The aim of the New China Series is to trace China’s development journey over the past 70 years. But no cross-country road trip is complete without indulging in some local food. Despite our demanding 12-day schedule we never go hungry. From snacks to take-away box meals and full on banquet-dinners, one thing is certain -  we are a well-fed bunch!

Here's a review of foodie experiences that for better or worse, I will never forget.

Mini-meals on wheels

Orion Pies and Xiang Chang sausages are regular snacks on our bus. We somehow seem to have a never-ending supply of both. I must confess neither are particularly enjoyable for me. The Orion Pies with their cream custard fillings are, I'm told, a Korean snack. Sweet, sugary and filling - they serve their purpose but they don't score well on flavor. As for the sausages, they're close to Vienna sausages often used for hotdogs, but the meat is so processed that it really doesn't taste like meat at all.

Take-out meals

Our busy travel schedule sometimes leaves us little time between shoots to sit down for lunch. On these occasions the logistics team arranges take away meals. We had KFC on one occasion. And I must confess to enjoying the familiarity of it. But mostly we eat take away Chinese food. The one that ranks high on my list was served to us in Hengdian, Zhejiang Province at the Hengdian Studios Theme Park. I'm not sure where the food came from but it appeared right on time and certainly hit the spot. There was a nice assortment of food on the plate, including spicy shrimp with peanuts, bamboo shoot and cauliflower. In fact I particularly enjoyed this one for the amount of vegetables served.

Over the moon

We celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival while on the road in Fujian Province. The varied fillings gave us many flavors to choose from. I opted for a coffee mooncake as well as a nut flavored one. Both were really tasty and surprisingly filling. Mooncakes are also quite rich. I think they would've gone down better with a cup of tea. But overall I would definitely eat them again.

Under the sea

The south east route took our team through four provinces, one autonomous region and a municipality - all of which reflect the diversity of Chinese cuisine. But if there is one thing that all the cities we have visited have in common it's a love for seafood. Fish cakes, fish soup, sea cucumber, shrimp and even delicious crab are among the seafood dishes I've sampled over the past few days. And that’s not to mention the regional fish served whole. The fish is always fresh, and delicately flavored so as not to overwhelm the senses. Its perfectly cooked with the meat so soft and tender it almost melts in your mouth.  Perhaps the most unexpected dish was jellyfish. They are one of my favorite sea-creatures, creating wonderful spectacles of light and color that I can watch endlessly. So eating jellyfish was a bit of a stretch for me, I tasted a small piece. It has a chewy texture and was well spiced. But it's not something I plan to eat again.

Wenzhou Restaurant

The best overall eating experience was at Wenzhou Restaurant, the pride and joy of Wenzhou City in Zhejiang Province. Interestingly the restaurant was first established on October 1, China National Day, in 1956. So, while the nation will be celebrating 70 years, Wenzhou Restaurant will be turning 63.

The restaurant has positioned itself as a more than just a place to eat. It offers visitors the opportunity to step back in time and discover the art and craft of ancient Wenzhou and the important role food plays in this community's culture.

Our visit began with a tour of the exhibition, featuring artworks made from hair and the poetry of Wenzhou's past writers, among other things.

This was followed by an exhibition on the important role food plays in a Wenzhou wedding. Models of dishes were displayed showing the types of food a groom would bring to the house of his soon-to-be wife as a gift to her family.

Next it was our turn to eat and the restaurant certainly lived up to its reputation. It was a wonderful banquet dinner with a variety of meat and vegetable dishes, including delicious crab, topped off with a very tasty and refreshing fruit-soup - a speciality in Wenzhou.

At the end of the meal, our hosts presented us with a gift - a group photo we had taken in the exhibition hall. It was such a thoughtful gesture and the perfect ending to an overall wonderful foodie experience.

With four more days to go until we reach our final destination, I am beginning to worry about my waistline, but of course my taste buds are not complaining!