Changzhou’s traditional specialty—black leaf cabbage. Its leafy greens resemble coins, and the plant is lush and vibrant, hence it is commonly called “Money Plant.” This name is meant to bring smooth sailing through all four seasons and good fortune. In the old days, the head chef of the vegetarian dining hall at Tianning Temple made sure that people could enjoy this “Money Plant” even during the sweltering heat of midsummer. He…
A specialty of Changzhou with over 30 years of history. Made with carefully selected ingredients and strict preparation processes, these noodles are as fine as silk, white as silver, soft and smooth yet resilient, and do not stick when cooked. They are one of the varieties featured in the *Chinese Snack Cookbook*. (Changzhou)…
Established in 1932, Yilong Vegetarian Ham is renowned in the city for its pure vegetarian dim sum. It is a traditional specialty of Yilong Vegetarian Restaurant in Changzhou. Made from carefully selected premium ingredients and an advanced formula, this product is produced using scientific processing techniques, enhanced with a variety of natural, high-quality spices and natural coloring. The ham is fragrant, dry, and savory,…
The "Pearl Chestnut" is renowned for its thin shell, large kernels, glossy brownish-red color, and delicious taste. Among them, the freshly harvested young chestnuts before the Mid-Autumn Festival are considered the best — their shells are light yellow, the raw ones are crisp and tender, and when cooked with seasoning, they become even more fragrant, soft, and palatable, with a flavor reminiscent of osmanthus blossoms, hence they are also called "Osmanthus Chestnuts."
People who have visited Changzhou often say: “There is something unique about Changzhou—dried radish served as a drinking snack.” Authentic Changzhou dried radish is made from sweet, tender, solid red radishes grown in Xinzha, just outside the west gate of Changzhou. The radishes are carefully washed, cut into strips, moderately sun-dried, and then seasoned with uniquely flavorful spices before being meticulously pickled. …
The crabs of Changdang Lake have greenish backs and white bellies, with strong pincers and sturdy claws. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, they grow large, plump with roe and fat, and their meat is delicate and tender, making them a fine delicacy on the dining table. …
Ingredients: fish tail, seafood sauce, chili oil, broth, cornstarch, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, dried chili peppers, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, MSG, scallions, ginger, cooking wine, salad oil, etc. Preparation: 1. Clean and heat a pan, add an appropriate amount of salad oil. Once heated, place the fish tail in the pan and fry both sides until golden brown, then remove and set aside. 2…
Produced in Rugao, Jiangsu. It is primarily made from refined wheat flour, white sugar, sesame seeds, and maltose, through processes such as ingredient selection, sugar boiling, core making, skeleton forming, and shaping. The core is made by roasting and grinding sesame seeds, first separating the husk from the kernel, then roasting until light yellow. The heat and timing must be just right to avoid under-roasting or burning, ensuring a rich sesame aroma. The process of making the sugar skeleton...
Produced in Rugao, Jiangsu Province. Healthy, high-quality pigs with pointed snouts, slender legs, thin skin, tender meat, and a live weight of around 60 kilograms are selected. The fresh hams are cleaned and then shaped into either bamboo leaf or lute shapes based on their size and fat-to-lean ratio. During curing, salt usage is strictly controlled. After curing, the hams are promptly washed, sun-dried, and then preserved for fermentation. The preservation and fermentation process is crucial to the ham’s distinctive quality...
Produced in Rugao, Jiangsu Province. The radishes are clean, smooth, and tender, with minimal strings and thick flesh. Among them, there is a variety called "Duck Egg Head," which resembles the shape of a duck egg—white-skinned with white flesh. When freshly harvested, a gentle flick of a finger will cause the skin to burst open, releasing sweet juice. It tastes tender, crisp, sweet, and fresh. Benefits: Rugao radishes are rich in vitamin C, and other components such as vitamin…
The first part of the “Longcheng Dongpo Banquet” features Dongpo-inspired dim sum. The green tea selected is “Yangxian Tribute Tea,” Dongpo’s favorite in his time, while the black tea is “White Crane Oolong,” which he planted himself during his years in Lingnan. The dim sum includes eight varieties such as “Dongpo Poria Cake,” “Dongpo Deer Antler Cake,” and “Zhao Yun Chrysanthemum Pastry.” The second part is the Dongpo Banquet wine...
