Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Life is a Bowl of Waxberries

I haven't seen waxberries (yang mei) anywhere else than China. I've bought them preserved, but yesterday I found them outside the Main Gate and Mr. Handsome's fruit stand. They are made up of tiny pieces, huddled around a large pit in the center. Intensely tart and a little astringent, they also have a delicious undercurrent of sweet.



Mr. Handsome himself is not actually handsome, but a pretty good and honest fruit seller. I asked how much the waxberries were, and I was completely surprised to see them there. He told me the price and added that they were hen hao chi, that is, very good to eat. He always says everything is hen hao chi.

-吴佩芙

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those berries are such a pretty color! Do you know if they grow on trees or bushes? Thank ou for keeping us all informed, it is very interseting! What holiday is is May? Love, matka

Anonymous said...

I was on-call Thursday and Friday last week and I will be on-call Tuesday and Wednesday this week. I still get way too uptight about call nights. They are just too long. From 1630 until 0800 the next day. I could use some astringent berries to calm me down perhaps. I have become a coffee drinker, add it to my list of things I should never have started to to, and drinking coffee does not help. Beautiful Berries MsL.
MJ in CR
(by the way matka is not very subtle about a May holiday)