The Chaohu Lake area in the southeastern suburbs of Hefei abounds in fish, shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and economically valuable aquatic plants. Among them, whitebait, white rice shrimp, and Chinese mitten crabs are known as the “Three Treasures of Chaohu.” Whitebait: The fish are slender, smooth, transparent, and as white as silver. They can be eaten fresh or dried. Dishes made with whitebait—such as whitebait soup, scrambled eggs with whitebait, whitebait meatballs, and whitebait...
The Simingshan Nainai Temple enshrines the divine consort Bixia Yuanjun (also known as Simingshan Nainai). She is said to be the daughter of Dongyue Dadi, the legendary God of Mount Tai. According to legend, long ago, on her way back to her hometown in Gushi, Henan, via Shouzhou, Simingshan Nainai saved a child from the jaws of a fierce wolf. To commemorate her, people built a temple on Simingshan Mountain, known as the “Simingshan...
Chaohu Silver Fish are produced in Chaohu Lake. They have a cylindrical body, are scaleless, transparent, and smooth, and are hailed as the “Queen of Chaohu.” Large silver fish, measuring 15–20 cm in length, are known as “face fish,” while small ones, 4–7 cm long, have soft bones and no spines, making them tender, delicious, and highly nutritious. There is a folk legend about the silver fish: once upon a time, in the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King…
Shouxian strawberries are a specialty of Shouxian County, Lu’an City, Anhui Province. These strawberries are juicy, sweet, and nutrient-rich, making them popular in both domestic and international markets. The county has over 3,000 acres of strawberry fields, making it the largest strawberry production and export base in Anhui Province. The strawberries are purchased, processed, packaged, and exported by Shouxian Aquatic Products Company, and are sold to markets such as Japan and Taiwan…
Tinglong Melon Seeds are a specialty of Shouxian County, Lu'an City, Anhui Province. The melon seeds from Shouxian Tinglong are made with carefully selected ingredients, featuring uniform size and thick kernels. With a unique recipe, no artificial colorings or additives, they offer a distinctive flavor that is neither too salty nor too bland—suitable for all tastes across China. Regular consumption is believed to aid digestion and help with smoking cessation, making them an ideal gift for family and friends. “Tinglong Melon Seeds” are a renowned product from Shouxian County in Anhui Province...
An Nong honey peach is a specialty of Shouxian County, Lu’an City, Anhui Province. The flesh of the An Nong honey peach is milky white with slight pinkish hues in some areas. Its skin peels off easily — just a gentle pull with your fingers and it comes right off. The flesh is tender, juicy, sweet, and delicious, as well as highly nutritious. Also known as Shouzhou Special Honey, the An Nong honey peach is a premium fruit variety meticulously cultivated over several years of hard work by agronomist Li Wenlin from Haowei Village, Bagongshan Township, and Anhui Agricultural University…
Shouzhou Vermicelli Sheets are a specialty of Shouxian County, Lu’an City, Anhui Province. These sheets are as thin as cicada wings, evenly glossy, light as paper, yet possess moderate elasticity. They can be softened in cold water before being stir-fried, used as a side dish, added to hot pot, or cooked in soups. Made from high-quality mung beans, Shouzhou Mung Bean Vermicelli Sheets offer health benefits. The “Bagongshan Spring” brand of mung bean sheets...
Chaohu crabs, along with river crabs and riverine crabs, belong to the family of Chinese mitten crabs. They are free from fishy or earthy odors, with tender and flavorful meat. These crabs live and grow in freshwater but have the habit of reproductive migration. In the past, after the first frost each year, adult crabs would move in groups out of the lake to the brackish water zone where the sea meets freshwater to spawn. The eggs would attach to the female crab’s abdominal limbs...
Chaohu White Shrimp, scientifically known as Exopalaemon modestus. The white shrimp is processed into dried shrimp, also called shrimp meat or shrimp kernel, and when from freshwater, it is referred to as lake shrimp. China’s two major lake shrimp producing regions are Chaohu Lake and Hongze Lake. Currently, Chaohu dried shrimp is exported to Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Among the shrimp species in the Chaohu waters, white shrimp account for about 80%, with an annual catch of...
