秋风起，来长沙品“莲子盛宴”

夏末秋初，走在长沙市区靠近菜场的大街小巷，总能看见坐在路旁剥莲蓬的小贩。此季正是采摘莲蓬的旺季，也是吃莲子的最佳时节。这个时节的莲蓬，颗粒饱满，莲子肉质清甜鲜嫩，可当作“小水果”直接生吃。除了鲜食，还有各色莲藕食物大量端上了长沙人的餐桌，在长沙一些黑珍珠餐厅，莲藕冰激凌、什锦荷花沙拉、醋泡莲子、莲子红烧肉等都十分受人欢迎。

During the late summer and early autumn, you can always see vendors sitting on the roadside and peeling lotus seedpods while walking through the streets and alleys near wet markets in Changsha. It is the season for picking lotus seedpods and enjoying lotus seeds. At this season, the lotus seedpods are plump and taste sweet and tender as "small fruits". In addition to eating raw lotus root, many dishes made with lotus root are served at the tables of Changsha people. In some Black Pearl Restaurants in Changsha, dishes such as lotus root ice cream, assorted lotus salad, vinegar-soaked lotus seeds and braised pork with lotus seeds are very popular among diners.