The specialties of Shijiazhuang's snacks.They are very famous nationwide, with a wide variety of types.Specifically, there are Zhaozhou Snow Pear,Pears,Zhao Fu,Crunchy Fish,Xingtang Large,Raisins,Glutinous Rice Noodles,Beef,Covered Meatballs,Jinzhouliao Peking Duck,Noodles,Gelatinous Fish,Baked Cake,and Roast Pancake.Also including Donkey Meat,and Bunge Liver.

Many snacks are well-known overseas and can be frequently found in Beijing as well.

Gold Phoenix Roast Chicken

is a historically famous specialty of Shijiazhuang.It originated in 1908, using unique production techniques.Chicken is colored with honey and then fried, cooked with an ancient herbal soup.It has certain medicinal effects and health benefits.Historical Culture

"Gold Phoenix Roast Chicken" originated in 1908. At that time, a couple called Ma Hongchang opened a chicken shop at Bridge Street, using unique production techniques to color the chicken with honey and cook it with an ancient herbal soup.

Despite its small size, business was exceptionally prosperous. Whenever steaming hot roast chickens were cooked, the store was always crowded.Often running out by evening, latecomers frequently could not purchase them."At that time, it was only called Bridge Street Ma's Chicken," according to the successors of Gold Phoenix Roast Chicken.

The auxiliary materials for making roast chicken consist of eighteen kinds of aromatic spices. These materials are both aromatics and herbs listed in The Compendium of Materia Medica. Thus, they have certain medicinal effects and health benefits."Although it has changed over the years, we still use the century-old soup daily. Clearing the oil and old residue, adding new ingredients each day.The formula is a secret recipe passed down in single line. The old residues are burned by specialists, while others must leave.Nowadays, only some people know the formula. During production, only designated individuals prepare the ingredients, with everyone else out of sight.Shijiazhuang Hui Min Roast Chicken”

Introduction

Shijiazhuang Hui Min Roast Chicken: golden yellow in color, beautiful appearance, deep flavor, rich and fragrant, does not spoil easily. The chicken is extremely tender but not falling apart.

Its production history dates back to nearly half a century ago.In 1933, Hui ethnic couple Ma Hongchang opened the "Red Smooth Lucky" small shop in Shijiazhuang, operating five spice roast chicken and becoming well-known throughout North China.In the 1950s, they absorbed local roast chicken frying techniques to reform the roast chicken into a new style.Called Ma's Chicken Shop Roast Chicken. This type of roast chicken is currently produced by Zhongshan Road Food Processing Factory according to traditional methods.West River Meat CakeIntroductionThe West River Meat Cake gets its name from the town in Shijiazhuang called Xishexi. It originated during the late Qing Dynasty when Li Luotu of Xishexi, a villager, invented it.It is famous throughout 20 counties and cities including Hengshui, Baoding, Renshou, Shijiazhuang, Tianjin, and Beijing.

Its ingredients include red yam starch,

Brothand various seasonings. It has a salty but not greasy taste.With the local burn cake, it resembles a hamburger and is locally known as meat wrapped in bread. It is popular among the masses due to its simple preparation and affordable price.

It is considered a mass fast food.Historical Culture

According to the third generation inheritor of West River Meat Cake, Li Xiqun, his grandfather Li Luotu invented it in the late Qing Dynasty. According to family records, he was born in 1871 and worked for a wealthy household's meat shop.

At year-end, he received a piece of donkey meat due to its abundance. Due to limited meat, he cut the donkey meat into fine pieces, added seasonings, cooked it with broth, and then mixed it with starch. Thus, this delicious West River Meat Cake was born.

The recipe has been passed down through generations without being disclosed. It now has five generations of inheritors.MakingWest River Meat Cake is primarily made from green pea and sweet potato starch,Donkey meatand donkey oil, with various seasonings as side ingredients.The process involves cutting the donkey meat into fine pieces. Cooking it in old broth, mixing it with starch, fat, and seasonings, then steaming it to create a bright red color, rich flavor, and suitable for all ages.Local people can enjoy it without any additional seasoning and feel full quickly, making it an essential local delicacy when hosting guests.

