Hainan: foodie reconnaissance
A large island on the South China Sea, just slightly off China’s southern coast ––– Hainan. Not only is this the geographically southernmost part of the Middle Kingdom, it is also culturally tied to other southerly southern areas of South China: historical links to Fujian …
Liuzhou 柳州
Every Chinese city boasts with pride about its cuisine. Some go next level and build food museums. Liǔzhōu 柳州 has three. But even aside these establishments, this city has one pivotal magnet for foodies – a dish that single-handedly immortalizes Liuzhou in gourmet minds: snail …
Dongshan Ridge 东山岭
I scrambled onto one of the many large boulders tucked on the jungle-overgrown slope to use it as a vantage point. While scoping the hills, I heard some bleats and saw movement in the bushes below me: silhouettes of a goat or two. I quickly …
The art of peanut oil
From peanut to oil. Take a look at how it is done in a small workshop in Yáchéng town 崖城镇 (ancient Yázhōu 崖州古城) on Hainan Island. …
Xinjiang: a foodie reconnaissance
One single city won’t reflect the cultural complexity of an entire region. But an immersion into its food can certainly help in grasping the intricacies of both history, geography and customs. Let’s look at Xinjiang through a foodie stroll around Yining. Xinjiang is the size …
Guitar clangs, Beggar’s Chicken
Beggar’s Chicken 叫化鸡 is a simple yet brilliant concept: a whole chicken is covered in clay and baked, resulting in utterly succulent and fragrant meat. Today, clay is often replaced with dough or oven bags. We prepared it with friends beside a small stream that …
