Taizhou's Hailing district has turned the local laid-back water-town lifestyle into a beloved, century-old daily ritual centered on time-honored morning tea and folksy afternoon street snacks.
The iconic local morning tea is traditionally eaten with three pastries and a bowl of noodles. Diners start with a cup of tea paired with blanched shredded dried tofu, the core of the experience, sliced paper-thin by skilled artisans, before moving on to seasonal stuffed buns, steamed dumplings and shaomai, finishing off with a bowl of rich, milky fish soup noodles slow-simmered from crucian carp and eel bones.
Blanched shredded dried tofu. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
Fish-broth noodles. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
The local afternoon tea, dubbed "late tea" by locals, is eaten with warm, crispy street snacks brimming with down-to-earth charm. Favorites include golden fried stinky tofu, plum-shaped crispy cakes stuffed with sweet red bean paste, shredded radish fritters, and crispy shrimp cakes made with fresh small river shrimp.
Golden fried stinky tofu. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
Shredded radish fritters. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
This full-day gentle food ritual offers visitors the perfect front-row seat to experience Taizhou's laid-back, timeless charm, no rush or rigid schedules required.
