Culture and Identity:

"Unlike kung pao chicken, which nearly every self-respecting Chinese chef can make, a request for General Tso's chicken left many cooks, waitresses, and restaurant owners scratching their heads."

   In chapter 5 Jennifer is on a search to find General Tso chicken. After traveling from New York all the way to Hunan city of Changsha it has been very difficult to find what she is looking for. She also gives the reader a history lesson on the general himself and how the name of this chicken came about. Jennifer travels city to city to find out more about the history behind the chicken.
   I believe this line says a lot about the culture and identity of the Chinese. I found it very interesting that some of the restaurants had no clue about the history or the existence of the General Tso chicken. For example, on page 68-69 Jennifer explained the reactions she would get from the restaurant owners when she asked about the chicken. Many of them were confused, so instead, they would kindly offer her another meal and encourage her to try a different type of chicken. In my opinion I would not be shocked to know that some people don't know much about their culture. I can relate to this line because there is also a lot that I don't know about my culture. Doing research and brushing up on my history would help me improve my identity.