06.29.07
As American as egg foo young
asap, the Associated Press’ Web portal for young adults, takes a tongue-in-cheek look at America’s changing attitudes toward Chinese food, starting with a 1936 “primer” pamphlet published in Pennsylvania (see photo) and ending with food-court General Tso’s chicken.
The article cites a few of these primers, which were written by early ambassadors of Chinese American cuisine. The language in them is enough to make you wince, as well as realize just how exotic Chinese food and dining customs once were to Joe American. Among the more conspicuous quotes:
“Chinese dishes are healthful and economical … The reason why they have not come into more general use in Occidental homes is because Chinese cookery has come to be surrounded with an air of mystery.”
“The reader should perceive that cooking Chinese food is not a matter of putting in exotic things like edible fungus, but rather that it is a technique.”
“The Chinese use chopsticks because they consider the knife and fork barbaric. We sit at a table to eat, not to cut up carcasses.”
humpers said,
June 29, 2007 at 9:28 am
certainly an improvement over previous “secret oriental cooking recipes”
http://www.antiquebottles.com/rl/tc/RoughOnRatsChinaMan.jpg
Joe American said,
November 20, 2007 at 8:24 am
I find the term “Joe American” demeaning and possibly racist. Please move into the 21st century and be more careful about how you write.