advertisement
I am Australian of mixed British stock, but I came to Beijing after living in France for seven years. Once I got over the initial shock of how different my new home felt, I was surprised to identify many similarities between these two cultures. France and China both have proud language traditions, a long history of cultivating the arts, and *ahem* overly-hierarchical and opaque bureaucratic systems. But best of all, they both have very old and interesting culinary traditions. Here are a few dishes that connect these two diverse nations.
A classic streetside jianbing (left) and a folded savory galette
The first time I saw a 煎饼 jiānbing being made street-side in Beijing, I was stunned. Everything from the large round hot plate to the thin wooden tool they use to spread the batter, to the hand gestures as the vendor spooned out the batter and expert flicking movements as she flipped the snack, were exactly the same as I'd seen a million times in a crêpe stand in France. Things only started to get a bit strange when cumin, cilantro, hoisin sauce, and a crispy wafer were folded in.
Delicious stinky Roquefort cheese (left) and squares of stinky tofu
There are more than 400 different varieties of cheese in France, and the locals are obsessed with the stuff. Some of the more famous stinky varieties include the Pont l'Évêque, which is also one of France's oldest cheeses having been made in the Normandy region since the 12th century. Pungent blue Roquefort is even older, and easily recognizable for its soft creamy body and blue mold spots, then there is Vieux Lille which is often nicknamed "old stinker" and is renowned for being the strongest smelling of the lot.
advertisement
Late harvest ratatouille (left) and hearty chaos stew
The French may have invented the concept of haute cuisine, but most of the food eaten on a day-to-day basis has much more humble origins. Ratatouille stew was a staple dish in the Provence region of France long before the Disney rat came along, and is a typical late-summer harvest dish, containing tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers.
From the French coast (left) to Canton, sea snails are a hit
Garlicky escargot might be the most famous kind of snail eaten in France, but they are not the only one. In coastal regions, bigorneaux, known as periwinkle in English, are a popular seaside treat, and are usually boiled in a simple broth of water and lots of pepper.
Classic duck foie gras (left) and Chinese salted duck liver with star anise
Along with horsemeat, foie gras, lit. 'fatty liver', has got to be one of the most controversial food products available in France. Made from the liver of either a goose or duck which has been force-fed in order to increase the size and fattiness of their liver, it is considered a delicacy and often served with small pieces of toast on special occasions, such as New Year's Eve or Christmas. It may also be prepared into mousse, parfait or pâté. Due to the way the birds are force-fed, foie gras is banned in certain countries and regions around the world, but eating bird liver itself is not exclusive to France. In China, 盐水鸭肝 yánshuǐ yā gān, lit. salted duck liver, is a delicacy that is often served at duck restaurants. After soaking in fresh water to remove the blood, the liver is boiled in a broth with spices like star anise, peppercorn, ginger and cloves then soaked for 6-10 hours to achieve the distinctive salty taste.
This article was originally published in our sister publication, beijingkids.
advertisement