Beijing Local Cuisine - By: Serena Zhu

Beijing food is famous for its diversity and style. Beijing cuisine is unique in China because foods from all parts of China can be found there, as well as a huge variety of Western foods. No other place in China has the diversity of cuisine that Beijing has. Besides food from other areas, Beijing has also been developing its own style of cuisine for almost 5,000 years and come up with some amazing local Beijing foods including the world famous Peking Roast Duck.

Peking (Beijing) Roast Duck:
Beijing Roast Duck (also called Peking Roast Duck) is the most famous of all of Beijing culinary dishes. With its tempting color, crispy skin, tender meat and the gorgeous appearance, Beijing Roast Duck is known as one of the best dishes in the world. A tour to Beijing is not complete without trying this delicious dish. The most famous two Beijing Roast Duck restaurants are Quanjude and Bianyifang. Each has its own method for making Beijing Roast Duck. Quanjude roasts its ducks in an open oven. The duck is marinated in their special marinade, and hung in the oven over a wood fire, so the smoke from the fire can help flavor the meat. Date, or Pear wood is used, and it takes approximately 40 minutes for the duck to be fully roasted. Bianyifang roasts its ducks in a closed oven which uses a straw fire. Before being put into the oven, the duck is filled with soup, so that the duck is roasted on the outside, and boiled on the inside, which adds a unique flavor to the duck.

Manhan Quanxi (Manchurian Han Imperial Feast):
One of the most formal and beautiful of all Beijing cuisines is the Manchurian and Han Imperial Feast. It is a very large banquet that came from the Qing Dynasty Imperial kitchens. Because it was originally intended for the Emperor, the food was not only wonderfully delicious, but exquisite in appearance. Many people who are fortunate to partake of this fantastic feast have difficulty eating the food because it is like destroying a beautiful work of art. The feast consists of 320 different dishes from the Manchurian and Han cultures. The meal is held for three whole days and encompasses six banquets. The most famous restaurant for eating the Manhan Quanxi Imperial Feast is the Fangshan Restaurant located in Beijing's Beihai Park. The restaurant was founded by former imperial chefs after The Qing Dynasty fell. They took the dishes formerly only eaten by emperors and offered them to the public.

Snack Streets:
Beijing has many snack streets that offer delicious snacks for visitors. In China snacks are called "Small Eats", which is exactly what these dishes are small dishes that are made to be conveniently eaten and carried. A very popular way to eat dinner in Beijing is for families to head out in the evening to enjoy the cool night air and take a stroll. As they stroll down the snack streets they stop at venders that catch their eye and purchase something. They continue strolling while eating their food and when it is gone, they purchase something else. This continues until everyone is full. It is a wonderful and highly recommended way to enjoy a culinary Beijing tour. Spend the evening, chatting with friends, walking along and eating. There are many snack streets in Beijing, such as Longfu Temple Snack Street, Xidan Snack Street, and Dong Hua Gate Snack Street.

As the capital city for many dynasties, Beijing cuisine has been developing for centuries. Each dynasty would introduce its own foods and the untold millions of people who have migrated to Beijing have brought their own local foods. Because of this the cuisine of Beijing is an amazing conglomeration of different styles of food. Dishes from all over China and around the world can be found in Beijing guaranteeing that every visitor will find exactly what they are looking for and also a few wonderful surprises they did not expect. You can visit http://www.chinaodysseytours.com to get more information about this.

About the Author

China Odyssey Tours - A China-based company provides tour packages for family, couple, individual & group. Help you plan & organize your tour to China according to your preferences.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Serena-Zhu/56197

Additional Articles From - Home | Travel & leisure | Destinations