Guangdong Province — expanded in Hong Kong in the 20th century
The yum cha (饮茶 — drink tea) experience is as much about service philosophy as food. Traditional Hong Kong and Cantonese dim sum teahouses operate a specific sequence: hot tea ordered first; steamed items first; fried items mid-meal; sweet items last. The push-cart service culture is a specific Hong Kong innovation now being replaced by order-form systems.
Tea culture creates a palate reset between dishes; the Pu-erh cuts through the fat of char siu so; jasmine lifts the delicate steamed items
{"Tea selection is the first act — jasmine (mo li hua), pu-erh (pu er), chrysanthemum-pu-erh blend (guk pou) are the classic choices","Steaming items: har gow, siu mai, cheung fun, steamed spare ribs first","The 'lo shu fen' or steamed turnip cake served mid-meal","Sweet items: egg tarts, sesame balls, dan san (egg custard) are specifically the finale"}
{"Traditional Chinese courtesy: pour tea for others before yourself; oldest at the table first","Tap two fingers on the table to thank someone for pouring tea — origin story involves an emperor incognito","The traditional teahouse experience begins before 8am — the best dim sum was always an early morning affair in Guangdong"}
{"Ordering all items at once — traditional dim sum has a pacing rhythm","Not refilling tea — the ritual of refilling is communal; tea pot lid propped open signals a request for refill","Eating in Western large-portion style — dim sum is small bites, paced over 2+ hours"}
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper — Fuchsia Dunlop