The waters of the Yangtze River in Wuwei are rich in shad, hairtail, and pufferfish. These three aquatic products are not only famous across the country for their unique flavors, but also become even more precious due to their very short availability periods. Pufferfish are available around the third lunar month; hairtail follow, usually in the fourth lunar month; and shad arrive around the fifth lunar month. Among them, pufferfish...
Baiyun Chunhao is produced in Tangchi Scenic Area, Lujiang County, and was developed and named personally by Professor Chen Xiang. It features tightly rolled, slender leaves with an elegant and fresh aroma, a mellow and refreshing taste, crystal-clear emerald green liquor, and tender, even leaf bottoms. It has been recognized as a provincial and ministerial-level premium tea. Recently, under expert guidance, a series of health-oriented teas have also been developed, including Tea-Ginseng blends, Jasmine floral health tea, weight-loss tea, …
Lao Xie Lobster Hefei is famous for its lobsters, with lobster restaurants everywhere. In the past, they were mostly street stalls, but now they operate as formal shops. And when it comes to the king of lobsters in Hefei, no one beats Lao Xie Lobster. …
Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch is said to have originated in 1896, when Li Hongzhang was ordered by the imperial court to attend the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II in Russia and made stops to visit Europe and America along the way. After more than two months of eating Western food, he lost his appetite, so upon arriving in the United States, he asked the embassy chef to prepare a banquet for American guests using traditional Huizhou cuisine. During the banquet…
Crisp sugar is one of Hefei’s three most famous local specialties, boasting a long production history dating back to the Tang Dynasty. It is praised as: "After tea, have a piece of sugar — it dissolves swiftly, refreshing the throat; savor the osmanthus, sweet and crisp, with lingering fragrant crunch." It has been commended by notable figures throughout history.
Smoked Vegetarian Duck is a vegetarian dish with flavors from Anhui. Made primarily with tofu skin, it undergoes multiple processes to resemble the shape of a duck and is then smoked. The outer skin has the color of roast duck, offering a clean, refreshing taste with a mildly sweet aftertaste. Ingredients: 200g tofu skin, 2g Sichuan peppercorns, 10g soy sauce, 5g red yeast rice, 2g white sugar, 1g monosodium glutamate, 2g star anise, 15g sesame oil…
The noodles are served in a shrimp roe broth, tender, refreshing, and delicious in flavor.…
“Cao Cao Chicken” is a traditional famous dish originating from Hefei, Anhui Province during the Three Kingdoms period. This dish involves slaughtering and dressing the chicken, glazing it with honey and deep-frying it, then simmering it in a seasoned broth until it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender. The final product has a glossy red color, rich aroma, crispy skin, and an attractive appearance. When eating, the meat falls off the bone with just a shake, offering an exceptionally delicious taste, and…
Hefei Baked Cake has a history of over 800 years and is said to have originated in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Its main characteristics are its fragrant aroma, sweet taste, and crispy texture, and it is believed to have benefits for moistening the lungs and relieving wheezing. It does not spoil over time, retains its crispiness, and is easy to store and carry. …
Legend has it that as early as the Northern Song Dynasty, Hefei produced a solid cake the size of a copper coin called “Money Cake,” which was delicious in flavor. Another legend says that during the late Yuan Dynasty, when Zhu Yuanzhang rose up against the Yuan, Zhang Desheng from Hefei, appointed as a vanguard by Zhu, went to Hefei to prepare dry rations. He specially made a large version of the “Money Cake,” known as Hemp Seed Cake, to...
In Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, eating crayfish has become a trend. The city's crayfish industry employs over 200,000 people, with a total industrial economic output exceeding 2 billion yuan. Recently, the city was awarded the title of "China's Freshwater Crayfish Capital," making it the only city in the country to receive this honor in the freshwater crayfish sector. In recent years, Hefei has continuously…