Wenzhou, by Its Ingredients——Yongjia Wuniu Early Tea - The Hands Behind Wenzhou's Culinary Heritage

Wenzhou sits along the East China Sea with the Ou River threading through its heart, while its western hills reach deep inland — creating a unique terroir where "mountains meet the sea." Its pantry is drawn from two distinct worlds: the marine bounty of coastal waters, and the fruits, teas, and medicinal herbs of the highlands. These ten iconic ingredients are the master keys to understanding the origin of Ou Cuisine’s celebrated freshness.

Yongjia Wuniu Early Tea. Wenzhou’s flagship early-spring green tea, famous nationwide for its head start as the earliest harvest in Zhejiang Province. Named after its birthplace, Wuniu Town in Yongjia. Harvested from February to early April, the entire crop consists of prized pre-Qingming pickings (ming qian cha), hitting the market a full month before Dongting Biluochun and West Lake Longjing. The leaves are flat, smooth, and uniform, brewing a clear, luminous liquor with a high, fresh aroma carrying subtle orchid notes. Since the cultivar's development, Yongjia’s tea acreage has expanded from 1,000 mu in 1985 to roughly 53,000 mu today — 90% of which is Wuniu Early — generating an annual output value of 300 million yuan. Best enjoyed: Springtime sipping, prestigious pre-Qingming gift tea.