Also known as cow vegetable, great burdock achene, burdock, bat thorn, Japanese radish, Japanese ginseng, or bullhorn vegetable. The fiber in burdock promotes large intestine movement, aids bowel movements, reduces cholesterol levels, and minimizes the accumulation of toxins and waste in the body, helping to prevent strokes and guard against stomach and uterine cancers. Western medicine believes it also has diuretic…
A dessert, white in color, shaped like a goat’s horn, filled with honey—hence the name “Goat Horn Honey.” Goat Horn Honey is truly the ultimate among desserts. Why? Because not only is it coated with a special sweet powder used for desserts along with a slightly crispy outer shell, but inside there’s a stringy, sugary filling. When you take a bite, the sugar threads stretch out impressively—it's both delicious and...
“Frog Fish” isn’t actually fish, but a dish made from starch—similar to Yantai’s local snack Menzi. The difference is that Menzi needs to be stir-fried before eating, whereas “Frog Fish” is already steamed and can be eaten right after mixing with minced garlic, vinegar, shredded pickles, and chili. It has an incredibly refreshing taste. The Frog Fish from northern Jiangsu, eastern Henan, and southwestern Shandong shares similarities with Shaanxi-style...
The sesame seed cakes in Fengxian come in two types. One is made by placing two large black iron pans together and roasting them over charcoal in the middle. I recommend the one at the downtown Grand Market — the cakes are big and generously coated with sesame seeds. The sesame side is extra crispy and flaky, honestly, incredibly delicious. The other type is Huangqiao sesame seed cake, and there's a famous place for it right next to the Department Store...
The pears from Fengxian County have crisp, juicy flesh that is sweet and tangy with a fragrant and pleasant flavor. They are rich in sugar, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and various vitamins, playing an important role in human health. Pear fruits can also be processed into dried pears, pear preserves, pear paste, pear juice, canned pears, and used for making wine or vinegar. Pear fruits also have medicinal value...
The peaches of Fengxian, with their sweet juice and juicy flesh, are one of the county's specialties. The cultivation of peach trees in Fengxian can be traced back to an uncertain period in history, but it flourished as early as the Ming Dynasty. Fengxian people have a deeper affection for peaches than for apricots—as the saying goes, “Better one bite of a sweet peach than a basket of rotten apricots.” Due to this special fondness for peaches, many…
Fengxian’s Dashah River is Jiangsu Province’s largest apple production base, yielding Fuji apples that are large, brightly colored, juicy, and delicious. Dashahhe Town in Fengxian County, Xuzhou, is situated on the picturesque banks of the Dashah River. It lies 22 kilometers south of Huangkou Station on the Longhai Railway, part of the new Eurasian Continental Bridge, and 18 kilometers north of Fengxian County’s urban area. The town covers an administrative area of 128 squ…
One of the dishes loved by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, in his youth and prime. A popular folk doggerel in Feng County goes: “Born and raised in Feng, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Satisfied his taste buds with lamb in fish sauce. Marched east and west, returned to his hometown, Delighted to eat lamb in fish sauce again.” This dish originates from Peng Zu’s “Fish Hidden in Lamb.” …
This dish is a classical cuisine of Pengcheng, originating with Pengzu. According to the *Great Peng Culinary Records*, Pengzu’s youngest son Xiding loved fishing. Pengzu, fearing he would drown, strictly forbade it. One day, Xiding caught a fish and asked his mother to cook it. Coincidentally, the family was stewing lamb at the time. Taking advantage of Pengzu’s absence, his mother cut open the lamb and hid the fish inside, stewing them together until the fish...
Suining County’s Wangji Sausage is a specialty from Wangji Town, Suining, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Made from fresh lean pork, particularly the premium hind leg meat, and seasoned with a variety of precious traditional Chinese herbs, Wangji Sausage boasts a unique flavor that is aromatic, savory, and perfectly balanced between salty and sweet, leaving a lingering aftertaste. As a traditional food with distinct regional characteristics, Suining Sausage enjoys widespread acclaim across Jiangsu, Shandong...
