Geyuan Taro Candy

Geyuan Taro Candy

　　Taro candy, also known as Xing’an crisp (historically, Hengfeng was called Xing’an County), was first produced in Geyuan and is a traditional food of the area, hence also called Geyuan taro candy.

　　Taro candy is made from glutinous rice, taro, sesame, white sugar, tea oil, and other ingredients. Historically, taro candy produced in Geyuan was famous both within and beyond the province. It is said that Geyuan’s taro candy could not be replicated elsewhere—even using the same ingredients and methods, the result would not match that of Geyuan. The reason lies in the quality of Geyuan’s glutinous rice. The glutinous rice grown in Qianshan Village and surrounding areas in Geyuan requires a long growth cycle, benefiting from the region’s excellent water and soil. From sowing to harvesting, it goes through all four seasons, nourished by rain throughout the year. The rice milled from this grain is white and highly glutinous. Steamed glutinous rice is mashed together with cooked taro, torn into small pieces, and then steamed again. It is then shaped into strips, sliced into pieces, and sun-dried before being deep-fried in oil, where it rapidly expands in volume. Once fished out while hot, it is mixed with roasted sesame and white sugar to become taro candy. This food is characterized by its crispness, fragrance, and sweetness, melting in the mouth—hence it is also called “melting candy,” making it especially suitable for the elderly. According to elders, during the Qing Dynasty, Geyuan taro candy was once listed as a tribute product and was highly favored by the imperial court. Every year after the Start of Winter, large quantities of Geyuan taro candy were produced in Hengfeng and sold across various regions. Even Hengfeng natives working far away would instantly recognize the taste of taro candy as coming from their hometown, evoking a deep sense of homesickness.

　　Encouraged by the Party’s reform and opening-up policies, township enterprises in Hengfeng County have developed rapidly, with taro candy production becoming a flagship product in several towns. To meet current supply and demand, some manufacturers have rebranded taro candy as “sesame glutinous rice crisp,” packaging it in patterned and labeled food bags—available in one-jin or half-jin packs—that are both convenient to carry and attractively presented. Currently, Geyuan taro candy is sold across the country.