Liangxiang chestnuts get their name from Liangxiang, where they were historically traded, but they are also known as Fangshan chestnuts because their original growing area is around Fangshan. These chestnuts are large, round, have thin shells that are easy to peel, and are high in sugar and rich in nutrients. They can be eaten raw or used in candied chestnuts, spiced chestnuts, chestnut bean jelly, chestnut flour, and as an ingredient in pastries and dishes. Today, in addition to Fangshan...
Tianxingju Fried Liver Shop was formed in 1956 through the merger of Huixianju, established in the first year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1862), and Tianxingju, founded in 1930, giving it a history of 136 years. After the merger, to preserve the distinctive flavors of Beijing fried liver, the cooking was overseen by veteran chefs from the original Huixianju, who combined the best of both establishments’ traditional preparation methods and management practices.
Fermented mung bean drink is a unique Beijing specialty. It is made from the light greenish liquid left over after starch is extracted from ground mung beans used to make vermicelli or starch noodles, which is then fermented and boiled. It is said that as early as the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, fermented mung bean drink had already made its way into the imperial court. As the old Beijingers say, “If you haven’t tried fermented mung bean drink, you can’t call yourself a true Beijinger.”
When it comes to Douyichu’s shaomai, no one in Beijing is unfamiliar with it. Shaomai is a traditional folk food in China, shaped like a pomegranate, snow-white and translucent, with generous filling and thin wrappers, offering a rich and delicious taste. Douyichu’s shaomai captivates a wide range of domestic and international guests with its unique charm. But how did Douyichu come to be? At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Shanxi merchants began expanding outward, and many people from Shanxi went to other provinces or came to the capital to do business. The founder of Douyichu, Wang Ruifu, was one of them.
Beijing’s specialty candied fruits are made by boiling fruit pulp with sugar. Products with a high content of honey syrup are called candied fruits (蜜饯), while those without are called preserved fruits (果脯). Legend has it that they were originally produced exclusively in the imperial kitchens during the Ming Dynasty before being introduced to the public, boasting a history of over 300 years. Originally processed with honey, sugar is now used instead, though...
Beijing is China’s hub for jade artifacts, with a large collection of jade artworks concentrated around Huashi in Chongwenmen, Beijing. Broadly speaking, Beijing jade artifacts fall into two main categories: larger pieces — including jade incense burners, vases, tea sets, figurines, and animal sculptures — and smaller items such as rings, necklaces, seals, tobacco pipes, and lapel pins, all exquisitely crafted and delicate in detail.
The fresh-eating sweet and glutinous corn "Zhongnuo No. 1" is a new favorite in the corn family, boasting a unique flavor when eaten raw. Known as "a high-end vegetable and specialty fruit," it is tender, sweet, and delicious when steamed or boiled, making it highly popular among consumers. The planting and marketing of sweet and glutinous corn in Shangzhuang Township has developed over four years and has gained a strong reputation and market share in the Beijing market.
Authentic Sichuan-style "Goose Gate" has arrived in Beijing. It's located at the New Generation Mall on Xidan Street. The "Goose Gate" spicy and sour hotpot is carefully prepared with dozens of traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients. The goose feet are tender and fragrant, and the sour soup is rich and flavorful. Goose feet are high in protein, fat, and other nutrients, offering benefits such as stimulating appetite, supporting liver health, and promoting skin beauty...
The roast fish comes in "over ten flavors," and you can even have "one fish two ways" by just "paying a little extra for processing." The spicy and fermented black bean flavors are the "most popular"—one is "spicy enough," the other "aromatic enough." The bamboo shoots, celery, and bean skin also taste "great." After your meal, there's "free" guilinggao (turtle jelly), …
A long-renowned traditional snack from Beijing and Chengde. It features a grayish-green color, thick and rich texture, and a flavor that is sour with a hint of sweetness. Douzhi is a uniquely flavored winter and spring snack in Beijing. Elderly locals in particular have a special fondness for it. In the past, douzhi was sold either raw or cooked. Raw sellers often used hand-pushed wooden carts...
There is a wide variety of types, with just the chilled cakes alone coming in over ten kinds such as basin cake, filling cake, rice cake, bean flour cake, tower cake, ai wo wo, bean dregs cake, rolled cake, lotus root silk cake, and zongzi. The ingredients for chilled cakes can be whole rice, broken rice, or rice flour, and the cooking methods include both steaming and boiling. …
Ingredient Formulation Dough: Special flour 21 kg, cooking oil 3 kg, white sugar 1 kg, frying oil 12 kg, dry flour 2 kg Crisp layer: Special flour 26 kg, cooking oil 11 kg Filling: Date paste filling 30 kg
Ingredients: [Sichuan pepper][Daylily buds][Coriander][Wood ear fungus][Cremini mushrooms][Ginger paste][Soy sauce][Salt][Monosodium glutamate][Alum][Sesame oil][Dry starch] Story & Description: A traditional summer snack in Beijing. The Whirling Starch Noodles have pale bluish-white, semi-transparent skins that are soft, smooth, cool, and refreshing...
