"Liubiju" Pickles

"Liubiju" Pickles

　　There is a historic and well-known shop on Grain Street — the over 450-year-old Liubiju Sauce Garden. This workshop once established six strict production rules: grains must be complete, steeping must be clean, pottery must be of good quality, heat control must be precise, and water must be fragrant. Hence the name “Liubiju” (literally “Six Musts”). Later, this wine shop turned into a pickle workshop, gaining even greater fame. The rigorous spirit and traditions of “Liubiju” have been passed down through generations. For example: old melons must be of the “seven-inch white” ripeness; cucumbers must be “blossom-tipped and spiny,” each weighing two taels (old measure); mustard roots must be of uniform size with “two gate openings”; pickled garlic must use bulbs harvested three days before the Summer Solstice, each containing four to six cloves. Here, soy sauce is made by steaming and fermenting soybeans right after the Lunar New Year to make “yellow paste,” which is then dried, ground, and placed in vats until the end of the solar term “Chushu.” After the liberation, with the increase in varieties and yields of Beijing vegetables, along with improvements in pickle-making techniques, both the variety and output of Liubiju pickles greatly expanded. Production standards also far surpassed the original “Six Musts.” Today, Liubiju pickles — crystal-clear, bright red, crispy, fragrant, and delicious — can be found in major markets across the city. Many traditional and famous pickles are also canned and exported abroad.

(Beijing)