The 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou did more than just showcase sporting prowess; it revived an age-old debate on the culinary landscape of the city. Hangzhou, while famous for its picturesque scenes and rich cultural lineage, has had its food face both adulation and skepticism.
Renowned worldwide for its profound and varied culinary traditions, China holds Hangzhou in high regard. As the cradle of Zhejiang cuisine, Hangzhou has given the world delicacies like West Lake fish in vinegar sauce, beggar’s chicken, and Dongpo pork. Yet, in a twist of irony, some have jestingly labeled the city as China’s “food desert” – a comment on the perceived blandness or limited variety of its dishes.
Online, the flavor palette of Hangzhou’s cuisine is a heated subject of discussion. Many admire the cuisine for its subtle and nuanced flavors, where the natural taste of the ingredients shines through. Unlike the robust flavors typical of northern Chinese dishes, Hangzhou’s food is gentle but, according to its proponents, no less delectable.
Others, however, critique the cuisine for being too mild, even labeling dishes like the famed West Lake vinegar fish as bland or strange-tasting.
But how did the West Lake vinegar fish, passed down through millennia, come under scrutiny? And does Hangzhou genuinely qualify as a culinary wasteland?
A dive into history reveals that the West Lake vinegar fish has roots in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The dish emerged from the necessity to preserve the abundant grass carp of West Lake ponds. The fish was marinated in vinegar to keep away the smell, giving rise to this celebrated dish. The dish was so esteemed that it graced the banquet table in 1972 during the historic meeting between Chinese premier Zhou Enlai and US president Richard Nixon.
Contrary to the naysayers, the dish, when prepared authentically, offers a delightful balance of sweet and sour. However, its preparation requires precision and dedication. Ideally, the dish demands fresh grass carp, which is killed and marinated immediately to preserve its essence. This dedication to freshness makes mass production challenging.
A divergence from traditional methods has, unfortunately, led to the dish’s controversial reputation. Many establishments, aiming to cater to the masses, have compromised on quality, using pre-marinated fish, leading to a taste that many find too “fishy” or overly intense in sweetness and sourness.
Besides the vinegar fish, Hangzhou’s culinary tradition, known for its gentler flavors, often faces comparisons to the bolder, spicier tastes of regions like Sichuan and Hunan. With a nationwide affinity for strong-flavored foods such as hotpot and barbeque, Hangzhou’s subtle flavors might seem unconventional to some.
Yet, as many would argue, spiciness is not the only measure of a dish’s excellence. Hangzhou’s culinary tradition, from Longjing tea shrimp to Sister Song’s fish soup, showcases a culinary depth that goes beyond mere spice levels.
For instance, Wang, a visitor from Anhui Province, had a memorable culinary experience in Hangzhou. Particularly fond of the city’s dishes, Wang found the flavors, including that of the debated West Lake vinegar fish, to be an enjoyable blend of sweet and sour.
As these culinary discussions continue to simmer online, what remains undeniable is the vast spectrum of flavors that Chinese cuisine offers. From fiery to mild, the nation’s diverse dishes are a testament to its rich cultural and culinary history.
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