Salted duck eggs from Dongping Lake are made from high-quality eggs laid by the local Matou ducks of Dongping Lake, using a unique production process that combines traditional techniques with modern food processing standards. They are one of the nationally renowned export food products. These salted duck eggs are large in size, with shells that are white or light green in color. When cracked open, the egg whites are snow-white and the yolks are a bright red. After salting…
State City is a historic ancient town with a thousand-year civilization. Historically, it was home to many renowned local products, and small stone-ground sesame oil was one of them. Among the more famous was the Wang family’s small stone-ground sesame oil from West Gate Street, which had been passed down through generations. Before liberation, they operated a shop on the east side of Xiamen North Road in the west, and thanks to their genuine and high-quality products, their reputation spread across surrounding counties such as Liangshan, Wenshang, and Pingyin. …
My county’s Zhoucheng area is rich in lotus flowers. Every June, the lotuses in Zhoucheng bloom abundantly, creating a stunning spectacle. With their fragrant aroma and tender petals, lotus flowers have long been used as an ingredient in cuisine. Fried Lotus Flowers is a dish made primarily with lotus petals and sweet red bean paste filling, then deep-fried. The basic method is as follows: Take two white lotus flowers, about…
Glassy Dates is a traditional and well-known local dish in our county. In 1958, Liu Xuezeng, the father of renowned local chef Liu Deru, participated in the Provincial Heroes' Conference. During the cooking competition, he prepared Glassy Dates. Thanks to his skilled preparation, vibrant color, delicious aroma, and unique style, it won a major award. This dish is commonly served at local weddings and funerals.
A specialty of Shandong cuisine — Hammered Lotus Root, a renowned dish from Jin’qiu Lake. After July, take clean, tender lotus root, wrap it in lotus leaves, gently pound it with a fist, add white sugar, and use the lotus stems as chopsticks or straws to eat and sip. The fragrance lingers on your body for days without fading...
Water chestnut flour steamed cornbread is a type of flour-based snack that has emerged since 1985 as part of our county’s efforts to develop aquatic resources. It is beloved for its sweet and soft texture, firm chewiness, rich aroma, and delicious taste. These small steamed cornbreads are about the size of a wine glass. Made from high-quality flour ground from water chestnuts harvested from the lake, with a small amount of brown sugar (or white sugar) added, the dough is mixed with water, shaped into cornbread forms...
Li Shizhen, a renowned pharmacologist of the Ming Dynasty, wrote in his *Compendium of Materia Medica*: “Lotus seeds nourish the spleen, calm the spirit, boost energy, and prevent illness. Long-term consumption lightens the body, delays aging, wards off hunger, and prolongs life…” From unearthed artifacts in the Han Dynasty Mawangdui Tombs in Changsha, Hunan, we can see that lotus seeds were consumed by ancient people over 2,000 years ago. “Lotus Seed Eight…
Beimen Sesame Cake, also known as charcoal stove horseshoe-shaped sesame cake, originates from Beimen Village in Zhoucheng Town of our county. In the past, both the Zhao Dechang and Chen families in Beimen Village made these cakes, but those made by the Zhao family were the most famous. Later, when both sons of Zhao Dechang succeeded in their studies and no one in the family carried on the trade, only the Chen family continued the business. The Chens continuously refined their production techniques, and the quality of the cakes improved steadily, gradually gaining wider recognition. As a result, Beimen Sesame Cake also came to be known as “Chen Family Sesame Cake.” This cake was first created in the mid-Qing Dynasty. It is made primarily from high-quality flour, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, maltose syrup, and five-spice seasonings using traditional handcrafting methods. After forming the round cakes, the reverse side is stuck to the inside of an upturned iron pan and baked over a low flame using charcoal. These cakes are round, thin in the center and thick around the edges (the thick edge is usually about 1 cm wide and 0.5 cm thick), resembling a shallow dish with a diameter of roughly 20 cm. They are attractively shaped, lightly golden and shiny, crisp and fragrant with a sweet taste, convenient to eat whether hot or cold, suitable as either a main or side dish, and loved by all ages. It has become a widely renowned delicacy.
Taian Chinese cabbage has a long history. Ancient medical texts record: “Chinese cabbage is widely grown in the land of Qi and Lu, but that produced in Daiyue Town is the finest.” It is often said that “the three beauties of Taian are cabbage, tofu, and water.”