Golden Lion Fish

Origin: China Hebei Province.After processing the mandarin fish,

it is fried to create a golden yellow appearance with fluffy fillets. It has a slightly sour and sweet taste.

Historical CultureThe Golden Lion Fish originated in the early Republic of China.It was created by renowned chef Yuan Qingfang from the Zhonghua Restaurant in Shijiazhuang.Due to its golden yellow color and lion-like appearance, it is named as such.Starch is the main ingredient, donkey meat and donkey fat, as well as sesame oil are secondary ingredients, with various seasonings used as condiments.The preparation method involves slicing the donkey meat into fine pieces, mixing it with starch, meat paste, and oil using old broth from cooking, then placing them in a bowl and adding seasonings.It is then steamed to be made.It has the characteristics of red and lustrous color, fragrant but not greasy, suitable for all ages. Locals can eat it with no condiments until full, making it an essential local delicacy when hosting guests.

Golden Lion Fish

Introduction

Origin: Hebei Province, China.Made fromcarpafter processing and frying.It has a golden color, fluffy fish fillets resembling lion's fur, with a slightly sour and sweet taste.

Cultural History

Golden Lion Fish originated in the early years of the Republic of China (Ming Tang).Originally created by Master Yuan Qingfang from the Zhonghua Restaurant in Shijiazhuang City.Due to its golden color and lion-like appearance when cooked, it is named Golden Lion Fish.In the cooking skills performance in eight major cities of Hebei in 1952, Yuan prepared "Golden Lion Fish," which received high praise.This dish was one of the famous dishes from Hebei that participated in the national culinary appraisal meeting in 1983.

Preparation

Clean the fish thoroughly.Split open from below the lower lip and separate the gill cover, then thinly slice both sides of the fish body crosswise, with each slice still connected to the body, and finally cut them into thin strips with scissors.Chives,ginger, garlic are chopped finely. Winter bamboo shoots and ham slices are also prepared.Hamslices are cut into 7 cm long threads.Heat a wok, addpeanutoil, and heat until it reaches four-fifths of its maximum temperature. Coat the fish with well-preparedeggmixture evenly, then fry in the oil while gently shaking to spread the fine strips. When golden yellow, remove from the pan.Leave a little oil in the wok, add chopped chives, ginger, and garlic, winter bamboo shoots, and ham threads (about 7 cm long), along with wine,maltvinegar,sugar,soy sauce,and cook until thickened. Add some hot oil at the end, remove from heat, and pour over the fish.Xinji Salted

Introduction

Xinji salted is red in color, delicious in taste, tender without being mushy, fragrant but not greasy, fresh and not fishy.

Every afternoon, wash the mutton first and change water every hour until the water clears and the meat turns white. Then place it in a pot of boiling water for about ten minutes before changing the water again and addingcumin,large cardamom,fennelto simmer with a large fire. Once the meat is cooked, turn off the heat, use stones to weigh down on the lid, then slowly simmer overnight until the next morning. The salted mutton should be removed and cut into strips before being sliced.Characteristics: Selecting high-quality ingredients, meticulous preparation,

Cultural History

Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Dao Guang in the Qing dynasty, there was a butcher named Tian from the village of Tenant Town who moved to Xinyi near Liushuangying.

Currently, the most authentic Xinji mutton is from Hao's Shop at Wangshan Kou. This shop has been around since 1893 and is now in its fourth generation with Hao Wei. He combines traditional techniques with modern methods, making the Xinji mutton uniquely flavored and well-known throughout surrounding counties.Hao's Shop for many years has dominated the market for mutton in Xinyi and remains a major local specialty.There is a shop at 33 North West Hua'er Road, Hebei Province today.Ma Family Halal Chicken

Introduction

Ma Family Halal Chicken is a specialty product of the Ma Family Old Chicken Store in Zhengding County, Hebei. It was listed as one of China's top 33 high-quality products in 1981 alongside other famous poultry meat dishes such as Jinhua ham and Beijing-style roasted pork.

