26.05.2021
Haidilao hot pot, China.
‘Hot pot is one of the specialties of China’ by Wikipedia. Simply put, hot pot is to cook all kinds of ingredients such as vegetables and meat in a pot. The bottom of the pot can be different flavors such as spicy, clear water, curry. It is practical to add dipping sauce after cooking. Hot pot is a convenient and quick delicacy. In China, people in every region eat hot pot, but different regions have different ways of eating it. This time I mainly introduce the hot pot customs in Sichuan and Beijing.
16.05,2021
Jane Zhang (37), singer, airport, Beijing of China.
My interviewee is a native of Chengdu of Sichuan province. She is a pop singer and she favorite food is hot pot. She told me the story about Sichuan hot pot. Sichuan is located in the southwest of China. The climate is relatively humid. The locals need to eat hot peppers to promote sweating to remove moisture from the body. So Sichuan hot pot is mainly spicy. ‘Hot pot is made with butter, chili and various spices. When the hot pot is served on the table, we can smell a unique aroma of Sichuan spicy hot pot’ Jane Zhang said.
26.05.2021
Haidilao hot pot,China.
‘The dipping material of Sichuan hot pot is mainly sesame oil’ Mrs Zhang said. Add oyster sauce, minced garlic and vinegar, and add coriander or chopped green onion according to personal preference. Because the sesame oil can relieve the spicy hot pot well, people will not feel very irritating to eat. Some people who cannot eat chili are also taken care of because the food from the spicy pot will reduce the spiciness after being coated with sesame oil. But the sesame oil dipping sauce is only suitable for Sichuan hot pot, and only works best with spicy hot pot. If you eat a clear water pot with sesame oil dip, you will feel very greasy.
22.05.2021
Xianhezhuang, China.
My interviewee also recommended several Sichuan hot pot with more distinctive characteristics. This one is called Xianhezhuang, which is a hot pot that combines spicy and braised flavor. ‘Their biggest feature is that they will be sold with a lot of lo-mei’ by Xianhezhuang official website. The decoration of the whole hot pot restaurant is very ancient style, and the tableware is also retro. Such decoration can evoke some memories of the elders because the quality of life nowadays has been mentioned a lot, and many old elements have not been seen before, especially young people. This decoration feature allows young people to enjoy the food while learning some history.
14.05.2021
Tanyaxue, China.
The name of this store is Tanyaxue, which is also a Sichuan hot pot. ‘Their biggest feature is that when the pan is served, the customer will personally unseal the seal instead of the waiter’ by Tanyaxue official website. When you open the seal, all waiters will shout their exclusive slogans. The slogan means good luck to you all. This design will add a strong sense of ceremony to this meal, making this meal not only enjoy the food, but also give people a feeling of good luck after eating hot pot. Make the mood of the guests more pleasant.
19.05.2021
Xiaojungan, China.
There is also a hot pot restaurant called Xiaojungan. Their characteristic is that all the ingredients are stringed together with bamboo sticks and placed in the refrigerator. All the ingredients can be selected by the guests in the freezer, and they can be matched at will. The final payment method is also very special, which is based on the number of bamboo sticks. Depending on the type of ingredients, each stick has a fixed price. The final sum is the price of a meal. Such a business model will reduce some waste because customers can mix and match according to their own needs, and there will hardly be too much surplus.
26.05.2021
Ping Ma (26), business woman, Haidilao, China.
Another interviewee is from Beijing. She introduced Beijing hot pot. Beijing is the capital of China and is located in northern China. The climate is dry so Beijing hot pot has no spicy taste. “A brass pot with water, green onions and ginger and heated until the water boils is a Beijing hot pot” Ping Ma said. Beijing hot pot must be paired with sesame sauce. This is the exact opposite of Sichuan hot pot. Beijing hot pot mainly eats mutton and vegetables because the winter in the north is very cold, you must eat more meat to withstand the cold winter. The aroma of meat with sesame sauce is the most attractive flavor of Beijing hot pot.
22.05.2021
Jubaoyuan, Beijing of China.
The most famous Beijing hot pot restaurant is called Jubaoyuan, which is a century-old restaurant. They have always maintained the purest and traditional Beijing hot pot making methods. Lamb is also the best grade, and the sesame sauce also has a unique recipe. According to my interviewee, she likes this hot pot because they retain the most original taste of hot pot. This store is also a must-try place for all foreign tourists and even foreigners. At any time, there will always be a long queue at the door of this store, and each time you have to wait at least an hour to eat.
26.05.2021
Haidilao, China.
Two interviewees introduced me to a special hot pot named Haidilao at the same time. They believe everyone is familiar with it. ‘This is a hot pot characterized by the best quality service, and it can also meet the needs of people of all tastes across the country, because here, people can eat hot pot with all kinds of flavors, whether spicy, clear water, or tomato’ they said. People can choose a variety of flavors to splice together, and they have a wide variety of ingredients and have a long business hours, which provides convenience for overtime workers. It is a place where you can eat whenever you want.
15.05.2021
Wuhan of China.
‘Hot pot is a delicacy that almost all Chinese people like to eat’ by Wikipedia. It is also the first choice for family or friends gathering because no matter people stay at home or go to a restaurant, whether how many people, they can eat hot pot in front of a table, people can buy their favorite ingredients. People can eat different flavors. Everyone chatting while eating hot pot can increase their relationship and satisfy their stomachs. Therefore, every time people eat hot pot, people will smile and feel that it is a very happy thing.
