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Waxing lyrical about delicious yang mei
By Wu Huixin |
June 6, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NOW'S the season to sample sweet, crimson bayberries - yang mei in Chinese - which are grown along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Zhejiang Province has long been a prime location for the tastiest yang mei. As an old saying goes, "The world's bayberries come from China, while China's bayberries come from Zhejiang."
There's some truth to this boast as excavations at the Neolithic Hemudu site in east Zhejiang found traces of bayberries being grown there 7,000 years ago.
Even today Zhejiang still has an evident edge in production of the summer treat. It lists the bayberry as its distinguishing provincial fruit, with an annual output of 400,000 tons.
The figure makes yang mei the second-biggest fruit industry in the province. Varieties grown in Zhejiang include dong kui, bi qi zhong, ding yao mei and wan dao mei.
As a comparatively local fruit with little competition domestically or overseas, bayberries traditionally sell well.
In traditional Chinese medicine, yang mei is compared to much-prized mineral agate. The bayberry is renowned as the "agate of fruits" for its medicinal and nutritious properties.
TCM masterpiece "Ben Cao Gang Mu" ("Compendium of Materia Medica") says that yang mei can stimulate the appetite and detox and dispel cold from the body.
Modern medicine has found that bayberries assist in the excretion of hazardous substances and help maintain youthful looks.
In addition, bayberry desserts are popular summer treats.
For Hangzhou locals, the fun of the bayberry season lies not only in the eating, but also picking the juicy berries.
Xiaoshan and Yuhang districts are bayberry hot spots in June and July, with visitors encouraged to pick the goodies themselves.
Shanghai Daily picks two local orchards, where you can - quite literally - enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Chaoshan Scenic Area, Yuhang District
Chaoshan - a scenic 5-square-kilometer area located around famous water town Tangqi Town - is said to epitomize top-quality Yuhang bayberries.
Bayberries were first grown here during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907-979) and the area's known by locals as shi li mei hai - literally, "a large sea of bayberries." Chaoshan bayberries are renowned for their greenish-red color, succulence and a refreshing taste.
Chaoshan locals have carved out 1.3 square kilometers of fields for growing bayberry trees, with a yearly output of 320 tons directly offered to Hangzhou residents.
Producers also process preserved bayberries, with some exported to Hong Kong, Macau and elsewhere.
Thanks to the good soil, the iron, phosphor and calcium content in Chaoshan bayberries are 10 times higher than others, it is claimed.
Chaoshan is also renowned for its forests, flowers and fresh air. Local nong jia le (happy farmhouse) guesthouses offer homemade delicacies and entertainment activities for visitors.
Ticket: 60 yuan (US$9.7) per person. Guests can eat their bayberries inside the park, but if you want to take them out, you must pay.
Tel: (0571) 8631-1272
How to get there: From the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, turn off at the Yuhang Exit, continue along No. 9 Provincial Road until you reach Chaoshan.
Dujia Village, Suoqian Town, Xiaoshan District
The best bayberries in Zhejiang Province are said to grow in Dujia Village, Suoqian Town, Xiaoshan District. The average weight of each Dujia bayberry is between 16 and 17 grams, with a tiny kernel and plenty sweet pulp.
The district is also home to an old tale of how yang mei got their name.
During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), a government official returned to his hometown Xiaoshan to visit family. His departure back to court coincided with the bayberry season, so the official brought some to the emperor as a tribute. Traveling day and night, he ensured the berries were still fresh when he presented them to the emperor.
It is said that the emperor's favorite wife, Yang Yuhuan, loved the berries so much that the emperor named the fruit after her.
And so the tasty berries were given the name yang mei - literally, "Yang plum."
Thereafter, Xiaoshan officials sent bayberries as tribute to the imperial court every year, and in return the fame of Xiaoshan's yang mei soared.
Even today, bayberries are the major source of income for Xiaoshan farmers.
Xiaoshan has a couple of orchards and happy farmhouses with bayberries, plus Hangzhou Ecological Garden is located here.
Ticket: 60 yuan each person. Guests can eat their berries inside the park, but cannot take them out unless you pay.
How to get there: From the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, turn off at the Hangzhou Qianjiang No. 2 Bridge Exit, then head south along Tonghui Road where you'll see a large sign hoarding for Hangzhou Ecological Garden.
