奇速英语

中国馒头进军法国面包节，冲上热搜！

Every May a very special festival is held in front of Notre Dame, Paris’ annual bread festival: la Fête du Pain. It starts on the day of Saint-Honoré, the patron saint (守护神) of bakers, and ends the following Sunday. The festival hosts small bakeries and ovens within dozens of tents. This year (2024), an unexpected Chinese presence made an appearance at La Fête du pain.

A Chinese Internet user who attended the bread festival, posted a video on Douyin. In the video, a line of mantou was among the freshly baked food on display. The video quickly became popular on Chinese social media platforms, bringing attention to this most beloved staple food (主食) in Chinese diet.

Mantou is an important part of daily meals nationwide. When freshly steamed, it is a delight on its own, alternatively, it can be roasted to golden brown. Another option is pan-frying mantou. Sliced thinly and cooked with oil in a flat pan until golden brown on both sides, the mantou can be sandwiched between layers of eggs, ham, and other fillings for a satisfying meal. For those pursuing a crispy (酥脆的) delight, mantou can also be deep-fried. Frying sliced mantou directly in hot oil until achieving a golden brown and crispy texture. This crispy mantou can be enjoyed alone or alongside congee (zhou) and pickles (咸菜) for an even more fulfilling experience.

Xu, a Chinese student from Central China’s Hunan Province, who is studying in Paris, attended the bread festival. Xu said that she initially thought the event would showcase bread from the Western countries where bread is their staple food. “To my surprise, I saw Chinese mantou displayed as well. I found it very interesting that the French seem to consider mantou as a sort of Chinese bread,” Xu said. “I think the bread festival is also a form of cultural exchange, allowing more people to directly learn about the baking process of various breads from different countries,” she said, adding that “seeing mantou in the bread festival reminded me of my hometown.”