Rose pastry is one of Beijing’s famous traditional seasonal pastries. Also known as “Imperial Rose Fire Pastry,” it features a clear, flaky crust, a soft and tender texture, and a rich rose fragrance. In early March in Beijing, when wisteria pastries have just been enjoyed, the lunar month of April marks the season when roses are in full bloom. Making pastries with rose petals is a beloved seasonal treat among locals...
Rock Candy Lozenges are a traditional food of old Beijing with a long history. Originally a medicinal cuisine served in the imperial palace, they later spread to the public. Due to their significant dietary therapeutic effects on common ailments and discomforts, they were commonly known among the people as “medicinal candy.” Before 1955, they were often seen at Tianqiao and temple fairs such as those at Huguo Temple, White Pagoda Temple, Longfu Temple, and the Temple of the Earth in old Beijing. From 1955 to 2001, they were almost never seen in Beijing.
A specialty of Beijing—Eight-Treasure Rice Pudding, known for its sweet flavor, is a festive and hospitable treat. Glutinous rice is steamed and then mixed with white sugar, lard, and hot water. Ingredients such as candied dates are arranged in patterns inside a bowl, with red bean paste and osmanthus in the center, topped with glutinous rice, leveled, and then steamed in a basket for an hour. It's ready to serve after being scooped out. Recipes vary slightly across regions...
Ingredients: milk, sesame seeds, hawthorn candy, osmanthus sugar, white sugar Legend: A traditional Beijing snack. The *Ming Palace History* states: “Whenever it snows, people enjoy the plum blossoms in a warm room, eat milk skin, and milk roll pockets.” The Milk Skin Large Milk Roll features golden-yellow milk skin, a delicious sweet-and-sour taste, a soft and tender texture, rich milk aroma, and high nutritional value. Production method: Boil 5 kilograms of milk down to about 3 kilograms; scoop the boiled milk into a basin, cover the basin opening with cloth, then seal tightly. After about 1 hour, remove the basin lid and cloth, let it cool, and a layer of milk skin about two-fen thick will form; gently lower a bamboo rack along the edge of the basin to lift the milk skin intact, then flip it onto oiled paper, cover with another layer of oiled paper, and place a damp cloth on top to absorb moisture from the milk skin; mix a little milk into the osmanthus sugar until smooth, let it settle, then combine the osmanthus syrup with white sugar and ground sesame seeds to make the sesame sugar filling; mash the hawthorn candy into a paste to make the hawthorn filling. Cut the cooled milk skin into large square pieces, spread half sesame sugar filling and half hawthorn filling horizontally on the milk skin, roll it into a milk roll, then cut into small pieces.
The lunar calendar, used since the Han Dynasty, divides the year into seasons: January to March as spring, April to June as summer, and July to September as autumn. The 15th day of the 8th month falls midway through autumn, hence the name "Mid-Autumn." The festival began taking shape during the Han Dynasty, and by the Tang Dynasty, the customs of moon-gazing and moon-appreciation were already established. By the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month was officially designated as Mid-Autumn Festival.
The "closed-oven roast duck" served by Cheapo is one of the two major schools of Beijing roast duck. It is known for its crispy skin, tender meat, and delicious flavor. Because the duck is not exposed to an open flame during roasting, the surface remains free of impurities, earning it the reputation of being a "green roast duck." In 2002, it was designated as a "Famous Chinese Dish" by China's Ministry of Internal Trade. The exceptional technique behind Cheapo’s closed-oven roast duck has been included in the Beijing Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List. Cheapo’s innovative roast duck flavors, “Floral Crisp” and “Vegetable Crisp,” have gained popularity among consumers for their nutritional value and modern taste, and have been awarded the title of “Most Trendy Dish.”
When it comes to old Beijing, Li's Plain-Boiled Sheep's Head is no stranger. Tracing its origins, this delicacy first appeared after the failure of Li Zicheng’s peasant uprising. Some remnants of Li Zicheng’s forces stationed in Liying, Daxing, on the outskirts of Beijing, and later integrated into the local civilian population. In addition to farming, they also engaged in trading cattle and sheep. Unsold sheep heads and offal were boiled in plain water, and surprisingly, they found the taste delicious. Over time, the dish was refined and improved, eventually becoming a livelihood and gradually making its way into the city. By the late Qing Dynasty, it had gained fame throughout Beijing and was especially popular among commoners. As a humble street food, Li's Plain-Boiled Sheep's Head remained a small-scale operation without a fixed storefront. For years, vendors carried wooden boxes and sold the dish door-to-door, hawking it along the streets. It wasn’t until the third-generation successor, Li Qingzhi, that the business finally had its own proper shop.