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the interviewer probes our responses to Chaozhou and its food more deeply than we expected. She questions us as if we’re representatives of the Western world, seeking acknowledgment from us that Chaozhou deserves global recognition as a special city. The TV station’s interest in us clearly revolves around this desire for outside approval of the widespread hometown pride. As enthusiastically as possible, we give them what they want, which is easy to do because we feel genuine gratitude about their generosity and goodwill.

Who knows what the viewers think we said. After our return home from the trip, Patty and John get us a video of the show, which has us talking in English with Chinese subtitles rather than Vicky’s oral, on-the-spot translation. The Olivers report that the station promoted the program extensively for two weeks before airing it, often with shots of the four of us together, making them local celebrities for a while. Neighbors and strangers on the streets greeted them regularly with the Chinese phrase for “Eating Is Everything.”

Whether Chaozhou itself is truly exceptional—and a good case can be made for that—certainly our experience of the city is. The whole visit, however brief, fascinates us completely with different and unexpected pleasures, from the wonderful people we meet to the offbeat things we do. The banquet alone ranks as the most extraordinary treat of our whole three-month trip because of the combination of watching the preparation, relishing the food, and sharing it all with friends. It’s such fortuitous good fortune that makes travel one of the most marvelous and meaningful joys of life.

THE NITTY-GRITTY

THE SALISBURY YMCA

www.ymcahk.org.hk

41 Salisbury Road,

Kowloon, Hong Kong

852-2268-7888 fax 852-2739-9315

CITY CHIU CHOW

98 Granville Road,

Kowloon, Hong Kong

852-2723-6226

lunch and dinner

VICTORIA SEAFOOD

Fifth Floor, Citic Tower

1 Tim Mei Avenue,

Central, Hong Kong

852-2877-2211

lunch (dim sum) and dinner

HUTONG

www.aqua.com.hk

Twenty-eighth Floor

One Peking Road,

Kowloon, Hong Kong

852-3428-8342

lunch and dinner

CHAOZHOU BROADCAST

www.czbtv.com

Chaozhou

SHENGLE HOTEL

www.shenglehotel.com

North Hengli Road, Chao’an

86-768-6669338 fax 86-768-6617567

Wok-Charred Long Beans with Black Olives

SERVES 6

1½ pounds fresh long beans or other green beans, tipped and tailed, and cut into 2-inch lengths

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 ounces ground pork

1½ tablespoons minced garlic

1½ tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 fresh, small, hot red chile, seeded and minced, or 1 teaspoon dried hot red chile flakes

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons salted chicken stock

2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup halved, pitted dry-cured black olives

Blanch the beans: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, immerse the green beans, and boil them for 1 to 1½ minutes. Pour off the water and then plunge the beans into a bowl of ice water to set the bright green color. Drain when cool.

Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat. When hot enough to evaporate a bead of water, swirl the oil around in the wok. Add the pork and fry it, breaking it into tiny bits. When all the pork has lost its raw color, stir in the garlic, ginger, and chile, and keep stirring for 1 minute. Add the green beans and stir-fry for several minutes until just tender. Pour in the stock, vinegar, and soy sauce, and toss the beans until the liquid is mostly evaporated. If the beans are not yet fully tender, add a little water or additional stock, cover them, and reduce the heat to medium. Uncover again after several minutes, and if liquid is left, return the heat to high and toss the beans until they are nearly dry. Mix in the olives and heat through very briefly. Turn out onto a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

SOUTH AFRICA

EIGHT OF US, ALL THE GUESTS AT THE TREE TOPS Lodge, pile into the safari-modified Land Rover, open on the top with rising levels of backseats to assure everyone a good view of the