The cuisine of northern China centers on Beijing and includes the provinces of Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and the northeast, which is collectively known as dongbei in Chinese. The harsh northern climate consists of blistering hot summers and cold dry winters matching the strong, bold and salty flavors of this region. Stir-frying, stewing, and deep-frying are typical ways of cooking fairly basic ingredients such as chicken, mutton, fish and tofu. There tends to be an emphasis on meats, with vegetables taking a back seat. Common condiments include bean pastes, dark soy sauces, vinegar and sugar resulting in dishes with rich brown sauces. Pungent, aromatic and forceful flavors from garlic, ginger and spring onion dominate as well.

Wheat is the staple grain that grows well here and you'll find an abundance of wheat products in the form of buns, noodles, dumplings and pancakes. Look for hand pulled noodles being made to order –an exciting and artful demonstration of skill. A master noodle puller can create strands of noodles so fine they're called "dragon's whiskers."Also, look for "hand shaved" noodles made to order served with flavorful soups or dumplings, which are a universal simple pleasure served with vinegar and hot chili oil for dipping. Try dumplings with pork and cabbage, egg and chives or pork and black mushroom fillings, which are standard combinations available in most dumpling houses.

There's also a strong Muslim influence introduced by Central Asian traders who made their way along the Silk Road. You can taste their influence in the form of barbecued lamb skewers flavored with cumin seed or lamb stir-fried with vegetables. Mongolian hotpot is a year round specialty that is especially welcome in the winter. Set in the middle of your dining table is a simmering pot of flavorful broth, spiced with hot oil if you like, in which you cook paper thin slices of lamb, beef or pork, chunks of chicken and seafood as well as vegetables, a sesame paste dipping sauce spiced to your liking accompanies this. Nearly anything can be found cooking in a hotpot – for the adventurous try ordering cubes of duck blood.

Lakes and rivers are a reliable source of freshwater fish. Look for "squirrel fish" a dish made with mandarin fish, a type of freshwater bass. Ask to see it before it's cooked to ensure that it is "swimming fresh." Most restaurants expect patrons to ask, and it'll be ceremoniously brought directly to the table for your inspection. The fish is carefully filleted then deep fried and artfully served with a sweet and sour tomato sauce. This is a favorite in Beijing as the Chinese pronunciation is a homonym for "expensive."

Peking duck is the most famous dish of Beijing. Your best bet is to find it at restaurants that specialize in it. After roasting in a wood fired oven, watch a master chef carve the duck, skillfully wielding a thin bladed cleaver to carefully slice it. The delicacy you are after is the crispy duck skin – paired with scallion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce all wrapped in thin flour pancakes. If there's one dish to seek out when in Beijing, the duck is it.

The influence of the imperial court on northern Chinese cuisine is probably the largest influence on diversity. The standards and demands of this elaborate cuisine are no longer practiced in its full indulgence, but the skills and flavors are of great influence on the standards used for banquets and celebrations today. For the truly indulgent, take part in an imperial banquet. Recipes are based on those that once graced the tables of emperors.

Ten Representative Northern Dishes:
Beef with spring onions (青葱炒牛肉) –a dish of beef and spring onions that is flavored with soy sauce sugar and sesame oil.

Cabbage rolls with mustard oil (芥末白菜) – Chinese cabbage brushed with mustard oil, rolled up and steamed, a simple dish that reflects it humble northern roots.

Earthen jar pork ( 罐肉) – fatty pork belly, the same cut as bacon, is cooked slowly in a clay jar, creating a very rich brown sauce and succulent pork.

Hand pulled noodles in soup (抻面) – literally pulled by hand, this soup is "flavored" with various things as red stewed beef or pork, pickled vegetables, or with shredded chicken and a big dollop of chili sauce.

Mongolian hotpot ( 火锅) –thought to be first practiced by Mongolian soldiers using their helmets to prepare meals, today uses simmering cauldrons of soup over charcoal, used to individually cook all manner of meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. Soup may be spicy hot depending on personal taste.

Mu shu pork ( 木须肉) – despite being used on a variety of menus everywhere, this is actually a northern dish originating from Beijing. Pork cut into shreds is combined with black mushrooms, wood ear fungus, cabbage and accompanied by pancakes and hoisin sauce.

Peking duck ( 北京烤鸭) – most famous dish from Beijing, multi-step preparation that results in succulent crisp skin eaten with scallion, cucumber and a sweet brown sauce, wrapped in a thin wheat pancake.

Stir-fried eggs and tomatoes (番茄炒蛋) – this simple dish is relatively modern in that tomatoes are a "new world" ingredient, yet today has become a staple dish in the north.

Shandong sweet and sour carp (山东糖醋鱼) – deep fried carp with a sauce based on sugar and vinegar.

Stewed sea cucumber with crab eggs ( 山东蟹黄海参) – aShandong specialty, sea cucumber, alsoknown as sea slugs, readily absorbs flavorsand have an almost crunchy texture. Thecrab eggs lend a rich subtle flavor to theotherwise bland sea cucumber.