Travel in Chinese Lesson 26 Beijing Snacks

同事：该下班儿了。雪梅，打算去哪儿吃晚饭？走，跟我去吃北京小吃怎么样？

雪梅：前几天我女儿和老公刚去过王府井夜市，他们说那里的小吃特别多。

同事：现在才5点钟，夜市还没有开门呢。我带你去一个专门吃北京小吃的地方吧，肯定让你大饱口福。

雪梅：好啊，我女儿说煎饼果子很好吃，今天去的地方有吗？

同事：煎饼果子？煎饼果子原来不是北京的小吃，据我所知是从天津传过来的。

雪梅：原来不是北京小吃啊，那除了煎饼果子，还有什么是从别的地方传过来的？

同事：那可多了，比如说油炸臭豆腐、凉皮、羊肉串等等。

雪梅：那什么才是地道的北京小吃呢？

同事：别着急啊，反正你一会儿就知道了。

雪梅：呦，还卖关子呐。

同事：你就跟我走吧，错不了的。

雪梅：这里边还很大嘛。

同事：雪梅，你来看，这是小窝头、豌豆黄。

雪梅：哎，这是什么啊，颜色真好看？

同事：这是山楂糕，来一块尝尝？

雪梅：好的。又酸又甜，好吃。这些都是北京的小吃吗？

同事：对，其实啊，北京的小吃包括民间小吃和宫廷小吃

雪梅：宫廷？就是皇帝呆的地方吗？

同事：差不多。象你刚才看到的小窝头、豌豆黄，就是宫廷小吃。据说都是当年慈禧太后喜欢吃的。

雪梅：那什么是民间小吃呢？

同事：就是老百姓爱吃的，比如说豆汁啦、焦圈啦、炒肝什么的。

雪梅：那哪种好吃呢？

同事：很难说，这主要得看个人的口味。

哎，豆汁儿，雪梅，我一直都想让你尝尝这北京的豆汁儿。

雪梅：豆汁儿？我听我老公说过，他特别爱喝。

同事：一般的老北京啊，都爱喝豆汁儿（对服务员）：来一碗豆汁儿。

雪梅：我试试。什么味儿，真怪，我可受不了。

同事：哈哈，你应该多喝，慢慢就适应了。再喝一口？

雪梅：算了，谢谢。

同事：那要不然你尝尝这个焦圈儿吧，老北京吃早餐的时候，都是一口焦圈儿一口豆汁儿。

雪梅：焦圈儿的味道也这么怪吗？

同事：当然不是。

雪梅：恩，还行。
 

Translation

Colleague: It's time to go. Xuemei, wher are you going to have dinner? Why not come and have some Beijing snacks with me?

Xue Mei: My husband and daughter went to the night market on Wangfujing a couple of days ago. They said there were many kinds of snacks.

Colleague: It's only 5 o'clock. The night market isn't open yet. I'll take you to a place specializing in Beijing snacks. There you can eat all you like.

Xue Mei: That’s terrific. My daughter told me fried pancakes are delicious. Do they have any there?

Colleague: Fried pancakes? They’re not an authentic Beijing snack. As far as I know, they come from Tianjin.

Xue Mei: So they’re not a Beijing speciality. Well, besides fried pancakes, are there any other snacks from outside Beijing?

Colleague: There’re lots of them, like fried smelly beancurd, sliced bean jelly, mutton kebab, among others.

Xue Mei: So what snacks are unique to Beijing?

Colleague: Don’t be so anxious. You’ll find out soon.

Xue Mei: Well, please don’t keep me waiting.

Colleague: Come along with me, and you’re sure to find something you like.

Xue Mei: Well, it’s quite spacious in here.

Colleague: Xuemei, take a look. These are little corn buns, and those are pea flour cakes.

Xue Mei: Hey, what’s that? It’s a beautiful color.

Colleague: That’s haw jelly. Do you want to try a piece?

Xue Mei: Sure. It’s tart but sweet. Very tasty. Are these all Beijing snacks?

Colleague: Yes. In fact, Beijing snacks include popular snacks and palace snacks.

Xue Mei: Palace? You mean, wher the emperor lived?

Colleague: That’s right. The corn buns and pea flour cakes you saw just now are palace snacks. It is said the Empress Dowager liked them.

Xue Mei: Then, what are the popular snacks?

Colleague: Popular snacks are ordinary people’s favorites, like fermented bean drink, fried dough rings and pig liver stew.

Xue Mei: Which tastes best?

Colleague: It’s hard to tell. It mainly depends on personal taste. Well, I’d like you to try some fermented bean drink.

Xue Mei: My husband mentioned it. He loves it!

Colleague: Most Beijingers like to drink it. Get me one bowl of fermented bean drink!

Xue Mei: Let me try. It tastes so strange! I can’t stand it.

Colleague: You should drink more to get used to the flavor. Have some more?

Xue Mei: Better not.Thanks!

Colleague: Then try this fried dough ring. Older Beijingers will have a bite of fried dough ring with a fermented bean drink for their breakfast.

Xue Mei: Does the fried dough ring taste strange, too?

Colleague: Of course not.

Xue Mei: This is fine.
 

Bookmarks

1）据 according to

（例）据我所知，她没来过中国。

As far as I know, she's never been to China before.

（例）据统计，学习中文的外国人越来越多。

According to statistics, the number of foreigners studying Chinese is increasing all the time.

2）反正 anyway, regardless

（例）不管他怎么说，反正我不相信他的话。

It doesn't matter what he ways; regardless, I don't believe a word he ways.

（例）不管天气好不好，反正我今天哪儿也不去。

It doesn't matter what the weather is like; regardless, I'm not going anywher today.

Sign Posts

Mini Buns

There are too many kinds of snack foods in Beijing to introduce in this short program, but there is a special story about one type of food 小窝头 that is supposed to have been passed down from the imperial family. 窝头 are hard, cone-shaped buns usually made with corn or sorghum flour. Traditionally, they are about the size of an adults fist, and are something eaten by people who can’t afford anything better. They are extremely common, but not very refined or pleasant to eat.

The story has it that when foreign powers invaded Beijing around the turn of the century, the Empress Dowager fled to the countryside. She was far too accustomed to living in luxury, but her servants didn't have time to prepare anything and didn't know what to give her. After a while, she was so hungry they had to do something, so they gave her these 窝头 that local peasants had prepared.

After eating a lifetime's worth of imperial cuisine, the Empress Dowager was thrilled with this strange food she had never seen before. She was also so hungry, she probably would have liked anything. But the conclusion is, she liked them so much that she ordered her imperial chefs to prepare them for her when they returned to the Forbidden City. They followed her orders, of course, but made the 窝头 in miniature form using the finest flours fit for royalty. This was the origin of 小窝头.

Many snack foods have stories about their origin. This is just one example.

Substitution and Extension

1）这得看…… that depends on

（例）选择去哪儿旅游，这得看你的兴趣。

wher you choose to travel depends on your personal interest.

2）要不然… otherwise

（例）你得多穿衣服，要不然会感冒的。

You should wear more clothing; otherwise you'll catch a cold.