Gongyang Cake is characterized by its golden appearance, crispy exterior and soft interior, distinct layers, rich flavor without being greasy, complex taste, natural fragrance, lingering aftertaste, and long-lasting savoriness. It is rich in protein, fat, and carbohydrates, making it a healthy food that meets the body's nutritional needs. The savory aroma of oil, scallions, filling, and dough leaves an unforgettable and mouthwatering aftertaste that keeps customers coming back for more. Nowadays, Gongyang Cake is packaged in kraft paper—hygienic, convenient, and quick to serve—perfectly suited to the pace of modern life. It is suitable not only for big cities but also thrives in counties, towns, and rural areas, especially as a popular street or roadside snack.
Chicken Broth with Vegetable and Meat Wontons is a specialty snack from Changzhou with over 40 years of history. Its characteristics include smooth wrappers, fragrant and fresh fillings, rich yet not greasy, and deliciously tasty. …
Rugao radish cultivation boasts a history of over a thousand years. Through long-term selective breeding, unique varieties such as "Duck Egg Head" and "Hundred Days" have been developed. With their thin skin, tender flesh, juicy texture, sweet taste, low lignin content, and satisfyingly smooth bite, they have earned the reputation of being "a match for snow pears," along with the saying, "Apples from Yantai and pears from Laiyang can't compare to the skin of Rugao radishes."
Linzi Tidal Cakes were first made in the Renzi year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1732 AD) and have a history of over 200 years. As a specialty of Jiangsu and a famous dessert from northern Jiangsu, they have long enjoyed widespread fame across China, and are introduced in the book "Famous Dishes and Desserts of Jiangsu." The cakes are made with carefully selected ingredients, using high-quality glutinous rice and japonica rice harvested in the same year, ground into rice flour, then mixed with soft white sugar, gold…
The production of Rugao dried meat floss began in 1914, and later in 1936, Xu Shousheng established a Taicang dried meat floss processing business on East Main Street in Rugao City. Around 1942, Sun Mingyou and others jointly founded Youlai Dried Meat Floss Factory in Rugao City to process and sell the product to places such as Shanghai. The factory ceased operations after the liberation. In 1951, at the beginning of its establishment, Rugao Meat Processing Plant started processing pork floss. Later, through continuous improvements in production techniques and development of optimal ingredient formulations, the plant created a uniquely distinctive flavor for Rugao. Exports began in 1966. From 1971 to 1984, the product was awarded titles and certificates of excellence as a high-quality specialty product by the National Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Light Industry, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade. In March 1985, the International Gastronomy Society and Tourism Committee in Paris, France, awarded the “Golden Plum Brand” dried meat floss the Gold Honor Medal—this was China’s first international gold medal in meat products. In 1988, it won the gold medal at the First China Food Expo. In 1992, “Rugao Brand” dried meat floss received the gold award at the Hong Kong International Food Expo.
This dish is a masterpiece of Huaiyang cuisine, mastered by only a few chefs. Main ingredients: one block of tofu, one old hen. Garnishes: some river shrimp, peas, wood ear fungus, egg crepes, chopped scallions. Cooking process: First, cut open the hen, place it in a braising pot, and stew it for four hours with cooking wine, ginger, scallions, and salt. In the end, only the broth is used as an accompaniment…
Grass-Fired Clay Pot Biscuits, as the name suggests, are biscuits made using straw and firewood as fuel. This differs significantly in production from barrel-fired biscuits, which are roasted with charcoal. The fuel used for Chahé Grass-Fired Clay Pot Biscuits is Qí wheat straw, which is not suitable to be replaced with other types of grass or firewood because Qí wheat straw has good toughness—even when burned to ash, it can maintain an upright, puffed shape,…
Nantong is located on the eastern coast of the Yellow Sea. Its 130,000-hectare tidal flats are home to hundreds of species of shallow-water shellfish, particularly the Nantong clam, which is the most abundant and accounts for one-third of China’s total export volume. The Nantong clam, poetically called “the World’s Number One Delicacy,” is a bivalve mollusk belonging to both the gill and lamellibranch classes. The Ming Dynasty pharmacologist Li Shizhen once remarked: “Among the many types of clams, those that bring great benefits are collectively known as...”
One of Nantong’s traditional handmade products, renowned as an oriental treasure. The crochet technique originated from coastal women weaving fishing nets in ancient times. Later, it was used to make simple daily items such as children's socks, hair covers, and tobacco pouches. Today, it integrates various techniques such as crocheting, embroidery, inlaying, embedding, patching, and embellishing. It can depict figures, landscapes, flowers, feathers, and a wide range of decorative patterns...