Taste of sea

Rich in protein, niacin, vitamin B12 and iron, the whelk is featured in summer dishes crafted by chef Goh Wooi Cheat at Dragon Palace in the Kempinski Beijing hotel. Traditionally the meat is sauteed and served with spicy sauce, he says, but his seasonal menu adds fruit flavors as well; available through Aug 31.

50 Liangmaqiao Road, Chao-yang district. 010-6410-4200.

Ningxia

Wine competition

Up to 60 winemakers from around the world will be invited to China this September to practice their craft and compete for 840,000 yuan ($135,000) in prize money. The second winemakers' challenge in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, organized by regional growers and Ningxia's Grape Industry Development Bureau, are expanding a 2012 project that brought winemakers from South Africa, Spain, Australia, Chile, France and the United States to participate in the harvest and make wine in Ningxia, widely seen as China's most promising region for quality wine production. Full entry details are available on Ningxiawineguide.com.

Around China

Push for food safety

A government-agency program to spotlight food-safety threats has kicked off with a week of awareness programs through July 2 in Beijing. Through the end of the year, hundreds of specially designed vehicles will be parked in more than 600 neighborhoods around the capital, with equipment to test food quality for residents, as well as information on food safety. The Golden Pioneer Culture Media Co and co-sponsoring agencies say that next year, such vehicles will go into neighborhoods elsewhere in China, including Shanghai, Shenzhen in Guangdong province, and cities in Henan province.