Harsh sun pushed the temperature up to 35 degrees over the last weekend. But I didn't care. It was one of the only weekends for my dad and I to have some quality private time together. And what did we do? Among the favourite of the Imperial Resorts to visit, we picked Prince Gong's Mansion. The Imperial remnants are the biggest tourist attraction besides the Great Walls. Dad and I never forget to treat ourselves whenever we get a chance.
Prince Gong's residence is one of the most famous and well constructed private residences, where lived two of the most influential politicians in The Qing Dynasty. One is Emperor Qianlong's adviser, Mr. He Shen. Later, it became the residence of The Emperor Daoguang's sixth son, Prince Gong. The garden, said to be the best presenting Chinese garden design, is now open to the public.
After the visit, it was already early afternoon. Some Beijing traditional snacks seemed to be the best thing to have. So we stopped at a snack dinner, which offers nothing else but Beijing traditional fare. We chose Green Bean Soup and some Sweet Butter Puffs with tea afterwards.
Green Bean Soup
Many people don't like this. The soup looks greyish green and is sour tasting. But it is something you should not miss because it is available nowhere else but in Beijing. Made of ground green bean paste mixed with water, it is full of vitamins. The soup is served with a pastry ring and some pickles.
If I must give up fried food, I still have to eat this. It is my guilty pleasure since I was little. The puff dough is made of flour, butter, herbs and a little bit of sugar. The flour is mixed with boiling water so it is sticky inside after it's fried. The puff itself isn't sweet and needs to be dipped in sugar before eaten.
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