Summer in Zhangzhou, don’t miss these little things!

Beautiful memories of summer In air conditioning, beaches, ice cream, watermelon, and cold beer... And Zhangzhou’s summer Is the steaming heat, the occasional heavy rain Is the colorful melons and fruits at the fruit stalls Is the aroma of barbecue drifting for miles at night Is the lively crowds playing in the sea 🌻Lychees are ripe A true summer wouldn’t be complete without a splash of red from lychees! The fruit falls to the ground with a pop, one side bathed in sunlight, the other filled with fragrance. Countless people are enchanted by its crystal-clear flesh and sweet honeyed aroma, and it was even the beloved favorite of Yang Guifei. Zhangzhou boasts a rich variety of lychees, including Feizixiao, Lanzhu, Wuye, Ziniangxi, Hongxiuqiu, Guiwei, Jinggang Hongnuo, Shuangjian Yuhebao, Xianjinfeng, Lingfeng Nuo, Dadingxiang, and more. Juicy, tender, fragrant, and sweet, lychees are undoubtedly one of the most anticipated fruits of summer, and Zhangzhou’s lychees have never disappointed. 🌻Pineapples are sweet In Minnan dialect, pineapple sounds like “Wang Lai,” meaning prosperity and flourishing wealth. It’s a very auspicious name. In Minnan, there is a custom of buying “Wang Lai” during festivals to offer to ancestors or display at home, hoping for prosperity in family and wealth. In summer, fruit stall owners in Zhangzhou skillfully pick a pineapple with full flesh, then swiftly cut off the long leaves with a curved knife, peel and remove the eyes, revealing the golden flesh. Zhangzhou pineapples are famous, mainly grown in Zhangpu, Zhao’an, Longhai, and other areas, with “Sarawak” and “Taiwan varieties” as the main representatives. 🌻Bayberries are ripe Unlike imported watermelons, bayberries are an authentic Chinese fruit with a cultivation and consumption history of over two thousand years. Pottery jars containing bayberries were found in the Han tombs at Mawangdui in Changsha. Due to their short season and poor storage tolerance, fresh bayberries were rare and precious in ancient times, highly favored by scholars and literati. The luckiest might be the people of Longhai, Zhangzhou, who can enjoy red-purple bayberries even before the true summer arrives. For food lovers, Longhai Fugong represents “super delicious bayberries” — large, plump, brightly colored, sweet, juicy, with small seeds. Fugong bayberries mature early, hitting the market from late April to early May, nearly a month earlier than the main bayberry-producing area of Zhejiang Province! The first taste of Fugong bayberries is sweet, with a gentle sour aftertaste, perfectly balanced, making the flavor richer, just as the Song dynasty poem “Ode to Bayberries” says: “Everyone finds them sweet as honey, little knowing the subtle sourness is the charm.” 🌻Seafood tastes better The most charming human warmth of summer is hidden in the bustling barbecue stalls. Order a few skewers and a jug of cold beer. Amid the crackling charcoal and sizzling oil, chat loudly with friends. Everyone has their must-order barbecue, and oysters definitely rank high. Zhangzhou takes advantage of the mixing of seawater and freshwater to farm large oysters here. The abundant marine and freshwater resources produce plump oysters with tender, translucent white meat. Zhangzhou’s oyster omelet, made mainly from rice batter and oysters, is different from other places. This method makes the omelet crispier, while other regions use sweet potato starch, making theirs softer and wetter. 🌻The coast is lively Summer and the sea seem inseparable. On summer evenings, feel the sea breeze and watch the waves, and you’ll feel completely relaxed. Zhangzhou has 18,600 square kilometers of sea area, 715 kilometers of coastline, and 228 islands... Each beach has its unique charm. When you’ve been in the city too long, go to the seaside to feel the sea breeze, listen to the waves, and watch the tides. Walking on the soft sand, facing the sunset and fresh sea breeze, there’s a moment when time seems to stand still, leaving only the soothing sound of the waves and the endless sea...