The series includes halal chicken, chicken gizzards,chicken feet, chicken wings,wing tips

. The recipe is unique, with a rich taste. Chickens are selected from fresh live chickens that follow Islamic rules and are inspected by health authorities.Ingredients and preparation involve various expensive meat ingredients, iodized salt, old broth, and precise seasoning to create the product through traditional methods.Historical BackgroundIn 1869, due to war, Ma Lofa, a descendant of the Ma family's halal chicken business from Qizhou (now in Hebei Province), moved it to Zhengding.During her stay in Zhengding from December 31, 1901, Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu stayed at Zhengding while on their journey back from Beijing after the invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance.Empress Dowager Cixi praised Ma's halal chicken, saying it was fragrant, fresh, and tender. It gained popularity among residents of surrounding areas.PreparationThe Ma family is Muslim and pays special attention to selecting only fresh live chickens during a time when caged chickens are mainstream.Before cooking, wash the chicken thoroughly, insert one wing into the mouth, bend the head back, fold another wing, spread the legs with claws inside, forming a plectrum shape.

Then place it in old broth along with ingredients like star anise, cardamom, fennel, and white, iodized salt, as well as spices such as Sichuan pepper, large cardamom, and fennel.

The cooking time depends on the age of the chicken. Cooked properly, it is yellow inside with a bright color, smooth skin without breaking or falling off bones, not gritty or greasy, and loved by all ages.

Dog MeatComplete BanquetIntroduction

A complete dog meat banquet primarily uses about one-year-old tender dog meat. Various cooking techniques such as stir-frying, deep-frying, quick-frying, braising, smoking, mixing, and many others are used to create over 50 unique dishes.

It has high nutritional value and a distinctive flavor.

Dog Meat Banquet - Five-Spice TongueMain ingredient: dog tonguePreparation method belongs to the private cuisine category.Major cooking methods: braisingIngredients needed for five-spice tongue:Primary ingredients:

Pig's tongue300 grams

Seasoning sauce:

Star anise3 grams, green onion 3 grams, cassia bark 3 grams, salt 4 grams, soy sauce 4 grams, vinegar 4 grams, sugar 5 grams, sesame oil 10 grams, rice wine 10 grams

Preparation

-Five Spice Sausage from Dog Meat

Main ingredient: dog tongue

Preparation method belongs to the cuisine category of private cooking.

Primary cooking method: braising.

The five spice sausage requiresIngredients：

Principal ingredients:pig's tongue - 300 gramsSeasoning condiments:

star anise - 3 grams, green onion - 3 grams, cinnamon - 3 grams, salt - 4 grams, soy sauce - 4 grams, vinegar - 4 grams, sugar - 5 grams, sesame oil - 10 milliliters, cooking wine - 10 millilitersMr. Aixinsheng Jie wrote a poem praising it: "With marvelous skills transforming the old into something new; long-lasting and true to its origin.""In earlier times, it was only served in the imperial court; now I'm glad my whole family can enjoy it at a celebration banquet.

Method of preparation:

1. Clean the tongue (pig's tongue), place it in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove and put into warm water;2. Scrape off the mucus, remove the hyoid bone, and wash thoroughly;3. Heat a wok over medium heat with water, add the tongue, scallions, ginger slices, fennel seeds, cinnamon bark, and simmer;addtable salt, soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, vinegar to boil;4. Skim off the foam, reduce heat, and simmer for about 90 minutes;add;magnesium glutamate

5. Once the tongue is colored and well-flavored, cut it into thin slices, stack them on a plate, and pour in some of the original sauce to serve.

Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Dog's Kidney

Main ingredient: dog liver

Characteristics: fragrant and spicy, tender meat with vivid color

Suitable for:General population can consume.

More suitable for the elderly.

Portion size:

Each serving 50 grams.Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - GingerSausage

Main ingredient: dog's intestine, elaborately prepared with selected ingredients.

Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Golden Eye

Main ingredient: dog eye, winter melonCharacteristics: beautiful shape, rich nutrition, and skin care benefits.

