Seasons on the Table
Memories of Beijing winters, and how scarcity created seasonal flavor
Besides cabbage, the only other vegetables available in winter were radish, leek, and potatoes. On our family table we often had braised beef with daikon or daikon meatball soup, but my personal favorite was the pickles made from watermelon-radish skins — crisp, bright, and perfect with a bowl of rice. The other day, my mom told me that my grandma used to dry eggplants for winter—slicing them, threading them on strings, and hanging them on the roof to dry—then later cooking them into a rich pork stew. I never had the chance to taste it; by the time I was born, she had already moved into a new apartment, and winter vegetables were no longer scarce. With greenhouse technology, fresh produce became available year-round. And with that abundance, the old boundaries between seasons on the dinner table quietly faded.
Yet even today, when we’re no longer constrained by what the land gives us, many Chinese people still choose to “eat with the seasons.” Seasonal foods not only taste better, but are also believed to be more nourishing when eaten in harmony with the rhythms of the natural world. In her latest book, Invitation to a Banquet, Fuchsia Dunlop writes:
The Chinese have always insisted that food should be eaten in season, not only out of practical necessity but to promote health. The nourishment of life, yangsheng, depends not only on harmony within the body but on harmony between the body and nature. Ancient texts specified which foods should be eaten or avoided in every season; culinary and medical works recommended that plants and animals should be harvested at the right moment for maximum potency and flavour.
That’s why today, living in Paris, I still eat bitter melon to “clear summer heat,” ginger with brown sugar to “dispel cold,” goji berries and red dates to “nourish the blood,” and pear soup to “moisten the lungs” in winter. Speaking of which, here’s a simple pear soup recipe I made a few years ago—I hope it keeps you warm and healthy through the winter!
Warm greetings,
Siyu
More seasonal things you might enjoy:
A comic I drew about Chinese cabbage and the Beijing winter
A documentary that explores the deep connection between Chinese cuisine and the changing seasons. (the whole series is worth watching)
A playful and poetic interpretation of the solar terms
A French podcast for lovers of the seasons and Japan
An illustrated book in French that explains the Chinese lunisolar calendar through its key solar terms
Love your post and being of Chinese background (and a foodie) as well; I can definitely relate to it ^^
The memories of pickled greens and nappa cabbage brings back lots of nostalgia!!
For some reasons, whenever I try to replicate certain home recipes, even using the same ingredients, they don't taste as the ones that my family prepares back home haha - maybe there's lots more at play?
Thank you for sharing your recipe too - keen to try it ^^
Really enjoy reading your comics 😊
So interesting!
In Ireland, despite the EU, the vegetable choices tend to follow the seasons too. Root veg grow well in winter and also Brussels sprouts. I remember harvesting them on Christmas Eve while my hands froze!
Now living in Canada, I’m mostly spoilt for choice.