1. In Hunan, "eating" has rich social significance. First of all, in people's weddings and funerals, eating is always an important content. Marriage is called "having a wedding banquet"; The dead, commonly known as "eating meat"; If you add the population, you will have a "full moon"; Eat poached eggs and "birthday noodles" for your birthday. Secondly, "eating" is also one of people's important social means. When friends and acquaintances meet, the first greeting is often: "Have you eaten?" When you visit a friend's house, you can eat 10 or 12 dishes, which means that you have received the warmest hospitality from your host.
2. In Hunan, due to geographical and climatic reasons, rice is planted in most areas, and people's daily diet is mainly rice. However, in a few mountainous areas, especially in some places in northern Hunan, corn, sweet potatoes and potatoes can only be used as staple foods for planting dry food crops. In recent years, the economy of these areas has gradually developed, producing flue-cured tobacco or medicinal materials, which can be sold to the country in exchange for rice, so rice and corn have gradually become staple foods. Sweet potato and potato are gradually separated from the staple food and become raw materials for making starchy food, brewing wine and sun-dried vegetables. Or feed for livestock. In Hunan, people eat three meals a day, whether in urban or rural areas. The difference is that in cities, breakfast is more casual, dinner is the heaviest in a day, and diet is the heaviest on weekends in a week. In rural areas, there is no obvious difference between three meals a day. Every lunar festival or solar term, the diet is generally more grand than that in the city. Within a year, the diet around the Spring Festival is the most important. In addition, no matter in urban or rural areas, almost every household should make some pickles, dried vegetables, pickles, preserved vegetables and pickles according to different seasons. Whenever guests arrive, the dining table is always served to show the housewife's skills and housekeeping ability.
3, regardless of men, women and children, generally spicy. Whether it's three meals on weekdays, a restaurant banquet, or a drink for three friends and four friends, one or two peppers are indispensable.
It is said that pepper originated in tropical South America and was introduced to China in the late Ming Dynasty. Hunan's geographical environment is called "lowly and wet land" in ancient times, which is rainy and humid. Pepper has the effect of keeping out cold and expelling wind and dampness; In addition, Hunan people take rice as their staple food all the year round, which can directly stimulate saliva secretion, stimulate appetite and increase appetite. More people eat, and the custom of eating spicy food is formed. People in Hunan eat peppers in various ways. Soak the red pepper in a sealed acid jar, which is sour and spicy, and it is called "hot and sour"; Combine red and spicy, pepper and garlic, and call it "spicy"; Chop up the big red pepper and pickle it in a sealed jar, which is salty and spicy, so it is called "salty and spicy"; Chop red pepper, mix in dried rice flour, and marinate in a sealed jar. When eating, it can be fried or mashed, which is called "spicy"; After red pepper is crushed, garlic seeds and fragrant black beans are added and soaked in tea oil, which is rich in flavor and is called "oily and spicy"; Barbecue the red pepper in the fire, then peel off the thin skin and mix with sesame oil and soy sauce. Spicy and sweet, it is called "fresh and spicy". In addition, dried and fresh peppers can also be used as cooking ingredients, and there are many ways to eat them. Especially in Miao Village, Xiangxi Dong nationality township, whenever guests come, they always entertain them with dried Chili stew. When persuading guests, they always politely invite them to eat "Chili" instead of "meat" again and again, which shows that they like spicy food very much. In recent years, Hunan cuisine has been welcomed by customers in Europe, America and Southeast Asia, especially the United States and Canada. In the United States, in front of some Hunan restaurants, there is a sign painted with big red pepper, which says Hunan pepper, and the apron of the waitress in the museum is also embroidered with big red pepper.
4. Hunan people love bitter taste. According to documents, its origin can be traced back to the pre-Qin period. There is a poem in "Chu Ci evokes the soul" that says, "Bitter should be salty, sweet should do something". The "great bitterness" here is said to be lobster sauce. So this condiment made of beans has a history of more than 2000 years. Until now, people in Hunan still have the habit of eating lobster sauce, such as Liuyang lobster sauce, which is one of the famous local specialties. Others such as bitter claw and bitter buckwheat are also deeply loved by Hunan people. Bitterness not only has its historical origin, but also has its local characteristics. Hunan is located in the subtropical zone, with a long hot summer. Traditional Chinese medicine explains the meaning of summer heat: weather dominates heat, local qi dominates dampness, and damp heat steams up, which is called summer heat; When people are in the communication of qi, they will feel sick, which is summer sickness. And "bitterness can purge fire", "bitterness can dry dampness" and "bitterness can strengthen the stomach". Therefore, people eat some bitter food properly, which is helpful to clear away heat, dry dampness and stomach, and is of great benefit to health care. Looking at the topography of Hunan, most of the northern Hunan is a lake area, most of the southern Hunan is a mountainous area, and the central Hunan is a typical hilly area. This regional difference leads to the diversity of dietary customs in various parts of Hunan. We divide it into three areas: Xiangxi area, central Hunan area and southern Hunan area, and northern Hunan area.