Complete Guide to Chengde Snacks_Specialty Foods and Desserts in Chengde Introduction
Chengde is one of the first national historical and cultural cities, serving as the capital city of Hebei Province during the Republic era and early liberation period. The Summer Resort in Chengde and its surrounding temples are among China's top ten scenic spots, forty beautiful tourist destinations, key national scenic areas. In 1994, they were approved by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site; the Summer Resort and its surrounding temples are also listed as China's first batch of world cultural heritages.
Snacks Introduction: Nanasha Cake, buckwheat noodle cakes, bowl cake with fresh roses, Pingquan mutton soup, Pingquan sliced meat, tea sugar, donkey rolling cake, pulled royal noodles, silver thread mixed noodles, fresh rose cake,Truffle, Second Immortal Residence bowl cake, mutton soup, imperial soil Lotus leaf chicken, steam pot wild delicacies eight immortals, Nanasha cake, buckwheat noodle soup
Roast Cake in Donkey Style from Chengde
Introduction
The region of Chengde is rich in milo, which is called millet in Chengde."Roast Cake" is a popular snack made from milo and has over 200 years of history in Chengde.
"Roast Cake" is rolled into a long cylinder with milo, then covered with yellow bean flour, resembling how a donkey rolls in the mud, hence the name.
The ingredients for "Roast Cake" include large millet flour,yellow bean flour, red bean paste,sugar, sesame oil,osmanthus flowers, and green or red thread and melon seeds. The production process consists of three steps: dough preparation, filling making, and shaping. After being prepared, "Roast Cake" is covered in yellow bean flour, presenting a golden color, with its aroma and sweetness. It's soft to the mouth and uniquely flavored, suitable for all age groups.Traditional snack.－
Cultural History
"Roast Cake" is primarily made from yellow bean flour, also known as bean powder cake. But why is it called "Roast Cake"? This should be a form of metaphor. After making the cake, rolling it in yellow bean flour gives it the appearance of a donkey rolling in dust, hence the name. As mentioned in "Yadu Small Food Anthology," "Red sugar water filling cleverly arranged, millet in yellow flour buried." It also states, "Yellow bean mixed with millet,steamed and wrapped in red sugar water filling, rolled in fried bean flour on a dish for sale. The name 'Roast Cake' is indeed a humorous title."It can be seen that the term "Roast Cake" has become established. Nowadays, many people only know its elegant nickname but are unaware of its formal name.Today, various snack shops offer it year-round, although most now use glutinous rice flour instead of millet flour, with the color still being golden after rolling in yellow bean powder. PreparationMix millet flour with water and steam until soft. Add more water when kneading to make the dough softer. Roast the beans and grind them into flour. During preparation, coat the steamed millet dough on the outside with yellow bean powder and roll it out into sheets. Spread
red bean paste
(or brown sugar) over it, then roll up and cut into pieces weighing about 100 grams. Sprinkle sugar on top. Ensure the filling is evenly rolled, with clear layers, a golden exterior, featuring a fragrant, sweet taste with a strong flavor of yellow bean powder. Braised Meat in Earthenware Jar Introduction Braised meat in earthenware jar is one of the specialty foods in Chengde. It has a long history, with dark red meat pieces, rich and full-bodied flavors, not greasy, fragrant and tender, loved by both the elderly and children. Historical Cultural Background
The region around Chengde boasts abundant wildlife resources, historically with people relying on hunting for sustenance.
Braised meat in earthenware jar is a method of cooking wild animal foods from those times, preserving their original flavors while ensuring they are thoroughly cooked. Hence, it became one of the traditional meat-eating methods in this area.
The Jurchen people, before establishing their rule, also relied on hunting for sustenance and used earthenware jars to prepare various types of meats, a custom passed down from their traditional eating habits.Legend has it that during his stay at the Kala River Mansion, Emperor Dorgon often hunted wild boars, hares, deer, etc., and would braise them in earthenware jars for consumption. From late Qing Dynasty to early Republic of China, this method was inherited and developed. At that time, Guangde Lou was a renowned restaurant specializing in small earthenware jar braised meat.
The preparation is meticulous, with rich flavors. Later, the meats prepared included those from domesticated animals as well.
