Food and eating probably brings up the most questions and the most misconceptions when talking about China. There's the issue of "Chinese" food abroad and what we think that is. There's the issue of what Chinese people eat in China - and how good or bad that is. Here's my take on some of these points in hopes it brings clarity and reality to the topic.

1. Dog and cat will be on the menu
Yes, compared to what you're used to, you will be able to seek out and find a lot of what you might think of as weird, bizarre and/or downright disgusting on a menu in China. This doesn't mean that domesticated animals will appear on every menu. It does mean that you can find restaurants specializing in bull frog, rabbit head and duck tongue. And, it's true, in some parts of China, you may actually find restaurants that serve dog or cat.

Activists in China are protesting the consumption of dog meat and so it's definitely got a bad reputation, even among locals. But again, that doesn't mean that the neighbor's fluffy poodle will end up on the table.

2. You can't drink the water
Yes, you shouldn't drink tap water anywhere in China. But this doesn't mean that what you'll see coming out of the pipes is brown or has chunks of garbage floating in it.

I've lived in Shanghai for a long time and over the years I've read various articles about how clean the water is supposed to be – and it may be true. Perhaps after the cleaning functions are performed, it is potable. But Shanghai's problem lies in the pipes that deliver the water. Many are frightfully old or damaged so ground water seeps in or nasties from the pipes themselves get involved in the water, so by the time it reaches your mouth from the tap, it's best not to drink it.

The water can be boiled or filtered and should be OK. The safest bet is to drink bottled water wherever you go.

3. Where's the P.F. Chang's?
There is no P.F. Chang's in China. Why is that? Well, P.F. Chang's is the modernization of Chinese food that has entered the West, at least in this case the US, and become mainstream. Chinese food in mainland China is quite varied and a wonderful topic to get locals to chat about. Sichuan food is spicy and numbing, or "ma la"; Hunan food is "xiang la" or fragrant and spicy. Shanghai food is known to be rather sweet; Shanxi food is known for its use of vinegar. In the US, at least, there might be some differentiation between Cantonese food (coming from China's Guangdong Province and Hong Kong) and Sichuan dishes - but that's about it, right?

The Chinese diaspora brought Chinese food all over the world but when local ingredients aren't available, then substitutions are made. When the local clientele can't handle the spice, things are toned down. Over the years, the food takes on the flavors and nuances of the place it's being made and loses some of that hometown authenticity. It's bound to happen. Therefore, Chinese food as you know it outside of China is radically different in flavor and types of dishes.

4. Where's my fortune cookie?
Here's a fortune I can guarantee: "You will not get a fortune cookie at the end of your meal in China."

Fortune cookies are an American invention. Supposedly they were introduced by a Japanese family in San Francisco. There's a great article by Jennifer Lee that explains the origin of the fortune cookie and how it became a mainstay of the Chinese restaurants in the US. She quotes a Mr. Wong as saying, "The Japanese may have invented the fortune cookie. But the Chinese people really explored the potential of the fortune cookie. It's Chinese-American culture. It only happens here, not in China."

There are plenty of sweets available in China but typically dessert is a platter of fruit served at the end of a meal, perhaps with some tea. Chinese sweets tend to be glutinous and soupy: think glutinous rice balls with sweet red bean paste inside, served in a syrup. Read our Chinese Cuisine's Chinese Desserts section to learn more.

Your next fortune cookie says "Never order a hamburger in a Chinese restaurant." Kindly ponder that one over your next order of General Tso's Chicken.