Among the wide variety of snacks in Sha County, wontons are one of the most popular. The finished wontons have wrappers as thin as paper, tender and crispy fillings, clear and flavorful broth, and a delicious taste. It is said that Li Gang, a national hero from the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, once wrote a poem praising Sha County wontons: “Chaos of heaven and earth wrapped in one bite, ever preserving righteousness to sing the great wind. The seven peaks’ layered greenery delights the evening, ten miles of flat flow allow free passage east and west.” This remains a well-told tale to this day.
Bai Mao Tea is another renowned local specialty of Lechang. The mountainous regions of Dayuan and Yanzhishan Jiufeng in Lechang are shrouded in clouds and mist year-round with abundant rainfall. The tea leaves produced here have fine white fuzz covering both the buds and the back of the leaves, hence the name “Bai Mao Jian” (White Hair Tip)...
Dongjia tangerine peel is reputed across Xinhui, where century-old peel is worth more than gold. Xinhui Tangerine Peel: Also known as Guang Tangerine Peel, it is the peel of the big red tangerine (scientific name: Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’), used in medicine for over 700 years. The Compendium of Materia Medica records: “Tangerine peel has coarse veins, is yellow and thick, with much white membrane inside, and tastes pungent and sweet... Nowadays, the best comes from Guangzhong (i.e., today’s Xinhui).”
Mizhi Millet is a specialty of Mizhi County on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi. Broadly speaking, it is also referred to as Yan’an Millet. It features a golden-yellow hue, round and plump grains, a glossy sheen, sticky texture, and fragrant taste. Its quality remains unchanged even after years of storage. When cooked into dry rice, it becomes sweet, fluffy, and increasingly aromatic with each chew, leaving a lingering aftertaste. When made into porridge, it is sticky, tender, refreshing, and richly fragrant, with a shiny layer of millet oil floating on the surface. Owing to its premium quality, Mizhi Millet enjoys nationwide fame and is recognized as one of China’s “Four Famous Millets.”
Wudong Dancong from Fenghuang Town in Chao'an is a type of oolong tea and considered the finest among Phoenix Dancong teas. It is primarily produced in the Wudong Mountain area near Fenghuang Town, Chao'an, Guangdong, hence its name. The tea leaves are robust and tightly rolled, with uniform, plump, and tender buds, exhibiting a brownish hue with a few cinnabar-red specks. When brewed, it yields a long-lasting and intense aroma. Wudong Dancong is a...
Hainan’s coffee is very famous. The island’s geographical conditions are ideal for producing high-grade coffee beans, and internationally renowned coffee brands also source beans from Hainan. There are numerous coffee processing factories in Hainan, and their processing techniques have steadily improved. Instant coffee has even established a brand—Lishen Coffee. In addition, roasted coffee boasts a strong aroma,
A gallstone from the gallbladder of a yellow or water buffalo, also known as Choubao. A precious traditional Chinese medicine. Intact bezoars are mostly oval, irregularly spherical, or triangular pyramidal in shape, with a few being tubular or granular. Bezoars are lightweight, with surfaces ranging from golden to yellowish-brown, fine-textured and lustrous. The cross-section is golden or brownish-yellow, featuring neatly arranged, densely layered concentric...
Shiping Tofu is a famous specialty of Shiping County in Yunnan Province. With a history of over 600 years since its emergence in the early Ming Dynasty, it has long been renowned for its premium quality and delicious taste. Located in the mountainous region of southern Yunnan, Shiping boasts beautiful scenery of green hills and clear waters. The county town sits close to Yilong Lake, enjoying naturally superior water resources. The tofu produced here differs from regular tofu.
Authentic Shiping eight-sided pan-fried fish has a history of several hundred years. It is made using freshwater carp and crucian carp caught from Yilong Lake in the southern part of Shiping County, Yunnan Province, and Chirui Lake to the southwest of Baoxiu Town. In Baoxiu, rice is planted in March and the first harvest takes place around early September. After a light fertilization, about a month later, the rice stubble sprouts and ripens again, yielding another harvest.
