Shuikou Goose Pot

Shuikou Goose Pot

　　Shuikou Goose Pot is a specialty dish from Shuikou Town, Laian County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province. Made primarily with free-range local geese aged 2–3 years, it offers benefits such as boosting energy, enhancing vitality, soothing the stomach, quenching thirst, and relieving coughs.

　　Shuikou is a town with a history of thousands of years. A goose pot is a way of preparing a dish. Together, they form one of the four signature dishes of Laian.

　　As the name suggests, the goose pot mainly uses naturally raised old geese as the main ingredient, along with seasonings. It can be either stewed or braised, then served in a hot pot style, accompanied by vegetables and tofu products for dipping. It’s affordable and filling. In fact, it's also a common way to enjoy goose — rich in aroma and delicious in taste.

　　Shuikou Goose Pot is a relatively recent creation, with proper restaurants forming only in the late 1990s. Before that, a local resident surnamed Li ran a braised food stall by a conveniently located roadside. Since people working in nearby towns — such as highway patrol officers and visiting officials — often needed a simple lunch nearby, they would come to Li’s place for some braised goose and a quick meal. Over time, they grew tired of the same fare. One day, someone casually suggested that the Lis braise an old goose for them. Because all the ingredients were locally sourced, natural, and prepared in a traditional farmhouse style, urban diners who were used to dishes overly seasoned with MSG and artificial flavorings were amazed by the freshness and purity of the taste. Word quickly spread among friends, and the dish gradually became popular.

　　Penglai Goose Pot is located near the intersection of Laishui Road and National Highway 104 in Shuikou Town, Laian County (about 100 meters toward Laian), with a business area of 300 square meters and eight distinctive private dining rooms. Shuikou Penglai Goose Pot has branches in Laian County and Chuzhou City. The goose pot dish was named an Anhui Provincial Famous Dish and one of the Top Ten Dishes of Laian County in 2012.