A bowl of snail noodle soup from Liễu Châu, slurped to the fullest, spicy and refreshing.

(Liuzhou "Luosifen" is also known as Liuzhou rice noodles with river snails.) Summer is the on-season for processing sweet bamboo shoots. I made some pickled bamboo shoots. River snails and pork bones are stewed for hours to make a delicious stock. A handful of rice noodles, a few slices of vegetables, pickled bamboo shoots and green beans, chunks of "wood ear" fungus and dried daikon radish. Just before serving, sprinkle it up with pan-fried peanuts and tofu skin, and add a spoonful of chili oil. Sour, pungent, savory, mouthwatering, and steaming - this is how a bowl of Liuzhou "Luosifen", the legendary cuisine that has been listed as one of the
intangible cultural heritages of China, is made.