Nantong, a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province.

One of the 14 coastal cities among China's first batch to open up to foreign trade and is nicknamed "Northern Shanghai".

Main featuresLocal snacksInclude: World's Best Freshness, Yellow Stewed WolfMountain ChickenClearSteamedDolphinfish, White SauceBreamTangle Sea Snail Meat, Frog LegsYellow CroakerBoiled SoupMuttonShrimp PulpCorals, Crab RoeFish SkinTriple Freshness of Tong, Wild Chicken Threads, Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables, ClamRoast ChickenKelp, Wrapped in SilkCowpeaBraised Crab Roe, Hidden Treasure on Mount Jinshan, Braised Roast Chicken, Fish Stew, Tomato and Egg Pithaya, Tofu with Dried Shrimp, Clear Stewed SeaclamsLemon SoleSalt-baked Chicken, Sea Bottom Pine Tree in Soup, Faux Crab Fish Balls, ChickenRice PorridgeKaleStewed Childfish, BraisedEelPeach Blossom.White Sauce Roasted Carp

Brief Introduction

White Sauce Carp is a Jiangsu specialty. It has thick meat with no bones and is rich but not greasy. The broth is creamy and thick, and it subtly carries the aroma of alcohol, making it an outstanding delicacy in seafood dishes.

Preparation

One whole carp (about 750 grams).

Spring Bamboo Shoots: 35 grams.Rice Wine: 20 grams.Cooked Pork Fat: 75 grams.Sweet Fermented Rice Wine: 15 grams.Chicken Broth: 250 grams.Salt: 2 grams.Green Onion: 10 grams.Ginger: 7.5 grams.White Pepper Powder: 2 grams.Cut the fish into pieces and blanch them in boiling water with rice wine and salt until they are cooked, then rinse to clean.Heat a pan over high heat and add cooked pork fat. When it reaches about 132°C, add green onion slices and ginger pieces to fry until fragrant, then add fish pieces, rice wine, sweet fermented rice wine, and chicken broth. Cover the pot slightly and simmer for a few minutes.Add salt and bamboo shoots, bring back to a boil, switch to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes before turning the flame up again to reduce the sauce until it thickens. Add more cooked pork fat at the end.

Remove from stove and serve in a bowl with white pepper powder sprinkled on top.EncapsulationRou Kou CakeBrief IntroductionRou Kou Cake, a traditional seasonal snack from the millennium-old town of Shi Gang, has a long history.Rou Kou Cake was originally called Yin Cake. It got its name because each cake had a peach red seal on it.The production of Rou Kou Cake in Shi Gang's tea snack shops is quite meticulous and complex.

Every autumn after the harvest, tea snack shops purchase early October late rice from grain stores for next year's use as only this type of rice can produce white and soft cakes.Seven rounds of pounding to get high-quality white rice, seven days of soaking, and seven washes before grinding into flour. The flour is steamed to form cake, which is snow-white, fluffy, and cool without being hard. Even the renowned Rou Kou Cakes from famous tea snack shops like Nanxiang Village or Jingfu cannot match its quality.

Filling options include dates paste, five seeds, and sugar sand. Very delicious, each piece retails for 4 copper coins. It is sold while steaming. Some people cannot resist it and enjoy it in the shop, but more buy it to share with their families. People often purchase it as travel provisions.

Due to its fame, many people give Rou Kou Cake as gifts during spring.Store will wrap the cooled cake in a bamboo basket with layers of sweet osmanthus leaves and cover it with a shop sign before tying it up neatly for an elegant appearance and cleanliness.Mussel PorridgeBrief Introduction

Mussel Porridge is a common snack along the Jiangsu-Zhejiang coast, loved for its appealing color, aroma, and taste.Made in two steps: first, slowly cook a thick and creamy clear porridge; second, stir-fry garlic chives and chili fermented black beans with mussels. Combine both to achieve an optimal texture that maintains the freshness of the mussel.MethodFangmiSteamed into cake, it is snow-white and fluffy with a cool texture that doesn't harden, surpassing the quality of jinyang cakes sold by major tea food shops in Nantong like Daxiangcun and Jingfuzhai.The fillings includedates,mud, five kernels, washing sand, etc., which are very delicious; each piece sells for 4 copper coins, available while hot.Some people can't resist its temptation and try it at the shop, while most buy it to enjoy with their families. People often purchase it as a travel snack.Due to the fame of shihang jinyang cakes, many people give them as gifts to friends and family during springtime.As a gift, the shop will wrap cooled jinyang cakes in flat bamboo baskets lined with steamed southern bamboo leaves. The shop name is placed on top, tied neatly with red silk thread for an elegant and hygienic appearance.

