Reddit reviews The Food of China

The Food of China by E.N. Anderson

Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives by K.C. Chang

You can find them used, and for a reasonable price, on AbeBooks.com too.

I disagree with your statement that Min cuisine has any influence on American Chinese food. As a Fujianese immigrant I'm constantly lament lack of any Min food in American Chinese cuisines. The fact that American Chinese food is sweet is NOT a homage to Min or Yue style but fucking American sweet tooth. What people on earth would have eaten such sugar filled fried abomination as donuts?

Your statement about first wave of Chinese immigration to the US consisted of Fujianese was factually wrong. The Fujianese immigration to the US is more recent phenomenon dated from 1970s to present. Fujianese in 18th, 19th, and 20th century overwhelming emigrated to Southeast Asia. You were correct in identified Cantonese as major immigrant to the US. To be more specific these Cantonese were from Taishan. To be even more specific they were from four counties within Sze Yup.

I also disagree with your statement that American-Chinese food is not reflective of Chinese cuisine. American-Chinese food was heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine but also heavily modified to American palates. It might not satisfy purist's taste, but to consider American-Chinese food not to be part of Chinese cuisine was an inane statement. Hell, do you even consider Pizza to be Italian food? How about meatballs and spaghetti? Do they also need to be made by a living breathing Italian in Italy before it can be considered to be Italian food?

Food change, language change and everything change with distance and time. You don't have to like it, but there's nothing wrong with change.



> American-Chinese places serve dumplings with soy sauce, which is an abomination and unheard of in China.

You have eaten your way from Harbin/Qiqihar to Shenzhen, seriously? You never saw soy sauce with dumplings? Did you even traveled to China?

I would suggest you get off your mighty "imma authethic chinese food connoisseur" horse and educate yourself before making so many ignorant statements again.


Food of China
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food