Zhejiang food culture

Ningbo is not only beautiful, but also has spread all over the world with its "four fragrances" (rice fragrance, fish fragrance, book fragrance and ink fragrance) since ancient times, and its products are extremely rich. The main specialties can be divided into seafood, dry goods, special foods, seasonal fruits, traditional handicrafts, clothing and so on. Ningbo, the product of fresh and dry sea, is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, with a long coastline and a confluence of salt and fresh water. Water is extremely rich in microorganisms, so seafood tastes particularly delicious and has high nutritional value. Ningbo is one of the main seafood producing areas in China, where there are all kinds of seafood, such as yellow croaker, hairtail, cuttlefish, grouper, fragrant fish, mudskipper, swimming crab, sea shrimp, clam, clam, oyster, snail, scallop, jellyfish, kelp and seaweed. Among dried seafood, several are the most famous, such as yellow croaker, Mingfu owl, baked crab in red paste, drunk snail, dried shrimp, dried shrimp skin, fresh eel owl, jellyfish head, kelp, moss, grilled fish fillet and so on. People in Ningbo like to give this special product as a gift to relatives and friends.

Ningbo Tangtuan was originally named Yuanxiao. According to research, Ningbo Tangtuan began in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and has a history of more than 700 years. It is made of first-class glutinous rice, which is rich in local area, ground into powder and stuffed with delicate and pure white sugar, black sesame seeds and high-quality pig fat. It has the characteristics of fragrance, sweetness, freshness, smoothness and waxy taste, so it enjoys a good reputation at home and abroad. In Ningbo, on the morning of the first day of the first month, every family, men, women and children will eat jiaozi in Ningbo to show joy, reunion and good luck. Some overseas Chinese always like to eat bowls of jiaozi during festivals to express their homesickness. From 1982, Ningbo Tangtuan became the first snack variety exported overseas by Zhejiang Province. 1997 was selected as a famous snack in China.

Ningbo has a tradition of going out to do business. As more and more Ningbo people set up shops in various places to do business, they also spread the food of Ningbo Tangtuan to various places and opened Ningbo Tangtuan Store. Now, many cities in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Anqing have Ningbo dumpling shops. After Ningbo opened to the outside world, Ningbo dumplings were frozen and exported.

Shuimo powder, also called Tangyuan powder, is made of high-quality glutinous rice, which is fragrant and smooth. It is not only the main raw material for making Ningbo glutinous rice balls, but also can be used to make replicas of glutinous rice flour such as Yuanxiao and Matuan, replacing starch as coagulant in cold drink products.

Xikou Melaleuca Cake is a special food in Ningbo. It has been more than 100 years since Xikou was made. Square, with 27 floors, distinct layers, golden green, crisp and refreshing, sweet with salty, salty with fresh, unique flavor. It makes people feel fragrant after eating, and they can't get tired of eating it. Xikou Melaleuca Cake has won many national and provincial famous and excellent product awards, and has become a tourist food for Chinese and foreign tourists to taste and give to their relatives and friends, especially overseas tourists who have left their homes. They all like to let their relatives and friends take some home to comfort their homesickness. Melaleuca cakes are not only sold well in eastern Zhejiang, but also exported to Japan, Southeast Asian countries, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Sanbei University Crispy Sugar is a traditional name in Ningbo, which is famous in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and overseas. Sanbei crisp sugar production has a long history, and it was first produced in Lubu Town, Yuyao more than 100 years ago. Crispy bean candy is rich in nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene and other nutrients, which can keep the characteristics of fragrance, sweetness, crispness and looseness for a long time. At present, Lubu Town in Yuyao, Shenshiqiao in zhouxiang town in Cixi and Shenyang Tourist Food Factory in Ningbo are the main producing areas and production enterprises.

Sanbei lotus root shredded sugar. With the same name as Sanbei Crisp Sugar, it is a local specialty food in Ningbo, which was once a tribute to the imperial cuisine. Sanbei lotus root silk sugar is produced in Cixi. There are black sesame seeds or white sesame seeds outside the column, which are crisp and sweet and have a unique flavor.

Fenghua Taro (Luohan Guo Sheng). "Go through the three customs and six docks and eat Fenghua taro". People are proud of eating Fenghua taro, which shows that this taro is unusual. Fenghua taro is rich in Xiaowangmiao Town and Xikou Town in Fenghua. Fruit is rich in starch and delicious. Can be used as snacks, snacks, or "jiaozi".

Dog (sheep) taro pot, ribs taro pot and seafood taro pot have all become special dishes.

