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客家菜家乡情

Vegetarians need not despair. Traditionally, much of the Hakka diet is sourced from the earth. It might have been out of necessity, but it has been honed into a culinary art. Tell your host that you prefer a healthy portion of vegetarian food and you'll be surprised at the variety that will greet you and your palate.

The most dramatic part of my trip to Meizhou involved a snack called yanmian, literally pickled noodle. Filmmaker Zhang Yibai, known for his epicurean knowledge, texted us about a noodle shop in downtown Meizhou that had impressed him a year earlier. Our host called every one of his friends and nobody had heard of this place. One night, after we already had dinner and a midnight snack, we were driving around that area and stumbled upon the extremely inconspicuous stall. We ordered one full portion for everyone - yanmian noodle complete with another bowl of fish soup. Xue Xiaolu, director of Finding Mr Right, ended up ordering one more full serving.

That night, I texted a good friend of mine in the United States, whose hometown is Meizhou, about this noodle shop and he replied: "Yanmian is available at every snack stand."

Never predict the flavor of food served by the glamour of the venue, or lack thereof.

Last but certainly not least is Mama's Red Wine, which is my personal translation of "niang jiu" (niang means mother). It is similar to many local Chinese brews but much sweeter. Distilled from sticky rice and well water, it is traditionally brewed by the matriarch of the household.