Suining Potato Starch Sheets are a specialty of Shaji Town, Suining County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The main ingredients for Suining Shaji Potato Starch Sheets come from the starch of mung beans, sweet potatoes, or potatoes. Suining water starch sheets are mainly served as cold dishes, often paired with a small amount of spinach leaves, and seasoned with shredded red chili peppers, mashed garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and other condiments, giving them a unique culinary charm. In winter, they can be stir-fried or used in soups. Su...
English name: Xuzhou Cattle. Place of origin: Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Breed description: Xuzhou Yellow Cattle is a local type within the Luxi Yellow Cattle breed. It is a new type of draft-meat dual-purpose yellow cattle with good performance. Its main characteristics include mostly light yellow coat color, with few…
“Liangwang Fish,” also known as “Dominating the Toad,” is a traditional dish. Liangwang Zhu Wen, a native of Dangshan, Xuzhou, is said to have been imprisoned in Xuzhou before rising to power. After his release, his sworn brother — who was the owner of a local restaurant — prepared wine to cheer him up and personally cooked a braised mandarin fish head. Having endured long imprisonment and severe hunger, Zhu Wen couldn’t resist…
Carp is a favorite fish among the people of Xuzhou, symbolizing prosperity and abundance, hence the local saying that “no banquet is complete without carp.” It is customary to cook carp for children starting school or students taking exams, symbolizing their future success as they “become dragons.” The dish “Dragon Gate Fish” is said to have originated with Liu Yu from Pengcheng (Emperor Wu of the Liu Song Dynasty during the Southern Dynasties). In his childhood, when Liu Yu...
During the Chu-Han Contention period, Yu Ji loved sweets. To win her smile, the Hegemon-King Xiang Yu searched far and wide. One day, he encountered an old man surnamed Jin, who presented him with something. This treat melted in the mouth, was sweet yet not greasy, and made Yu Ji burst into hearty laughter, showering it with praise. Later, it became known as “Tribute Candy,” which is today’s “Kids' Crisp Candy.” Product introduction: Xu…
Steamed cornbread is made from a mixture of millet flour, millet groat flour, cornmeal, and chestnut flour. It is shaped into small cones with a round hole at the bottom of each, giving it a delicate and dainty appearance. Once steamed, it turns a golden yellow. Legend has it that this was a type of palace food favored by Empress Dowager Cixi during the Qing Dynasty. The version commonly eaten by ordinary people was mainly made from cornmeal (sometimes mixed with a bit of soybean flour)...
Xuzhou’s butterfly sanzi is beloved for its crispy texture, balanced saltiness, delicate strands, and melt-in-your-mouth quality. These beautifully shaped sanzi offer a delightful taste. During his tenure in Xuzhou, Su Dongpo enjoyed this snack, writing in his poem “Ode to Hanju”: “Slender hands roll jade-like strands long and fine, fried golden in emerald oil so divine…”
Zhuangmomo, also known as "guokui" or "guopai," is made with unleavened dough. The dough is placed on a stone slab or board, and a rolling pin is used with one end fixed and the other end pressed down by sitting on it, using body weight to knead the dough—a method commonly referred to as "kneading with the buttocks." The resulting thick round flatbread, about 1–2 cm thick and around 50…
The culinary scene in Xuzhou has long been renowned for its skill in making pulled sugar dishes. “Golden Threads Wrapped Around a Gourd,” also known as pulled sugar hawthorn cake, is a supreme technique mastered by the Xuzhou culinary tradition of the Peng School. It has led the field in cooking excellence, possessing a unique beauty that has flourished from ancient times to the present, unmatched by other regional cuisines, and has earned high praise from both domestic and international guests. This dish is named for its visual resemblance. Its main ingredient is...
Fengxian Apples---National Famous, Special, and High-Quality New Agricultural Product of the Year 2015…