Culinary culture serves up rich Sino-French exchange
Aside from widely cooked ingredients for most families, such as chicken, duck, fish, pork and beef, the program also includes shellfish such as shrimp and crab, as both countries have long coastlines, Yang adds.
"One ingredient that deserves special attention is innards. Despite the common belief that Western cuisine tends to avoid using animal organs, French restaurants have incorporated innards as a key ingredient, especially in their renowned dish Foie Gras," explains Yang.
The show also delves deep into the historical archives and artistic works behind all these foods. For example, the episode focusing on animal innards reveals that the culinary technique and flavor of innards were elevated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a result of foreign traders importing various spices, such as pepper, to the country through the Silk Road.