Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji

Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji

　　Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji is a specialty snack from Bayiji Town, Pizhou City, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. The most famous version comes from the Bayiji Sauce Factory. Though it emits an overwhelmingly pungent smell upon first sniff, it feels almost weightless in the mouth, leaves a lingering aftertaste on the tongue, and is simply divine once swallowed. A local saying goes, “It smells foul, tastes delicious—once you’ve had a vat, you’ll want another.”

　　When it comes to the two legendary street snacks of Bayiji, even people living hundreds of miles away can’t help but sing their praises and salivate at the mere mention. The so-called “notoriously stinky” Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji and the “fragrant for miles” Bayiji Lamb Soup have been quietly passed down in the ancient town for centuries, earning widespread acclaim far and wide. Many visitors flock here specifically to indulge in these treats, often savoring them with great delight and even lingering long afterward, reluctant to leave.

　　Originally known as Liu Xiangsheng Fermented Tofu, Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji was created by Liu Xiangsheng, who was originally from Gupi, Suining County. Around the year 1740, floods devastated the Gupi area, leaving crops destroyed and harvests lost. Liu Xiangsheng and his son fled to Bayiji. Relying on their family’s secret recipe for fermented tofu, they settled in Bayiji where the sweet water quality, premium soybeans, and favorable climate helped them perfect a uniquely colored, fragrant, and flavorful fermented tofu. Upon its introduction, it quickly gained immense popularity among locals and gradually spread throughout the surrounding areas, maintaining its renowned status for centuries.

　　Unlike the fried and ready-to-eat stinky tofu commonly sold in alleys of many modern cities, Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji is unassuming in appearance. Each piece is cut into the shape of a matchbox, with a grayish-green color, soft texture, and a distinctive aroma (even veteran makers of stinky tofu hold their noses when opening the fermentation vat). But the taste is truly unparalleled—though its smell is extremely off-putting at first, it feels smooth and almost imperceptible in the mouth, offers a lingering aftertaste on the tongue, and is indescribably delightful once swallowed. By the time it reaches your stomach, it leaves your pores relaxed and a rich fragrance spreading through your body. As the local saying goes, “It smells foul, tastes delicious—once you’ve had a vat, you’ll want another.” On a dusk evening, under a grapevine trellis, take a bite of tender garlic sprouts, dip them in the stinky tofu, pair it with a pancake and a bit of liquor—it’s the epitome of comfort. The fatigue from a day’s work instantly vanishes, and you feel as if you’re floating on air or ascending to immortality.

　　Authentic Bad-Smelling Tofu of Bayiji all comes from small workshops. Though small in size, making this tofu is an intricate and labor-intensive process: tofu that has been curdled with brine is fermented, then mixed with essential seasonings and placed upright on wooden racks in the basement to maintain an appropriate temperature, allowing it to ferment and grow 2–3 cm-long fungal whiskers. It is then preserved in a salt vat for seven or eight months before being taken out of the vat and sold in the markets. In the streets of the ancient town, it’s common to see elderly masters leisurely pushing a wheelbarrow along the bluestone-paved paths, carrying a not-so-large ceramic jar filled with pieces of intensely smelly tofu. There’s no need for shouting—the moment the jar is opened, its faint yet unique stench can be detected from hundreds of meters away. Customers quickly gather, each taking several pieces, and a whole vat of the pungent tofu is swiftly snapped up by patrons from near and far.