How many regional delicacies can you enjoy with just 100 yuan (about $14)？At the Beijing International Gourmet Festival, Mengjie took on a fun culinary challenge to find out.

It became a flavorful journey across China without leaving Beijing as she sampled various regional specialties, including Weifang's meat-stuffed baked wheaten cake in Shandong, soup dumplings from Henan, stuffed meat pie from Liaoning, buttered tea from Xizang, grilled milk fan from Yunnan, and many more.

Along the way, exhibitors introduced the stories, ingredients and traditions behind their signature dishes. Mengjie tasted Changsha's sweet and chewy Tang You Baba and iconic stinky tofu, enjoyed crispy lotus root sandwiches made with lotus roots from Honghu Lake in Hubei, cooled down with Guizhou's refreshing rice shake, and explored Chaoshan specialties such as stir-fried thin shells and premium olives. She also discovered that the finest Chaoshan olives, prized for their aroma and delicate texture, can sell for more than 1,000 yuan per 500 grams.

In the end, she spent just around 100 yuan while sampling specialties from nine different places. The challenge showcased how the Beijing International Gourmet Festival brings together China's diverse culinary traditions, allowing visitors to experience a cross-country food journey in a single destination.