The Chinese kitchen: memories of my food. Literature & Language Essay

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The Chinese Kitchen: Memories of My Food
1 What memories does Eileen Yin-Fei Lo have of her grandmother’s kitchen, and what role did Buddhist and Confucian thought play in her grandmother's eating and cooking?
Eileen Yin-Fei Lo’s grandmother whom she calls Ah Paw consulted an astrological book before stating to preparing special dumplings during the Chinese New Year. Ah Paw was a committed Buddhist who did not eat fish or meat on the firs and fifteenth day of each month and the fifteen days of the New Year (3). The grandmother was keen to prepare meals in the proper manner such as the fish and she insisted that one was not to shout in the kitchen. Emphasis on manners discipline, tradition and proper behavior in life and even in the kitchen influenced the writer’s perceptions of the methods and philosophies of cooking. The freshest ingredients were chosen and eating foods in seasons and harmony reflect the Buddhist and Confucian elements.
2 According to her, what medicinal properties are associated with Chinese food?
A fish, meat, noodle, bread, herb or spice is considered beneficial health wise as they result to interior balance (Lo 2). Some foods are considered good and are considered with other foods to maintain balance (Lo 2). Yin and yang are tow energies and forces that maintain balance and harmony in the universe and human body. Foods like chicken are believed to enhance longevity, while soups are source of nourishment and ...