The Tofu Banquet likely originated when ancient emperors came to Mount Tai for Fengshan rituals — “eating vegetarian meals to cleanse the body and mind.” Through the refinement and development by chefs over generations, the Mount Tai Tofu Banquet has become a unique highlight of Shandong cuisine. The banquet offers as many as 150 tofu dishes to choose from. Renowned dishes made primarily with tofu include: Supreme Tofu, …
A specialty of Mount Tai, it was once designated as an imperial tribute during the Qing Dynasty. The fish has tender flesh, a delicious taste, few bones, no fishy odor, and high nutritional value. When prepared by deep-frying, the fish takes on an arched shape, with a light yellow color—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Served with a sprinkle of Sichuan pepper salt, its flavor is exceptionally delightful. Making dishes with Red-scaled Fish is a traditional high-end delicacy in Tai’an...
Sauced Eggplant is made from firm black eggplants. The skins are scraped off using fired bricks, and the juice is squeezed out. The eggplants are then salted, the brine extracted, and they are placed in a vat of fresh sweet sauce. After half a month, they are taken out and put on the market. When eaten, they offer a fragrant, tender texture with an unforgettable aftertaste. …
Also known as Pink Cherries, they have a long cultivation history in Tai'an. Yuhong Cherries generally ripen in late March. When Emperor Qianlong visited Mount Tai, he tasted Yuhong Cherries and spoke very highly of them afterward. …
Mount Tai features undulating peaks, a pleasant climate, and abundant moisture, nurturing a wide variety of medicinal herbs in its deep mountains and dense forests. By tapping into the rich resources of medicinal plants on Mount Tai, chefs in Tai’an have developed and launched the Mount Tai Medicinal Cuisine Banquet. Medicinal cuisine offers significant benefits for disease prevention, treatment, and longevity. Featured dishes include steamed chicken with lingzhi mushrooms, …
Pancakes can be made in three ways: scraped, spread, or rolled. Tai'an pancakes belong to the scraped type. They are made from ingredients such as corn, sorghum, millet, and dried sweet potatoes, which are first crushed into grits, then ground into a fine batter, and finally spread on a hot griddle while being scraped during cooking.
Tai'an chestnuts are renowned for their large size, bright color, fine texture, and sweet taste. The cultivation of chestnuts in the Mount Tai area has a history of over 500 years. As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, they were designated as tribute items. Since the Republican era, they have gained international fame and are praised as "Mount Tai Sweet Chestnuts." Dishes such as sugar-roasted chestnuts, chestnut cakes, chestnut pastries, and chicken stewed with chestnuts offer unique flavors and are very popular among consumers…
Ginkgo, also known as the white fruit tree, can be found in the Tai'an area, with some of the largest specimens being several hundred to over a thousand years old. The oldest ones today are two ginkgo trees located behind the back gate of the Dai Temple. Their roots penetrate solid rock, and they stand over 30 meters tall, presenting an awe-inspiring and majestic sight. Their fruits can also be used as both medicine and food, making this a truly precious tree species. …
The Red-scaled Fish, also known as Stone-scaled Fish, Seasonal-scaled Fish, or Spotted Fish, is a rare and precious fish species in China. It is found in the mountain streams of Mount Tai. The adult fish grows to no more than 20 centimeters in length, with tender meat and a delicious flavor, making it a prized delicacy that can also be used medicinally. The Taishan Red-scaled Fish is a small wild fish species that, under natural conditions, grows to less than 20 centimeters in length…
Main ingredient for Jade-Filled Golden Mountain: 1000g live lobster; Ingredients: 100g salmon powder, 15g salt, 5g monosodium glutamate, 5g chicken powder, 10g starch. Preparation: 1. Remove meat from live lobster, cut and coat with batter, then quickly fry in oil. Blanch the lobster head and tail for later use. 2. Add oil to the pan, put in fish roe and lobster, pour in broth, season, then plate.…
Double-Flavored Fish of Mount Tai Main ingredient: 900g mandarin fish, 10 tartlet cups Ingredients: 100g rape greens, 50g each of green and red bell peppers Seasonings: 10g salt, 5g monosodium glutamate, 5g Knorr chicken powder, 50g tomato ketchup, 20g sugar, 10g white vinegar Preparation: 1. Cut half of the skinned mandarin fish into shreds and the other half into slices;…