Everyday utensils, handicrafts, artworks, and other items coated with lacquer on their surfaces are generally referred to as “lacquerware.” Raw lacquer is a natural sap harvested from lacquer trees, primarily composed of urushiol, laccase, gum, and water. When used as a coating, it possesses special properties such as moisture resistance, high-temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance. It can also be formulated into...
Songcheng garlic is produced in Zhongmu, Henan. It has many cloves, large bulbs, early market availability, snow-white skin, and a delicious, rich flavor. Primarily used as a seasoning in cooking, Songcheng garlic can also be deodorized and processed into various high-end cosmetics. For example, garlic moisturizing cream helps keep the skin soft and hydrated. Garlic nail polish can restore nail growth and maintain shine...
Zhongmu is a nationally renowned garlic production base county. Its soil is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other essential elements required for garlic growth, making it highly suitable for cultivating garlic. Zhongmu garlic is not only famous both at home and abroad for its excellent quality, rich nutrition, sticky texture, fragrant taste, moderate spiciness, and high medicinal and nutritional value, but also favored for its large cloves...
Geji Jar Meat Braised Pancake is made by braising pancakes with specially prepared jar meat and vegetables. The pancake is made from soft dough into a flaky layered flatbread, which is cooled and then cut into noodle-like strips for later use; the jar meat is made from skin-on pork belly, cut into 2 cm cubes. First, the meat is boiled in water to remove scum and impurities, then taken out and placed in a jar. A generous amount of eight-spice mix is added, along with fermented tofu, followed by meat broth to seal the jar. The mixture is brought to a boil over high heat, then simmered over low heat until fully tender.
Oil pancake: A local flatbread snack from Henan, similar to but distinct from Chinese pancakes. However, in the Zhumadian area, oil pancakes are flat rolled buns with fillings. The method involves rolling out unleavened dough into a flat sheet, spreading seasoned vegetables on top, rolling it up, cutting it into rectangular pieces, and steaming them until cooked. In the Zhoukou and Shangqiu areas, oil pancakes are essentially the same concept as…
Geji Braised Pancake is made by braising pancakes with specially prepared cask meat and vegetables. The pancake is a flaky layered flatbread made from soft dough, which is cooked, cooled, then cut into stick-like strips for later use. The cask meat is made from skin-on pork belly, cut into two-centimeter cubes. The meat is first boiled in water to remove scum and impurities, then fished out and placed in a cask. A generous mix of eight spices is added,...
Heji Lamb Soup Noodles is a traditional snack that combines meat, vegetables, soup, and noodles. Known for its delicious taste and affordability, it has gained fame across the Central Plains. In May 1994, it was honored with the title of “National Famous Halal Flavor Food.” In December 1997, it won the crown of “China’s Famous Snack.” Heji Lamb Soup Noodles selects…
The Chunfeng Fruit and Vegetable Professional Cooperative of Zhongmu County was established in April 2005. Over the years, the cooperative has grown to include 367 member households across three villages, cultivating strawberries on over 2,000 acres with an average net income of more than 20,000 yuan per acre. The cooperative has also helped spur the development of over 10,000 additional acres of strawberry farming in surrounding towns. The cooperative has been visited and guided by leaders from the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as provincial, municipal, and county authorities. It has been featured in reports by Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, China Central Television, Henan Television, and Henan Daily. The cooperative has been recognized as a Model Cooperative and Top 100 Cooperative by the Zhengzhou Municipal Commission of Agriculture, a Model Cooperative by the Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture, and designated as a Henan Provincial Demonstration Base for Standardized Agricultural Production. In 2013, it was honored as an Outstanding Cooperative by the Henan Provincial Party Committee Agricultural Office and other organizations, and has been repeatedly named an Advanced Unit of Farmer Cooperatives by the Zhongmu County Party Committee and County Government.
In Zhongmu, many families have the habit of making their own jar of melon and bean paste. The finished paste has a rich and fragrant aroma, and many hotels in Zhongmu serve a dish where flower-shaped steamed buns are dipped in the paste—those who’ve tried it all say it’s delicious. This is truly thanks to Zhang Qian, an outstanding diplomat of the Western Han Dynasty. Thanks to his efforts, the Western Han established peaceful and friendly…
Yanming Lake Hairy Crabs are a specialty of Zhongmu County, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. The crabs are farmed using a pollution-free, standardized production model. Thanks to the excellent water quality of Yanming Lake, the crabs produced here are rich in roe, plump and meaty, with delicious crab innards and high nutritional value. The Yanming Lake Natural Ecological Scenic Area is located in the northern part of Zhongmu County, covering a total area of 32 square kilo…
“Iron Pot Egg” is a distinctive dish. It involves heating a specially made iron lid over a fire until it turns red. Beat an egg in a bowl, stir well, and mix in diced ham, diced water chestnuts, shrimp roe and dried shrimps, MSG, cooking wine, and salted water. Place the iron pot over low heat, pour lard into the egg mixture, and slowly stir with a spoon to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pot. When the egg mixture...
First, crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add salt, and stir until well combined. Then pour in the flour and mix it in with your hands. Once the flour and eggs are evenly incorporated, add an appropriate amount of cold water and continue stirring to form a dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, then place it on a work surface. Roll it out forcefully with a rolling pin until it becomes uniformly firm, then roll it into a thin sheet about 3 mm thick (use the same rolling method as for homemade knife-cut noodles). While rolling, continuously sprinkle...
Jade carving is one of the oldest forms of carving in China. As early as the late Neolithic Age, the Chinese people were already making tools from jade. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, jade carving became a specialized craft, and jade artifacts were used as ceremonial objects and decorative ornaments. Jade has always been regarded as a precious treasure. In ancient China, it symbolized beauty and refinement, and represented the virtues of a noble person…
Tongmu wood is lightweight and flexible, making it suitable for crafting musical instruments (such as guqin), model airplanes, boxes, furniture, and more. Due to its easy availability in Asia, it is used as the core material in the production of most Asian table tennis blade bases. Outside of Asia, aside from known use of French plane wood, no other countries utilize this material as a core for blade production (if any, it would likely be processed in Asian countries). A drawback of this wood is its low strength; if the structure is not well-designed during blade manufacturing, it can be prone to breakage during use. However, because of its clear and resonant tone, it is also often used in the production of high-end blades.
The lotus is a traditional and famous flower in the Central Plains. Zhengzhou has a long history of cultivating lotus flowers, with lotus seeds dating back 5,000 years unearthed at the Dahecun site in the northern suburbs. To this day, the suburbs of Zhengzhou remain one of the major lotus root producing areas in Henan. In addition to beautifying water surfaces, enhancing the environment, and cultivating people’s sentiments, lotus roots can also be used medicinally. They have a dry and astringent taste, are cool in nature and non-toxic, and affect the heart and lung meridians. They…
The cherries of Zhengzhou are predominantly produced in Cherry Valley, Houzhai Township on the outskirts of Zhengzhou. These cherries not only ripen early and yield abundantly, but also boast a delicious taste, glossy appearance, and pleasing visual appeal. They bloom in mid-March and ripen in early May. Highly nutritious, they are rich in protein, fat, sugar, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins. Among these, their iron content is particularly high...
Geji’s Jar Pork Braised Pancake is made by braising pancakes with specially prepared jar pork and vegetables. The pancake is made from soft dough into a flaky layered flatbread, which is cooled and then cut into thin strips resembling curtain rods for later use. The jar pork is made from skin-on streaky pork, cut into 2-centimeter cubes. First, the pork is placed in a pot with water, brought to a boil, and the scum and impurities are skimmed off. The pork is then taken out and placed in a jar, where ample eight...
Commonly referred to as Fengmi, also known as Fenghuang Xian. It is produced in the Fenghuangtai Village area in the eastern suburbs. The planted Dabai Mang rice features grains with a uniquely shaped appearance—one end is thick while the other is extremely slender, resembling a phoenix’s eye. The grains are longer than those of ordinary varieties, giving rise to the saying “three grains make one inch.” They have a silvery sheen and are as white as jade. When steamed into cooked rice, the grains stand upright in an orderly arrangement and…
Dragon Whiskers Cake has a long history. Legend has it that during the time when Nezha caused havoc in the East Sea, he cut off the dragon’s whiskers and gave them to a chef to make into this dessert. The surface of the cake resembles whiskers, hence the name “Dragon Whiskers Cake.” It is primarily made from rice, flour, sugar, and oil, and mixed with ginger, shrimp, salt, meat, and shredded egg among other ingredients. It features an attractive color, a pleasant sweet-and-salty taste, and a unique flavor...
Grown abundantly in Cherry Valley, Houzhai Township on the outskirts of Zhengzhou City, these cherries not only ripen early and yield high, but also boast delicious flavors, glossy colors, and an eye-catching appearance. The trees bloom in mid-March and the cherries ripen in early May. Cherries are highly nutritious, containing protein, fat, sugar, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins, with particularly high iron content...