Known as the "living fossil" of ancient Han Chinese traditional cuisine, Shaxian snacks are a branch of the long-standing culinary traditions of the Central Plains Han people. They combine the food characteristics of Fuzhou and Southern Fujian with the Hakka mountain-dwelling food culture of the Tingzhou region. As a result, the distinctly regional Shaxian snacks also...
There’s an interesting legend about the invention of tofu balls: once, during a banquet at a wealthy household, the chef accidentally let a cat run off with a fish meant for cooking. Thinking on his feet, the chef made fake fish balls out of tofu—what we now know as tofu balls. To everyone’s surprise, they were a big hit with the guests, and from then on, tofu balls became widely popular. Tofu…
Scalding-Hot Tofu is a famous snack from Sanming. The main ingredients of Sanming’s “Scalding-Hot Tofu” are fresh tofu, dried daylily flowers, and dried clams. The seasonings are unique and kept secret—each vendor has their own proprietary mix. However, the preparation process is simple: just combine all the main and supplementary ingredients in a soup pot…
Shaxian Mixed Noodles are a type of Shaxian snack, usually served together with Shaxian wontons. They are known for their strong aroma, bright color, simple ingredients, and easy cooking method. The flavor is sweet and salty, rich yet not greasy. In a typical Shaxian snack shop, the basic ingredients include: about 500 grams of noodles, 50 grams of peanut butter, some fresh seasonal vegetables…
Zhenghu Water Persimmons The seedless persimmons of Zhenghu have high requirements for terrain, climate, and soil. These large, juicy, seedless fruits are highly disease-resistant, yield quickly with good returns, feature bright colors and a refreshing taste. They can be eaten fresh or processed into dried persimmons, persimmon jam, persimmon tea, persimmon juice, persimmon honey, persimmon preserves, persimmon wine, persimmon vinegar, and more. Additionally,…
The method of making shaomai is simple: roll out unleavened flour into thin wrappers, wrap the filling, pinch the top into folds, and then steam. Many places have shaomai, but those from Sha County are the most distinctive and delicious. Sha County shaomai has thin wrappers and small size, and part of the flour is mixed with tapioca starch. After steaming, they become crystal-clear like jade, delicate and dainty, one…
Jian Ning rice seeds are a specialty of Jian Ning County, Sanming, Fujian. Since being recognized as a national hybrid rice seed production base by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2013, the county has maintained a stable rice seed production area of over 120,000 mu, yielding more than 25 million kilograms of hybrid rice seeds annually. The production area and output each account for 10% of the national total for hybrid rice seeds...
Kiwifruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry or yangtao, is extremely nutritious and is often called the “king of fruits.” It has multiple health benefits, including nourishing the body, clearing heat and promoting urination, stimulating saliva and moistening dryness, dispelling wind and activating blood circulation, reducing swelling and bruises, aiding digestion and promoting lactation, as well as sobering up and refreshing the mind. It can be used to treat indigestion, poor appetite, and vitamin deficiencies. Recent medical research has found that kiwifruit plays a significant role in cancer prevention and treatment...
Mengzong Bamboo Shoot Industry Co., Ltd. was established in 1995, located in Jian Ning County, Fujian Province, China, nestled in the Wuyi Mountain Range—the national ecological demonstration county and the source of the thousand-li Min River. Leveraging the region’s abundant bamboo shoot resources, the company specializes in deep-processing dried bamboo shoots, integrating base cultivation, R&D, production, sales, and services. The company researches…
Abalone Fish Lip is known for being chewy yet not tough, with a refreshing sour and spicy taste. Authentic fish lips come from the mouths of sharks—the lip skin is soft, thick, crispy, and especially delicious, making it a rare delicacy. However, genuine fish lips are hard to come by. In Fuding’s local cuisine, shark skin (including from white spotted sharks, small spotted sharks, morning sharks, sword sharks, and kingfish sharks, among others) is used as a substitute. Take 200 grams of dried shark skin…
The selection of ingredients and processing of Nanxia loach rice noodles are both very meticulous. First, live loaches must be chosen from unpolluted paddy fields — farmed ones are not allowed. After being caught, the loaches are kept in clean water for 1-2 days to let them purge any muddy taste. One to two hours before cooking, a small amount of salt, distilled spirit lees, and monosodium glutamate is fed to the loaches...
Guiyang Radish is a specialty of Jianning County, Sanming City, Fujian Province. Guiyang Village is located in the northwest corner of Huangbu Township, Jianning County, Fujian Province, bordering Guangchang County of Jiangxi Province to the northwest and Nanfeng County of Jiangxi to the northeast. It was the first village through which the Red Army entered Fujian from Jiangxi. It is less than an hour’s drive from Guangchang, Nanfeng, and the county seat of Jianning, making it the farthest village from Huangbu…
Jianning Yellow Pear is a premium variety among early-ripening pears. Nowadays, during the summer when the pears ripen, hundreds of vehicles of all sizes transport Jianning Yellow Pears to large and medium-sized cities in Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and other provinces every day, with an annual output of about 70,000 tons. The Yellow Pear industry rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1980s. According to statistics, …
Region: Within the administrative area of Jianning County, Fujian Province, including ten townships (towns): Jinxi, Suicheng, Xikou, Lixin, Huangbu, Kefang, Huangfang, Xiyuan, Junkou, and Yijia. Jianning Tongxin White Lotus, commonly known as Jian Lotus, has historically been hailed as the “finest lotus in the world.” It was listed as a tribute product through successive dynasties and was anciently referred to as “Tribute Lotus.” Jianning County…
Jade Rolls are made from rice and leeks, which are ground together into a paste, then pan-fried into thin pancakes. The pancakes are rolled with fillings such as mushrooms, smoked meat, shredded bamboo shoots, and dried tofu, then pan-fried into a cylindrical shape. They are soft, smooth, and rich in flavor, combining appealing color, aroma, and taste. A folk saying describes their delightful charm as “a spring maiden rolling up her painting scroll.”…
Jianning lotus seeds, referred to as "Jian Lian" (建莲), are produced in counties of Jianyang, Jianning, Pucheng, and Chongan in the mountainous northern region of Fujian. Historically, these counties were under the jurisdiction of Jianning Prefecture, hence the lotus seeds produced there are collectively known as "Jian Lian." The lotus ponds in Jianning are usually situated in areas with thick soil layers, fertile earth, high-quality water, and good sun exposure while sheltered from the wind. The ponds...
Taining Chinese chestnuts are a specialty of Taining County, Sanming City, Fujian Province. Taining County has been honored as the "Hometown of Chinese Chestnuts in China." The county boasts abundant wild Chinese chestnut resources, and the cultivation of Chinese chestnuts has become a key agricultural industry nurtured by the local government. Currently, nearly 70,000 acres of Chinese chestnuts have been developed across Taining County, among which 36,000 acres of chestnuts that have been planted for over seven years have entered their peak fruit-bearing period...
Taiping Bamboo Shoots are a specialty of Taiping County in Sanming City, Fujian Province. As a mountainous agricultural county, Taiping boasts abundant bamboo resources and has been honored as the “Hometown of Bamboo Shoots in China.”
Shangqing Wine
Danxia Pottery Art The Danxia Pottery Art from Taining is a collective term for various artworks and daily-use items made from clay materials naturally weathered and shed from the Danxia rocks of the Taining UNESCO Global Geopark. These are crafted using unique formulas and fired at high temperatures. Compared to other ceramic artworks, its distinctiveness lies in the claystone material having endured the test of time—especially having been shaped by volcanic forces…