To understand the culinary culture and palate of a certain region, your best bet is to observe what sorts of seasonings are served on the tables of neighborhood eateries. Besides the holy trinity that is soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil, there is one other item you’ll often see at noodle shops and BBQ stands in northern China, but nowhere else: garlic, a spice so commonly used around the world that it shouldn’t come as a surprise. That is until you see someone in Beijing peel an entire clove and pop it in their mouth. And we’re not talking garlic puree, fried garlic flakes, or even a clove of cooked garlic, but a whole, uncut, pure raw sucker.
The northern Chinese may not be able to handle chilies as well as some folks in the south, however, our deep and abiding love for garlic proves we aren’t spice-averse. Likewise, we’ve invented innumerable ways to unleash garlic’s full potential, such as chopping it and sizzling it with oil to infuse the aroma, dicing it finely to serve as a topping on appetizers, or soaking laba garlic in vinegar to pair with dumplings. In the northeast of China, people even pierce cloves of garlic on a stick and serve it as BBQ. Frankly, there are very few spices or vegetables that get such a starring role in so many dishes.
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Compared to garlic, even a northern Chinese staple like noodles is nothing more than a backdrop, with proverbs such as “吃面不吃蒜，味道少一半 chī miàn bù chī suàn, wèidào shǎo yībàn Eat the noodle but not the garlic, you lose half of the taste” a testament to garlic’s enduring legacy. Similarly, folks are fond of asking the question, “Why do northern Chinese eat garlic with noodles?” to which the northern Chinese curtly responds, “What? Should we just eat the garlic?” Simply put, the smell of garlic doesn’t emanate from northern Chinese mouths but is wholly infused with their blood (which is, on some level, scientifically true since the particles of garlic’s scent are small enough to enter the veins and respiratory system).
The reason why northerners are so obsessed with garlic is complicated. First, during the harsh winters in the north, raw garlic can warm people up, while in the steamy summers, it can open the appetite and serve as a natural antibiotic. Interestingly, back in 2009, when the H1N1 bird flu struck, there was something of a garlic shortage in China because people thought it would boost their immune system and prevent infection, resulting in free garlic disappearing from restaurant tables for a while.
Second, for farmers and manual laborers, the pungent and unique taste of garlic is the simplest and cheapest way to spice up an otherwise bland meal, especially considering spice options were rather limited back in the day due to environmental and technological factors. It’s a fact that’s evident in the various noodle dishes across China: most of what you find in the south are elevated by fresh, diverse toppings and assorted spices, while those in the north focus more on noodle texture and shape.
Last, but certainly not least, I believe that garlic has prevailed in northern China because more than just an aromatic additive, it’s become a veritable point of pride and identity. And luckily, unlike chewing areca nuts in the south, eating raw garlic is not addictive nor will it cause cancer, but still offers some solid social time before tucking into a meal, and ultimately separates the true Northerners from the posers. Admittedly, it’s also kind of a selfish guilty pleasure, since anyone who doesn’t partake in this delightful snack still has to put up with its not-so delightful smell. This leads us to suggest, why not just check your dignity at the door and join the stinky joyful bunch. You’ll be much happier for it.
In closing, I would like to relate a heated debate that swept the internet years ago about garlic culture versus coffee culture, which was coded language for Beijing’s laidback and slightly vulgar lifestyle versus the sophisticated but slightly pretentious lifestyle in Shanghai. No matter where you fall in this controversy, we’d all do well to remember what crosstalk celebrity 郭德纲 Guo Degang once said, “喝咖啡就大蒜， 秋水共长天一色 hē kāfēi jiù dàsuàn, qiūshuǐ gòng cháng tiān yīsè Drink your coffee with garlic, they are paired as well as the autumn river reflects the sky.”
Read: When the Spice is Right: What La Is this La？
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