History

In the early years of the Republic of China, tea food store owner Yao Shaotin from Shihang, despite his education, did not achieve official status but was fond of literature. He changed "yinyang cake" to "jinyang cake", and other stores followed suit.Some of Nantong's major tea food shops had bakers from Shihang who also called them "jinyang cakes".Thus, the name became established over time and is still used today.

MusselRice porridge

Introduction

Mussel rice porridge is a common snack in coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Due to its appealing taste, aroma, and texture, it has gained popularity among people.

Mussel rice porridge requires two steps: first, slowly cooking a thick and creamy porridge, then stir-frying garlic chives with mussels.Bean pasteStir-fried mussels, and combining the two to form one dish.This method ensures that the mussels remain tender without becoming tough.

Preparation

Ingredients:

Rice150 grams, oysters 225 grams, porklean meat75 grams,celerya little bit, green onions one stalk,cilantroone stalk, an appropriate amount of starch,

Seasonings:

5 grams of cooking oil, a little sesame oil, a little white pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt,monosodium glutamate (MSG)half a teaspoon,

Method:

1. Rinse oysters and dry them thoroughly. Coat each one with starch evenly, then blanch in boiling water, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.

2. Rinse rice and mix with a little oil, chop celery and cilantro into fine pieces,

3. Wash green onions and cut into flower shapes,

4. Rinse pork and slice it finely, mix with a little starch, blanch in boiling water, then remove from heat.

5. Put rice into a slow cooker, add water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir while cooking for 10 minutes, then addpork， ， ， ，

Authentic Xiang Gao

Introduction:

Authentic Xiang Gao is a traditional Chinese pastry from the Han people of Nantong City, Jiangsu Province.It originates from the Zhengchang Town and has been around for nearly 500 years.Authentic Xiang Gao uses high-quality ingredients meticulously, mainly using

glutinous rice,sesame seeds,sugar,and adding an appropriate amount ofbrown sugar,vegetable oil,osmanthus flowers,and pepper salt. It undergoes over 20 procedures before being gently smoked.It is light yellow, crispy but not burnt, with a delicate texture that is both firm and transparent under natural light. It has a refreshing aroma that tempts the appetite.The Xiang Gao resembles melon seed cake in shape but is crispier and sweeter with a unique flavor, surpassing melon seed cake in quality.Historical and Cultural Background:

According to historical records: during the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing period (early 16th century), Xiang Gao was already produced in Zhengchang Town;

In the Qing Dynasty's Jiaqing period, "Xiang Gao from Zhengchang" was recorded in "Haiqu Shiyue".Traditionally, only a few small workshops in Zhengchang Town produced Xiang Gao. It was mostly purchased by officials and wealthy merchants for tea or gifts.In recent decades, the famous historical delicacy has been lost.With the help of historical records and the efforts of veteran craftsmen over 70 years old, the traditional taste of this historic pastry was finally restored through repeated research and development.Rugao Ham SausageIntroduction:

Rugao ham sausage is a long-standing specialty in China. It can compete with "Guangzhou-style" sausages and is known as "Rugao-style" sausages.It uses pig backfat, cut into 1 cm cubes with a lean-to-fat ratio of 2:8, mixed with ginger juice, sugar, wine, and salt. After mixing, it is stuffed into pre-prepared intestine casings, tied at both ends, bent into U-shape, and dried for more than five sunny days.

This process results in sausages that are neatly cut, closely packed meat, balanced lean-to-fat ratio, dry and robust, appropriate size, bright color, salty-sweet taste, strong fragrance, rich nutrition, etc.

