After a joyful morning picking glistening red lychees straight from the trees, the Meachum family, joined by their friend Nathan from Ohio, were in for another sweet surprise: a hands-on journey into Dongguan's vibrant world of lychee-inspired cuisine.
Dongguan, often hailed as the "Hometown of Lychees," doesn't just grow lychees, it reinvents them. Here, lychees aren't confined to fruit bowls. From appetizers to desserts, and even drinks, lychees are the soul of countless seasonal creations. Locals embrace the philosophy of "no eating out of season," and once lychee season arrives, restaurants across the city roll out their much-anticipated lychee feasts.
Lychee Feast
At Yuxianyan, a local restaurant known for its seasonal menu, the Meachum family got the chance to become chefs themselves. Under the guidance of the culinary team, fresh lychees picked just hours ago were about to become the star ingredient in the dish "Feizi Xiao". Nathan and the kids, August, Yosef, Michael, Madison, and Kadyah, were wide-eyed with curiosity as they learned to peel, pit, and stuff lychees with shrimp paste. Each one was then gently wrapped, coated with crispy rice, deep-fried, and finally skewered like ornaments on a miniature lychee tree.
"It's fancy! And so good!" 12-year-old August beamed.
"I think I liked it even more because I helped make it," Yosef added. "Cooking it yourself really changes the way you taste it. It was fun, creative, and delicious!"
As dish after dish made its way to the table, lychee chicken soup, lychee salmon, lychee stir-fried beef, lychee steamed fish and more, the excitement grew. But nothing stole their hearts quite like the lychee egg-white fried rice. August and Yosef polished off three full bowls. "Ten out of ten!" "A hundred out of ten!" they shouted, laughing.
Nathan likes the lychee salmon most. "Honestly," he said, "don't dip it in soy sauce, just eat it as it is. The lychee makes it perfect."
Restaurant owner Mr. Yang, who oversees the development of the lychee menu each year, shared with a smile, "We use only fresh Dongguan lychees to bring out their natural sweetness. The goal is to let the fruit shine, it shouldn't be covered up by sauces. We've created over a dozen unique dishes this season, and more are on the way."
The family clearly agreed. Madison, usually a picky eater when it comes to meat, was surprised herself. "I don't normally like meat, but the lychee made it better. It added a sweetness that was really cool, especially in the soups. Everything was so good!"
Ricky, their grandfather, looked around the table at his grandchildren happily polishing off the last bites. "We had lychees in everything today. And each dish was so different! The flavor blends so well, lychee with meat, with seafood, even with rice. We cleaned every plate. That says everything."
Lychee drinks
Later, the family explored lychee's creative side in drinks. At a stylish café in Dalingshan called Planting Pavilion, they were introduced to lychee-based summer beverages, a cold-brew tea infused with fresh lychee pulp and fragrant lemon blossom, as well as an unexpected hit, lychee coffee.
"It tastes like summer in a cup," Nathan said, sipping his handmade drink. "It's refreshing, fragrant and way better than I expected."
The kids had a blast crafting their own drinks, scooping fresh lychee pulp and watching the colors swirl together. The café staff guided them through the process like patient friends, offering tips and letting them experiment with their own blends.
Kadyah, who often cooks for her big family back home, was full of ideas. "I've never thought you could do so much with lychees! This is next-level. Dongguan people are so lucky! They can cook with lychees, drink them, mix them with anything. It's amazing."
Ricky agreed. "Back in the States, lychees are rare. And here, we picked them off the tree, turned them into dishes and drinks, and shared them as a family. It's a memory we'll always hold onto." He smiled, "It's not just about food. It's about connection, creativity, and sharing something sweet, together."