Stir-fry with sesame oil, remove and cool down;Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution -

CeleryCrispy EarMain ingredient: dog ear, celery

Characteristics: fresh fragrance, crispy texture.

Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Yumstick Dog Ribs

Main ingredient: selected young dog ribs

Characteristics:

Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Little Bear Paw

Main ingredient: dog pawCharacteristics: beautiful shape, rich nutrition, skin care benefits.”

Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Cucumber Slices with Dog Ribs

Main ingredient: selected young dog ribs

Characteristics:

Sausage

Cooked Dry Silken TofuMain ingredients: salty dog meat, tofu slices

Characteristics: red and white contrast, vivid color and flavor.Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution -Pecans

Dog Meat

Main ingredient: five-layered dog meat, pecans

Characteristics;Beautiful shape, perfect combination of the sweetness of chestnuts and the tenderness of five-layered dog meat.Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Rain Flower Red Oil Dog Brain

Main ingredient: dog brain

Characteristics: stone-like appearance, rich taste, tender texture.Dogs' Kidneys in Saline Solution - Nourishing Dog Penis Dragon Phoenix Soup

Main ingredients: dog penis, old turtle, black chicken

Characteristics: thick and fragrant soup, sweet and fresh mouthfeel, invigorating blood and nourishing body.

Dog's Kidneys in Saline Solution - Red Oil Dog Stomach

Main ingredient: dog stomach

Ingredients:

Green pepper,Red pepper

Characteristics: crisp texture, delicious and beneficial to the skin.

Dog's Kidneys in Saline Solution - Boiled Dog Meat

Main ingredient: boiled dog meatCharacteristics: bright color, red and whiteSpecial note:Dog meat not only has a high protein content but also excellent quality proteins, especially with a large proportion of globulin, which significantly enhances the body's disease resistance and cell vitality as well as organ functions.

Eating dog meat can strengthen one's physique, improve digestive ability, promote blood circulation, and improve sexual function.

Dog meat is also suitable for elderly people with weakness symptoms such as incomplete urination, cold limbs, lack of energy, etc.

In winter, eating it regularly can enhance the body's resistance to cold.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that dog meat has warming effects on the kidneys, enhancing yang qi, strengthening strength, and nourishing blood and qi.

Eating dog meat may cause thirst, drinking rice porridge can correct this side effect.

Dog meat not onlyhas high protein content,but the quality of protein is excellent, particularly with a large proportion of globulin,which significantly enhances body resistance and cell vitality and organ function.Eating dog meat can strengthen one's physique, improve digestive ability, promote blood circulation,and enhance sexual function.According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, dog meat has the effects of warming the kidneys, assisting yang, strengthening energy, and replenishing blood and qi.

Drinking rice porridge after eating dog meat can counteract this side effect.Dog meat is a hot-natured food and should not be eaten in summer, nor should one eat too much at once.People suffering from coughs, colds, fever, diarrhea, or yin deficiency with excessive fire should also avoid eating dog meat.Avoid half-cooked dog meat to prevent parasitic infections; do not eat mad dog meat.Patients with cerebrovascular disease generally have arterial and high blood pressure.Dog meat is highly hot-natured and strong in tonifying, and after consumption it can cause blood pressure to rise significantly, even leading to rupture of the brain vessels.Therefore, patients with cerebrovascular disease should not eat too much dog meat.People who are just recovering from a serious illness also should avoid eating this, as their bodies are weak at such times and tonics should be warming in nature.

PotPancake

Introduction

Pot pancake is made usingCornflouror millet, foxtail millet, yam,groundflour, etc., to make the dough (the corn and foxtail millet must first be mixed with boiling water). It is then pan-fried along the edge of a hot pan until it turns golden brown on one side. It is crispy and delicious.

Preparation Method

Corn flourSteamed Bunfollows the same general process as regular steamed buns: leavening, alkali addition and kneading, shaping, and steaming.

