The History Behind the Food: China

Each food has a story and China is one that everyone believes they know
because we have so many Chinese-American restaurants in the US, but the history
behind some of your favorite foods are not what you think. Many people in China are
farmers, so things like rice are abundant because of their marshy climate. Rice is eaten
at every meal. They believe in a more natural way of healing, so things like herbs and
roots were put into many dishes to give them healing properties (An introduction).
Dumplings were first created when a ​man named Zhang Zhongjian came back to
his village in a harsh winter. Many people were suffering from frostbitten ears, so ​Zhang
cooked up a batch of mutton, chili, and healing herbs and wrapped them in scraps of
dough (​Butler)​. They don’t know if it cured the frostbite, but they do know that the people
found them delicious. Dumpling are something that is cheap for the people in China to
make and used simple ingredients that aren't hard to find. Dumplings use everything
that is left over because it’s important to not be wasteful since they are very poor there.
Chowmein was technically a yummy mistake because when family overcooked
their noodles they would put more sauce on it then to not waste food (​Sambrano)​. It then
became popular to do this on purpose since it tasted good with a little tougher noodle.
They didn’t mind the tougher noodle partially because they couldn’t afford to waste the
noodles and because it wouldn’t get mushy.
Chinese almond cookies were thought to bring good luck (​Chinese Almond)​. The
emperor's palace was the first to come up with their recipe and it was commonly given
to royalty until it became so popular that they gave in to the people of the village. It
made so popular that it was their national cookie. Usually the cookies would be given as
a dessert or a snack in between meals to give the farmers or kids more energy to finish
the day before dinner.
 The History Behind the Food: Japan
Each food has a story and Japan is one that has a lot of sweet foods while also
having a lot of fish in their diet. Since Japan is by the coast they have a lot of fish which
is why fish is incorporated more so than any other type of meat. Tea is extremely
traditional in Japan and they drink it with every meal. There are even special tea
ceremonies that circle around tea (Insta notes).
Sushi was originally created to ferment fish and be persevered for a long time.
Usually, the rice was thrown away and the fish was just eaten (The History). Then over
time sushi became a fast easy thing people sold from stand to busy people on the
street. Since meat was considered sacred, fish was the main choice for many people.
The people of Japan don’t have a lot of money, so finding a way to keep food longer
was very important to them. Fish is something cheap and easy to get, but spoils in a
short amount of time, so finding a way to preserve it helped them have more meals
without having to go to the market.
Boba tea was created for children after school or after playing (Bubble Tea)​. ​It
mixed sweetness with a refreshing drink that all kids loved, so they were most profitable
when they set up in front of schools. Tea is very sacred to adults in Japan, but kids don’t
care for the unsweetened hot tea, so boba tea still upholds that tradition while be
something kids want to drink. Tea is a special and traditional thing that is drank at every
meal.
Japanese jiggly cake came about when people wanted something sweet for
special occasions. Then they started making it for a snack as it became more and more
popular. After that, it spread worldwide for its shakiness and light taste. They don’t make
a big deal out of birthdays, but this is a cake that’s not expensive to make, so on
birthdays they can splurge a bit and make a cake.
 The History Behind the Food: Vietnam
Each food has a story and Vietnam has a complicated one since they were
conquered by the French around World War two which influenced a lot of their foods.
The people of Vietnam are also very busy people, so they need something quick and
healthy to keep up with their lifestyle. There are many vegetables in their dishes to help
them keep their energy up when they do their daily activities (Pike).
Tra Dao is Vietnam peach tea that is very popular. Peaches are very plentiful in
Vietnam, even more so than Georgia. Since peaches grow everywhere in Vietnam,
peach tea was something that was very cheap to make. They would pick peaches and
make refreshing black tea out of them. “​In Vietnamese mythology, the peach branch
was used to signal victory after a battle. In Vietnam, peach blossoms signal springtime,
peace, and happiness” (​Cuisiniere​). ​The people of Vietnam drink peach tea almost every
day in the spring time since the peaches are nice and ripe.
Pho is a noodle dish with a lot of flavors and vegetables. The French introduced
killing and eating meat in dishes. However, Vietnam was not rich enough to afford
meats, so they would take the scrapes the French wouldn’t eat (​Cuong​)​. Plus they raised
a lot of chickens, so they were something cheap they could cook up and add for protein.
Everything in the pho bowl is cheap because they couldn’t afford much. It is served at
any point of the day and is eaten every day. Pho is a cheap dish and able to serve a lot
of people because family is very important while being healthy still.
Banh Mi is a sandwich with meat and pickled vegetables. It was brought over by
the French who used French baguettes, meats, and cheese in a sandwich. The people
of Vietnam are too poor, so they can’t afford fancy cheese or many meats (​Pike​)​.
Instead, they used pickled vegetables, cheap meats, and a sauce. These sandwiches
became perfect for on the go type people since it is fast, easy, and cheap to make.
There are many stands everywhere that people can go and get Banh Mi on their way to
and from their different activities. Banh Mi is a cheap and easy sandwich to make
perfect for the busy lifestyle of Vietnam.