Golden Threads Wrapped Around a Gourd

Golden Threads Wrapped Around a Gourd

　　　　      The culinary scene in Xuzhou has long been renowned for its skill in making pulled sugar dishes. “Golden Threads Wrapped Around a Gourd,” also known as pulled sugar hawthorn cake, is a supreme technique mastered by the Xuzhou culinary tradition of the Peng School. It has led the field in cooking excellence, possessing a unique beauty that has flourished from ancient times to the present, unmatched by other regional cuisines, and has earned high praise from both domestic and international guests.

　　      This dish is named for its visual resemblance. Its main ingredient is osmanthus hawthorn cake. Osmanthus hawthorn cake is made from hawthorn fruit, white sugar, and osmanthus jam, and is a specialty of Xuzhou. It has been recognized as a national famous product. The production of hawthorn cake in Xuzhou has a long history and high craftsmanship. The *Tongshan County Annals* records: “Locals grind hawthorn into pulp, mix it with maltose, and call it hawthorn cake.” There was also a poem titled *Ode to Hawthorn Cake* that praised it: “Red as dyed cinnabar, clear as crystal, its color resembles coral yet its texture is more lustrous. With the fragrance of osmanthus and the tartness of the fruit, its taste lingers, refreshing the mouth and cheeks.”

　　      This dish is characterized by its sweet-and-sour flavor, with golden threads wrapped intricately around it—myriad strands creating playful charm. It also offers health benefits such as aiding digestion, dispersing blood stasis, and preventing diarrhea with its antibacterial properties. Someone once composed a poem about this dish: “Fruit gathered from the hills to enrich the meal, beautiful as pearls served on a jade plate. With myriad threads artfully twined, it extends life like a rosy elixir.”