Tea. There are Tiantai Mountain and Siming Mountain in Ningbo, which live near the lake. There are abundant rains and misty clouds all year round, so the quality of tea is excellent, including "Wang Fu Yin Hao", "Ninghai No.1 Tip", "Wanghai Tea", "Waterfall Fairy Tea", "Siming Dragon Tip", "Lv Qin", "Donghai Dragon Tongue" and "Siming Twelve Thunder". Ningbo tea is best picked in front of Grain Rain, most of the time around Qingming. It is famous for its light green, fresh taste, sweet and lasting fragrance at the International Tea Expo.

Dried bamboo shoots with sheep tail. Fenghua, one of the three famous products, is as famous as peach and taro. It is made of long-bearded bamboo shoots which are abundant locally. Because it looks like a sheep bamboo shoot, it is called "dried sheep tail bamboo shoot". Its meat color is pure yellow, delicious and nutritious, and it has the effect of relieving summer heat and appetizing. Can be used for barbecue, white cutting or soup making.

Refined mustard tuber. Mustard mustard tuber is rich in Yuyao and Zhenhai, with crisp texture, bright color, unique flavor after processing, moderate salty and spicy, and fresh taste. Yuyao "Meifu" brand and Zhenhai "Tongqianqiao" brand and "Yun" brand mustard tuber are not only exported to more than 20 provinces and cities in China and the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and Macao and other countries and regions, but also refined into small packaged mustard tuber as tourist food for Chinese and foreign tourists. Qin Qing soup. Generally called evergreen dried vegetables or dried vegetables, it is a traditional specialty. In February and March, when a large number of rapeseed germinates, the tender tips of the top three or four nodes are used as raw materials, and they are blanched in boiling water for two or three minutes, and then dried after they are three ripe and seven ripe. Because of the special processing technology, most of the vitamin C and minerals in fresh vegetables are not destroyed, so the color, smell and taste are good and attractive. The general habit is to make soup. In the past, most of them were processed and eaten at home or given to relatives and friends in other places. Nowadays, Qin Qing soup is one of the "Kayizhi" green foods produced by Zhejiang Haitong Food Co., Ltd., which is supplied to cities such as Ningbo, Hangzhou and Shanghai and many overseas countries. It is also deeply loved by tourists and used as a good feed.

Rice cakes. Traditional grain replicas have been produced for hundreds of years. There is a folk saying in Ningbo that "rice cakes are rising year by year, and this year is better than last year". Ningbo rice cake takes high-quality late glutinous rice as the main raw material, which is as white as jade, soft and smooth, does not paste after long cooking, and is not sticky at the entrance. Cicheng Town in Ningbo and Sanqi Town in Yuyao are the main production bases of Ningbo rice cakes, and "Tapai" rice cakes are also exported to the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia and other countries and Hong Kong and Macao.

Qiu 'ai pickles Ningbo specialty is rich in Qiu 'ai Town, Yinzhou District, Ningbo, and is a famous "hometown of pickles". Pickled with potherb mustard, the color is Huang Liang, fragrant, tender, fresh and slightly sour, which can stimulate appetite. It can be eaten raw or used as an ingredient. There is a folk saying in Ningbo that "if you don't eat pickles soup for three days, your feet will be a little sour", which shows the role of pickles. Qiu 'ai pickles have been processed for nearly a hundred years. With vacuum packaging and advanced preservation and storage technology, many famous brand products such as "Dali" pickles are sold well at home and abroad.

Fenghua peach. Zhejiang province famous specialty, rich in Fenghua city, has been cultivated for nearly a hundred years. Fenghua has bright peach color, thick skin and thin flesh, and sweet fragrance. It is known as "Ganlu" and "Yaochi Treasures". The main varieties are topaz, topaz peach and topaz flat peach. Fresh peaches are available from late June to August every year. Peach fruit is not only a popular seasonal fruit, but also contains many nutrients such as fat, protein, inorganic salts, sugar, cellulose and vitamins. It can also increase human bile secretion, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and treat constipation. Peach kernel can also be used as medicine.

