「中國菜」 | 文化的流行還是味覺的俘虜？

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歡迎來到「生吃宇宙的我們」第 11 篇文章

This Is Our 11th Article

In todays topic, we will be talking about the vegetables that many people in the US consider to be "Chinese" vegetables, that is to say they are, for the most part, found in Asian grocery stores only, used exclusively in Chinese-style dishes, not commonly eaten by the general public, and sometimes unknown to people unfamiliar with Chinese cuisine.

我們今天來談一談那些大多數美國人以為「很中國的」蔬菜，就是說這些菜大部分時間只能在東方超市或亞洲超市買得到，是用來做中餐的，普通民眾平時不會吃的或者是對中餐不熟悉的人也不會知道這些蔬菜的存在。

"Chinese vegetables"

「中國蔬菜」

Fortunately, some of these vegetables are beginning to gain popularity in different areas of the US, thanks to the work of Chinese gardeners who use their skills in working the land to bring new life to these plants in different soil.

最近幾年，一些中國蔬菜慢慢地在美國不同的區域開始備受青睞起來，最主要的是由於中國人帶來了農業技術，植物知識，並在另外一塊領土上讓中國蔬菜紮根生長普及的原因。

One example can be found on Yale University campus, where a community of growers and eaters has sprung from the work of the family members of Chinese students. This project is a positive influence not only because it introduces new vegetables and gardening techniques to local people, but also because it is a productive way for all generations to work together on a healthy, sustainable activity.

舉個例子，在耶魯大學校區有一個菜園，就因為耶魯中國留學生家長們的種菜勞動成果，才成就了一個以蔬菜和健康為主的小社團。這個活動的好處不僅僅是在於從中國引進了蔬菜種類和造園技術到美國，也是在於多代人可以協同合作參與到了這種可持續性的生產方式及健康活動中來。

In another part of the USA, Wendy Kiang-Spray is a Chinese-American high school counselor, gardener, and writer. She recently published a book titled "The Chinese Kitchen Garden," in which she introduces Chinese vegetables to an American audience, and teaches how to grow and cook them. Her family background plays an important role in her book- her father, who immigrated to the USA from Shandong Province, is a skilled lifelong gardener. Wendy also blogs about gardening, health and food, and family, at her website: http://greenishthumb.com

在美國另外一個州，華裔女生Wendy Kiang-Spray 是一名高中學校的指導顧問，同時也是園藝家、作家，最近她出版了一本書叫 "The Chinese Kitchen Garden"，裡面為美國讀者們介紹了幾種中國蔬菜，還有教讀者們種菜做菜的方式。她在書中用了濃墨重彩來描述她的家庭背景，家父的中國山東移民身份，還有他熟練的園藝技巧。Wendy還會記錄一些關於園藝、健康與飲食以及家庭的文章在她的博客 http://greenishthumb.com 上。

Wendy says:

"I』m so excited to be publishing this book at this time. I』m finding that gardeners have tried bok choy and maybe a couple other Asian vegetables, but there is a vast amount they have yet to know, and I』m happy to share my knowledge with the world."

Wendy說：「我很開心這本書在這個時間段出版了，我發現現在一些有私人菜園的人願意試試種小白菜或者其他亞洲蔬菜，不過還有絕大部分蔬菜他們還沒涉及到，我很高興有機會和全世界分享自己的知識。」

"I also think the family stories, short cultural notes, and other tidbits will interest readers who want to learn more about Chinese culture as well."

「我也覺得我們家的故事，關於中國文化的小知識等等都會吸引想更了解中國文化的讀者朋友們。」

One interesting aspect of the book is shown when Wendy talks about connecting to her Chinese roots through her Shandongese fathers garden in the USA:

這本書有一個有趣的方面是，當Wendy談到她通過她出生在山東的父親的美國花園找到她與中國根的聯繫這件事：

"Growing up, my sister and I would eavesdrop on adults in our family telling hushed tales of the harsh life my father lived in China. On the rare occasion, one of us would be brave enough to ask about some of the details—about the village, or maybe about our grandmother, who died before we were born. We never got the details we longed for. As a self-made man, a true American success story, my father believed the details from those difficult long-ago days were better left untold. They were simply too hard for a stoic, proud man to tell."

