simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. This is a typical feature of liquors produced in East Asia. Chinese baijiu is always distilled from grain, produced in batches and blended. Image Outside of East Asia, baijiu is widely regarded as an acquired taste. In response to one 2015 article in The New York Times, third-party commenters compared baijiu's aroma and taste profile to "jet fuel, kerosene, poison, nail polish remover, drain cleaner, Burgundy cheeses, and salty garbage water", and the tenor of these remarks was "representative of most English-language writing about baijiu at the time". Such descriptions have been harshly criticized by Western experts on baijiu as reflecting an uninformed Eurocentric perspective in which Chinese cuisine is regarded as inferior and vodka's blandness is the only acceptable profile for clear distilled liquor. It is more reasonable to compare baijiu to Western liquor famous for strong flavors and aromas such as peaty whisky or Scotch whisky. Serving Traditional etiquette The Chinese traditionally serve baijiu neat at room temperature, in small cups or glasses, though drinkware varies by region. It is traditional to drink baijiu with food rather than on its own, though it is often infused with fruit or medicinal herbs and spices. The ceremonial includes the following steps: Execute the Baili (拜礼) greeting to show respect to the host. Spill a moderate amount of baijiu in the cup onto the ground to show gratitude to nature. Take a sip and taste the baijiu, and tell the host your opinion. Finish the baijiu in the small glass in one go after the Ganbei (干杯, 'Cheers') and clinking of glasses. Note that the host should initiate and invite for a cup, and the guest should reply with a cup. Modern etiquette In modern days, ceremonial parts of the etiquettes are ignored. Commonly with a group of friends or family, the host would initiate with "Cheers for...!" (为...干杯!), and then guests would finish their cups after clinking the glasses. Tasting is also appreciated. Modern bar culture has grown in popularity in China, so has a craving for a twist on the traditional baijiu. In 2007, a report in Time magazine mentioned integrating baijiu into cocktails, and in the years since several bars around the world have added baijiu to their cocktail programs. Peking Tavern in downtown Los Angeles opened its doors in 2013 as one of the first in the US to serve a variety of