Chaoshan beef hotpot (File photo)
Gongfu tea (File photo)
Cantonese style cold tea
After two rounds of snacks, I was so full that I couldn't move. My friend suggested we have some Cantonese style "cold tea" to help digest our meal.
Cantonese style "cold tea" is not really cold. It is served hot most of the time. A more correct translation would be "herbal tea," as it is a drink made from Chinese medicine meant to reduce heat in the body. It is an old custom to drink this tea in Guangdong since the weather there is damp and hot. It can be enjoyed year round as it helps to drive away the heat in summer and relieve sore throats in winter.
It's easy to spot a "cold tea" shop. They are very small, usually about three square meters in size. They usually do not have any table or chairs and you'll see some large bronze jars containing different kinds of herbal tea on the counter.
I'm not actually a fan of "cold tea" as I find it too bitter. But as the Chinese saying goes, "Good medicine tastes bitter." One of my favorite types of Chinese medicinal teas is Five Flowers Tea, which helps alleviate fatigue, indigestion and insomnia. You should give it a try.
Gongfu tea
In the afternoon, I was invited to my friend's place. When locals invite you to their place, the first thing they do is serve you a cup of Chaoshan gongfu tea.
You probably already know how much Chinese people love tea. Chaoshan gongfu tea has been around for more than 200 years. Actually, gongfu tea is more than just tea, it also involves a ceremony. In China's tea history, Chao-shan's gongfu tea is considered one of the most representative and glamorous tea-making techniques.
My friend showed me how to make gongfu tea during my visit. First, he used boiled water to clean the tea set, which included a tiny red water kettle and three tiny red tea cups. One teapot holds enough water to make three cups of tea.
I asked why the accessories were so small. Did it have something to do with how expensive the tea in Chaoshan is? My friend told me that, actually, it's because a small tea cup allows you to appreciate the taste and smell of the tea before you drink it, and then enjoy the fragrance left behind in the cup after you finish.
After cleaning the tea set and warming up the teapot, he poured some tea on a piece of paper and then put that into the pot. You have to be patient, the first round of tea is not meant to be drunk. It is purely to "wash the tea," as my friend put it. From the second round onward, you can enjoy your tiny cup of tea. Each round, tea is served to the guest first, the host second. While I didn't find the taste of gongfu tea amazing, I think the tea ceremony is really what makes it so special.
Beef hotpot
If you are bored with the city, island hopping is a good alternative for tourists in Shantou. After having gongfu tea, my friend and I went over to Nan'ao Island. We took a ferry that looked like it had survived World War II. After a 45--minute ride, we arrived on the island still in one piece.
Honestly speaking, Nao'ao Island is overrated. It is more like a park with some scenic spots, such as a couple of 800-year-old wells, a few temples, some fishing boats and a white sandy beach. During the summer, you can ride jet skis. In the winter, there is nothing much to do but eat overpriced seafood.
For me, winter in Guangdong means only one thing: hotpot season. So we decided to order beef hotpot. We took a ferry back to the city and went to a seafood dapaidang on Xiti Road. Dapaidang is a food vendor where you sit on a small chair on the side of the street and listen to the noise of the city while eating your food. This type of street food is usually cheap yet yummy.
Different from the spicy Sichuan hotpot, Chaoshan beef hotpot focuses mainly on the freshness of the ingredients.- For example, the reason why the beef is so fresh is because it is usually delivered to the restaurant a few hours after the cattle is slaughtered. According to our waiter, the meat from a 1- or 2-year-old female yellow calf is the best.
When it comes to hotpot, slices of beef, meatballs, seafood and vegetables are my favorite items. Hotpot in Guangdong means more than just sharing a meal. It represents a bond of friendship because you do not do hotpot with people you dislike.
And with that meal, my delicious journey in Shantou came to an end.
Rules of Thumb
Getting there: Chaoshan is located in the eastern part of Guangdong Province. It combines the cities of Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang. The Jieyang Chaoshan International airport is about 60 kilometers from Shantou and 50 kilometers from Chaozhou. From Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, you can get there by high-speed rail or long-distance bus to the Shantou car terminal. It takes about three hours.
Getting around: Taxis are hard to find in the Chaoshan area. If you decide to take a taxi, insist that the driver to use the meter. Traveling by motorized trishaw is faster and cheaper, but you need to negotiate with the driver.
What to wear: Chaoshan is blessed with a mild and humid climate as well as abundant sunshine. The temperature is pleasant almost all year round, except for in the summer. The average temperature is about 22 C, and in summer, it can reach 38 C.
