Tuilu cuisine is the first among the eight major cuisines. The formation and development of Shandong cuisine are related to the cultural history, geographical environment, economic conditions and customs of Shandong area. Shandong is one of the birthplaces of ancient culture in my country. Located in the lower reaches of the Yellow River with a mild climate, the Jiaodong Peninsula protrudes between the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. The territory is crisscrossed by mountains and rivers, criss-crossed by rivers and lakes, thousands of miles of fertile wilderness, rich in products, convenient transportation and developed culture. Its grain output ranks third in the country; its vegetables have a wide variety and are of high quality. It is known as one of the "three largest vegetable gardens in the world". For example, Jiaozhou Chinese cabbage, Zhangqiu green onions, Cangshan garlic, and Laiwu ginger are all famous at home and abroad.

Fruit production ranks first in the country, with apples alone accounting for more than 40% of the country's total production. The output of pigs, sheep, poultry, eggs, etc. is also very impressive. The output of aquatic products is also the third in the country. Among them, precious seafood such as shark's fin, sea cucumber, giant prawns, gargi fish, halibut, abalone, swan eggs, Xishi tongue, scallops, red snails, seaweed, etc. are well-known at home and abroad. The brewing industry has a long history, with many varieties and excellent quality, such as Luokou vinegar, Jinan soy sauce, Jimo old wine, etc., which are all famous products. Such rich products provide inexhaustible raw material resources for the development of Shandong cuisine.

NO2 Cantonese cuisine among the eight major cuisines

Cantonese cuisine is also one of the eight major cuisines in my country. Its formation and development are closely related to Guangdong's geographical environment, economic conditions and customs. Guangdong is located in the subtropical zone, close to the South China Sea, with abundant rainfall, evergreens all year round, and rich products. Therefore, Guangdong’s food has always been unique. As early as the Western Han Dynasty, "Huainanzi·Spirit Chapter" records the exquisite and extensive selection of ingredients in Cantonese cuisine. It can be imagined that the Cantonese people more than a thousand years ago were already familiar with using different cooking methods to cook different flavors. Prior to this, Han Yu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, was demoted to Chaozhou. In his poems, he described how Chaozhou people ate dozens of foreign objects such as horseshoe crabs, snakes, catfish, frogs, octopus, and river scallops, and felt very uncomfortable. But by the Southern Song Dynasty, octopus and other seafood were already delicacies in many local dishes. In terms of ingredients and flavors, a raw food approach is adopted. Later, there were not many pigs, cattle, sheep and deer eaten raw, but the habit of eating raw fish fillets, including raw fish porridge, has remained to this day. The white-cut chicken should only be cooked, with a slight trace of blood on the thigh bones, and this is still the case today. Cantonese cuisine is characterized by exquisite knife skills, careful attention to ingredients that complement each other, and attention to light but not bland tastes.

Cantonese cuisine is also good at taking the strengths of each family and using them for my own use. I am always learning and always new. Squirrel mandarin fish, a famous dish in Jiangsu cuisine, is famous all over the country, but it cannot be served in Cantonese banquets. Although Cantonese people like to eat rat meat, the name of rats is not dignified. The famous Cantonese chef uses his skillful knife skills to transform the fish into a small chrysanthemum shape, which is called chrysanthemum fish. With such a modification, it can be eaten in one bite, and it is convenient and hygienic to eat with chopsticks and knives. After the transformation, Jiangsu cuisine has become Cantonese cuisine. In addition, the cooking methods of Cantonese cuisine such as soaking, grilling, roasting, and Sichuan are transplanted from the northern cuisine's popping, grilling, roasting, and steaming. The new methods of frying and deep-frying are formed by absorbing and improving similar methods of Western cuisine. However, the transplantation of Cantonese cuisine is not a mechanical application, but is developed based on the characteristics of Guangdong's wide range of raw materials, fresh texture, and people's taste for freshness and freshness. For example, the steak in northern cuisine is usually seasoned, grilled until crispy, thickened with thick oil and served on a plate, which is called clear steak. In Cantonese cuisine, the raw materials are stewed or steamed until greasy, and then the gravy is spread on top. This is mostly done with ingredients. Representative dishes include Bazhen Braised Duck, Shredded Chicken Braised Pork, etc. The food culture of Guangdong is closely related to that of other parts of the Central Plains. One of the important reasons is that there have been many mainlanders who established separate dynasties in history. Officials sent by dynasties to govern Guangdong and those who were demoted brought the food culture of the north with them. There were also many master chefs who passed on their skills to their local counterparts, or set up their own shops in the shops to make a living. The food culture from various places was directly introduced to the people of Lingnan, making it an important part of Cantonese cuisine. After the Han Dynasty, Guangzhou became a transportation hub on the Central and Western Sea Routes; in the Tang Dynasty, most foreign merchants gathered in Yangcheng, and merchant ships arrived in groups. At that time, the economy of Guangzhou developed rapidly compared with other inland areas.