Historical and Cultural Background:In June 1910 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, Rugao's "Cao Hongji" ham sausage won a second prize at the South China Fair;

In 1934, Rugao-style sausages were awarded at the Jiangsu Provincial Products Exhibition.Embedded Pine Nut Pastry

Introduction:

Embedded pine nut pastry is a famous snack in Nantong region of Jiangsu Province. It mainly consists of sesame powder, sugar, fried rice flour, and walnut kernels.Golden brown with a sweet, fragrant, soft, and crumbly taste, it features the aroma of sesame seeds.

Made from high-quality sesame powder, sugar, fried rice flour, and walnut kernels, it is delicately crafted into 2 pieces per pound, each piece being 50 slices thick. Each slice is golden brown with embedded pine nuts, sweet, soft, and crumbly.

For dry consumption, it's crispy and sweet with a rich sesame aroma; for soaking in water, the fragrance spreads everywhere, refreshing without feeling greasy.

Historical and Cultural Background:It has a history of over 100 years. In the old days, there was a man surnamed Xu named Xiongfu who had a "Ding Tai" general store in Dongmen, specializing in tea snacks and pastries. He also operated stores outside.Later, he became an official in the imperial court. His specialty, the embedded pine nut pastry, stood out for its refined materials and meticulous craftsmanship with unique flavors that made it famous.Thus, "Ding Tai" pastries were known as "official gifts," renowned worldwide.Xi Ting Crispy CakeIntroduction:

Xi Ting crispy cake is a well-known pastry in the Xi Ting area of Nantong City. It dates back to the early Qing Dynasty during Emperor Guangxu's reign, over 100 years ago.Xi Ting crispy cakes are made with high-quality flour and undergo 28 procedures by hand. They are light yellow on the surface but not burnt, crisp yet sweet with a unique taste.A folk song goes: "Xi Ting crispy cake has eighteen layers, each layer distinct like looking through a mirror; you can smell it from upwind while eating it downwind."

Xi Ting crispy cakes use top-quality

refined flour as the main ingredient, going through 28 procedures by hand.They are gently baked at low heat until golden yellow on the surface;Each cake has eighteen layers. If you soak them in hot water, you can see each layer clearly.Xi Ting crispy cakes can be eaten dry or soaked in water. Dry eating is crisp and sweet with a strong sesame aroma; soaking makes it fresh and sweet, particularly suitable for the elderly's taste.

XitingsuiCrispy biscuit

Introduction

The Xitingsui crisp biscuit is a renowned Han Chinese pastry from the Xitong region of Jiangsu Province, dating back to the early years of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, with over 100 years of history.Xitingsui crisp biscuits are made using high-quality ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship, featuring a delicate, sweet, and crispy texture that makes them uniquely delicious.There is an old folk song about Xitingsui: "Xitingsui has eighteen layers; each layer clearly visible. The aroma can be smelled from upwind while the taste is savored downwind. It's so fragrant and sweet it's irresistible."”

The main ingredients for making crisp biscuits arehigh-quality white flour.After going through 28 processes, they are handmade.The biscuit is baked over low heat until golden but not burnt;Each biscuit has eighteen layers; if you doubt it, soaking in boiling water will reveal the distinct layers.There are two ways to enjoy Xitingsui: dry or soaked.Dry consumption offers a crispy and fragrant texture with sesame seeds adding extra flavor as you chew;Soaking in warm water makes it fresh, sweet, and suitable for elderly people's taste buds.

Historical and cultural heritage

The Xi Ting Crisp Cake, originally named Xi Ting Fulu Nao White Crisp, has a touching story behind it!Long ago, in the town of Xi Ting, a couple opened a tea food shop. The owner was skilled at making various types of tea snacks.Xi Ting is a small countryside town where customers were mostly farmers who couldn't afford fine tea snacks.They decided to focus on coarse goods and improve them to make products that are both beautiful in quality and affordable.Additionally, they improved the baking process using a new oven, mastering the fire techniques, ultimately creating unique, crispy, and fragrant crisp cakes.After being launched, it became a sensation throughout the town and was greatly loved by customers.

