A pinch of crisp

A pinch of crisp

　　A pinch of crisp is one of the three famous snacks from Gaoqiao, Shanghai. Originally in powder form, it was eaten with a spoon as a small tonic food during winter. Later, to make it easier to sell, it was shaped into a small, pinch-sized form—hence the name "a pinch of crisp." The product looks as if pinched by hand, with clear, intact fingerprints, and does not crumble. When eaten, it is soft as snow fluff and crispy as frost flowers, oily without being greasy, sweet and pleasant, and rich in nutrients—especially suitable for children and the elderly. Ingredients: 5 kg flour, 2.5 kg white sesame seeds, 2.5 kg peach kernels, 7.5 kg powdered white sugar, 2 kg cooked lard. Production method: 1. Roast the sesame seeds and peach kernels, then grind them into crumbs. 2. Stir-fry the flour over low heat until cooked. 3. Mix the sesame crumbs, peach kernel crumbs, cooked flour, and powdered sugar evenly. 4. Melt the lard slightly and mix it in, then knead until it can be formed into a ball. If the weather is too cold, add an extra 250 grams of lard. 5. Shaping: traditionally done by pinching tightly with one hand; nowadays, it is pressed into wooden molds and then demolded. 6. After demolding, pack into boxes.