Ingredients5 kilograms of lean and fat pork, soy sauce
1.5 kilograms, ginger,
Sichuan pepper, water, star anise, cassia bark, fennel seeds, a moderate amount of sugar. Process(1) Cut the meat into waffle-shaped pieces and marinate in soy sauce mixed with ginger, peppercorns, spices, and sugar;
Place the marinated meat pieces in an earthenware jar along with
clear broth Five-spice pork 5000 grams,soy sauce 1500 grams,ginger,Sichuan pepper water, bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise, and an appropriate amount of sugar.
[Process]
(1) Cut the meat into wavelike pieces, marinate them in soy sauce mixed with ginger, Sichuan pepper water, bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise, and an appropriate amount of sugar;Place the marinated meat pieces into a jar,add stock. Without meat, add cooking wine, salt, and sugar. Place a small bowl at the jar's mouth, put a little in the bowl.Sesame rice. And water.
(2) Place the jar on high heat until the soup boils. Then switch to low heat to simmer,and after an hour, use gentle heat for stewing. Repeat this process 4 to 5 times until the sesame rice in the bowl turns into porridge-like consistency.It is now ready. Dushanshui tofu
Tofu Introduction
Dushanshui tofu, a specialty food from the Lenggexi Township of Kuangcheng County, Hebei Province,
is named after its location at the foot of Dushan.
Dushanshui tofu resembles mugwort tofu in appearance; it is white, clear, and almost transparent. When served in a shallow dish made from peeled willow branches shaped like small boats, it is visually pleasing to the eye;its aroma is rich and fragrant;and when tasted, it has a smooth texture. It is often paired with red pepper, fresh coriander, chopped green onions,monosodium glutamate, and sesame oil for added flavor. It is satisfying without being greasy, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
People living along the rivers originating from Dushan know how to make Dushanshui tofu. In towns like Muxi, people also operate stalls selling this delicacy. These establishments are highly popular with steady foot traffic of customers seeking to try it. Dushanshui tofu is well-known far and wide. Its dried form,tofu skin, is also a tasty delicacy suitable as high-quality gifts for relatives and friends.
Making Method
After straining the soy milk, boil it in a cauldron over wood fire until it reaches a rolling boil. Slightly cool to an appropriate temperature during this process; the surface will form a skin which can be removed with chopsticks and dried.This dried skin is called bean curd sheets or "fermented bean curd sheets". Then add an appropriate amount of brine, mix well to form a brain-like consistency without removing from the pot. Maintain temperature.The water source should be natural water originating from Dushan, and locally sourced yellow beans processed with stone mills are best. Emperor's earthy lotus leaf chickenIntroduction"Emperor's earthy lotus leaf chicken" originally known as "hua ji", after being introduced to Chengde, it was refined using special soils from the Chengde Imperial Palace, hot springs, and lake lotus leaves.
This gives it a unique and subtle fragrance of lotus leaves that stimulates appetite, leaving a lasting impression.
Ten-thousand character
braised pork in soy sauce"Ten-thousand character braised pork", a specialty from Hebei Province, involves cutting the five-spice meat into cubes,
boiling and then slicing it into spiral-shaped "ten-thousand characters". Add seasonings, steam until done.The dish has a red color that is lustrous and smooth, with tender and glutinous meat suitable for all ages without being greasy.
Historical Background
"Ten-thousand character braised pork" was once a must-have dish in the imperial kitchens of the Palace for Empress Dowager Cixi's birthday celebration.The dish uses pork belly, after slow cooking to achieve a tender and crisp texture. Add seasoning and cook to form a "ten-thousand character" pattern on top, then steam with seasonings added. The cross-section of the meat presents a "ten-thousand" character motif. It is rich in flavor and exceptionally pleasing. Later, it spread to common households, sometimes referred to as "empress pork".
South sea cake
Introduction"South sea cake", with a history of over 200 years in Chengde, also known as eight-angled sugar cake. Use brown sugar, green and red threads, sunflower seeds, and peach kernels for the filling, mix flour and buckwheat flour to make dough, wrap the filling, form into shapes, and pan-fry.
It is crispy, sweet, and refreshing; it was praised by Emperor Kangxi during his hunting trips in Pingquan, making it a tribute food.
With more than 500 years of production history.
