Chinese Tea and Snack Pairing in 1900
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of the American Chinese Food Show, Christy explores the history and cultural significance of tea snacks, focusing on Port Arthur, an upscale New York restaurant from the early 1900s. By analyzing a vintage menu, she delves into various types of tea snacks like pastries, candies, and preserved fruits, and their essential role in Chinese tea culture. The episode also highlights unique tea offerings and how specific snacks pair with different types of tea. The rich tradition of tea and snacks provides a fascinating glimpse into Chinese social dining practices.
Takeaways
- 😀 Port Arthur is one of the few upscale Chinese restaurants in New York City that opened before the end of the 19th century.
- 😀 The focus of the episode is on tea snacks, a unique and soon-to-be-disappearing category in upscale restaurant menus.
- 😀 Tea culture plays a significant role in Chinese life, particularly in social gatherings, where tea is served alongside pastries and nuts.
- 😀 Tea snacks serve to neutralize the bitterness of tea, provide interactivity among guests, and are often enjoyed before or after meals.
- 😀 The tradition of tea snacks is exemplified in the 1911 book 'Two Years in the Forbidden City,' where Empress Dowager Cixi enjoys various pastries and candies with her tea.
- 😀 Tea snacks can be divided into categories such as seeds and nuts, dried or preserved fruits, pastries, candy, and savory dim sum.
- 😀 Port Arthur's menu from the 1900s includes a variety of pastries and sweets, such as almond cakes, green bean cakes, and rice pudding.
- 😀 The restaurant also offers preserved Chinese fruits like dried lychee, ginger in syrup, and sweetened green apricots, highlighting their intricate preparation processes.
- 😀 The tea offerings at Port Arthur include a mix of oolong teas, Japanese green tea, and rare varieties like Dragon's Whiskers and Long Tang, paired with specific snacks.
- 😀 Pairing tea with tea snacks follows a mnemonic: sweet snacks with green tea, sour snacks with black tea, and oolong with savory foods, enhancing the flavor experience.
Q & A
What is the focus of this episode of the American Chinese Food Show?
-This episode focuses on tea snacks in Chinese cuisine, particularly their historical significance and the role they played in upscale restaurants like Port Arthur in New York City, which opened in the 1900s.
Why does Christy highlight tea snacks in the Port Arthur menu?
-Christy highlights the tea snacks to explore how this category of food, once an essential part of the dining experience, is disappearing from modern restaurant menus, particularly in upscale Chinese dining establishments.
What are some common categories of tea snacks mentioned in the transcript?
-The categories include seeds and nuts (e.g., melon seeds, peanuts), candied and preserved fruits (e.g., jujube, plums), pastries (e.g., red bean cakes, pineapple cakes), candies (e.g., sesame candy, peanut brittle), and savory dim sum (e.g., baos, dumplings).
How did tea snacks contribute to social interactions in traditional Chinese culture?
-Tea snacks were not only a complement to tea but also served to neutralize the bitterness of the tea, creating an opportunity for guests to interact and enjoy light refreshments before the main meal, fostering a sense of hospitality.
What historical reference does Christy use to illustrate the importance of tea snacks?
-Christy quotes Princess Sterling's 1911 book *Two Years in the Forbidden City*, where the Empress Dowager Cixi is described enjoying a variety of delicate tea snacks, highlighting their significance in Chinese tea culture.
What is the significance of the 'No Mind' lychee mentioned in the Port Arthur menu?
-'No Mind' lychee is a special variety that has a lower yield but is prized for its multiple layers of flavor. The drying process, which includes sun-drying followed by fire roasting, makes it a rare and flavorful delicacy in Chinese cuisine.
Can you describe the types of tea offered at Port Arthur and their significance?
-Port Arthur offered a selection of 11 tea varieties, including Dragon's Whiskers (a blend of green and oolong), narcissus tea (a type of oolong), Japanese green tea, and several high-end varieties like 'Prince Tea' and 'Imperial Tea.' These teas were carefully paired with the snacks to enhance the dining experience.
What mnemonic is used to describe how to pair tea with tea snacks?
-The mnemonic 'Sweet pears with green, sour pears with red' is used to remember how to pair tea snacks with tea. This means pairing sweet snacks with green tea and sour snacks with black tea.
What are some of the pastries listed on the Port Arthur menu and their cultural background?
-The menu includes almond cakes (similar to almond cookies), Chinese sponge cake (called 'gaitango'), crystal cakes (steamed cakes with sweet or savory fillings), green bean cakes (made from mung beans), and rice pudding (a spongy rice flour cake). These pastries have roots in both Chinese and broader Asian culinary traditions.
How does the pairing of tea and tea snacks reflect traditional Chinese beliefs about balance and health?
-The pairing of tea and tea snacks reflects traditional Chinese beliefs in balancing flavors and promoting health. For example, certain teas are chosen for their medicinal properties, like the narcissus tea to calm internal heat, and the specific pairing of snacks with tea helps balance sweetness, bitterness, and other flavors to enhance digestion and well-being.
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