State banquet symbolizes the facade of a country.
As the highest-standard and highest-level banquet in a country, it is often known for its word "exquisite". A few dishes, soups, and a few glasses of wine are all included in the food and beverages of a country.
During diet, communication and chatting are common things. Only delicious food can win. In this way, the host sitting in the main seat can not be constrained by the dining table, otherwise the food will be low due to the low grade.
However, as a state banquet, its protagonist should be the ingredients at the banquet.
. It lists the delicious food on the Chinese state banquet table, but few people can fall in front of them.
is like Kissinger loves roast duck, Clinton loves Huaiyang cuisine, Cameron loves spicy hotpot...
Therefore, this article does not talk about the "sword and sword shadows" on the dining table that are too serious, but talks about the famous dishes at the state banquet and tastes the unique insights of politicians from all over the country about Chinese food.
(state banquet)
1. State banquet is not just a "feast", Beijing Roast Duck Many fans
French gourmet Shawarang once compared the food on the table to the "essence of politics". This sentence shows that the importance of state banquets is extraordinary.
The two heads of state negotiated with each other, which was the sword and sword in front of the auditorium and behind the main hall. After the chat, the state banquet was a rest area to ease the atmosphere and neutralize the contradictions.
is also why the state banquet plays a key role in connecting the past and the future. After all, after a meal, the delicious food is naturally pleasant. If the taste is not satisfactory, it is inevitable that one side will be angry, which will also have a great impact on political affairs.
As a mysterious East that has been passed down for five thousand years in the eyes of Westerners, China's state banquet is even more unique.
Usually, China's state banquets are often set up in Diaoyutai . In addition, Great Hall of the People is also a "frequently" hosting state banquets.
(state banquet)
On the Chinese state banquet table, the dishes mainly include the word "light", the combination of meat and vegetables is balanced, and they pay attention to the Chinese taste, but do not abandon Western nutrition.
If there are no special circumstances, , four dishes and one soup is the standard style on the Diaoyutai state banquet table. This dish seems simple, but it has a deep meaning.
, such a combination, seems to be like an ordinary person eating a regular meal, drinking soup and vegetables while chatting and laughing, and drinking and discussing matters becomes much more relaxed.
is just a contest between countries that ordinary people can compare with. The state banquet seems peaceful and peaceful, and all parties are immersed in food, but the secret competition has actually begun.
If you look at the "famous actors" of all parties at the state banquet in China, Beijing roast duck is undoubtedly the most popular existence. All parties have been listed, from Bush to Bush, and from to Obama . They are all loyal fans of Beijing Roast Duck.
On the state banquet table, if you hear a crisp "click", then the crisp sound will undoubtedly be Beijing roast duck.
(Beijing Roast Duck)
Looking at the Beijing Roast Duck from afar, it is golden all over, like golden glass. When you see it close to it, you will leave traces. If you count the duck in detail, there are more than 300 duck slices. Such skills are amazing.
, and such a unique technique is worthy of the praise of "The fragrance of roast duck in the two Song dynasties has lasted for thousands of years".
Among the Beijing Roast Duck fan club, former US Secretary of State Kissinger is the most popular one.
In the early 1970s, Kissinger, who visited Beijing, was warmly entertained by China. As the first American to unveil the mystery of the East, he had a special liking for Beijing roast duck.
At that time, China's state banquet was famous all over the world for the rule of "four dishes and one soup", and Premier Zhou made an exception and prepared a full twelve dishes for Kissinger. Everything was innovative, and the dishes tasted differently, showing great sincerity.
And at this key banquet for breaking the ice between China and the United States, the Beijing Roast Duck is the one who shoulders the heavy responsibility of "charge"!
(Kissinger)
As the "protagonist" of the banquet, the Beijing roast duck was sliced into nearly 400 pieces, and each duck slice was clearly layered, with three layers on top and bottom.
The first layer is the browned, crispy and tender duck skin; the second layer is the subcutaneous fat that gathers delicate taste; the third layer is the essence of duck slices, that is, the plump duck meat.
At that time, Kissinger was full of oil. Before leaving, he even missed the Beijing roast duck and mentioned it in Premier Zhou's ear from time to time;
After Kissinger returned to the United States, he frequently appeared in Chinese restaurants for this excellent Beijing roast duck.
But there are not only Americans in the fan group of Beijing Roast Duck. Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are both loyal fans of Beijing Roast Duck.
Before he passed away, Ho Chi Minh made a special trip to find the staff of of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam and asked him to tell Prime Minister Zhou Enlai that he still had obsession with Beijing roast duck and wanted to taste the deliciousness of Beijing roast duck again.
(Ho Chi Minh)
After hearing the news, Premier Zhou Enlai was shocked. The charm of Beijing roast duck is so great?
Immediately, Premier Zhou instructed, how can a roast duck be able to be? One is not enough, I have to give two!
Not only that, Premier Zhou Enlai also made a special trip to find the famous chef of Beijing Hotel , and asked him to prepare the freshest sweet noodle sauce, and then all the scallions and pancake .
