Maqu Datan (Maqu Big Candy)

Maqu Datan

　　Maqu Datan is a specialty of Maqu Village, Pinglidian Town, Laizhou City, Yantai, Shandong Province. The production of Datan in Maqu Village has a history of several hundred years. Long renowned in Laizhou City, Maqu Datan ranks first among all kinds of local candies.

　　Maqu Datan is a traditional candy from Laizhou, named after Maqu Village in Pinglidian Town, Laizhou City. Historical records indicate that Maqu Datan first appeared about 500 years ago. Passed down through generations, it has been a major source of livelihood for the people of Maqu during the winter idle season and has also become part of the local folk culture.

　　The candy is made from a sugar syrup fermented from malt and corn. From the fermentation of malt to the final formation of the candy, the entire process involves more than ten steps, including head-making, second-knife work, holding the head, pulling the sugar, kneading the stick, adding air, coating with sesame, spinning the disk, rounding, and cooling. Each person is responsible for their own task.

　　In fact, making Datan is not very complicated. Aside from preparing the main ingredients—wheat, millet, white sugar, and sesame—the production process mainly consists of three steps: First is boiling the syrup. First, sprout wheat to 3–4 cm long, crush it with a stone mill, put it in a vat with water and stir, filter out the husks and impurities, then pour it into a large pot to boil. Mix it with millet according to the recipe and heat it into porridge. Then scoop it out, stir again, let it cool and settle, and take the liquid to boil with white sugar to make the syrup. Second is pulling and rolling the sugar. Once the syrup is ready, scoop out a piece with a wooden shovel, and two people pull it into a flat, board-like shape. Place it on a talc-surfaced table, roll it into a long tube, fold it into four strands, and pull again. Continue until the sugar tube is 1–2 cm in diameter and over 40 cm long, then cut it along the folded parts and place it on the table. Third is coating with sesame. The candy maker holds four sugar tubes in each hand and goes to the steam pot to “plate them with gold.” Once the tubes are evenly coated with steam, quickly roll them in a tray of roasted sesame seeds, then place them on the table and rub them with both hands. Once the sesame sticks firmly, the maker gently twists the tube into a round shape, twists the ends into a spiral, and transfers it to a cold room for low-temperature treatment. Before leaving the factory, just sprinkle some anti-sticking talcum powder, and it’s ready for the market.

　　Maqu Datan has a crisp and tender texture, with the mellow sweetness of maltose blending with the fragrant oiliness of sesame seeds, creating a unique flavor that is especially popular with both the elderly and children. It sells widely in Laizhou, particularly in the northern part of the city. A folk rhyme goes: “Big candy, big candy, makes kids cry for their moms. If mom won’t buy, grandma will—and grandma’s buys are oh so yummy.”