Sichuan cuisine among the eight major cuisines

Sichuan cuisine is also a cuisine with a long history. Its birthplace is ancient Ba Kingdom and Shu Kingdom. According to the Records of the State of Huayang, the country of Ba "plants grains in the soil, has six domestic animals", and produces fish salt and tea honey; the country of Shu has "the mountains and forests are full of fish, and the gardens are filled with fruits and melons, which have been ripe for four generations, and there is no shortage of them." . At that time, the condiments of Ba and Shu already included brine, rock salt, Sichuan pepper, and "Yangpu ginger". Among the cultural relics unearthed from the cemetery during the Warring States Period, there are various bronzes and pottery utensils, and the germination of Sichuan cuisine can be seen. The formation of Sichuan cuisine roughly occurred between the unification of China by Qin Shihuang and the establishment of the Three Kingdoms. At that time, the political, economic and cultural center of Sichuan gradually moved to Chengdu. At that time, both the selection of cooking raw materials and the use of condiments, as well as the requirements for knife skills, heat and professional cooking levels, had begun to take shape, and the embryonic form of the cuisine had already begun. King Qin Hui and Emperor Qin Shihuang immigrated to Shu in large numbers twice, bringing with them advanced production technology from the Central Plains, which greatly promoted and promoted the development of production. The Qin Dynasty laid a good economic foundation for Shuzhong, and it became even more prosperous in the Han Dynasty. Zhang Qian went on a mission to the Western Regions and introduced courgettes, beans, walnuts, soybeans, garlic and other varieties, and also added cooking ingredients and seasonings to Sichuan cuisine. During the Western Han Dynasty, the country was unified, and both government-run and private businesses were relatively developed. Five major commercial cities emerged with Chang'an as the center, including Chengdu. During the Three Kingdoms period, Wei, Shu, and Wu were at the same level, and Liu Bei regarded Sichuan as the "capital of Shu."

Although the country is divided, Shuzhong is relatively stable and has created good conditions for the development of business, including the catering industry. This gave Sichuan cuisine a solid foundation in its early stages of formation.

N4 Hunan cuisine among the eight major cuisines

Hunan cuisine is Hunan cuisine, which is based on the Xiangjiang River Basin, Dongting Lake area and the mountainous area of ????western Hunan. Waiting for the development of local dishes. Cuisine in the Xiangjiang River Basin is centered in Changsha, Hengyang, and Xiangtan, and is the main representative of Hunan cuisine. It is finely made, uses a wide range of materials, and has a wide variety. Its characteristics are rich oil, rich color, and affordable. Pay attention to the taste of crispy, sour and spicy, soft and tender.

Xiangxi cuisine is good at spicy, sour, and rich mountain flavor. Hunan cuisine has a long history. The cuisine has been formed as early as the Han Dynasty, and the cooking skills have reached a very high level. In the Western Han Dynasty tombs unearthed in Mawangdui on the outskirts of Changsha, not only the remains of fish, pigs, and cattle were found, but also the relics of sauce, vinegar, and pickled fruits and vegetables. After the Tang and Song Dynasties, as Changsha was an important political, economic, and cultural city in the feudal dynasty, Hunan cuisine developed rapidly and formed a set of cooking methods such as stewing, braising, simmering, roasting, stir-frying, frying, frying, smoking, and curing. Technology has become one of my country's famous local flavors. Since liberation, Hunan cuisine's characteristic techniques have further developed.