「在我成長的過程中，我和妹妹會偷聽家裡大人們說父親在中國生活時候特別艱辛的故事。偶爾我們其中一人會看準時機鼓起勇氣詢問一些當時生活的細節，關於那個他生活的村莊或者關於我們從未謀面的奶奶的，但是我們從未得到滿意的答案。作為一個白手起家的美國夢追隨者，我父親相信應該緘口不提那些困難時期的生活細節。對於一個堅忍克己且自傲的人來說，光想想只是說出那些往事都太難了。」

"I remember one summer day, when I had already been tending my own garden for several years, my father and I quietly sat on stools on his driveway, doing some laborious chore such as cutting the hearts out of bamboo shoots. I decided to break the silence by asking him if he had any tips about a particular vegetable I was planning to grow. He gave me some advice on how to grow the vegetable, but then he began telling me a story about the unique ways he used to grow and store his harvests in China."

「記得某年夏天，當時已經照料自己的小花園好幾年了，我與父親一言不發的坐在停車道的小凳上，邊做一些像是挖掉竹筍內芯這樣的辛苦工作。我決定打破沉默，隨即問了父親對於我想種的某種蔬菜他有沒有什麼好的建議，他給了我一些關於種植蔬菜的建議，之後他給我講了個他當時在中國生活時獨特的蔬菜種植及儲存的故事。」

"Finally, I was learning details about the past and gaining a true picture about life in China—albeit about the garden at first. I began to rely on this trick to learn more about his past."

「最終，我得到了關於那段中國生活的細節及真實寫照，雖然我們是從關於小花園說起的。我也開始通過這樣的方式來了解父親的過去。」

Like Wendy, I also found food to be a poignant way of opening the doors of communication, and an inroad to understanding another culture more deeply. As a newcomer to China several years ago, a vast majority of my earliest conversations- especially when I was struggling to use Chinese to converse with others- centered around food. In fact, my first task, after I had set my mind on learning Chinese, was to memorize the menu of a local restaurant.

我也像Wendy一樣發現了談論食物這件事確實很有效，算是一個和別人溝通打開話題的方法，更能讓人理解到對方的家庭和文化背景，而且每一個人都有自己對食物的記憶和喜好。我剛剛第一次到中國的時候，在有些情況下不太確定可以跟別人聊什麼話題，或者別人同樣的也不太確定可以和我說什麼，特別是在我學習中文初期的坎坷路途上，然後我發現談論食物完全就是一個永遠不會失敗的方法。其實在我決定學習中文之後，第一個自己給自己的學習任務就是去餐廳拿著一張菜單，然後背下來。

I discovered that food and eating was the topic which generated the most curiosity from my students and friends. They wanted to know everything about my opinions on Chinese food, and the differences between Western and Chinese dishes.

此外，對於我身邊那些對美國美食文化不太熟悉的朋友們和學生們，美國人的飲食習慣和對中餐的想法是最引發好奇心的話題，其實任何人對美食都會有一種特殊的情感，世界上沒有誰會嫌棄聊到好吃的吧。

Everybody eats. So talking about food is great way to break down barriers and get people talking to one another. How many friendships and romantic relationships have begun over this simple topic?

民以食為天，我們不妨運用食物這個話題來突破溝通障礙，通過這一條路把大家團結在一起。想一下有多少人因為食物這個簡單的話題而變成了朋友情人呢？

If you have any food-related thoughts or questions, please dont hesitate to share them in the comments section!

你有沒有什麼有關於食物的記憶或者有趣的事情呢？或者對耶魯校園內菜園的看法呢？不如留言分享給大家聽聽。

不管中文還是英文，語言只是一種媒介

而我們僅僅只是藉助這樣一種方式來表達

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