Historical BackgroundEmperor Kangxi ordered the imperial kitchen to produce large quantities of south sea cakes for Mongolian nobles traveling back and forth. The local restaurants were also asked to assist, making it a popular food in the region. Today, many restaurants in Chengde still offer this dish. Chengde bean curd jelly Introduction The people of Chengde have enjoyed bean curd jelly for over 300 years.Not only is it favored for its delicious taste and ability to cool the body, but it also contains rich nutrients. According to "Pharmacopoeia of Chinese Medicines",green beans Mix buckwheat flour with water, shape and pan-fry. Crispy, sweet, and refreshing, it was praised by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty during his hunting trips to Pingquan, making it a tribute food. It has over 500 years of production history.
Historical Culture
At that time, the imperial kitchen in the Summer Palace prepared large quantities of Nanasha biscuits for Mongolian nobles traveling back and forth as provisions. Legend has it that the palace kitchen was too busy to handle the demand, so local restaurants were enlisted to help, making it a popular food in the area. Today, many restaurants in Chengde still offer Nanasha biscuits.
Chengde Cold bean curd
Introduction
Residents in the Chengde area have been consuming cold bean curd for over 300 years. People enjoy eating cold bean curd not only because of its delicious and refreshing taste, but also due to its rich nutritional content. According to The Great Dictionary of Chinese Medicine,Green beans Cooling jelly has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, treating initial cases of painful sores, burns, injuries from falls, and also neutralizing toxins from medicines and alcohol.”
Cultural history
In the 10th year of Xianfeng, British and French allied forces bombarded Dagou Port. Emperor Xianfeng fled hastily, later often ate cooling jelly outside the palace at the summer retreat. To this day, Chendu still tells a story about it: one day, Emperor Xianfeng was sitting in the shade by the lake when he heard someone selling from outside the palace: "Sour, salty, numbing, spicy, fragrant, cooling like ice. If you want to eat a bowl, as if entering paradise."Emperor Xianfeng learned from his eunuchs that it was a seller of cooling jelly and wanted to try some. So he changed into civilian clothes and left the palace. He saw many people around the seller enjoying their bowls, so he ordered one too. After eating, he only felt cool and delicious, with excellent taste, so he added another bowl. After finishing his last bite, the seller said: "Sir, you haven't paid me yet!"But the emperor always carried no money on him. Emperor Xianfeng had to take off his robe and asked the seller to come back to the summer retreat for payment the next day. The next day when the seller came as agreed, Emperor Xianfeng rewarded him with over three hundred taels of silver and kept him in the palace to teach how to make cooling jelly. Later, afraid of further trouble, he returned home to Shandong with his family. His apprentice inherited his skills and passed them down until today.
Preparation
Main ingredients: Chinese bean starch, auxiliary materials: alum, coriander, sesame paste, sesame oil,sesame,chili oil, salt, water,vinegar, garlic, etc.
It is made in three steps: mixing, cooking, shaping. After shaping, it is sliced into strands with a knife and placed in a bowl. Various seasonings are added according to personal preference and mixed well before eating. It is smooth, refreshing, and cool.
Rice noodles
Introduction
Rice noodles are one of the three specialties of northern China, alongside Beijing's stretched noodles and Shanxi's knife-cut noodles.Noodles In a pot, bring water to a boil. Rice noodle strips are placed on the edge of the pot, the dough is filled into the noodle maker, then pressed, with the rice noodles falling from the small holes at the bottom into the boiling water and cooked until done.After removing them, pour in sauce and add garlic sesame oil vinegar to taste. It is extremely fresh and tasty. Chengde has many ways of eating buckwheat; the most renowned is the so-called "imperial noodles" from Zhangsan Ying Town, Langfeng County, Hebei Province. In the early days, after tasting the noodles made by brothers Jiang's household in Zhangsan Ying, a hundred families' name spread far and wide.
Buckwheat is a traditional crop in Chengde, especially in the upper region. It has unique flavors when used to make food that are smooth yet chewy.There are white and black buckwheat; each has its own characteristics. By mixing the buckwheat with slightly alkaline water, pressing it through a noodle maker into long strips, then cooking them in boiling water until done.
After removing from the pot, add sauce, along with garlic sesame oil vinegar for an extremely fresh and tasty dish. PreparationFirst, mix buckwheat dough with slightly alkaline water. Then use a special tool to press the dough into long strips before cooking in boiling water until done. Add garlic sesame oil vinegar as seasonings can be eaten directly. Roasted Leg of Lamb
Introduction
Roasted leg of lamb is a delicacy served by Hulunbuir to guests, derived from roasted whole lamb.
