![]() ![]() Because of their transitional nature, estuaries are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Teeming with freshwater fish, crustaceans, and rice paddies, Shanghai and its neighboring provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang are located on a historically fertile estuary-the point where the river meets the sea. “The whole purpose of the spices and ingredients that we use-like star anise, Shaoxing wine, and aromatics like ginger and scallion-is to enhance the inherent flavors of our fish and other types of proteins,” she says. She describes the food of Shanghai as fresh, vibrant, and aromatic. “Chinese food is not a monolith,“ says cookbook author (and Epi contributor) Betty Liu, who wrote a cookbook centered around the food of Shanghai, where her family is from. Authenticity in Chinese food-or in any culture’s cuisine for that matter-is difficult to define simply because it encompasses so many things. And just as the food of Nom Wah is a reflection of Cantonese food in New York over the course of 100 years, so is the food of different regions in China a reflection of each location’s history and distinct terrain. In fact, the shifting nature of Chinese dishes embodies the very ethos of the cuisine: that it is a celebration of time and place.
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