Red kidney beans are a specialty of Shanxi Province, known for their large size, vibrant color, and both nutritional and medicinal value. They have long been a bestseller in the international trade market. Ke’lan County, located in the high-altitude and cold mountainous region of northwestern Shanxi, boasts vast farmland with deep soil layers, a short frost-free period, sustained high temperatures in summer, and relatively concentrated rainfall—making it an ideal place for growing red kidney beans.
Kelan Wujiapi, a specialty of Kelan County. It refers to the root bark of the poplar tree. As an herbal medicine, it has a bittersweet taste, a slightly cold nature, and is known for its functions such as reducing swelling and dampness, warming the middle energizer, strengthening muscles and bones, and dispelling wind pathogens. Wujiapi wine, made primarily from Wujiapi, is considered a premium medicinal liquor.…
Stewed lamb is the most revered dish among the people of Pianguan. Nutritionally, it is considered the king of all foods, and its flavor is richly aromatic. To enjoy truly good stewed lamb, one must understand four key aspects: selecting the right season, choosing the right sheep, preserving freshness, and slow-cooking the stew. ① Selecting the Season. As locals in Pianguan say, “August lamb is like ginseng,” and “slaughter sheep after Light Snow, and pigs after Heavy Snow.”…
The cake eaten by people in Bian Guan is not the glutinous rice cake favored in southern China, nor the white flour cake blanched with boiling water eaten in southern Shanxi. Instead, it is made from soft millet. As a local specialty of Bian Guan, this cake is soft, smooth, and pleasant to the taste, with a fragrant aroma. It can be served as a staple food with either meat or vegetables, suitable for all ages and seasons, offering both nutrition and the ability to stave off hunger. There’s a folk saying: “Fifty li on oat noodles, seventy li on cake, thirty li on buckwheat noodles will leave you starving.” Additionally, because the word “cake” (糕, gāo) sounds like “high” (高, gāo), it is not only a delicious food but also a symbolic and auspicious delicacy. From birth—during the “third-day bath,” “full moon,” “hundredth-day celebration,” “school enrollment,” “moving into a new home,” “engagement,” “wedding,” “birthday,” “festivals,” “receiving guests,” and even “funerals”—cakes are always involved. The people of Bian Guan are connected to cakes throughout their lives, which shows just how important they are. The people of Bian Guan love cakes, eat them often, and have developed countless ways to prepare and enjoy them.
The southern areas of Nanbaozi and Lao Ying in the eastern mountainous region of Pianguan County are rich in oat production. Oats processed into flour are known as oats noodles (Youguan Oats Noodles), a famous local dish. Making these noodles involves a "three-cooked" process: first, the oats are roasted and then ground into flour—that’s the first cooking; second, the oats flour is mixed with boiling water—that’s the second cooking; third, the dough is shaped into small, cat-ear-sized nests and steamed in a pot—that’s the third cooking. Once steamed, they can be dipped...
Wild Mountain Fern was once an imperial tribute during the Qing Dynasty. It is produced in Nanbaozi, an area with fresh air, a pristine environment, and no pollution. The Huoshaowa Forest Area within it spans a total of 100,000 mu, making it the largest man-made forest in North China. The forest is densely populated with larches, Chinese pines, and other trees, while wildlife such as pheasants and goats inhabit and roam the area frequently. The region features stretches of...
Thief Jasmine Flower grows in wild slopes and gully areas. It is completely natural, pollution-free, has a spicy and uniquely fragrant taste, and serves as a purely natural seasoning.…
Pian Guan lamb comes from Pian Guan County in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. Local farmers have a traditional habit of raising sheep, boasting a long history of sheep farming, which has been a major traditional advantage industry in the area. As early as before the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the county’s annual sheep inventory had stabilized at around 120,000. By the 1990s, the number had risen to…
Pianguan millet is produced in Pianguan County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, and boasts a long history of primitive farming culture. According to the *Pianguan County Annals*, the millet planting area was 152,704 mu in 1951, 130,774 mu in 1963, and 143,000 mu in 2012. Historical records indicate that millet was the main crop used for tax grain payments in Pianguan County, maintaining an annual output of around 150,000 jin. The local community also has the custom of making sour porridge with millet. The *Pianguan County Annals* record: It is said that during wartime, when the owner was washing millet to cook, a battle broke out. After returning post-war, they couldn’t bear to discard it and instead made porridge, discovering it had an even better taste—thus the practice continues to this day. In the harsh “nine droughts in ten years” period of the past, Pianguan residents relied on millet to survive famine; today, Pianguan has become the county in Shanxi Province that earliest promoted Zhang hybrid millet, with the largest planting area and where farmers have benefited the most, seeing production and profits multiply.
Cold Bowl Trough is a unique local specialty of Pianguan. After removing the husk from buckwheat, the grains are ground into particles, locally known as "buckwheat offspring." These are manually pounded into a paste, which is then strained through a fine sieve. The paste is steamed in bowls, cooled, and then sliced into thin strips. It is served dressed with vinegar, garlic, sesame, and shredded cucumber — ready to eat. The Cold Bowl Trough has a firm yet soft texture and is deliciously satisfying, offering a distinctive…
The yam has a thick, straight-growing root that can reach up to 1 meter in length. The leaves are alternate, becoming opposite from the middle upwards, and rarely whorled in threes. Bulbils (also called "zero-yu-zi") often grow in the leaf axils. The leaf shape is highly variable, ranging from triangular-ovate to broadly triangular-ovate, often with three shallow to deep lobes. The flowers are unisexual, extremely small, and greenish-white, all arranged in spikes. The male inflorescence is erect, …
Pian Guan Vermicelli…
Yao Tou Township: Vinegar…
Ground moss, commonly known as "earth ear" or "purple bitter greens," is a wild edible fungus unique to the Loess Plateau. Rich in nutrients and with a distinctive flavor, it can be used as a filling, side dish, in tofu stew, or in soups. Harvested from rural grassy slopes and forested areas, this product is completely natural and pollution-free, making it a genuine green food.…
Back in the day, when the folks in Pianguan heard that Li Zicheng had captured Ningwu and was about to reach Pianguan, every household happily soaked millet to prepare a meal to welcome the rebel army. Unexpectedly, days passed and Li Zicheng’s troops never arrived—the soaked millet turned sour. Unwilling to throw it away, the locals rinsed the sour millet and...
The *Pianguan County Annals* state: “Most of the locals make their living by raising sheep.” Sheep farming has a long history in Pianguan. The area boasts abundant grassy slopes with a wide variety of forage, making it ideal for sheep rearing. The mutton is tender and rich, known to have nourishing and stomach-warming effects. The *Supplement to Materia Medica* compares it to ginseng. Especially when cooked in a three-marrow broth, the mutton offal stew is highly nutritious, …
Tofu is said to have been created by ancient Taoist alchemists while they were attempting to produce an elixir of immortality for the gods. Although it failed to grant eternal life to those who sought to become immortal, it did give rise to a long-lasting and beloved dish in Chinese cuisine. Pianguan tofu, thanks to its ingredients, preparation methods, and local environmental factors, is tender, white, soft…
Yellow River Carp from Wanjiazhai are plump in body, with thick, tender, delicious meat that is rich in nutrients. After passing through Hekou Town in Togtoh County, Inner Mongolia, the Yellow River makes a sharp turn and flows through Wanjiazhai in Pianguan, Xinzhou region. This stretch of the river winds along with varying widths, offering a naturally tranquil environment as well as nutrient-rich sediment carried down from upstream…
Siyan Township: Melons…
Huanghe Carp from Hequ…