N5 Fujian Cuisine of the Eight Major Cuisines

Fujian cuisine is also one of the eight famous cuisines and is famous for cooking delicacies from mountains and seas. On the basis of taking into account color, aroma, taste and shape, it is especially good at aroma and taste. Its fresh, mellow, meaty and non-greasy flavor is unique in Chinese food culture.

Fujian is located in the southeastern corner of my country, surrounded by mountains and the sea. It has a mild climate all year round, abundant rainfall, and is like spring all year round. Its mountainous areas have towering trees, green bamboos everywhere, and criss-crossed streams and rivers; the coastal areas have long coastlines and vast shallow beaches. The geographical conditions are superior and the delicacies from the mountains and sea are abundant, providing unique cooking resources for Fujian cuisine. Rice, sugar cane, vegetables, melons and fruits are abundant here, especially longan, lychee, citrus and other excellent fruits that are well-known both at home and abroad. Mountain forests and streams have nationally famous tea, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lotus seeds, coix kernel rice, as well as mountain delicacies such as muntjac, pheasant, partridge, river eel, and stone scales; coastal areas are rich in fine seafood such as fish, shrimp, snails, and mussels. , all year round. According to statistics from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, there were more than 270 kinds of local seafood and aquatic products at that time, while modern experts estimate there are more than 750 kinds. "Fujian General Chronicles" compiled in the Qing Dynasty recorded that "tea, bamboo shoots, and mountain trees are abundant all over the world" and "fish, salt, mirages, and clams are abundant in green".

Fujian cuisine has always been famous for its fine selection of ingredients, rigorous knife skills, attention to heat, soup, seasonings, and flavor. Its cooking skills have four distinct characteristics. First, it uses meticulous slicing, cutting, and slicing techniques to achieve a thorough and delicious effect on raw materials of different textures. Therefore, the knife skills of Fujian cuisine have the reputation of "cutting flowers like lychees, shredding them like hair, and cutting slices as thin as paper". For example, in the cold dish "radish sting", cut each thin jellyfish skin into 2 to 3 pieces, cut it into very fine shreds, and then cook it together with shredded radish of the same thickness. After it cools, mix it with seasonings. table. The knife work of this dish is exquisite, the jellyfish and shredded radish are blended together, making it crispy, tender and refreshing, full of interest.

N6 Zhejiang cuisine among the eight major cuisines

Southern cuisine is represented by three local flavors of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing, and became famous earlier. Zhejiang cuisine also has a long history. People from the capital went south to open restaurants and used northern cooking methods to make the rich southern ingredients delicious. "Southern ingredients and northern cooking" became a major feature of Zhejiang cuisine. For example, in the past, southerners did not have a sweet taste. After northerners moved south, they affected southerners' tastes and added sugar to their dishes. After the famous Bianjing dish "Sweet and Sour Yellow River Carp" arrived in Lin'an, the fish was used as raw material to cook the Zhejiang famous dish "West Lake Fish in Vinegar". At that time, famous chefs from the capital were operating hundreds of famous dishes in Hangzhou, including "Hundred Vegetable Soup", "Five-flavor Baked Chicken", "Preserved Rice Eel", "Wine Steamed Anchovies", etc. Later, "Southern Meat" appeared. .

What makes Zhejiang cuisine unique is that it varies with time and place. For example, Hangzhou is a famous scenic spot in the country. After the Song Dynasty moved south, more and more emperors, generals, ministers, talented people and beauties visited Hangzhou's scenery, and the catering industry came into being. The dishes are exquisitely made and varied, and they like to name the dishes after scenic spots. The cooking methods are mainly stir-frying, stir-frying, braising and deep-frying, making them fresh and crispy. Ningbo is located on the coast. It is characterized by the combination of salty and fresh food, with a taste of "salty, fresh and smelly". It is famous for its steamed, braised and stewed seafood, which emphasizes freshness, tenderness and smoothness. It pays attention to large soups and water to maintain the original taste. Shaoxing cuisine is good at cooking river fresh food and poultry. It is crispy and glutinous in the mouth and full of country flavor. The main famous dishes are "West Lake Fish in Vinegar", "Dongpo Pork", "Crab Soup", "Hometown Southern Pork", "Dry Fried Ring Bell", "Steamed Pork with Lotus Leaf Vermicelli", "West Lake Water Shield Soup", "Longjing Shrimp" ", "Hangzhou Braised Chicken", "Hupao Vegetarian Braised Pork", "Dried Vegetable Braised Pork", "Clam Yellow Croaker Soup" and hundreds more.