Zhang Jian, who once served as Minister of Commerce in the Qing government and whose ancestors were from Xi Ting, would return annually to worship his ancestors and always sample the crisp cake during these visits.Not only did he enjoy eating it himself, but he also gave crisp cakes as gifts to foreign merchants, wealthy people, and other elites.The Xi Ting Crisp Cake was not only popular among common people but also had a high reputation in the royal court.Zhang Jian personally named the shop "Fulu Nao".This name pleased the owner, who felt it could encourage his descendants to work hard and remember their past hardships.Braised Wolf Mountain ChickenIntroduction

Also known as the original stewed Wolf Mountain Chicken, this dish belongs to Jiangsu cuisine. It has clear broth, white skin with a glossy finish, rich flavor, subtle ham aroma, and is excellent both as a soup and a main course.

The Wolf Mountain chicken is one of the world's eight standard breeds, originally named "Chahe Big Chicken" or "Matai Black Chicken." In 1872, it was discovered by an English sailor in Nanjing and given its current name.

This breed has predominantly black feathers, vivid colors, long legs, thin skin, fine meat, and is known for its superior taste. It's a dual-purpose chicken suitable for both eggs and meat production.After being distributed globally, the Wolf Mountain chicken was included in international poultry books.Because of its thin skin and tender meat, this breed can be prepared in many ways.

PreparationA live female chicken (about 1.25 kg).25 grams of ham foot.25 grams of ginger, 25 grams of scallions, 30 grams of Shaoxing wine, and 12 grams of salt.

(1) Kill the chicken, clean it, and blanch it for use later.

(2) Blanch the ham foot, wash it clean. Place the chicken and ham foot in a sandpot with a bamboo grid inside. Pour water into the pot, add ginger and scallions, cover the pot, bring to a boil over high heat, add Shaoxing wine, and skim off foam. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove the ham, feet, grid, scallions, and ginger before adding salt. Cook until just before boiling, then turn off the heat.Tip:1. Use open fire to burn the skin of the ham foot, then wash it clean. This makes the skin soft when cooked, enhancing its taste.2. There are three types of braising: braised, clear braised, and half-braised. Generally, this is a clear braised dish where the main ingredient does not need to be coated with batter. Do not add soy sauce for this recipe.

Sweet Taro

Braised Bamboo ChickenIntroductionThe sweet taro braised bamboo chicken belongs to the Su cuisine, featuring a golden color, fresh and delicious bamboo chicken, fragrant taro, soft and flaky texture.

In Nantong, cooking bamboo chicken with sweet taro is considered a rare delicacy. It's crispy on the outside, aromatic on the inside.

Sweet taro comes from the yam bean plant, named for its underground tubers that have a subtle fragrance.

Sweet taro is known as "the king of vegetarian dishes." The 19th chapter of "Dream of the Red Chamber" mentions taro in fruit descriptions, indicating its long history and delicious taste.The Nantong regions of Hai Men and Qidong still retain traditional sweet potato cultivation practices.Bamboo chicken is a wild bird that lives on hillsides among bamboo forests. Its common name is Chicken Head Hawk. It has a rufous color with white spots, preferring to eat bamboo insect pests. Its meat is tender and flavorful.Nantong people cook bamboo chicken with sweet taro as a rare delicacy, resulting in a crispy texture and pleasant aroma.Ingredients:Bamboo chicken 450 grams, sweet taro 150 grams.

Scallions 25 grams, ginger 25 grams, Shaoxing wine 25 grams, soy sauce 15 grams, sugar 5 grams, salt 3.5 grams, water starch 20 grams, and peanut oil 450 grams (actual usage: 50 grams).Kill the bamboo chicken, clean it, cut into rectangular pieces, marinate in soy sauce.

Clean the sweet taro, peel it, slice it.

Heat a wok over high heat, pour peanut oil until it reaches about 80% hot (about 200°C), then fry the chicken and taro slices separately.Return to the original pot on high heat, add oil, sauté scallions and ginger. Add bamboo chicken, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and an appropriate amount of water. Cook until six parts of the chicken are done, then add sweet taro and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Finish with water starch to thicken.Dong Sugar

IntroductionThe Dong sugar is a delicious Han ethnic pastry produced in Rugao, Jiangsu Province.It uses refined flour, white sugar, sesame seeds, maltose as ingredients and goes through several processes including selection, refining of the sugar core, making the sugar stick, shaping, etc.To make the core, roast and grind sesame seeds to separate the outer layer from the inner part. Roast until a light yellow color, ensuring the perfect balance in heat and time so it is not burnt or raw.The process of making the sugar stick requires maintaining its flexibility for easy shaping.The final step involves spreading out the sugar stick, evenly distributing the sugar core, repeatedly folding and cutting to shape.

