Gourmet Article

The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally distinct area in the central western of part of China
a province known as Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty
during the 15th century. However
it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine.

The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid
and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy dishes
though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong in flavor.

A general overview of culinary history and trends reveals that
for the most part
areas that tended to spice heavily were areas in which the fresh food supply was not as reliable as in places that traditionally used a lighter hand in their use of spices. The climate of Sichuan is conducive to faster food spoilage. This
particularly in the past
made necessary food preservation techniques that themselves left behind a strong flavor
such as salting
pickling
drying
and smoking. Thus
spices served to mask the flavors of less than fresh foods and those that have been preserved by methods that affect their natural flavors. In addition to masking certain flavors
the use of hot spices
such as chili peppers
tends to be more common to hot climates
as the sweat that they can produce is thought to cool the body.

Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is based upon bringing together five fundamental taste sensations – sweet
sour
pungent
salty and bitter. The balance of these particular elements in any one dish or regional cuisine can vary
according to need and desire
especially as influenced by climate
culture and food availability.

In Szechuan cuisine
there are a variety of ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These include a variety of chili peppers
peppercorns over various types
Sichuan peppers
which are in reality a type of fruit
not pepper
and produce a numbing effect in addition to their warm flavor. Sichuan peppers
also called flower pepper and mountain pepper
are a traditional part of the Chinese five spice powder
or at least of those that are modeled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations common to regional Chinese cooking.

Other ingredients used commonly in Szechuan cuisine to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of sugars
such as beet root sugar and cane sugar
as well as local fruits for sweetness. The sour comes from pickled vegetables and different varieties of vinegar. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of bitterness that complements other flavors. Other spices and flavors include dried orange peel
garlic
ginger
sesame oil and bean paste. Salt is important to Szechuan cuisine
and the area produces uniquely flavored salts that help to distinguish authentic Szechuan cuisine from the other regional cuisines from China.

Szechuan cuisine is marked by its rich traditional flavors
which stem from a culture of hundreds of years and are in part shaped by the natural forces of climate. Authentic Szechuan cuisine offers a unique dining experience made up of adventurous and creative taste sensations.