Daylily, also known as golden needle vegetable or forget-me-not flower, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Liliaceae family and Hemerocallis genus. It features strong resistance to pests and diseases and high adaptability. The Wannan daylily in Xintai has a long cultivation history. Two hundred years ago, farmers at the foot of Qingyun Mountain and Taiping Mountain began introducing and planting “mountain golden needles,” which played a positive role in slope protection and soil and water…
Gongli potatoes have been cultivated for over a hundred years. Before the 1960s, ancient local varieties severely degenerated due to viruses and were gradually replaced by newly introduced or bred varieties. Currently, the main varieties grown in Gongli include Lu Yin No.1, Jin Yin No.1, Dutch Seven, and Dongnong 303. Modern medical research...
Method: Cut 10 pounds of lean meat with crunchy bones into large chunks. Add 2.5 liang of salt, 6 liang of sugar, 0.5 liang of monosodium glutamate, 0.5 liang of pepper, 2 liang of white liquor, and 3 liang of Guyue Longshan yellow wine. (The flavor is truly different with the addition of the yellow wine.) Mix well and let it marinate for 3–4 hours before stuffing into casings. The sausage casings must be soaked in warm water to soften them in advance—do not soak them for too long…
Pine Moth is a wild fungus that grows at the foot of Mount Tai. Most people confuse it with the pine mushrooms of Northeast China, but this fungus is actually more nutritious and has a richer, more mellow flavor. The chicken used in this dish comes from free-range mountain chickens raised by local farmers—hormone-free, unpolluted, and classified as ecological and organic food. The cooking process in…
Sweet Hawthorn from Xintai. Produced by the Tianhongzi Hawthorn Association of Liudu Town, Xintai City. Features of Xintai Sweet Hawthorn: fragrant aroma, sweet and soft texture, with a delightful sweetness lightly tinged with sourness. It is a unique variety not found elsewhere, offering significant market potential. Sweet hawthorn helps nourish beauty and support weight loss—regarded as a “slimming tablet” for women. Hawthorn contains substances such as vitamin C and carotene that can block and…
Shijing Tribute Millet is produced around Meilu Mountain, southeast of Mount Tai. This area boasts picturesque landscapes with clear mountains and waters, often referred to as the “Little Three Gorges.” The combination of rolling hills, bluestone, red soil, sweet water, and the pristine natural environment creates ideal conditions for growing millet (xiaomi), resulting in this premium-quality product. The millet has a naturally golden hue…
XinTai grass-fed pigs are a specialty of XinTai in Tai’an, Shandong Province. With a development history of nearly a thousand years, these pigs mainly inhabit the upper reaches of the ChaiWen River in the border area between XinTai and MengYin, with concentrated production in over ten villages including NanBao Village in Dongdu Town. The unique geographical environment and breeding methods have endowed XinTai grass-fed pigs with distinctive quality traits, primarily...
The Xintai Red-haired Goat is a specialty of Xintai, Tai’an, Shandong. The “Xintai Red-haired Goat” is mainly produced in Longting Town, Xintai City, and typically lives in mountainous and hilly areas, usually grazing on wild grass at altitudes of 300–600 meters. It is an ancient local breed, with market prices nearly double those of other breeds. Currently, the “Xintai Red-haired Goat”...
Xintai apples are a specialty of Xintai in Tai’an, Shandong Province. Xintai apples — Xintai Weite Fruit Tree Research Institute 13507249 apples…
Yangliu Tofu Skin is a specialty of Yangliu Town, Xintai City, Tai’an, Shandong Province. Made from pollution-free green soybeans using a purely manual, traditional craft, Yangliu Tofu Skin boasts a chewy texture, delicate soy aroma, and a long-lasting aftertaste. It can be served cold in salads, stir-fried, or used to wrap fried ingredients. Renowned far and wide for being “as thin as cicada wings yet delightfully chewy.” Yangliu Tofu Skin is...
