Tomato Squirrel Fish is a dish from Shandong cuisine, primarily made with yellow croaker. It has a sweet and sour flavor and is prepared by deep-frying. The so-called "squirrel fish" does not actually resemble a real squirrel, but rather is crafted to look like one through its appearance. Ingredients Preparation 750 grams of yellow croaker. 20 grams of onion, 20 grams of soaked dried mushrooms, 20 grams of soaked dried magnolia slices, 1…
"Four-Joy Duck" originated among the people and is often served as a main dish at celebratory banquets. It is popular across the Shandong Peninsula and carries a strong rustic charm. The name "Four-Joy" refers to the four happy occasions in life described in the "Poem of Four Joys" recorded in Song Hongmai’s *Rongzhai Suibi*: "Joy at rain after a long drought, joy at meeting an old friend in a distant land, joy on one’s wedding night, and joy upon passing the imperial examination…"…
Old tofu, also known as tofu pudding, is exquisitely made with unique ingredients and distinctive flavors. Its characteristics include: snow-white and bright tofu that is tender yet firm, clear yet not bland brine, and fragrant oil that is rich but not greasy. When eaten, it gives off a rich aroma, has a meaty flavor without being fishy, and a spicy kick without being overpowering. Old tofu is made from carefully selected high-quality soybeans. The soybeans are peeled, ground, and then soaked in stored water exposed to sunlight (purified Yellow River water is best). Once the ground soybeans have fully absorbed the water, they are ground into a paste using a stone mill. After defoaming and filtering (to remove residue), the mixture is boiled into soybean milk. Once cooled, it is poured into buckets or vats, gypsum is added, and the mixture is sealed for 20 minutes to form tofu. It is then served with brine and oil seasonings. Those who enjoy spicy food can add fried red chili peppers.
The writing brush industry in Liaocheng has a long history. By the mid-Ming Dynasty, there were over 1,000 brush makers in the region. Fu Yijin, the first top scholar of the Qing Dynasty, chose premium Liaocheng writing brushes when he went to the capital for the imperial examinations. Emperor Kangxi used Liaocheng brushes to compose essays and poems, and even inscribed the plaque “Divine Light Shines Brightly” for the Guangyue Tower, which shows that Liaocheng writing brushes had already enjoyed…
The Chiping Round-Bellied Jujube has a cultivation history of over 2,000 years. It gets its name from the resemblance of its fresh fruit to round bells. Known for its large size, small pit, crisp sweetness, and delicious taste, it was historically regarded as a premium tribute product. During the harvest season, locals often prepare drunken jujubes (also called wine jujubes); they soak fresh jujubes in alcohol and seal them in jars or pots. When opened around Chinese New Year, the room fills with a fragrant aroma...
Jimi Pickles, a traditional delicacy. Jimi Sauce Garden was established in the 57th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1792), and is as renowned as Beijing’s “Liubiju,” Baoding’s “Huaimao,” and Jining’s “Yutang,” collectively known as the Four Great Sauce Gardens of North China. “Beijing-bound Fermented Tofu” is one of its traditional products. During the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, it gained deep favor from the imperial court, hence…
No thicker than two or three millimeters, it boasts a rich color, delicious taste, and fragrant aroma, all at an affordable price and high nutritional value. The process of making tofu skin is meticulous—from grinding the soybeans, boiling the slurry, filtering, coagulating, to pressing out water, stretching the skin, and boiling it—each step must be carefully executed to produce tofu skin that is chewy and tender.
Chiping is located in the western part of Shandong Province, bordering the Grand Canal to the west. In addition to retaining the flavor of regular jujubes, Chiping Black Dates also feature a deep purple, glossy color, a fine and flower-like texture, and a sweet, distinct taste, making them a premium dried fruit. Chiping Black Dates have a history of over 2,000 years. In 1979, the production of black dates reached more than 3.3 million...
Jianglou Tofu Skin is made from high-quality soybeans as the main ingredient, combined with various seasonings and crafted through modern high-temperature steaming techniques along with unique traditional hand-processing methods. It features a bright color, thin and oily texture, chewy mouthfeel, and a natural flavor, making it highly popular among locals and an excellent choice for everyday enjoyment or as a gift for family and friends. …
The Zhang family’s Crispy Fried Fish from Niujiao Shop originated in Niujiao Shop Town and is one of the local delicacies of Dong’e County. What makes Niujiao Shop Fried Fish truly special is its crispy exterior and tender interior. It’s said that if a piece of Niujiao Shop Fried Fish were to fall off an eight-immortal table, it would shatter on impact. Thanks to its crispy texture, fragrant aroma, and delicious taste, the dish has become widely renowned both near and far. It has grown into a famous specialty not just in Niujiao Shop but across Dong’e County. For anyone who has left Niujiao Shop, they may gradually forget many things—but never the Crispy Fried Fish. During holidays and festivals, they always find a way to have someone from their hometown bring them some.
