A mix of half salted green mustard greens and half pear (Yali), both julienned, tossed with white sugar, osmanthus blossoms, and raisins—colorful and delicious (Wenzhou)…
Made with a filling of red bean paste, white sugar, cooked lard, diced fatty pork, maltose, and osmanthus. The rice balls are pure white, smooth, and chewy, served in a clear, fragrant soup that’s sweet and delicious. The most famous ones come from Zhengde Da Glutinous Rice Ball Shop, which has over a century of making history.…
The Origin of Wenzhou Duck Tongue: Duck tongue is a famous dish in the Ou cuisine. Cooked duck tongue is quite expensive in Wenzhou—just think, you can only get a tiny piece from a whole large duck. Isn’t that something? The braised duck tongue has an amber hue, being simmered then air-dried to semi-dryness. Each piece is a whole tongue still attached to two wavy, spring-steel-like cartilages at the root. The duck tongue looks like an armless water flea ready to take flight…
Water bamboo, also known as water bamboo shoots, is a perennial rhizomatous aquatic herb. The cultivated varieties include double-season and single-season types. The double-season type, commonly called 4•9 water bamboo, is harvested twice a year—starting in early April and early September in the lunar calendar, and finishing by the end of September. The single-season type can be divided by maturity into early, mid, and late ripening varieties. After improvement…
The cultivation of bayberries in Longwan District has a long history. According to the Yongjia County Annals from the eighth year of the Guangxu reign (1882), bayberries were introduced in Da’aoxi, Zhuangyuan Town, Longwan, over 100 years ago. The Ding’ao bayberries of Longwan District are a traditional, premium fruit in the Wenzhou region and one of the four famous superior varieties in Zhejiang Province. They are characterized by their bright color,…
Ingredients: eggs, Five-Willow sour sauce: ketchup (rice vinegar was not used this time), white sugar, salt, water Seasonings: oil and starch water as needed 1. Prepare 4 eggs; the Five-Willow mix can be bought ready-made. 2. Heat 1 bowl of oil, pour in the eggs, and fry until they puff up, bubble, and turn golden brown. 3. Once fried, remove and drain the oil. 4. Heat 2 tablespoons...
Made from soft-textured rice, the noodles undergo a series of processes including soaking, milling, mixing with glutinous rice flour, steaming, pounding, noodle-making, steaming again, rinsing, and sun-drying. They are as white as snow, as fine as silk, and highly resilient—making them a beloved food. Legend has it that Dongyang rice noodles first originated in the Ming Dynasty. The main production areas include Xiachitan, Dongshantou, Shanglin... in Dongyang.
Originally named Zhengde Da Tangyuan, it was established in the 27th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1901) and has been passed down through generations, remaining popular to this day. The people of Wenzhou consider eating tangyuan to be auspicious, and it has long been a customary hospitality practice to serve them to guests. Young couples in the city often give out tangyuan vouchers to relatives and friends when they get engaged, as a symbol of joy and bonding. For overseas Chinese returning to their hometown, eating tangyuan evokes a deep sense of nostalgia. County Front Tangyuan…
Everyone who has tried Yongqiang mud snail cake has only good things to say. Its charm lies in its rustic uniqueness. The mud snail is a type of soft-bodied creature found on tidal flats—far from pretty, and "mud snail" is what the locals call it. Describing its shape is actually quite tricky; in any case, those who live by the sea have probably seen it. Think of it as a plump earthworm. As the name suggests...
"Raw River Crab" is a traditional cold dish from Wenzhou. At home, it's just an ordinary "drinking" dish, but when served at banquets, it becomes a high-end cold appetizer. Raw River Crab is a cold dish made by mixing raw river crabs. The term "river crab" is a general one, commonly referring to swimming crabs from the Ou River. These are carefully dissected and marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and rice wine—or enhanced with other secret ingredients—for about thirty minutes to an hour. As a result, the dish has a flavor profile that is sour, sweet, savory, and fresh. When dipped in mustard, it transforms into something boldly spicy and pungent.