Fruit Capital pickles are a specialty of Xizhangzhuang Town, Xintai City, Tai’an, Shandong Province. The “Gongjia” pickles from Fruit Capital boast bright colors, a crisp texture, a rich aroma, and a sweet aftertaste. They were awarded the title of Quality Product at the Eighth International Mountaineering Festival’s Taishan Fair. Renowned for their vibrant color, delicious taste, and crunchy texture, Fruit Capital pickles are produced in Xizhang Village, Xizhangzhuang Town, Xintai City…
Xintai Scorpion is a local variety developed through purification, rejuvenation, and multi-hybrid breeding of the Chinese scorpion, Nanyang Hui Scorpion, and Liaoxin Scorpion. Xintai is located in the Taiyi Mountainous Area, where the Taiyi Mountain Range stretches east-west with numerous branches, encompassing 396 large and small peaks within the region. Due to the vast mountainous terrain, abundant water resources, and favorable climate conditions, the area...
The method for making Braised Carp in Soy Sauce is as follows: take a 1-kilogram live freshwater carp, slaughter it, remove the gills and scales, gut it, and wash it clean. Make knife cuts 1.5 centimeters apart along both sides of the fish using a willow-leaf slicing technique, then brush with soy sauce. Place a wok over high heat, pour in about 500 grams of salad oil (actual usage about 50 grams), and heat until it reaches 80% heat. Put the fish in the…
Braised Turtle in Soy Sauce is one of the emerging signature dishes of Dongping County since the 1990s, and has become commonly found in hotels and restaurants in recent years. Basic preparation: prepare one live freshwater turtle (about 1000 grams), half a raw chicken (about 300 grams), a small amount of scallions, ginger, and sliced garlic. Use 500 grams of clear broth, 500 grams of peanut oil, …
The "Whole Fish Banquet" is a renowned gourmet feast created by "Daan Mountain Whole Fish Banquet Restaurant" at Dongping Lake in Shandong Province. The restaurant is located in Daan Mountain, Shanglaozhuang Township, adjacent to Dongping Lake. The abundant aquatic resources of the lake provide the material foundation for producing these exquisite dishes. The Whole Fish Banquet was created by Chen Quanfu, a native of Daan Mountain. In his early years, Mr. Chen studied under...
Stir-fried willow sprouts. Most parts of Dongping County are low-lying, with lakeshores, riverbanks, and depressions where willows are commonly planted. When the spring breeze is in full swing, the landscape is filled with scenes like “ten thousand threads of green silk hanging down” and “willows by the embankment drunk on the spring mist.” In the difficult years before the reform and opening up, willow sprouts were among the “wild vegetables” people ate. Nowadays, this “stir-fried willow sprouts,” served as a rare delicacy in homes or restaurants, can be said to be a remnant of those times.
Caramelized Chinese Yam Caramelized Chinese Yam is a famous vegetarian dish from Dongping County, commonly served at banquets during festivals, weddings, or funerals. It is considered a major dish, second only to chicken, fish, or meat. Its preparation method is: take 600 grams of Chinese yam, one egg, a small amount of dry flour, 30 grams of dry starch, 150 grams of sugar, raw…
Steamed Lake Crab The Tang Dynasty scholar Lu Chun once said, “Among all delicacies from the four corners of the land, the crab, known as Hanhuangbo, deserves the top spot.” Hanhuangbo refers to the crab. There are many ways to enjoy crabs—stir-fried, cured, or steamed. Dongping Lake boasts numerous waterways and is famous both within and beyond the province for its plump, large crabs. When the autumn breeze turns crisp each year, it’s the season for lake crabs to hit the market. Around the lake, fish markets are filled with fat, juicy crabs. This is the perfect time to enjoy them. Steamed Lake Crab is a traditional delicacy of Dongping County.
Pan-Fried Tofu is a famous Shandong dish. The finished dish is deep yellow in color, neatly shaped, delicious in flavor, and rich in nutrition. The earliest dishes in the "pan-fried" series originated in the Shandong region. As early as the Ming Dynasty, pan-fried tofu appeared in Jinan, Shandong. By the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, this dish was elevated to a court cuisine. It later spread throughout Shandong and then to Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai...
Walnut is recognized worldwide as one of the “four major dried fruits.” It is rich in both nutritional and medicinal value. Scientific assessments show that 1 kg of walnut kernels is nutritionally equivalent to 9.5 kg of milk, 5 kg of eggs, or 4 kg of beef. Walnuts can aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, improve blood circulation, nourish the skin, enhance beauty, moisten the lungs, and reduce phlegm...