What is the origin of osmanthus cake and what is the story of it?

As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for the people. From ancient times to the present, the Chinese people's pursuit of food has never changed. Due to the vastness of China's territory, there are many kinds of cuisines. Among these cuisines, osmanthus cake is also considered to be the top of the snack world, and is also a famous traditional snack in China.

Osmanthus cake, as a traditional snack, has a history of more than 300 years in China. The production method of osmanthus cake is simple, the main raw material is glutinous rice flour, honey osmanthus flowers, rock sugar grains; cake body soft and delicate, taste fragrant, production method is simple, flavor mellow and delicious. Different places have different flavors of osmanthus cakes, and the diverse ingredients also give osmanthus cakes a thousand different customary characteristics.

There are many stories about the origin of osmanthus cake. The most widespread story is that a scholar named Yang Shengan was about to take the examination in Beijing. On his way to take the examination, he met Kuixing. Yang Shengan agreed to go to the Moon Palace to take the laurel, and he was asked if he wanted to go to the Moon Palace to take the laurel.

So, the Dragon King of the West Sea personally took Yang Shengan up to the Moon Palace, so that he could witness the beauty of the Moon Palace and fold the laurel himself. Later, when he woke up the next day, Yang Shengan realized that it was also a dream. However, Yang Shengan's journey to the capital to take the examination afterward was very smooth, and he also succeeded in getting the first prize, which is the origin of the folding of the laurel.

Later in the Ming Dynasty, a peddler surnamed Liu, according to this story folding fresh planning, and then use glutinous rice and sugar made into a sweet and savory pastries, very popular with customers, osmanthus cake as a traditional snack is so popular.

There is also a legendary version of the story of the osmanthus cake, a peddler due to bad business, grain tank bottom, so listen to the advice of neighbors, do some cakes to sell. When the peddler prepared the raw materials, not yet started to do, a night in a wooden box of materials changed into a cake. Even more strange, the pastry flavor is fresh and delicious, can recall the happy memories of childhood.

When the vendor succeeded in marketing the osmanthus cake, the story of how it was made spread. Neighbors young and old came to their house to try his osmanthus cake. These neighbors put more ingredients in the wooden box because they were greedy and wanted more osmanthus cake. Although the next day also turned out to be cinnamon cake, all the flavors were not as good as before.

The family of the peddler was also surprised, so they also observed at night. Sure enough, late at night, the family saw a rabbit struggling to make the cake, and because there were so many ingredients, this rabbit actually fainted on the ground from exhaustion and fatigue.

Then the vendor's wife realized that she had been too greedy and had overworked the rabbit. So they made cinnamon cakes and fed them to the rabbits themselves, and removed the large metal box, repenting for their greed.

After that, osmanthus cakes were all family-oriented in folk circulation, and later also gained the favor of the royal family. For example, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty married his daughter to a descendant of Confucius, but was incredibly homesick for his daughter. So, when Qianlong visited his daughter in the palace, he also carried his daughter's favorite foodstuffs such as osmanthus cake. As the emperor himself carried it, the unusual osmanthus flower cake also turned into a delicious dish for the Kong family.

For more than 300 years, the process of making osmanthus cake has been continuously improved. Today, this time-honored snack, often invited to the table of the State Banquet, although the appearance of the form has changed greatly, but the production method of craftsmanship has not changed.