Due to the differences between Chinese and western philosophies, westerners attach importance to science in diet, that is, emphasize nutrition. Therefore, western diet takes nutrition as the highest criterion, and eating is like adding fuel to biological machines, paying special attention to the nutritional components of food, whether the contents of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and various inorganic elements are properly matched, whether the heat supply is just right, whether these nutritional components can be fully absorbed by consumers, and whether there are other side effects. These problems are put forward by the university in cooking, and the color, aroma and taste of dishes are second-class requirements. Even France, the leading food country in the west, although its food culture is similar to ours in many aspects, in terms of nutrition, the two sides have already pulled away.
China people attach importance to taste, which is also reflected in their daily conversations, such as family dinners. As soon as the main course is served, the host often modestly says, "The dish is not ready, and it may not be to your taste." He would never say, "Vegetables have low nutritional value and insufficient calories."
Norm and arbitrariness
Westerners emphasize science and nutrition in diet, so the whole cooking process is carried out in strict accordance with scientific norms. From new york to San Francisco, the taste of steak is the same, and the only side dishes of steak are tomatoes, potatoes and lettuce. In addition, standardized cooking requires that the amount of seasoning added is accurate to grams and the cooking time is accurate to seconds. In addition, the article "Eating in the Netherlands" published in the first issue of Overseas Digest 1995 also describes that "the kitchen in the Netherlands is equipped with scales, liquid measuring cups, timers and measuring cups, and dozens of seasoning bottles of the same size are arranged on the seasoning rack, just like a chemical laboratory."
Cooking in China is completely different, not only the major cuisines have their own flavors and characteristics, but also the collocation of side dishes and seasonings used in the same cuisine will be different according to the chef's personal characteristics. Even if the same chef cooks the same dish, although each has its own methods, it will be adjusted according to different seasons, occasions and diners' identities (for example, the flavor is strong in winter and light in summer, the wedding banquet must be brightly colored, and the funeral banquet should be red; Poor people should use thick oil and thick juice to kill greed, and gourmets should have fresh and unique meals. In addition, due to the change of the chef's own on-the-spot mood, he will do some improvisation. Therefore, China's cooking not only does not emphasize the standardization of accuracy to seconds and grams, but also emphasizes randomness.
Their respective harmonious combination
Mr. Qian Mu, a master of Chinese studies in Taiwan Province Province, said in the preface of "On the Academic Balance in Modern China": "Taiwan Province's scholarship varies with different cultures. China is harmonious but different, while the West is divided but different. This cultural feature is also reflected in Chinese and western food culture. In addition to several soup dishes in western food, such as Russian red vegetable soup (Luo Songtang), a variety of meat and vegetable raw materials are cooked in one pot. Fish is fish, chicken is chicken, snail is snail, and oyster is oyster. The so-called "roast beef with potatoes" is just cooked beef cooked with potatoes, and it is by no means a combination of potatoes and beef. Even seasoning ingredients, such as ketchup, mustard sauce, lemon juice and spicy soy sauce, are all eaten now. All of the above reflect "the West attaches importance to separation". "
Mechanical and interesting
Due to the standardization of western food, cooking has become a mechanical job. KFC old man fried chicken should be prepared according to the formula; The temperature of oil and the time of fried chicken should also be strictly regulated, so the chef's work becomes extremely monotonous mechanical work. He is like a worker on the auto production line, and even a robot can take his place. Furthermore, the purpose of westerners' eating is to absorb nutrition. As long as the nutrition is up to standard, everything else can be tolerated. Therefore, it is definitely meaningless for a chef to repeat mechanical work every day with an extremely tolerant attitude towards diners.
Cooking has always been regarded as a great pleasure by China people, and it is regarded as a positive expression of enriching their lives. As the saying goes, "there is heaven above and a kitchen below." Cooking, like China's music, dance, poetry and painting, can improve the realm of life.