Dali Bobo Mo

Dali Bobo Mo

　　Bobo Mo is a popular regional snack in the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province. It gets its name from being baked on heated stones—also known as Stone Mo, Bobo, or Dry Mo. Owing to its long history and primitive processing method, it is hailed as a "living fossil" of Chinese food culture. Bobo Mo boasts a notably ancient origin, with stone-baked bread bearing clear traces of the “stone cooking” practices from the Stone Age. Legend has it that: “During the time of Shennong, people were amazed by grain consumption, and they would spread millet on hot stones to roast and eat it.” By the Zhou Dynasty, there was a practice of “frying millet by placing millet grains on burning stones to cook them.” This shows that stone bread evolved from the ancient practice of “frying millet,” having undergone a long process of transmission and continuous refinement. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called “Stone Pan Cake” and was even offered as a tribute to the emperor. By the Qing Dynasty, stone bread made its way to Jinling (modern-day Nanjing), where it was referred to as “Natural Cake.” This type of bread is made from premium white flour, mixed with oil and salt (or sugar), and sometimes with fresh prickly ash leaves. The dough is then shaped and baked. It is characterized by its rich, savory, flaky taste, high nutritional value, easy digestibility, portability, and long shelf life. It is commonly used in rural Guanzhong areas as a gift for relatives and friends, a treat for guests, or as a nutritious food for postpartum women and patients.