The "Gaoji Pancake" from Gaoji Town has a round shape with a diameter of about 55 centimeters and a thickness of approximately 2 centimeters. The pancake is mostly handmade: premium wheat flour is mixed with a starter dough ("mian yinzi"), and after the dough has rested, strong men perform the "levering" process — pressing the dough more than 300 times to ensure even consistency and develop its elasticity. Only through this process can the resulting pancake be firm yet not tough...
The ancient village of Danzhen was established during the Warring States period and was historically known as Danwang City, once a thriving hub of economy and culture. Danzhen Roast Chicken is made from locally raised free-range chickens aged 2–3 years, using a traditional secret recipe. The chicken undergoes multiple processes including high-temperature sterilization and is seasoned with a variety of natural spices to create a richly aromatic, uniquely flavorful, and nutritious dish. With a tender yet firm texture...
Donkey-hide Gelatin Saddleback Chicken is made from premium saddleback chickens raised free-range by the Dong'e Huimin Forestry Cooperative, combined with ingredients such as donkey-hide gelatin, angelica, lesser galangal, cinnamon, and cardamom. It boasts a rich aroma and color, with tender and delicious meat. Regular consumption is believed to aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, fortify bones and muscles, and promote skin beauty. …
Taohua Ji Donkey-Hide Gelatin Cake is made from premium Dong'e donkey-hide gelatin, black sesame seeds, rice wine, walnut kernels, rock sugar, and other ingredients. The crispness of the walnuts and the rich aroma of the sesame infuse into the amber-colored gelatin, offering a delicate fragrance upon tasting. Rich in protein, various amino acids, and trace elements, it is both nutritious and convenient to eat. It is primarily used to nourish yin and blood, moisturize...
Dong'e Ejiao Crystal Dates are meticulously made from authentic Dong'e Ejiao and premium Shandong red dates. With ≥2g of protein per 100g, they are rich in nutrition, sweet and smooth in taste, and can be enjoyed in various ways—making them an ideal snack for home indulgence or entertaining guests. …
The reason Chenglou tofu skin tastes sweet and delicious is related to its production process. According to experts, carefully selected soybeans are ground into pulp, cooked into slurry, filtered, and coagulated — producing over 70 sheets of tofu skin per pot. The subsequent steps of pressing out water, pulling the skin, and boiling the skin are all carried out at a high temperature of 400 degrees Celsius. The freshly peeled tofu skin from the cloth is springy and resilient. If you were to ball it up like a handkerchief and toss it onto a smooth board, the skin wouldn’t crack or lose any corners. It’s unbelievably chewy, and that’s precisely what makes Chenglou tofu skin unique.
Eight hundred years of delicious flavor—the Five-Geng Stove Smoked Chicken. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the Yellow River flooded, and years of warfare led to famine and depopulation across the country, especially in regions like Shandong. As a result, the government decided to relocate people from unaffected areas such as Hongtong County in Shanxi. Gathering under the ancient locust tree at Laoguawo, migrants were sent to Shandong, Henan, Anhui...
Stir-fried Tofu Pudding is one of the distinctive dishes in China’s Shandong cuisine. The main ingredient is tofu, and the primary cooking method is stir-frying. Method One Ingredients Preparation 500g tender tofu, 50g soaked dried shrimp, 25g salted potherb mustard. Production Steps 1. Wash the potherb mustard, squeeze out excess water, and chop it into fine pieces…
Pan-Fried Meatballs (Southern Style) is a traditional Chinese snack. "Nan Jian" (literally "southern fry") or "Jian Shao" is one of the diverse cooking methods from southern China. It is generally divided into three categories: meat-based, vegetarian, and halal. The taste is delicious and savory.
Black jujube, also known as smoked jujube or scorched jujube, is a traditional local specialty of Yanggu County. The 1936 edition of the *Yanggu County Annals*, under the section "Specialty: Black Jujube," states: "The county is a major jujube-producing area. Black jujube is made by smoking fresh jujubes over a fire using highly refined techniques. It is exported in large quantities to southern provinces, amounting to tens of thousands of bags per year, yielding substantial profits. Although recent changes in the political situation have brought many shifts to the jujube industry, …