SPECTACULAR SICHUAN CUISINE

Cool, heavy, humidity hangs over both Chengdu and Chongching in Sichuan Province in Springtime, the natural richness of flora, fauna, and agriculture all enhanced by the stillness of the air. Chengdu lies in a large air-trapping basin, and while Chongching is slightly mountainous, this is where the Yaling river empties into the Yangtze, helping keep the air thick and wet. How do these cities of 10 and 30+ million food-obsessed people respond to the conditions? With an endless array of fish, animals, and various parts thereof all bathed in mouth-numbing peppers and oil; the spiciest Hot Pot in China.

My first meal in Chengdu at a locally famous restaurant still stands out as one of the finest, if only for their signature "Bull Catfish" dish. Served in a black clay pot, only small green pepper slices can be seen beneath the savory oil at the surface when served. Underneath lie long, thick, smooth potato starch noodles and the beautiful 4-inch long catfish, local to the Yangtze. The sheer spicy heat and savory splendor of pulling these noodles and petite fish through the green sichuan peppercorn-infused oil and broth into your mouth is a piece of heaven on earth. Succulent does not quite describe the fish little catfish. Gentle sucking brings everything but the head and spine sublimely slithering over your palette in a true rush to glory.

Most every meal in Sichuan Province, whether at a fancy restaurant or some kind of dive, yielded at least one great local fish dish -- most all of them based on Hot Pot methods. Topping the relationship Sichuanians have with their food will not be easy. Hunan Province, Beijing, and Shanghai lie ahead and have their work cut out for them to win the heart of this self-appointed critic. The feature foods of Sichuan Province are not for the faint of heart, which fact speaks volumes about its residents. And while Sichuan is known for its beautiful women, energetic work force, and incomparable cuisine, it now appears to me as the heart, if not the soul, of this great country.

Late First Blog from China...

ACCIDENTAL CELEBRITY

Well, Grand Culinary Tour China is off to a rockin' start, 'n rolling already into Chendu, capital of Sichuan, third of eight cities en queue, blog time or not! Think aborted orbital launch that lands halfway around the world: fast, non-stop, hard, sleepless, spectacular, and wrapped in a blur of wild taxi rides.

Lack of sleep during the 24 hours of travel crashed my preemptive attempt to mitigate a 15-time-zone jet lag by staying up all night for the morning flight. Our first meal in China, after touring Ngong Ping 360, a giant bronze Buddah statue and monastery accessed by aerial tram, was lunch in the very modern downtown business district of Hong Kong. Highlights were a rich-brothed
Fish Ball and Fish Tofu Soup with vegetable, and a pear drink made with the pear poaching liquid. This was a good, modest culinary beginning. A taxi and a bus ride over to the mainland, through Chinese customs, brought us to dinner in Shenzhen. Crispy Roasted Duck, Deep Fried Fish with Pepper Sauce, Green Beans with Red Pepper and Pork Fat, cold marinated bamboo strips and wood ear salad, sweet pork spare ribs, and braised pigs feet. Overall, great tastes, especially the roasted items, yet for my palate, a rather meaty affair, especially as Jinsong and I were to run a "cross-country 10k race" in the morning.

After four precious sleep hours, up and out to a gorgeous city park built around a steep mountain overlooking Shenzhen. This was a 432 meter (1500 ft) Mountain Climb over 4K, followed by even steeper granite stairs, muddy boulder-hopping, and a wicked descent requiring heavy thigh-brakes! I took only one small lunge to the ground on a long, narrow, grassy, muddy descent portion; the only one where I could actually stretch out my legs. Well, I do love a hard physical challenge, befriended several local runners that day, and was even interviewed both on local Shenzhen TV-5 and a newspaper. It seems this long-legged foreigner at least LOOKED like a good runner to the locals. But sleepless in Shenzhen (10 hours in 4 days -- yikes!), this was kick-ass all the way up and all the way down -- notice that my 4-digit race number washed away (!) by halfway through the race!

Introduction

The cultural and culinary chasm between Asia and the West – really, between Asia and the rest of the planet – is certainly no secret, has been long (if not always well) documented, and is now, for many reasons, both tantalizingly and challengingly closer and easier to taste and experience than at any time in history. Yet, has the West’s love affair with Asia, and/or Asia’s ventures westward, actually bridged or at least help bridge this most profound cultural divide? My current answer is a qualified “no” and borders on “this will never happen”. Yes, the efforts and opportunities to bring East and West, USA and PRC, together, are greater than ever and expanding quite rapidly: the love affair and the cultural and culinary exchanges and sharing, show no signs of slowing – just the opposite. Yet the difficulty of finding common ground on which to eat (some on the ground, others in chairs, actually) – agreement on fundamental culinary principles, if not practices – is monumental. Just how daunting is revealed the more one learns and experiences. I strive, personally and professionally, to learn, experience, and understand as much as possible of the cuisine of China, with one eye focused on bridging this Great Divide. The first stop is Hong Kong/Shenzhen. Talk to you then!