Street Snacks!

I have already raved about the beauty of the baked sweet potato. I thought I would take a moment to inform you about a couple of other amazing street snacks Weifang has to offer. One of the things that I love the most about travelling to different places is discovering a new addiction and developing cravings for things that you previously didn't know existed. I try to make it my goal to try something new every time I go grocery shopping. I think you have to make the same efforts when you see a bunch of street vendors. Otherwise you never know what you might have never discovered.

The added element of mystery in China is that even after you have tried some of the snacks, you don't know exactly what they are until you ask someone more experienced or someone who speaks enough Chinese to understand or someone who speaks enough English to explain it to you.  On the up side this makes you really trust your senses rather than logic and just enjoy or... sometimes not. 

Okay, let me introduce you to three Weifang street snack classics. 

Fresh Mooncakes:

These are little cakes that are filled with sweetened red bean stuff. The batter outside is a bit vanilla-y tasting. The other day I had one with some sort of corn filling. They are a sweet treat on your way home from an epic grocery shopping endeavour. They are always super hot and fresh and the cost 1 RMB each. Plus, you get to watch the lady skillfully make them and you get to watch the kids get super excited to eat them. Finally, like the sweet potato, they heat your hands up as well. It's a win all over situation. 

"Bean Drink:"

This is the little market area across the street from our school. We often walk over during our 2 hour lunch/nap time to pick up some fresh fruits or snacks. In the summer you can get some pretty great salads. At this time of year you can get the Weifang meat pies, steamed dumplings, deep-fried anything including the Weifang radish balls, tofu soup, onion flatbread, and our go-to "bean drink." It's a soy milk with red bean in it. It's pretty mealy and tasty and it warms you right up. This is Sinead enjoying an afternoon bean drink in front of one of the portable sweet potato ovens.

These are candied rose hips on a stick. They look a lot like baby candied apples.

I also love that they are sold on the back of a bicycle.

So, I thought, I would try one.

 I am undecided on whether or not I like them. Good thing I have bean drink.