dāng)數(shù)量的食物可能被專門使用(即,飲食),以抵消身體中陰陽的失調(diào)。據(jù)悉，在中醫(yī)里，草藥和食物有不同的性質(zhì)和口味，以此成為醫(yī)生加強(qiáng)或減少使用的依據(jù)。中醫(yī)學(xué)分析了屬性不同的食物，并把食物分成涼、熱、燙以及溫和的四個(gè)類別。燙和熱的食物能產(chǎn)生熱量、驅(qū)逐寒冷、溫暖臟器、疏通經(jīng)絡(luò)。涼食物可降溫、解毒、清心安神。溫和的食物處于冷食物與熱食物之間。食物屬性的知識有助于疾病的治療和身體保健。 中國藥膳注重整體性。選擇藥膳是建立在辨別診斷的基礎(chǔ)上。它適用于預(yù)防和治療，而且有顯著的效果。最后,藥膳的品味好和交流方便。民間有一句老話說：“良藥苦口”,因?yàn)榇蠖鄶?shù)的中藥熬制的藥是苦的。有些人,尤其是兒童嫌惡中藥的苦澀而拒絕服用。藥膳中使用的多數(shù)的藥物都是即可食用也藥用，保留了食物的屬性。這就解釋了為什么飲食不僅有藥的功效,還有食物的美味。中國的飲食方式的特點(diǎn)在于顯著的靈活性和適應(yīng)性。由于一道菜是由混合材料做成, 因此在大多數(shù)情況下,其獨(dú)特的外觀、口味和風(fēng)味既不依賴于精確數(shù)量的原料,也不依賴其中任何一種材料。對于由一組合菜肴構(gòu)成的一頓飯來說也是同樣的道理。富裕的時(shí)候, 可能添加一些更昂貴的材料,但如果困難的時(shí)候他們可以省略不做，不造成不可挽回的損害。如果季節(jié)不對，可能會(huì)使用替代品?；谶@一原則，一個(gè)中國廚師無論是在匱乏時(shí)期還是富裕時(shí)期，甚至在國外沒有更多熟悉的食材的情況下，都可以為不管是窮人還是富人準(zhǔn)備“中國”菜。中國廚師之所以這樣做是因?yàn)樗麄兊男枰涂释m應(yīng)性。這種適應(yīng)性是顯示在至少兩個(gè)其他的特性。第一個(gè)是中國人獲得了驚人的關(guān)于野生植物資源的知識。中國農(nóng)民顯然知道在他們的環(huán)境中各種可食用的植物，并且種植了很多。另一個(gè)有助于他們顯著的適應(yīng)性的中國飲食習(xí)慣的特征是，大量和品種繁多的腌制的食物。再次, 每一個(gè)中國人民都以腌菜防備萬一遇上匱乏或艱苦時(shí)期。也許最重要的中國食品文化是食物本身在中國文化中的重要性。很少人能反對聲明,很少有象中國人那樣以食品為主導(dǎo)的文化。這個(gè)方向似乎是古老的中國文化本身。飲食文化1(2008-12-11 13:42:55) 轉(zhuǎn)載標(biāo)簽： 雜談我國悠久的歷史、廣袤的國土、與世界各國和海外文化的廣泛接觸，孕育了中餐烹飪的獨(dú)特藝術(shù)。幾千年的推陳出新和不斷累積，使中餐受到越來越多的海外人士的青睞，成立我國對外文化交流的友好使者。Chinas long history, vast territory and extensive contact with other nations and cultures have given birth to the distinctive Chinese culinary art. With several thousand years of creative and accumulative efforts, the Chinese cuisine has become increasingly popular among more and more overseas gourmets, virtually functioning as an envoy of friendship in Chinas cultural exchanges with foreign countries.現(xiàn)代中國已享有“烹飪王國”之美譽(yù)，精致的烹調(diào)藝術(shù)盛行全球，中餐烹飪已名列世界頂尖菜系之林。中餐烹調(diào)所用的天然配料，品種繁多，幾無窮盡；烹調(diào)方法，層出不窮，不可悉數(shù)。這些無以倫比的中餐烹飪特點(diǎn)，足以說明了中餐館以及中餐烹調(diào)之所以名揚(yáng)海外的緣由。Modern China enjoys a worldwide reputation as the “kingdom of cuisine”. The exquisite Chinese culinary art, regarded indisputably as one of the worlds finest culinary traditions, has prevailed all over the world. The nearly endless variety of natural ingredients and methods of preparation employed in Chinese cuisine stand out unequaled in the world, which may very well account for the universal popularity of Chinese restaurants and Chinese cooking overseas.評判中餐烹調(diào)的優(yōu)勢可依據(jù)中餐的三大要素，即“色、香、味”。“色”作為“色、香、味”三要素中的首要標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，充分體現(xiàn)在宴會(huì)菜肴的裝盤、擺放和圖案上。最能顯示色彩的是首先上桌的那道煞費(fèi)苦心而精心制作的冷盤?！跋恪辈粌H是指鼻子對食物的直接感受，它還包括所選原料的新鮮程度以及佐料的合理調(diào)配?！拔丁眲t體現(xiàn)了恰到好處的調(diào)味藝術(shù)，當(dāng)然它還包括實(shí)物的質(zhì)地，以及切菜單刀工。色、香、味這三大要素的高品質(zhì)，只有通過選料、調(diào)料、適時(shí)烹調(diào)、把握火候、裝盤上桌這些微妙步驟的細(xì)心協(xié)調(diào)，才能取得。The three essential factors, or key elements, by which Chinese cooking is judged are known as “color, aroma and taste”. The color of Chinese food, the first of these elements which is so evident in a Chinese banquet, includes the layout and design of dishes, best exemplified in particular by the large elaborately-prepared cold dish served at the beginning of the dinner. Aroma implies more than what ones nose can detect directly; it also includes the freshness of the raw materials used and the blending of seasonings. Taste is the art of proper seasoning, though it also involves the texture of food and fine slicing techniques. These three essential elements, color, aroma and taste, are achieved by the careful coordination of a series of delicate activities: selecting ingredients, mixing flavors, timing the cooking, controlling the heat and finally, laying out the food on the plate for the table.八人一桌的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)晚餐含四道冷盤、四道熱炒，外加湯和米飯。外國賓客見之，常常驚嘆不已，將其視為一次豐盛的晚宴。但在中國人眼里，以這種規(guī)格的晚餐招待賓客，只是一種起碼的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。準(zhǔn)備10道分量適中的菜肴并不為過，即使獻(xiàn)上16道菜，亦不足為奇。在中國，一桌標(biāo)準(zhǔn)宴席包括四至八個(gè)事先制作好的冷盤，八道現(xiàn)做的熱炒、兩道觀賞性大菜（如全魚、乳豬、全雞等），此外還有湯、米飯和點(diǎn)心。晚宴結(jié)束前還有一道水果。來華訪問的海外賓客應(yīng)記住，赴宴不可貪吃，每道菜“淺嘗可止”。從這個(gè)角度上來講，中國宴席猶如西方國家的冷餐招待會(huì)。Visitors to China are often surprised when a typical dinner for a table of eight people consists of four courses of cold dishes