Eating around the sun throughout the year
The ancient Chinese created the 24 solar terms to guide agricultural activities based on changes in the climate and natural phenomena that greatly influenced many aspects of daily life, including food, clothing and festivals.
The solar terms were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, renewing interest in the tradition.
Three food-and-beverage establishments — The Red Chamber, The Lounge and Atmosphere — have joined forces to create a food-andcocktail menu based on the terms in Beijing on Jan 24. The selections combine history and heritage with modern cuisine and innovative techniques.
Some “popular” solar terms are associated with food, The Red Chamber’s executive chef Zhou Xuyu says. For instance, northerners eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice.
“But people don’t eat special foods for each term,” he says.
“I’ve always wanted to study all 24 solar terms and the ingredients that are suitable to use during them. The menu’s dishes use the most seasonal ingredients according to the 24 solar terms.”
For the coming term, the Beginning of Spring, Zhou has prepared traditional spring pancakes with Chinese chives, while The Lounge will serve deep-fried spring rolls and a soup of jujubes, goji berries and mountain yams.
At the Beginning of Summer, people are traditionally encouraged to eat light, cooling dishes.
The Red Chamber will offer steamed loofah with garlic and ginger, and The Lounge will present a light soup of duck broth and fresh bamboo shoots.
Indeed, a range of healthy seasonal dishes will be offered without sacrificing flavor or presentation.
“We’ve created the menu for the first three months, starting from the Beginning of Spring, with three to four dishes for each solar term. And we’ll continue to create the menu throughout the entire year,” Zhou says.
At Atmosphere, Indonesian head mixologist Dicky Hartono has created six cocktails inspired by six solar terms: Rain Water, Lesser Fullness, Summer Solstice, White Dew, Autumn Equinox and Heavy Snow.
Each has a unique presentation that matches its seasonal inspiration.
Rain Water, for instance, uses osmanthus and butterfly-pea seeds to conjure a fragrance like that of the blooming of flowers as the ice melts.
For Lesser Fullness, Hartono has created a unique blend of whisky and barley tea served in traditional Chinese bottle gourds, representing the harvest season’s bounty.
“I’ve learned the details and meanings of the 24 solar terms, and I also read Chinese stories, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, to get inspiration for creating cocktails with Chinese elements,” Hartono says.
Each solar term on the menu is labeled with a logo created by Ren Jing, one of the “outstanding designers” from the Beijing Design Week’s 24 Solar Terms Logo Design Competition.
Zhou says the study of the 24 solar terms and the menu will last for years.
“The first version of the menu can’t be perfect,” Zhou says.
“And I’ll listen to diners’ feedback and change the menu accordingly year after year. In the end, I hope to have a stable menu for the 24 solar terms and make each dish a classic.”