Pork Strips with Broccoli and Carrots

It has always intrigued me to note that of all the cuisines of the world the Italian has far less in common with those of its Latin neighbors Spain and France than it does with that of China. Both Italy and China make pasta, for example, to cite one of the most obvious parallels. But their culinary paths draw close in so many other ways: in their direct handling of ingredients, in the many quick-cooked dishes, in the integration of vegetables with meat or fish, in pairing sweet with sour.</