N7 The Eight Major Cuisines of Jiangsu Cuisine Su Cuisine is the local flavor of Jiangsu. Jiangsu is a place where famous chefs gather. my country's first professional chef whose name is recorded in classics and the first city named after a chef's surname are both here. He made pheasant soup for Emperor Yao to eat, and was named Dapeng Kingdom, which is today's Xuzhou, so he was named Peng Keng, also known as Peng Zu. During the Xia Yu era, "Huaiyi tribute fish" and Huaibai fish were used as tribute until the Ming and Qing Dynasties. "Those who have beautiful dishes are the best of the region." During the Shang Tang Dynasty, leek flowers, a good vegetable in Taihu Lake, have become famous. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Yi Ya of Qi State taught his art in Xuzhou. The "mutton hidden in fish belly" created by him has been passed down through the ages and is the origin of the word "fresh".

In order to assassinate King Wu, Zhuan Zhu learned "whole fish moxibustion" from Yamato Gong in Taihu Lake, one of which is the "Squirrel Mandarin Fish" now in Songhe Tower, Suzhou. Liu An, King of Huainan in the Han Dynasty, invented tofu on Bagong Mountain, and it was first spread in Jiangsu and Anhui. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty drove the barbarians to the seaside and discovered that the "fish intestines" that fishermen were addicted to were very delicious. Emperor Ming of the Southern Song Dynasty was also very fond of this food. In fact, "fish intestines" are the ovary essence of squid. When the famous doctor Hua Tuo was practicing medicine in Jiangsu, he and his Jiangsu disciple Wu Jin both advocated "cremation" of cooked food, that is, food therapy. Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, believed in Buddhism and advocated vegetarianism, using gluten as food. Ge Hong, a native of Jin Dynasty, has a saying of "Five Zhi", which has a great influence on Jiangsu edible fungi. In the Southern Song Dynasty, monk Wu Zanning wrote "Bamboo Shoots" to summarize the experience of eating bamboo shoots. Tofu, gluten, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms are known as the "Four King Kongs" of vegetarian dishes. The origins of these delicacies are all related to Jiangsu. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Nanjing's "Heavenly Chef" could make dozens of dishes with one melon, and one dish could make dozens of flavors. In addition, pickled salted eggs and pickled cucumbers were recorded in classics 1,500 years ago.

N8 Hui Cuisine of the Eight Major Cuisines

Hui Cuisine consists of Anhui Province’s Yanjiang cuisine, Yanhuai cuisine and Huizhou local cuisine. The cuisine along the Yangtze River is represented by local dishes from Wuhu and Anqing. Later, it spread to the Hefei area, which is famous for cooking river fresh food and poultry. The cuisine along the Huaihe River is composed of local flavor dishes such as Bengbu, Suxian, and Fuyang.

Huizhou cuisine in southern Anhui is the main representative of Hui cuisine. It originated from She County at the foot of Huangshan Mountain, which is the ancient Huizhou. Later, as the small town of Tunxi on the bank of the Xin'an River became a distribution center for famous teas such as "Qihong" and "Tunlu" and local products such as Hui ink and She inkstones, business flourished and the catering industry developed, and the focus of Hui cuisine gradually shifted to Tunxi. The creek was further developed here. Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty once asked Wang Zao, a scholar, about his taste. Wang Zao replied with a poem by the plum saint Yu, "Oxtail civet in the snow, horseshoe turtle in the sand." The oxtail civet is the civet, also known as the white-fronted civet. In terms of cooking techniques, Anhui cuisine is good at roasting, stewing, and steaming, while less stir-frying and stir-frying are used. It focuses on oil, color, and fire.