Food for an Emperor

We didn't have a lunch meal built into our schedule, but by mid afternoon Dustin and I were quite hungry. We mentioned this to our guide who thought for a second and asked if we would be comfortable eating in someone's home. Yes, of course.

Dustin and I love seeing the traditional tourist areas of culture and castles, but my favorite finds have been during spare time walking around cities and neighborhoods. We've met some of the most interesting people on back (well-lit!) alleys and corner markets. So eating in someone's home sounded interesting.

We walked from the main road through winding streets to their house. It was two rooms that led to a roofless hallway. The kitchen was the size of a small closet and did not have a stove. They used a hot plate to heat their food. We were led to a small room with a dirt floor and circular table.

Most amazing Chinese food I have eaten. Seriously. Best meal in China.

He brought out amazing dumplings with spinach and onion. We had warm, spicy sweet potatoes and a plate of rice.

The homeowner and our amazing chef

Our chef made amazing food. His family cooked for the emperor a few generations back. We tasted the benefits of it in this amazing meal. My favorite part was a spicy pepper sauce that I spread on everything!

The below dish has no name. It was a secret recipe made for the emperor. They were described as lightly fried vegetables. To us they were delicious.

The dining room where Dustin and I ate. We loved the pepper sauce so much we stashed the rest of it in plastic cups to spice up any meal we had later in the day.

Outside in the open area between rooms

Bedroom

Doorway to their home

 Our host did not speak any English so our conversations were translated back and forth through our guide. We couldn't express our love of his cooking enough. It was phenomenal!