My Chinese Stomach

My Chinese Stomach
     Every country has its own unique food culture, which is the product of historical and social changes. I have lived in China for twenty-five years, and have been in Chicago for one year. I have experienced a mix of different food cultures in the United States, but I still miss Chinese food. This is not only I have homesickness but also I have a Chinese stomach. Thus, I keep my Chinese lifestyle in Chicago and mix some of the different food cultures here.
Breakfast is an important part of Chinese food culture. Moreover, it is a social eating custom. On weekends or holidays, people gather with their family and friends to enjoy the food. There are variety of dim sum, porridge and noodles consist of Chinese breakfast. I would like to go to Chinatown with my family to enjoy a good breakfast at the weekend. However, I eat yogurt, coffee, hamburgers, salads, cereal, and hash browns for breakfast in Chicago. My Chinese stomach often doesn't accept these foods and I end up with a lot of pimples and occasional health problems, such as tummy aches and blisters. When I go to work, I often go to Chinatown to buy a Chinese breakfast. While I go to school, I choose hamburgers and coffee for convenience.
Although Chinese food is also available in the United States, it is mostly a mix of local specialties and different flavors. In China, I like light food, usually steamed, stewed soup, stir-fried dishes, with salt and soy sauce. Besides, I don't eat raw food. Since I came to the United States to eat fresh salads, I've fallen in love with these vegetables and salad dressings. Not only healthy but also fresh, suitable for people who need to lose weight. In addition, the beef is also half-cooked, so that I can eat the original taste of fresh and tender beef. In the beginning, I could not accept it. After I gradually learned about this food culture, I knew that I could taste the original taste of beef instead of losing the original taste after adding various seasonings in Chinese food.

Except for the above two aspects, there is a midnight snack food culture in China. There are kinds of food in a midnight snack, especially I prefer the barbecue. Many Chinese people like to have a midnight snack with friends and chat until the early morning. Besides, after going to the bar for a party, I can enjoy the midnight snack with friends. But in the United States, I havent tried this experience. I am afraid to go out with friends at night, and I can't find the feeling of eating barbecue and drinking beer with friends. Although there were barbecues food in Chicago, the food and ingredients were different from those in China, so I lost the fun of having a midnight snack with friends. At the same time, I learned to enjoy being alone and not rely on friends for satisfaction.
In conclusion, what is lost in translation for me is that I miss the taste of my hometown and gathering with my friends at breakfast or midnight. On the other hand, I have learned to cook and make my own Chinese taste to my Chinese stomach. I will continue to find more delicious food and integrate into American life. I hope I can combine the tastes of China, America, and even different countries to create a unique taste suitable for my Chinese stomach. More importantly, I can make friends from different countries and let them try the delicious Chinese food.


Comments

  1. Hi. I wonder midnight snack. Is it health? Meeting friends and eating something at midnight is also common in Turkey. However, I think eating after 8.pm is not health. I also miss the taste of my hometown because I agree the same food in the U.S doesn't have original taste. The photos look very delicious, and first two looks healthy :)

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  2. Hi. I love BBQ too. Breakfast is also an important meal in Colombian Culture, my mom used to tell me that if I do not have breakfast, i will not be able to do my activities during the day. I like the picture you added with the BBQ , because i went to Chinatown and eat that BBQ. It is also really good to eat light food, because you can find a lot of fast food in this country.

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  3. I love BBQ, too. It is very common in the North of China, we can eat it anytime. LOL

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