Over time, various ingredients and condiments were added during the roasting process. This dish is well-known for its color, flavor, aroma, and tenderness on the outside while being crispy inside.
Historical culture
According to legend, roast leg of lamb was once a favored dish by Genghis Khan. During his campaigns, officials in charge of catering shortened his meal time to allow him some rest. Without consulting Genghis Khan, they changed the often-eaten roasted whole lamb to sliced and grilled versions. Genghis Khan was busy with military affairs and did not notice these changes at first. His attendants continued to serve him a plate of roast leg of lamb daily. Due to its tender, fragrant, crisp texture without being fishy or greasy, he enjoyed it very much.
Thereafter, he ate it daily and praised it to others. From then on, this dish became a common item on tables in nomadic households.
Over time, city chefs refined the roast leg of lamb technique and turned it into a famous dish served in hotels and restaurants today. PreparationThis dish is made with a lamb leg that is marinated then seasoned before roasting. The finished dish has an intact shape, red appearance, tender and rich aroma, fresh taste, long-lasting aftertaste. Bowl-shaped Buckwheat DumplingsIntroduction Chengde is famous for its buckwheat; the buckwheat dumplings made there are a traditional local delicacy with over 200 years of history."Buckwheat is particularly suitable for mountain fields." As recorded in "The Chengde Prefecture Annals", and "The Broad Variety of Flowers" states: "People in the north use buckwheat as daily food, farmers use it to prepare for winter."This shows that buckwheat was a major grain crop in northern regions including Chengde."There are many buckwheat fields along the mountain path," written by Song Dynasty poet Lu You. It highlights how common buckwheat was at that time. Historical culture
During Emperor Qianlong's inspection of the hot springs, his retinue heard from a small eunuch about these bowl-shaped buckwheat dumplings in the Two Immortals' Residence and found them very delicious. They asked an eunuch to buy some.
To please the empresses and concubines, the seller packed the buckwheat dumplings into an elegant box before selling them at the summer retreat, which increased their value."Bowl-shaped buckwheat dumplings" were best made by Wang Laosan. He started making these in late Qing Dynasty and was known for his fine selection of ingredients and advanced techniques.
During the Republican era, he was invited to the governor's office in Zhangjiakou to teach buckwheat dumpling-making skills.
He passed away but his descendants continued this tradition. Today, the buckwheat dumplings from Two Immortals' Residence are still popular with tourists both domestic and international.
PreparationThe ingredients for making buckwheat dumplings include buckwheat flour, Chinese bean starch, five-spice powder, Sichuan pepper, and pork blood. Buckwheat dumplings require three steps: mixing the dough, cooking it, and shaping it. Serve with sesame paste, garlic juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil for a delicious experience. This demonstrates that buckwheat was the main grain crop in northern China and Chengde during that time. The Song Dynasty poet Lu You also wrote "Buckwheat stretches far along the mountain road, and soybeans hang bright beside the door" to depict the abundance of buckwheat.
historical culture
During the Qianlong era, when the emperor toured the Hot Spring Valley, the concubines and ladies in waiting heard from a junior eunuch that there was a small snack called "wanche tuo" in the Two Immortals' Residence area, which was very delicious. To please the concubines and ladies in waiting, the vendor packed the wanche tuo in an elegant box to sell at the Summer Resort, thereby increasing its value. In the Two Immortals' Residence area, the best maker of wanche tuo was known as "Wanche Tuo King" or Old Wang Three. Starting from the late Qing Dynasty, he specialized in making wanche tuo. His selection of ingredients and craftsmanship were top-notch, and his wanche tuo was well-cooked with exquisite serving ware. During the Republican era, he was invited to teach the craft of making wanche tuo at the residence of the Hot River Governor, Tang Yulan. After his passing, this skill was passed down through his descendants. To this day, the wanche tuo from Two Immortals' Residence continues to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
preparation
The ingredients for making wanche tuo include buckwheat flour, green pea starch, five-spice powder, Sichuan pepper, and an appropriate amount of pork blood.. Making wanche tuo involves three steps: mixing the dough, boiling, and shaping. When served, a few drops of sesame sauce, garlic juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil are poured over the fried wanche tuo, which is then eaten with a fork. The taste is exquisite.
