奇速英语

A Modern Marco Polo’s Food Journey in China

Antonio’s thought of coming to China was from the story of Italian explorer Marco Polo (1254-1324) who traveled to the same country over 700 years ago. “When I was a child, I saw The Travels of Marco Polo on TV,” he said. “The beautiful Chinese food completely shocked me and I decided one day I would explore this country myself.”

Now this Italian cook has a restaurant in China. Crazy about Chinese food, Antonio often traveled around China to find new ideas in his early days. Last year, he visited some cities along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (大运河). “What interested me most was not only the food, but also the people, their kindness, and the customs passed down,” he said. Tai’erzhuang is one of the cities along the Grand Canal Antonio has visited. In this centuries-old water town, he tried the thin and crispy Shandong pancakes with green onions. In the past, the pancakes were made from grains (谷粒) transported through the Grand Canal. The pancakes show the creativity of Shandong people and their cooking skills.

Recently, Antonio shared stories of the “food journey to the east” on social media. Many people left messages, saying that they were interested in Chinese food and culture. Antonio has realized that many foreigners will fall in love with learning about traditional Chinese culture if it is presented in a way they can understand. Antonio is becoming one of the modern “Marco Polos” who are attracted (吸引) by amazing Chinese culture and show it to the world. Though Italian and Chinese foods are very different, they share certain similarities, such as the use of noodles, which is a common thread (线) in both cultures. Antonio said, “Food is a bridge to bring people together. (A) ______.”