Sichuan Hotpot, Life’s Hot Spot Essay Example

relaxed demeanor, never happier than when they are gathering playing mahjong in a teahouse or having delicious food with family and friends. This is where a cup of tea can last a whole afternoon and a Sichuan Hotpot can last from dusk to midnight.Wandering around my hometown Chengdu, you'll easily find the streets filled with dinners sitting at tables gathering around bubbling hot pots, in which dozens of dried chilies bob up and down in an oily broth. Meals last hours long, as locals chat, sip beer and drink a toast to each other. As one of the most popular dishes in Sichuan, this delicacy is eaten by both the rich and the poor alike, whether in a fancy restaurant or along the side of a street.

In the eyes of Chengdu people, having Sichuan Hotpot with family and friends is the moment of immersing oneself in the mood of being carefree and relaxing and is the moment of reunion and sharing.Sichuan Hotpot meals are a long-standing tradition in Chengdu. However, Sichuan Hotpot is just one branch of Chinese hotpot. Hot pot cooking in China seems to have gained popularity during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD). During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) the hot pot was adopted by the imperial court and appeared on the emperor's menu ("The Culture of Hotpot" 2). In the 1930's, hotpot was adapted from its earlier versions to a more modern restaurant setting. On the streets, an inexpensive version of hot pot is immensely popular. Here locals dip food on bamboo skewers into the numbingly spicy liquids made famous in the Sichuan region ("The Culture of Hotpot"

4).