Glass Silver Engraving is an artistic creation based on mirror-making — that is, painting on glass, hence also known as “mirror painting.” Because the lines in this kind of mirror art are all silver, it is commonly called “Glass Silver Engraving.” Around the early years of the Republic of China, a type of decorative mirror appeared on the doors of wardrobe cabinets in Shanghai’s market — one that was both ornamental and functional...
Among fried foods, the most representative is the Lantern Cake. The Lantern Cake gets its name from its resemblance to an ancient flat, round soybean oil lamp. To make it, rice and soybeans are first soaked for two hours, then ground into a batter, seasoned with fine salt, MSG, and chopped scallions, and mixed evenly. Using a spoon, a ladleful of batter is scooped into a specially designed round mold and then immersed in already...
The main ingredients are rehydrated sea cucumber and chicken wing mid-joints. This is a premium combination dish cooked by braising, characterized by tender and juicy chicken wings, smooth sea cucumber, rich and savory flavors, and a bright red color (Wenzhou)…
Soak jellyfish in water to remove its astringency, saltiness, and fishy taste, then shred and rinse with cold boiled water before draining. Marinate shredded chicken with cornstarch, salt, wine, sugar, and pepper, then poach in boiling lard until cooked, remove and let cool. Quickly stir-fry mung bean sprouts, shredded carrots, and shredded red and green chili peppers together. Pan-fry eggs into thin slices and shred them. Once all ingredients are ready, mix with lard and sesame oil…
Four Treasures of Hundred Islands: Small abalone, scallop, tiger shell, and spiral shell—four kinds of seafood—are stir-fried one by one in a pan, seasoned with complementary ingredients, and served in intricately carved watermelon slices. …
Nizi (mud snail), anciently known as "Tutie." According to the "Wenzhou Prefecture Records" from the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty: "Tutie, also called Nizi, commonly known as mud snail, often swallows sand which turns black like iron, and only expels all the iron-like substance when the peach blossoms bloom." Nowadays in Wenzhou, it is called Nizi, named so because it lives in muddy tidal flats. In southern Fujian, it is called "Maoluoge" (wheat-season snail) because it is abundant during the wheat harvest season. In the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai areas, it is called yellow...
Forest frog is a premium nourishing ingredient that is inherently flavorless. Its taste relies entirely on proper preparation, careful selection of ingredients, and expert cooking techniques. This dish uses high-quality forest frogs, combined with chicken mash and chicken broth to create a fricassee. The finished dish is snow-white, delicate, silky, and tender. (Wenzhou)…
This is a uniquely flavored dish from the Tang Dynasty, named for the ingredients being cut as small as the head of a chopstick. First, quail meat is diced, coated in a mixture of egg white, wine, refined salt, and wet starch, then quickly stir-fried in lard. Once cooked through, it is transferred to a clay pot, where premium milk broth, pepper, and other seasonings are added. It is simmered for half an hour, then diced winter bamboo shoots and mushrooms are added, and the flavors are adjusted…
"Chicken feet," affectionately called "phoenix claws," are rich in collagen and have a satisfying chewiness. After boiling and deboning, the feet are tossed with a generous amount of minced garlic, along with chili oil, sesame oil, aromatic liquor, and other seasonings. The dish has a mildly spicy flavor that stimulates the appetite, and offers a crispy, refreshing taste—making it a great accompaniment to drinks. (Wenzhou)…
Pound the chicken breast meat with the back of a knife into a paste, also mash the raw fat into a paste, and dice the cooked fat. Combine them in a bowl, add egg whites, seasonings, and wet starch, and mix well. Then, crush the cooked and cleaned water chestnuts and mix them in to form a chicken mixture. Next, spread the chicken mixture onto slices of salted bread, coat with sesame seeds, and deep-fry in vegetable oil until golden brown and fully cooked…