After special treatment, two roast ducks were carried on special planes, crossed thousands of mountains and rivers to Vietnam, and finally delivered them to Ho Chi Minh, who lives in Hanoi, Vietnam.
From this point of view, the charm of Beijing roast duck is indeed unstoppable.
With the simplification and reform of China's state banquet, Beijing roast duck no longer appears at the banquet as a main dish, but instead meets foreign leaders as a "dipss". But this simply cannot stop the enthusiasm of leaders of various countries for Beijing roast duck.
Nowadays, the fan group of Beijing Roast Duck is "growing bigger and bigger", and French President Macron , US President Biden , etc. have all bowed to Beijing Roast Duck one after another.
In addition to "hello" and "thank you", "Beijing Roast Duck" has also become one of the few Chinese words that most foreigners will say.
But as China, with extensive and profound food culture, how could there be only one Beijing roast duck supporting the storefront? In fact, there are many dishes that can gain a lot of fans of foreign politicians!
2. Huaiyang cuisine is not to be outdone, and politicians from all over the world praised it
The Beijing roast duck mentioned above once sang the "protagonist" at the state banquet, but the famous dish that has been in full swing at the state banquet from beginning to end is Huaiyang cuisine.
Huaiyang lion head is even more delicious. Both Premier Zhou Enlai and Gong Deng praised him and were regarded as the "most delicious Chinese food" by Cambodia former king Sihanouk .
(Huaiyang Lion Head)
Huaiyang Lion Head is a representative work of Huaiyang cuisine. The round lion head conveys the festive meaning of reunion and has always been a symbol of auspiciousness and perfection in China.
The best lion head is made of 60% fat and 40% lean meat, and then marinated with onion, ginger and other substances. Finally, it is meatball as big as a fist, cooked slowly over low heat, it is delicious and fragrant, and has a great taste.
instead of just lion head, Huaiyang dish, soft-cup long fish and squirrel mandarin fish are also "selected dishes" by politicians from all countries.
1998, Clinton visited China. As the helm of the peak America, Clinton ate wherever he went and almost tasted Huaiyang cuisine.
When Clinton left, he praised Huaiyang cuisine and said that it "looks simple and ordinary, but the taste is amazing."
(Clinton)
His words reflect the unique characteristics of Huaiyang cuisine , that is: Huaiyang cuisine is basically the original color of the raw materials, and does not emphasize too much color, and the taste is also light and pleasant, just like the city of Yangzhou gives people a sense of intimacy, without a sense of distance, and from the inside out there is a breath of girl next door showing off her charm and wisdom.
Just like the refreshing and real national image conveyed by China, the dishes across the country are so fresh and pure.
is not just Clinton, Russian Presidents Putin and Venezuelan President Chavez is also a loyal fan of Huaiyangcai.
As the most picky leader in foreign media, Chavez's appetite always makes the countries that are receiving unpredictable, while China's Huaiyang cuisine captured his tricky appetite in one hand.
"Rock Candy Hoof", "Crab Flour Lion Head", and " Big Boiled Dried Shrimp " successfully captured Chavez's stomach. Chavez even asked the Chinese staff "Why the taste of the dishes is so amazing."
(Huaiyang cuisine)
And this taste is naturally determined by Huaiyang cuisine's skill in stewing. Compared with cooking methods such as stir-frying and frying, stewing and cooking are easier to highlight the original taste of the ingredients.
Master the heat well to ensure that the dishes are crispy but not stiff, and cooked but not rotten.
For soup soup, it needs to be simmered slowly over low heat. The delicious ingredients can be slowly dissolved into the soup. This soup has a mellow taste and makes people feel aftertaste.
is such a laborious process, no wonder Chavez can be subdued by him.
But Huaiyangcai also has a "trump card", that is, it has almost won all foreign politicians.
, Huaiyang cuisine, which emphasizes all-round beauty, has always been striving for excellence on the road of exquisite shape. The various platters of colors are like works of art, which makes people unbearable to eat.
Yangzhou melon carving is a major feature. Watermelon or pumpkin is often used for carving. Cutting, rotating, cutting, cutting, carving, shoveling and other knife techniques are skillfully used. It is truly exquisite and magical.
(Putin)
At the Chinese state banquet, Russian President Putin and Cuba Supreme Leader Castro both have a special liking for this unique melon carving.
In February 2022, Putin visited China, and a melon sculpture called "Dragon Boat Carrying Treasure" on the state banquet table directly attracted his attention.
"Dragon Boat Carrying Treasure" is a shape that carves pumpkins into dragon boat , with eel silk on it. The contrast of texture and color makes this dish particularly pleasing to the eye.
Putin has tried it, and he also praised it very much.
(Melon carving)
Huaiyang cuisine does not pursue a strong taste, nor does it pursue exaggerated expressions. Everything starts with the original deliciousness of the ingredients and the mellow taste as the purpose, which will win applause.
