Family food culture, local food memories, workers’ table stories, and personal relationships with food.
Editor’s Note In the opening of the “One-Pot Abbess’s Little Dining Table” series, Xia Lili begins with a series of memories, explaining her “dining table” philosophy and the origins of the Little Dining Table project. In this piece, Xia Lili takes us into the vivid reality of the project. Stationed…
Foodthink Says As May arrives, it is once again the season for foraging mushrooms in the mountains of Yunnan. In recent years, wild vegetables and wild fungi have become increasingly popular. Not only are various premium wild greens and mushrooms appearing in mainstream supermarkets, wet markets, and online fresh produce…
Foodthink’s Perspective Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity. This year’s theme is “Biodiversity for Sustainable Development” (Be part of the plan). For the average person, the most direct way to get involved is through eating. By doing so, we can appreciate the beauty brought by biodiversity, but we…
Editor’s Note In a corner of Yulin, Chengdu, Xia Lili—known to the locals as “Master Yi Guo”—has launched a new experiment: The Little Dining Table. This is a warm, collective dining initiative where neighbours team up as “dining buddies” to purchase and share meals, establishing regular eating habits and enjoying…
The Spring Festival holiday has come to an end. What tastes of home did you rediscover this year? In this episode of Food Talk, the team at Foodthink gather to share their culinary memories of the New Year. From Shaanxi to Hainan, and Harbin to Beijing, each region brings its…
How can we tell whether fruit and vegetables are truly good? Should we rely solely on how symmetrical and attractive they look? If so, why is it that the ‘ugly’ produce—the misshapen fruits and veg found on the farm—disappears the moment it hits the shelves? The genes haven’t mutated; the…
Foodthink Author Kouzi A determined farmer-trekker and village brewmaster. Full-time foodie, part-time farmer, and amateur writer. Some people might look at the title and think it’s wrong: ‘Isn’t the New Year supposed to make you put on a few pounds? How on earth can you lose weight…
Foodthink Author Kouzi Farmer trekker, village brewing master. Full-time foodie, part-time farmer, amateur writer. Readers familiar with me may have already noticed: I don’t stir-fry. Indeed, Villain’s Valley doesn’t even have a wok. Of course, my one-square-metre kitchen is equipped with a full set of appliances—pots, steamers,…
My grandfather was the fourth child of his family, born in 1933. He lost his mother as a child and his father as a youth, weathering years of famine. He was a farmer throughout his life, and for a time, a cotton dresser. In his later years, his dreams grew…
In 2016, I had a few failed attempts at grocery shopping at Sanyuanli Market. I only returned recently to visit an exhibition and found that the market had long since found its true calling: as an art installation. Returning after seven years, Sanyuanli has become polished and glamorous. To promote…
