Guilin River Snail and Duck Foot Hotpot

Guilin River Snail and Duck Foot Hotpot is the "top star" of night market stalls, combining sour, spicy, fresh, and savory flavors, and a symbolic taste of Guilin's nightlife. This dish uses river snails and duck feet as the main ingredients, paired with pickled bamboo shoots, pickled cowpeas, taro, quail eggs, and other ingredients, slowly simmered in pork bone soup. Duck feet are first fried until the skin bubbles, then stewed in the soup until the bones are soft and the meat absorbs the essence of the broth. River snails have their tails clipped in advance to fully absorb the sourness of pickled bamboo shoots and the spiciness of chili peppers. The broth is reddish-brown, with the fermented aroma of pickled bamboo shoots, the freshness of snails, and the collagen of duck feet blending together. One sip is hot, sour, and appetizing, and a bite of soft taro brings instant happiness. To eat, use a toothpick to pick out the snail meat and enjoy it with the broth. When the spiciness hits, gnaw on a duck foot and pair it with an ice-cold beer—this is the "soul combination" of Guilin's summer nights. Foreign visitors may be amazed by its complex flavors, especially the pairing of pickled bamboo shoots and river snails, like opening a new door to taste.