介绍:
Pastries have become very popular in China due to convenience and the wide variety of flavors they offer. China's taste for bread started in South China. The two predominant styles of Baking in China are Taiwan and Hong Kong style.
Taiwan style pastries were adopted from Japan and South Korea which both utilize a sweet American flavor. The Hong Kong style of baking stems back to Hong Kong's 150 year relationship with the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom originally adopted their baking techniques from France.
James Kayde is the head chef at the 5 star Jinjiang Hotel in Chendgu, he discussed baking in China.
"Pastries are a very specific science, and to get it right you really have to follow the key principles. I think the Chinese have tried to simplify it cutting out several ingredients in order to alter the flavor. They cut out items such as sugars and certain glucoses which are needed for complex pastries. They also substitute butter for Margarine which has a lower fat content. These small ingredients really add up to something which is very different."
Popular western baked goods include profiteroles, donuts muffins, and cheesecakes. Trendy Chinese baked dishes on the other hand include Chicken buns, lotus seed buns and the ever popular mooncakes. All of which are no where near as sweet as traditional western pastries.
Before the influence of western baking, China's go-to pastries were steam cooked, they are known as "bao" in Chinese. A popular steam cooked Chinese pastry is the Cantonese style roast pork bun or "cha siu bao". Western style baking opened the door in China to a whole new world of crispy, oven baked pastries.
James Kayede offered his views on steamed pastries.
"I think it is very good, especially as we have become more and more health conscious. Baking is not exactly unhealthy but steaming is known to be a very healthy option. I think it could be very popular in western countries. A lot of the bread here in China is steamed, and I think there would definitely be a market for bread with a soft texture."
The increased popularity of western baked goods has led to many Chinese citizens buying to start baking at home. A small oven in China can be bought for as little as 400 RMB (USD 65) and home baked goods have become a fad in china. Ban Zhuqun is a home cook and the mom of an international family in Shanghai. She talked about several pastries she likes to cook at home.
"I am grateful to my husband for buying my first pastry book for me and introducing me to world of baking. I started off making pastries from that book before moving on to more difficult dishes. I enjoy making cookies like chocolate and strawberry cookies and cakes such as a mango mousse cake and Red velvet cake. I love making cakes the most, they are the most difficult. My friend introduced me to a school called the ABC cooking class; this helped me understand how difficult the process of making cakes is. My husband says he enjoys all the baked goods that I make and my son likes my chocolate cookies."
One of the most popular baking chains in China is the Paris Baguette. Despite its name the Paris baguette is actually a Korean franchise. The company has 2500 over stores around the world, more than 50 of which are located in four cities in China. Their Chinese stores are located in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Hangzhou. The Paris Baguette mainly focuses on tier-1 cities, especially Beijing and Shanghai, which occupy almost 85% their revenue in China.
The Paris Baguette sells a wide range of popular western snacks in including sandwiches, bagels, croissants, mini-pizza's and egg tarts.
Other major competitors in the Market in China include 85 degrees Celsius, Paul and ILU. Each of the following chains has a specific demographic in China. 85 degrees Celsius is somewhat cheaper than its competitors targeting young people, Paul is considerably more expensive and ILU is known for its unique multi-grain breads.
The growing market for baked goods in China has also severed as a steady means to build China western relations. Popular western pastries in China have created a niche market for western baking ingredients. They have also allowed for successful collaborations between western and Chinese companies.
A highly successful example of this is the Sino-American Baking School (SABS). The partnership between the U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the SABS was formed in the 1980's and has been instrumental in developing China's baking industry.
SABS has provided China with technical assistance, knowledge of foreign baking ingredients, and baking expertise. SABS has already become the most reputed baking training and consultation provider in China.
Western pasteries not only act as warm comfort food for expats in China but are also a welcome addition to the vast list of culinary delights in China.
For Studio+, I'm Sam Duckett.
