“Sneak out of the city to a nongjiale [referring to a day trip to the country, the phrase literally means “happy farmers home”] in the fertile countryside surrounding the city. In early spring, fields to the west of Chengdu are oceans of fragrant yellow, thanks to rapeseed flowers, and the hills of Longquan are carpeted in the pink of peach blossoms. Soak in nature, enjoy a cup of tea and eat some amazing food prepared at the nongjiale using produce straight from the source. Not to be missed is chunya, tender budding leaves from the Chinese toon tree and are only available for a few weeks in the spring. Harvested wild, they are bright and oniony, usually served in a sort of omelette.”
– Jordan Porter, founder of Chengdu Food Tours