1 Leavening: Mix an appropriate amount of baking powder with a third of mung bean flour into ordinary wheat flour, mix with water until it does not stick to your hands. Place the dough in a bowl covered for fermentation.At temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, place it next to a stove.2 Alkali addition and kneading: When the dough has expanded and appears as tiny air bubbles with a slight sour smell when pulled apart, take it out onto a floured board and add an appropriate amount of baking soda while kneading. Once the sour smell is gone, tear off a small piece of dough (about the size of your thumb) and bake it near the stove until it turns golden brown. If it does not turn yellow and has no sour smell after being baked, then the alkali addition is suitable and you can proceed to shape.If it appears yellow, there was too much baking soda; let it ferment for a while before repeating the process.If there is still a sour smell, add more baking soda until the dough has no sourness.3 Shaping:

Shape the leavened dough into round strips and then cut them into square pieces to make square steamed buns. Alternatively, rotate the dough on the board lightly while covering it with your hand to shape round steamed buns.4 Steaming:Arrange the shaped buns in order on a steamer tray leaving some space between each one.

Once the water in the pot is boiling, place the tray into the pot and start steaming. The water must remain at a boil and the steamer should not leak to ensure fluffy and tasty buns.

According to the size of the bun, steam for about 1 hour until cooked through before removing from the steamer.If not consumed immediately, remove the buns from the steamer promptly to avoid sticking to the bottom.

"Xue Family Pastry"

Introduction"Xue Family Pastry" is also known as "crispy pastry," or "Stone Pagoda Pastry." It gets its name from the fact that it was made by someone living near a stone tower in Zhao County.This is a unique local specialty snack of Zhao County, passed down for eight generations by the Xue family, dating back more than 100 years.Currently, descendants of the Xues are working to declare "Xue Family Pastry" as a Chinese time-honored brand.

Although production is not large scale, this effort by the Xue descendants provides an example for protecting traditional local businesses.

Palace Noodles

IntroductionPalace noodles, also known as "lotus root noodles" or "Aocheng palace noodles," are a traditional specialty of Ao Cheng with unique flavor.Made primarily from high-quality wheat flour, vegetable oil, and starch, they go through more than ten processes to form two major categories: stretched and pressed. They come in three series: nutritious, mixed grains, and flavored.The ingredients are carefully selected, the preparation is meticulous, and it contains abundant nutrition. Its characteristics include thin strands with hollow centers, white and clear, tough when boiled but not sticky, clear soup and noodles, chewy texture, and rich flavor.Mr. Aixinsheng Jie gave a poem praising them: "Revitalizing the old with new skill, Flowing long and true following the genuine tradition. Once only for imperial feasts, now all families enjoy longevity."Ao Cheng palace noodles are made primarily from local high-protein wheat flour, vegetable oil, salt, and eggs, carefully handmade, with a diameter of 0.7mm and hollow.

Its production process involves more than twenty steps over seventy hours, subject to weather conditions such as temperature and humidity; it can only be produced on about one hundred days a year due to its high sensitivity to these factors.

Historical Culture

Palace noodles were originally handmade "hanging noodles." Production began in the Tang Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Taizong, with a history dating back over 1300 years. After numerous improvements in technology, it became a specialty food with local flavor by the Tang era.At that time, most production was done in small workshops scattered across villages and quantities were limited.According to historical records, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, there was an "Eternal Harmony" noodle factory. The noodles produced there were of high quality and selected for imperial cuisine. From then on, Ao Cheng hanging noodles became a royal delicacy, with about 100 kg sent to the palace each year.During the early years of the Republic of China, the "Double Success Everlasting" noodle factory won multiple awards including silver and bronze medals in Nanjing and Shanghai, making it a specialty food for presidential palaces and exported to Korea.In the 1960s, relevant government departments began to recover and develop the production of palace noodles. In 1960, the county's grain bureau established its first noodle factory (later renamed the Palace Noodle Factory), with products mainly sold in Shijiazhuang. The production of palace noodles flourished.In the 1980s, various factories and specialized households began to expand or be built, forming a professionalized and series-based production system for palace noodles.At the same time, research institutes, schools, and associations were established to collaborate with manufacturers on technological advancements. Based on human body micro-nutrient requirements and intake levels, precise selection of ingredients and scientific formulation led to the development of high-nutrition and diversified palace noodle products including tomato palace noodles, spicy palace noodles, egg palace noodles, buckwheat palace noodles, eight-angle spice palace noodles, pregnant woman palace noodles, children's palace noodles, and elderly health-protecting palace noodles.These new varieties not only retained traditional characteristics but also catered to various tastes, suitable for both hot and cold consumption. Recent annual production capacity reached over 50,000 tons.Since 1984, Ao Cheng Palace Noodles have won numerous awards including the national quality award, gold medal at the first National Food Expo, and best sales award at the '92 Beijing International Invention Exhibition. They were recognized as provincial, national, and international quality products and sold nationwide while also being exported to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, the United States, and Canada.Gaocheng Palace Noodles are made from high-quality wheat flour, olive oil, refined salt, and eggs from local ， ， 0.7 ，Its production involves over 20 procedures and takes more than 70 hours, being greatly affected by weather conditions, requiring strict temperature and humidity control. It cannot be produced during extremely cold, hot, rainy, or overcast days, with only about one hundred days per year suitable for regular production.”

