THEStartofAutumn,usuallyfallingbetweenAugust7and9,isthe13thofthe24solartermsintheChineselunarcalendar.InBeijing,winterisfreezingcold,springisoftentoowindy,summerisscorchinghot;autumnthereforebecomesthemostpleasantoffourseasonswithcrystalblueskiesandabountifulharvestofcropsandfruits.
InChina,afarmer鈥檚proverbsays:oncetheStartofAutumncomes,thewaterbecomecooler.AlthoughsometimesthelastofthehottestdaysoftheyearcomeaftertheStartofAutumnanditisstillhotduringtheday,boththemorningsandnightsarecooler.
Chinesepeoplehaveacustomofgainingweightinautumn.Asthehotsummerdaysoftendampenpeople鈥檚appetitesandpeople鈥檚sleepqualityisworsethanthatduringtheotherthreeseasonsduetolongdays,shortnights,hightemperatures,andhumidity,manyloseweightduringthehotseason.Thus,attheonsetofautumn,peoplenormallytakethisopportunitytoeatmoretoreplaceanyweighttheyhavelostduringthesummerbyeatingred-braisedporkanddumplings,orheadingouttorestaurantsforroastducksorgrilledmeat.
Inbygonedays,peddlerssoldcolorfulcommoditiesonthestreetsasautumnarrived.鈥淪weetgrapes,redjujube,andbigcrabs!鈥漈heircrieswouldbeaccompaniedbyautumnbreeze.Attheturnofsummerandautumn,thebusinessofrestaurantssoars.FoodieshavemultiplechoicesinBeijingasthecityhaslotsofrenownedrestaurantsandtheirownwellknowndishes,suchasred-cookedchickeninTaifengLou;grilledlambandsteamedcrabsinZhengyangLou;steamedporkwithglutinousriceflourinXingchunJu;stewedpig鈥檚feetandbraisedporkmeatballsinTongfuJu;muttonhotpotinDongLaiShun;braisedbeeftendoninXiLaiShun;andbraisedporkshankwithsoysauceintime-honoredbrandTianFuHao.
Freshwatercrabswerethepreferredculinarychoiceforthenobilityandwealthyfamilies.MalecrabsarethebestintheseventhmonthintheChineselunarcalendarandfemalecrabsarebestintheeighthlunarmonth.
Herearetwodishesrecommendedfortheseason.
OneisTremellaandLotusSeedSweetSoup.Prepare50glotusseedswithoutcore,50grocksugar,25gtremella,twowolf-berries,andsomehoney.Boilthesoakedlotusseedstilltheyturntender,fishthemoutandputthemintoabowlofwater,addthesoakedtremella,wolf-berries,androcksugar,andsteamfor15minutes.Coolthedishandgarnishitwithhoneyontop.
TheotherisBraisedPorkBellywithChestnuts.Prepare400gporkbelly,200gchestnuts,oil,salt,soysauce,rocksugar,Sichuanpepper,aniseed,cinnamon,cookingwine,scallion,andginger.Cubetheporkbellyandthenblanchinwater.Putallingredientsexceptchestnutsintotheboilingwater,andsteaminapressurecookerfor15minutes.Cooldowntheporkandaddthepeeledchestnuts,cookforanotherfourminutes.Itwillbewelldonewithasumptuouschestnutaroma.
TONGCHANGYOUisaBeijingCuisinemasterandamemberofboththeChinaCuisineAssociationandtheBeijingCuisineAssociation.