Cook Your Way Through China, Region by Region

Growing up in Central Oregon, there wasn't much of a dining scene outside of steaks, burgers and baked potatoes. The one shining light for me was Stockton's New China Café, where my parents would take us occasionally. Looking back on it, the menu was no doubt Americanized to fit the tastes of small-town America. But to me, the fried rice, chow mein, chop suey and egg foo young were wondrously exotic, tastes and textures that came from far beyond the boundaries of my small world.

From that initial taste of broader culinary horizons, I've had ample opportunity to sample other Chinese regional specialties, but I've never been comfortable enough, or felt my pantry was stocked well enough, to really dive into making genuine Chinese delicacies here at home. But now my chance may have come in a series of classes being offered by the Northwest China Council.

As part of its 2015 program on “Food in China,” the China Council is teaming up with Susana Holloway of Portland’s Culinary Workshop to offer a series of quarterly cooking classes, each featuring the specialties of China's four main culinary regions. Even better, each of these hands-on classes will be followed by a dinner featuring the dishes the class has made.

Beijing and Northern Regions

Sun., April 12, 3-6 pm

Pork and spiced vegetable dumplings with a vinegar/soy dipping sauce

Lotus root and ginger salad

Fish braised in rice wine and black mushrooms

Warm silken tofu in a sweet ginger syrup

Shanghai and Eastern Regions

Sun., July 12, 3-6 pm

Pork stuffed bitter melon with black bean sauce

Prawns stir-fried in green tea

Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) with bamboo shoots

Red bean sesame balls

Sichuan and Western Regions

Sun., Oct. 11, 3-6 pm

Garlic chive cakes

Spiced pork and mung bean noodles

Long Beans with shredded bamboo in chili oil

Fried wonton stuffed with sweetened Asian pear

Guangzhou and Southern Regions

Sun., Jan. 10, 3-6 pm

Stir-fried minced duck in lettuce cups

Chilled chicken and egg noodle salad with a tangy peanut dressing

Congee with Pork, herbs and egg

Coconut and lemon pudding

Details: Food in China: Four Regional Cuisines of China is a series of hands-on cooking classes sponsored by the NW China Council. $80 per class with preregistration. Classes held at Portland's Culinary Workshop, 807 N. Russel St. 503-512-0447.

Beer Archaeologist Coming to Beervana

Hipster brewers in the Northwest, you are about to get schooled by some old dudes. And by old dudes I mean really old dudes.

Think adding coriander, coffee or even chocolate to your tanks is a revolutionary advancement in the art? I'm here to tell you that ship sailed, oh, like 9,000-plus years ago. Brewers in ancient civilizations in China, Sumeria, Egypt and other parts of the world were using "olive oil, bog myrtle, cheese, meadow­sweet, mugwort and carrot, not to mention hallucinogens like hemp and poppy" in their products, according to biomolecular archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern.

From his lab at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia, Dr. McGovern, also known as Dr. Pat, has taken the desiccated remains of the contents of ancient vessels and sussed out the "fingerprint compounds," the telltale clues to what they might have contained. Based on his findings, he's recreating some of those long-lost beverages through collaborations with present-day distillers and brewers, including Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales in Delaware. The beers they've made together, a series called "Ancient Ales," with names like "Midas Touch," "Theobroma" and "Chateau Jiahu," have won medals at the prestigious Great American Brew Fest and gained a following among aficionados of fermented beverages.

Dr. Pat will be bringing samples of Chateau Jiahu when he comes to Portland on Friday, May 16, for a lecture titled "Uncorking the Chinese Past: The Archaeological and Chemical Discovery of the World’s Oldest 'Wine'." The first in a series of three events presented by the Northwest China Council, his lecture will will illustrate the biomolecular archaeology behind the discovery of what he believes to be the most ancient alcoholic beverage in the world, recovered from a Neolithic tomb site in Jiahu, in China’s Henan province, dating to about 7000 B.C. He'll also describe the historical background and analysis of Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels, which still held millet and rice "wines" from 3000 years ago.

So young dudes, get ready to meet your forebears. You might even get a few new ideas from them.

Details: "Uncorking the Chinese Past: The Archaeological and Chemical Discovery of the World’s Oldest 'Wine'" lecture and booksigning with Dr. Patrick McGovern. Fri., May 16, 6-7:30 pm (lecture), 7:30-8:30 (reception); lecture is free and open to the public, reception is $20 and includes samples of Chateau Jiahu and appetizers. Tickets online. Event at University of Oregon White Stag Building, 70 NW Couch. 503-973-5451.