Zhejiang Province has long been a prime location for the tastiest yang mei. As an old saying goes, "The world's bayberries come from China, while China's bayberries come from Zhejiang."
There's some truth to this boast as excavations at the Neolithic Hemudu site in east Zhejiang found traces of bayberries being grown there 7,000 years ago.
Even today Zhejiang still has an evident edge in production of the summer treat. It lists the bayberry as its distinguishing provincial fruit, with an annual output of 400,000 tons.
The figure makes yang mei the second-biggest fruit industry in the province. Varieties grown in Zhejiang include dong kui, bi qi zhong, ding yao mei and wan dao mei.
As a comparatively local fruit with little competition domestically or overseas, bayberries traditionally sell well.
In traditional Chinese medicine, yang mei is compared to much-prized mineral agate. The bayberry is renowned as the "agate of fruits" for its medicinal and nutritious properties.
TCM masterpiece "Ben Cao Gang Mu" ("Compendium of Materia Medica") says that yang mei can stimulate the appetite and detox and dispel cold from the body.
Modern medicine has found that bayberries assist in the excretion of hazardous substances and help maintain youthful looks.
In addition, bayberry desserts are popular summer treats.
For Hangzhou locals, the fun of the bayberry season lies not only in the eating, but also picking the juicy berries.
Xiaoshan and Yuhang districts are bayberry hot spots in June and July, with visitors encouraged to pick the goodies themselves.
Shanghai Daily picks two local orchards, where you can - quite literally - enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Chaoshan Scenic Area, Yuhang District
Chaoshan - a scenic 5-square-kilometer area located around famous water town Tangqi Town - is said to epitomize top-quality Yuhang bayberries.
Bayberries were first grown here during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907-979) and the area's known by locals as shi li mei hai - literally, "a large sea of bayberries." Chaoshan bayberries are renowned for their greenish-red color, succulence and a refreshing taste.
Chaoshan locals have carved out 1.3 square kilometers of fields for growing bayberry trees, with a yearly output of 320 tons directly offered to Hangzhou residents.
Producers also process preserved bayberries, with some exported to Hong Kong, Macau and elsewhere.
Thanks to the good soil, the iron, phosphor and calcium content in Chaoshan bayberries are 10 times higher than others, it is claimed.
Chaoshan is also renowned for its forests, flowers and fresh air. Local nong jia le (happy farmhouse) guesthouses offer homemade delicacies and entertainment activities for visitors.
Ticket: 60 yuan (US$9.7) per person. Guests can eat their bayberries inside the park, but if you want to take them out, you must pay.
Tel: (0571) 8631-1272
How to get there: From the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, turn off at the Yuhang Exit, continue along No. 9 Provincial Road until you reach Chaoshan.
Dujia Village, Suoqian Town, Xiaoshan District
The best bayberries in Zhejiang Province are said to grow in Dujia Village, Suoqian Town, Xiaoshan District. The average weight of each Dujia bayberry is between 16 and 17 grams, with a tiny kernel and plenty sweet pulp.
The district is also home to an old tale of how yang mei got their name.
During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), a government official returned to his hometown Xiaoshan to visit family. His departure back to court coincided with the bayberry season, so the official brought some to the emperor as a tribute. Traveling day and night, he ensured the berries were still fresh when he presented them to the emperor.
It is said that the emperor's favorite wife, Yang Yuhuan, loved the berries so much that the emperor named the fruit after her.
And so the tasty berries were given the name yang mei - literally, "Yang plum."
Thereafter, Xiaoshan officials sent bayberries as tribute to the imperial court every year, and in return the fame of Xiaoshan's yang mei soared.
Even today, bayberries are the major source of income for Xiaoshan farmers.
Xiaoshan has a couple of orchards and happy farmhouses with bayberries, plus Hangzhou Ecological Garden is located here.
Ticket: 60 yuan each person. Guests can eat their berries inside the park, but cannot take them out unless you pay.
How to get there: From the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, turn off at the Hangzhou Qianjiang No. 2 Bridge Exit, then head south along Tonghui Road where you'll see a large sign hoarding for Hangzhou Ecological Garden.
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