Eating around the sun throughout the year

Three food-and-beverage establishments－The Red Chamber, The Lounge and Atmosphere－join forces to create a food-and-cocktail menu based on the 24 solar terms in Beijing on Jan 24. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"We've created the menu for the first three months, starting from the Beginning of Spring, with three to four dishes for each solar term. And we'll continue to create the menu throughout the entire year," Zhou says.

At Atmosphere, Indonesian head mixologist Dicky Hartono has created six cocktails inspired by six solar terms: Rain Water, Lesser Fullness, Summer Solstice, White Dew, Autumn Equinox and Heavy Snow.

Each has a unique presentation that matches its seasonal inspiration.
Rain Water, for instance, uses osmanthus and butterfly-pea seeds to conjure a fragrance like that of the blooming of flowers as the ice melts.

For Lesser Fullness, Hartono has created a unique blend of whisky and barley tea served in traditional Chinese bottle gourds, representing the harvest season's bounty.

"I've learned the details and meanings of the 24 solar terms, and I also read Chinese stories, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, to get inspiration for creating cocktails with Chinese elements," Hartono says.

Each solar term on the menu is labeled with a logo created by Ren Jing, one of the "outstanding designers" from the Beijing Design Week's 24 Solar Terms Logo Design Competition.

Zhou says the study of the 24 solar terms and the menu will last for years.
"The first version of the menu can't be perfect," Zhou says.

"And I'll listen to diners' feedback and change the menu accordingly year after year. In the end, I hope to have a stable menu for the 24 solar terms and make each dish a classic."

Editor: John Li