Li Chunmao Cold Noodles

Li Chunmao Cold Noodles

　　Li Chunmao Cold Noodles

　　Li Chunmao Cold Noodles. Li Chunmao, a resident of Shanghe Street in the county town, inherited his family’s traditional noodle-making skills and specializes in selling cold noodles. He makes cold noodles by hand-rolling the dough, which undergoes multiple processing steps. The noodles are as fine as cellophane noodles, with excellent elasticity, a smooth and refreshing texture, and a unique flavor, earning praise from customers from all over. He only produces about fifteen to sixteen pounds of noodles per day, yet customers flock to his stall in both hot and cold seasons. In the 1920s and 1930s, Chen Chunsheng and Hu Dalai tried to imitate his recipe and also gained some fame. According to Li’s regular customers, the cold noodles from Chen and Hu were inferior to those of Li Chunmao. Chen Chunsheng later became a renowned chef in Baihe. During the construction of the Xiangyu Railway, the division headquarters of the Railway Corps 0245 Unit invited Chen to prepare a two-table banquet to entertain senior leaders, which was highly appreciated. The headquarters offered him a high salary and promised “support for life and burial after death,” but Chen declined, citing that “at my age, I find it hard to leave my hometown.”