Getting Out of the Bubble

Anyone who has talked to me about China will know that one of my favourite things about living there was the food. As with pretty much everything else in China, I arrived thinking I knew what to expect…and then being completely wrong. I mean, we all know what Chinese food is like right? Chinese is a staple in the takeaway canon – crispy duck and pancakes, sweet and sour chicken, prawn crackers…you can’t go wrong! But this isn’t really Chinese food as I knew it in China. The first thing to say is that the Chinese are serious about food, eating and cooking is a huge part of daily life and most business, family time and social occasions are centred around food. A good example of how integral food is in everyday life, it’s not unusual to be greeted with 你吃了吗 nĭ chī le ma? (Have you eaten?) instead of the traditional hello. As with everything else, the food in incredibly varied within the different areas of China. Each area of China has their own specific cuisine with its own unique styl