WhydoChinesepeoplelovehotpotsomuch?AsthewintermonthsbegintosettleinIfindmyselfwonderingwhatitisaboutthistraditionalmealwhichhasexistedformorethan1,000yearsthatmakesitaChinesefoodfavorite.Butitseemsthattheanswerliesbeyondthedishitself.
Hotpotisn'tjustdesignedtokeepyouwarmduringthecoldmonths;it'salsoasocialexperience.It'sa"theater”cuisinethatturnsamealintoanevent.Thereisalotoffunforeveryonetohaveinaddingingredientstothehotpot.
Hotpotiseatenovertwotothreehours.Forthisreasonitisoftenconsideredanevening'sentertainmentandtimetospendwithfriendsandfamily.Howevermanywesternerswouldbeputoffbytheideaofotherpeoplestickingchopsticksintheirfood.WhenwecometoeatatthetableintheUKwetendtohaveourownindividualportions(份额)althoughtheexperienceisstillasocialone.
AsimilarexperiencetothehotpotonecanbefoundinKoreanbarbecuerestaurantswhichletyoucookyourownmeat.Thisallowspeopletohavetheirmeatdonehowevertheywant.
FormostWesternerstheideaofgoingtoarestauranttocooktheirownfoodisbizarre(古怪的).ButhavinggivenhotpotagoIfindit'snowoneofmyfavoritemealsinBeijing.ThesteamfromthepotleftmyclothessmellingoffoodwhenIgothomebutperhapsthisisalsopartoftheexperience.Whenthechilly(刺骨的)windisblowingoutsidejustgrab(抓)somechopstickssomegoodfriendsanddigin.Formeit'slikethrowingadinnerpartywheremytastebuds(味蕾)andmyappetiteareequallysatisfiedinthewarmcompanyoffriends.
小题1:AccordingtotheauthorhotpotispopularinChinabecause________.