Finished product is a flat long rectangle with a white slightly yellow color, clear layers visible, spiral texture in cross-section, central "dove eye" appearance.It dissolves easily when eaten, crisp and sweet with lingering fragrance.Historical and cultural backgroundDong sugar was created by Dong Xiaowuan, the beloved concubine of Ming dynasty official Mao Biejiang from Rugao. According to records in "Chongtang Zhi Wen Lu" written during the Daoguang era: "Dong sugar is made by Mao Cao Min's concubine, Dong Xiaowuan.

Before returning home with her husband, she used to send this sugar as a gift from the Qinhuai River area. Thus, it is still known today as Qinyou Dong sugar.

After the fall of the Ming dynasty, Mao Biejiang and Dong Xiaowuan retired together to Shuihua Garden in Rugao where they hosted gatherings with famous scholars for poetry and wine drinking.Dong Xiaowuan prepared crisp pastries for guests, which were highly praised. This tradition has been passed down over 300 years, renowned throughout southern China.PeanutOil 450 grams (actual consumption is 50 grams).

Decapitate the quail, clean it thoroughly, slice it into rectangular pieces, marinate in soy sauce.Peel and clean yam, cut it into cubes.Pour oil into a pan, heat to about 200°C, then add chicken slices and yam cubes for deep-frying.Put the pan back on the stove, add oil, stir in ginger and garlic briefly before adding quail pieces, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and enough water. Continue boiling until the quail is six-tenths cooked, then add the yam and cook for another 15 minutes. Use a starch slurry to thicken the dish.

Dongtang

Introduction

Dongtang confectionery, a delicious Han Chinese pastry, originates from Rugao in Jiangsu Province.Made primarily with refined flour, white sugar, sesame seeds, and maltose syrup through processes like selecting materials, cooking the sugar core, shaping the sugar body, and finalizing it.To make the core, roasted sesame seeds are ground into powder after separating the hull from the seed. The roasting should be just right to achieve a subtle aroma without burning.The process of making the sugar body requires ensuring good extensibility for successful shaping.In the final step, the stretched sugar body is folded repeatedly and cut into layers before forming it into a flat rectangular shape.Finished Dongtang confectionery appears as a thin, long rectangle with white-yellow color, clear layers, and visible patterns. Its center resembles an eye of a phoenix.It melts easily when eaten, offering a crispy, sweet, and aromatic texture that lingers in the mouth.Historical context

Dongtang confectionery is said to have been created by Dong Xiaowen, the beloved concubine of Ming dynasty scholar-official Mao Bizheng.

According to "Chongchuan Zhi Wen Lu" from the 18th year of Daoguang's reign, Dong sugar was made by Dong Xiaowen. Before marrying Mao Bizheng, she sent this confection as a gift from the Qinhuai River area to him.After the fall of the Ming dynasty, Mao Bizheng and Dong Xiaowen retired to Wuhui Garden in Rugao.Prominent guests often gathered there for poetry recitals and banquets. Dong Xiaowen prepared these pastries for visitors, whose high praise led to their widespread popularity.”

The unique qualities of Dongtang confectionery have made it famous across southern China for over 300 years, enjoyed by all ages due to its easy melting, crispy texture, and rich flavor.Renowned figures from all over the country often gather in this garden, composing poems and singing together.Xiao W makes exquisite sesame candy to entertain guests; its delicious taste is highly praised by visitors.It thus became widely known.Its distinctive feature is that it melts easily in the mouth, being soft, fragrant, and sweet. When eaten, it leaves a lingering aroma in the mouth with a long-lasting aftertaste. It is rich in nutrition, suitable for all ages, and has been renowned throughout southern China for over 300 years.