The so-called puffed wind tea is actually Baihao Oolong. It’s a unique Taiwanese summer tea that must grow in an environment free from air pollution and pesticides, and it also needs to be infested by the small green leafhopper (known as jassid or thrips), commonly referred to as “tea leafhopper attachment” (or locally as “tea garden attachment”), which causes natural qualitative changes in the leaves—only then can this extraordinary tea develop its distinctive flavor…
A type of tea commonly consumed by people of all ages and genders in Ningxia’s Hui community. The covered bowl, also known as a three-tiered tea set or locally referred to as a "cup," consists of a lid on top, a tray at the bottom, and a wide-rimmed, narrow-bottomed bowl in the middle for holding water—exquisite and aesthetically pleasing. In the hot summer months, drinking covered bowl tea is even more thirst-quenching than eating watermelon. In winter, Hui people gather around the stove in the morning,
Commonly known as Qingyuan Chicken, the Qingyuan Partridge Chicken is listed as one of the 27 premium breeds in China's Poultry Breed Records. It earned its name from the countless sesame-like speckles on the back feathers of the hens. Thanks to its geographical origin and unique free-range farming method (the chickens are raised entirely in bamboo forests, drinking dew and eating insects), the meat has long been celebrated for its tenderness and fine texture. It is renowned for its golden-yellow skin,
Hao Tian Pressed Duck. Shaxian pressed duck is a traditional delicacy with a long history. When Song Dynasty Prime Minister Li Gang was exiled to Shaxian, he praised Shaxian pressed duck as the finest poultry meat. This product is made from semi-domesticated ducks raised on local farms, featuring premium meat quality, rich nutrition, and carefully selected ingredients. The finished product is flat in shape, golden-yellow in color, fragrant and delicious, with a well-balanced saltiness. It is...
Phoenix Dancong teas are classified into individual cultivars (or strains) based on the unique morphology or flavor characteristics of each tea plant. They are harvested and processed individually, which is why they are called "Dancong" (single bush). Each tea plant is unique, producing its own natural floral or fruity aroma. Among them, there is one particular tea plant known for its rich honey flavor and a distinctive
Balut (Hairy Egg), also known as dead embryo egg, refers to a chicken embryo that has stopped developing due to improper temperature, humidity, or certain pathogens during incubation, resulting in an immature chick that dies inside the shell. Balut is essentially an almost fully incubated egg and is categorized into whole egg, half-chick, and full-chick types based on the stage of the chick’s development.
Suzhou’s gorgon fruit is also a delicacy. This type of gorgon fruit has very few thorns, boasts a rich aroma, and has a soft and glutinous texture. It is known as "southern gorgon fruit" (南芡), unlike the "northern gorgon fruit" (北芡), which is covered in many thorns and is difficult to harvest and peel. Gorgon fruit is the common name for water caltrop seeds among locals, and Suzhou’s southern gorgon fruit is particularly famous across China. There are many ways locals enjoy gorgon fruit in Suzhou,
Nine Twist Red Plum Tea is produced around Qiantang River, in the southwestern suburbs of Hangzhou such as Hubu, Shangbao, Zhangyu, Fengjia, Shejing, Shangyang, and Renqiao, with the tea from Dawu Mountain in Hubu being particularly exceptional. Also known as Nine Twist Oolong, it is a type of black tea. When brewed, the tea liquor has a bright, crimson color resembling red plum blossoms, hence the name Nine Twist Red Plum. Characteristics of the tea...
Zengcheng Xianjinfeng Lychee (Regional Brand) – Zengcheng District Agricultural Products Promotion Center Quality Characteristics Zengcheng Xianjinfeng Lychee, a national geographical indication product, is one of the finest lychee varieties. It is renowned for its thick, juicy flesh and sweet, honey-like flavor. With over a hundred years of cultivation history in Zengcheng, it was once an imperial tribute during the Qing Dynasty, served to the emperor. Quality Characteristics: Zengcheng Xian
Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar from Jiangsu enjoys a high reputation both at home and abroad. It is known for its five key characteristics: color, aroma, acidity, mellowness, and richness. It has a deep color and fresh taste, is fragrant with a slight sweetness, and acidic without being astringent. The longer it is stored, the more fragrant it becomes. As a seasoning, it enhances flavor and aroma, removes fishy odors and greasiness, and helps stimulate appetite and aid digestion. Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar is made primarily from high-quality glutinous rice and yellow wine lees.
It is said that over two hundred years ago, a wooden boat loaded with pottery passed through the large bay at the mouth of the Pearl River. Encountering a strong storm, it sank to the seabed near Shajing. All the pottery items on board fell into the sea. A few years later, fishermen from Shajing accidentally hauled up some pottery shards from the seabed and discovered that they were covered with plump, large oysters—much bigger than the ones commonly seen…