However, Huaiyang cuisine is just a famous dish in Jiangnan. Even if you talk about Huaiyang cuisine, you always feel that something is missing. The less it is considered the spicy food of Sichuan cuisine.
3. In addition to lightness, the word "spicy" is awesome
State banquet chefs strive to retain their most essential taste in each dish. In order to take care of the taste and image of visiting leaders, less spicy and less salt are almost unwritten regulations. As a result, most of the dishes at state banquets tend to be elegant.
However, not all leaders like to eat light food. Many leaders have a strong taste, and the mellow and timeless Huaiyang cuisine seems a bit too dull and it is even difficult to catch their "law eyes".
But whether it is the Great Hall of the People or the Diaoyutai, these two "protagonists" who host the state banquet dare not easily present the spicy dishes on such an important occasion.
Therefore, going deep into the people and looking for food is what many leaders like to do.
(Sichuan cuisine)
In July 2014, former German Prime Minister Merkel visited Chengdu and went deep into one of the most concentrated areas of the ancestors of Bashu - Pixian . Along the way, he was called to investigate the customs and customs, but in fact Merkel was constantly searching for Sichuan cuisine.
casual people introduced him to him:
"The power of Sichuan restaurants has expanded to the downstream of the Yangtze River more than ten years ago... Hankou , Nanjing and Shanghai have many beautiful Sichuan restaurants standing tall... Sichuan cuisine is not weaker than Cantonese cuisine in Xiajiang in recent years. In cities without Cantonese restaurants, there will be no Sichuan restaurants."
After hearing this, Merkel actually plunged into the local Fairy Tree Farmers' Market in Chengdu, and began the "great buying time" that was undisturbed - pepper, star anise, and Pixian bean paste all became her belongings.
It has to be said that Merkel can be regarded as a wise eye. This so-called Pixian Douban is recognized as the "soul of Sichuan cuisine". With the development of Sichuan cuisine, Pixian beanban has long become an indispensable seasoning in the home kitchens in Bashu.
(Merkel)
Pixian Douban first appeared in the early Qing Dynasty and gradually improved during the Kangxi period. According to the materials used, it is made of precise brewing and fermenting using traditional processes.
According to previous records, during the Xianfeng period, Chen's studied and created a unique secret recipe alone. "Pixian Douban" gradually emerged from the local area and became a well-known "time-honored brand" enterprise in New China.
, and Merkel's small move has even pushed this local specialty that is "unknown to the boudoir" to a big brand that has a hundred times the value and has been going abroad with its head held high.
Now, a large number of Italians, Germans, and French people are quite interested in Pixian Douban and want to take it root in their hometown.
Before Merkel left, she tasted authentic Sichuan cuisine:
Yuanyang Sea cucumber , Daqian crab meat, Stir-fried fish , Single garlic roast beef, refried meat, raw steamed chicken and other dishes, which made her have a good "Sichuan cuisine addiction".
Shortly after Merkel left, British Prime Minister Cameron took over the baton of visiting Sichuan and even plunged into Chongqing hotpot , unable to extricate himself.
(Cameron)
In terms of taste, Chongqing hot pot focuses on marijuana and spicy, and is famous for its "spicy" and is also known as "spicy hot pot".
In this way, Cameron ate so much that his shirt was soaked with sweat, and he had no time to take care of it. It seemed that in the face of delicious food, the so-called gentlemanly demeanor was not worth mentioning.
Apart from the leaders who like to eat Huaiyang cuisine and Sichuan cuisine, some leaders have even more extraordinary tastes.
Canadian Prime Minister Harper When he visited China, he had eaten in "Yibaoju" in Beijing. His favorite thing was the rich mustard sauce with sauce elbow . Many Chinese people were shocked by how to eat it, so that "Harper elbow" became the exclusive dish of the Canadian Prime Minister.
Looking at all the foreign leaders who visited China, they all have a special liking for one or two Chinese dishes. China is the most acclaim of the food paradise on earth!
Conclusion:
Food can also be tasted by ordinary people, but if you change the taster, the meaning will be slightly different, and the deep meanings you can understand will be different. This has different significance for the interactions between the two countries.
Take Chongqing hot pot as an example, which contains the inclusiveness of Chinese food culture.
(Chongqing Hot Pot)
From the ingredients, whether it is meat or vegetarian dishes, you can place it in a hot pot to boil it.
In terms of selection, Chongqing hotpot provides diners with sufficient space to choose from. Every diner can freely choose their favorite foods and the time to burn food, and even the combination of dipping sauces.
The omnipotent hot pot and free choice of Chongqing hot pot fully reflect the inclusiveness of Chinese culture.
When Cameron visited China, the relationship between China and Britain was actually a bumpy one. But at the dining table, Cameron gathered with three or five friends to share and have fun. This is the harmony of the food culture created by Chongqing hot pot.
As the saying goes, the diet of a country is the culture of a country.
Isn’t love for a country’s food also accepting the culture of a country?
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