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Chinese
cuisine style
Mandarin
a concise guide
for diners & travelers
Why Mandarin cuisine is special
Mandarin cuisine has the reputation for being China's most refined cuisine.
Insights on Mandarin cuisine
 In the narrow sense, the term
Mandarin cuisine refers to the elaborate and delicate Mandarin specialties that were originally cooked for the elite members of the
now-defunct Imperial Court.
 In its broad and nowadays more common meaning, Mandarin cuisine
encompasses the above definition as well as the cooking styles
of nearby areas. My map shows that region.
Mandarin cuisine is an Occidental term. Though
no commonly used in China, "Mandarin cuisine" is widely used abroad to define a regional culinary area
that includes Beijing (see my map).
Mandarin cuisine (in its Imperial Court sense) is the cuisine
of the traditional Chinese banquet.
Famous specialties
you shouldn't miss
Peking Duck - The succulently crisp skin of the duck
that is the most precious part of the dish. The diner smears a sweet bean paste with a scallion onto a thin
flour pancake, then rolls and eats the preparation using his hand.
Bird's Nest Soup - The nest of swallow is simmered
to extract its gelatinous substance, which flavors and thickens the soup.
Chicken Velvet - A very delicate forcemeat of
chicken breast and egg white. Often poached.
Tea Eggs - Hard boiled eggs, with cracked shells,
are marinated in hot spiced tea until a distinctive cracked pattern and flavor is apparent.
Moo Shi Pork - Slivers of
pork, egg, tiger lily
buds, cloud ear fungus, and other vegetables are stir fried together, combined with a light sauce, and eaten
rolled up in thin flour pancakes. Moo Shi Pork was created by peasants as a dish for using up leftovers.
Learn about these notable
regional Chinese cuisines
Click the 5 regional cuisine buttons:
 
 
Also learn
about these
exciting
world cuisines
My food & wine
credentials
My books have been critically acclaimed by major magazines and newspapers. Click
the button below to read a sampling (in Acrobat format).
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