Wuyuan Skywells is proud to present the local lady’s lunch club. Eat lunch in a local family home as a one off or part of a package. Details below.
Living in the Jiangxi countryside for now 8 years, we’ve gotten to know a lot of people who are handy at food: the carpenter who shares baijiu and chilli peppers on a cold morning, a baker making mandarin & sesame cakes in a wood fired oven and a celebrity chef bringing Huizhou food to the masses we met at a TV gala show we were dragged into.
Ed’s favourite remains the lunches we’ve been invited to in houses of neighbours, friends and business contacts. Most villages don’t have a restaurant: many times we’ve gone into a dilapidated old wooden house and been presented with a feast, often by a humble smiling grandma who apologises for the lack of food, whilst placing the 14th plate on a teetering pile in the middle of the table. This experience is something we’d like to share with our guests (although we’ll try and control the number of dishes)
WHERE AM I GOING?
Option 1 NEXT DOOR – pop next door to one of Ayis houses, where a combination of her and her lovely mother will make lunch in their home. Good if you’re right for time.
Option 2 RICE WINE VILLAGE – jump in the car and take a 40 minute drive to Kengtou – previously called ‘the 18 mile peach blossom stream’ (names were better before the cultural revolution). A real gem of a tumble down village, far from the tourist track. Optional extra – get a cab halfway there and then hike 5km to Kengtou through a wild path in the hills.
WHAT AM I EATING
Local mountain food – stir fries of local veggies, wild greens and steamed pork. It’s very much ‘you get what comes out of the kitchen’ – we’ve told them to hold fire on spice and oil as much as possible.
Not suitable for strict vegetarians. (Pork lard is a fundamental part of process for cooking greens).
HOW DOES IT WORK?
– OPTION 1: book our ‘village foodie package’ when you book your room for 700 RMB for two people.
Includes:
- one dinner at Skywells (for two)
- one Local Lady’s Lunch at rice wine village (for two)
- taxi to rice wine village
- one Local Lady’s Lunch next door (for two)
- pair of local beers
- Doesn’t include station pickup, village entry fee, room fee, further alcohol,
OPTION 2: book a one off lunch at either Lady’s house for lunch for 100 RMB/ person:
- choose from rice wine village (40 min drive) or our neighbour (40 second walk)
- Please give at least 24 hours notice – consider letting us know before your arrival. Food needs to be bought and picked by the ladies in advance!
- Rice wine village needs a car to get to – we can help organise a taxi (not included in 100/ person price)
fee gets added to your bill at checkout
questions? Shoot!