Due to the inability to produce on a large scale,it has become increasingly precious.Cultural HistoryGaocheng Palace Noodles originated as handmade

hanging noodles

and started being produced during the Tang Dynasty, over 1300 years ago. After numerous technological improvements, it became a specialty food with regional characteristics in the Tang Dynasty.However, at that time, most were made by small workshops, scattered and limited in quantity.According to historical records, during the Qing Guangxu era, there was a "Yonghe Hao" hanging noodle shop in the county. The noodles produced there were of high quality and were selected as an imperial tribute item. Since then, Gaocheng hanging noodles have been listed as royal cuisine.In the early years of the Republic of China (Ming Tang), the "Shuangsheng Yong" brand was awarded a silver medal at the Nanjing Presidential Palace and several bronze medals in other competitions, becoming a special food for the presidential palace and also exported to Korea.In the 1950s, the county government organized relevant departments to excavate and preserve this traditional technology, beginning to revive and expand production of Gaocheng Palace Noodles.In 1960, the County Grain Bureau built its first noodle factory (later renamed Palace Noodle Factory), which mainly sold products in Shijiazhuang. The production of Palace Noodles became increasingly prosperous.

From the 1980s, the Palace Noodle factories of the County Grain Bureau, the Foreign Trade Bureau, Longgong, Daciyi, and Comprehensive Food Industry began expanding or building new facilities, forming a specialized series of Palace Noodle production system.At the same time, they established research institutions such as the Palace Noodle Technology Research Institute, Palace Noodle Technical School, and Palace Noodle Association to work with producers for technical breakthroughs.Based on the body's required elements and intake, they carefully selected ingredients, scientifically formulated recipes, added various microelements and nutritious ingredients like tomato,milk, andchili pepper, etc., developing high-nutrition, diversified Palace Noodle series products including tomato Palace Noodles, spicy Palace Noodles, egg Palace Noodles, buckwheat Palace Noodles, eight corner fragrant Palace Noodles, pregnant woman Palace Noodles, children's Palace Noodles and elderly health Palace Noodles with over 20 new varieties. In addition to maintaining traditional characteristics, they also added features that catered to various tastes, suitable for both hot and cold consumption, and included pre-made condiments.In recent years, the annual production capacity has reached over 50,000 tons.Since 1984, Gaocheng Palace Noodles have won awards such as Quality Products of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Gold Medal at the First National Food Expo, Best Sales Award at the 1992 Beijing International Invention Exposition. They were evaluated as provincial, ministerial, and national quality products and sold throughout China, as well as exported to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, the United States, and Canada.Cold dish, accompanied by ready-made condiments, has an annual production capacity of over 50,000 tons.

Since 1984, Hengshen Palace Noodles have won the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Ministry's Quality Product Award, the Gold Medal at the First National Food Expo, and the Best Exhibition Sale Award at the '92 Beijing International Invention Exposition. They have been rated as provincial, ministerial, and national quality products, and are sold nationwide and exported to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, the United States, and Canada among other countries and regions.