China is a beautiful land of contradictions- old and new all coexisting side by side. When it comes to food the same holds true - there’s the traditional and the modern always butted up against each other on hectic city streets. Few cultures seem to be as enamoured with KFC, Burger King or Pizza Hut (a popular choice amongst graduating students who select the fast-food pizza chain as their special family meal to commemorate their educational milestone- so popular that reservations are a must!) than China.
Exploring One of the Largest Cities in the World
On a recent trip to Shanghai hosted by the city’s #1 fan and new part-time resident Rudy Guo (who will be opening up his own addition to the culinary scene in that thriving metropolis sometime this year with talented Canadian chef Shaun Anthony manning the kitchen), a group of Canadian sommeliers, chefs and this food writer/TV producer set out to explore some of Asia’s sights, delights and cultural highlights.
So on the first jet-lag induced day in Shanghai- one of the largest cities in the world with approximately 22 million citizens (and counting), the group headed over to a traditional tea house for an early afternoon reprieve from the sun’s growing heat. At Hu Xin Ting- a beautiful building jutting out from a generously sized pond that has seen the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and VIPs galore enjoy its enchanting ambience, we savoured what can be best described as a Chinese afternoon tea.
Chinese Tea Selections
Lovely small brown clay pots of teas such as Pu’Er (which our companion Momo Zhang- Rudy’s wife, mentioned was prohibitively expensive two years ago- apparently the price sky rocketed making this a much coveted tea variety in China) and Tei Guan Yin arrived at the little marble topped tables. Pu’Er hails from the country’s Yunnan Province and is said to have been noblemen’s favourite tea during the Tang Dynasty. While Pu’Er tea may seem a bit strong, even medicinal to some, the Tei Guan Yin (from Rudy’s home province no less) is a bright, fruity and vibrant contrast.
The scene stealer however was the Osmanthus flower tea bud that opened ever so delicately as hot water filled the clear, glass pot revealing a water-framed flower in all of its yellow and orange glory. Snacks followed the parade of teas including tea-steeped quail’s eggs, warm tofu squares, glutinous rice cakes filled with red bean paste and the quintessential Chinese snack- salty sweet preserved plums.
Just like any warm-weather country, the tradition of drinking tea when it’s hot out is popular for its cooling effect. As you sweat in the interior of the elegant tea house, soft breezes wafting through the opened windows help cool you down, restore the senses and give you enough energy to rejoin the throngs outside in undoubtedly one of the world’s most fascinating cities.
Stay tuned for other adventures in the wild, wild east!