Myrica rubra, a famous fruit with high quality, is as famous as litchi in Fujian and Guangxi. It was listed as a tribute as early as the Han Dynasty (206-220 BC) and was rich in Yuyao and Cixi. The main varieties are white, red, pink and black. The water chestnut in Zhang Ting Town, Sanqi Town in Yuyao and Henghe Town in Cixi is the top grade. Fruits are large and small, and the juice is thick and sweet. Myrica rubra is rich in vitamin C, glucose, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid and other beneficial components, and has certain pharmacological effects. Compendium of Materia Medica says that it can "quench thirst, harmonize the five internal organs, purify the stomach and intestines, remove annoyance and eliminate evil spirits". Processed into wine bayberry, it can also relieve fatigue, dispel summer heat and dispel wind and dampness. Yuyao's "Dida" brand Yangmei liquor and Xiangshan's "Yong Cheng" brand dry Yangmei liquor are very popular in the market. Yuyao and Cixi also hold Yangmei Festival at the end of June each year when Yangmei is listed, and carry out economic, trade and cultural exchange activities.

Cao Tian (Citrus) is produced in Xiangshan and Ninghai areas, which has the characteristics of good quality, beautiful appearance, bright color, mellow juice, storage and transportation resistance, and is generally listed in 10. Cao Tian, the brand of "Daxiangshan" in Xiangshan County, has also been listed as the recommended commodity for Ningbo tourism.

Strawberry Due to its unique climate, Fenghua, Cixi and Yuyao in Ningbo are rich in strawberries. Especially in Shangtian Town, Fenghua, the strawberry in large-scale greenhouse has bright red color, delicate pulp, fragrant juice and excellent quality, which is deeply loved by consumers. "Guan Feng" brand Ueda strawberry is also listed as the recommended commodity for Ningbo tourism.

Kumquat, also known as kumquat, is the best fruit and has been cultivated for more than 300 years. Chaiqiao and Sanshan in Beilun, Ningbo are located in the eastern coast of Zhejiang, with warm and humid climate and acidic mountain soil, which are very suitable for kumquat growth. Golden bomb, sparerib, jujube and golden bean are the main products, among which golden bomb is the best, and it tastes sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and hemp, which is called "five-flavored fruit". Kumquat is rich in nutrition, containing a lot of vitamin C, protein, sugar, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and other nutrients, which has outstanding effects of appetizing, promoting digestion and resolving phlegm.

"Hanging red" (persimmon). Every autumn, it matures gradually, from green to red, and it is very beautiful to hang on trees, so Ningbo area is called "hanging red". Rich in Dalan Town (Shilin Village), Yuyao, "Shilin" brand is red, soft and sweet. In addition to raw food, it is also processed into persimmons to enter the market.

Honey pear. Also known as Huang Huali, it is rich in zhouxiang town and Andong Town in Cixi. Honey pear is different from ordinary pear, with large fruit, rich water and extremely rich nutrition. Because honey pears are very beautiful when they bloom and bear fruit, the large pear orchards in the two towns have also become popular tourist destinations.

Kiwi fruit is a treasure, and it has the reputation of "king of vitamin C" abroad, because its vines climb on rocks and Woods, commonly known as rattan pears. Ninghai Mountain has many streams and humid climate, which is very suitable for the natural growth of kiwifruit. According to the survey, there are nearly ten thousand mu of kiwifruit resources in the county. Kiwi is not only tender and juicy, sweet and sour, but also contains many minerals such as sugar, fat, protein, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Its vitamin content is particularly high, and its nutritional value is several to dozens times higher than that of citrus and apple. It has the effects of nourishing and strengthening the body, clearing away heat and promoting diuresis, and has certain inhibitory effects on gastric cancer and esophageal cancer.

Bamboo (weaving) handicrafts. Ningbo is rich in bamboo and has been engaged in bamboo weaving and weaving handicrafts for hundreds of years. Yinzhou Aizhong Township is also known as "the hometown of bamboo weaving". Its products are well-known at home and abroad for their exquisite shape, meticulous weaving and practical ornamental value. As Ningbo's foreign trade export products, they are exported to more than 30 countries and regions. Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. inherits the essence of Ningbo traditional craft and adopts advanced mass production technology to make its products more imaginative, aesthetic and fun. Its representative product, Shilin Craft Chopsticks, is environmentally friendly and beautifully made. It is decorated with auspicious words such as "Family photo", "Happy New Year" and so on. It has been designated as a diplomatic gift by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ningbo locals prefer to use the "Shilin" craft chopsticks as gifts for friendly exchanges with foreign countries and gifts between relatives and friends. As a recommended tourist product in Ningbo, it won the Silver Award in the first China Tourist Souvenir Design Competition and the Gold Award in Zhejiang Province in 2002.

Yue kiln celadon. China famous porcelain. As early as 1700 years ago, during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, products as tributes also spread to Korea, Japan and other countries. From the Tang Dynasty, Shanglinhu Kiln became the representative of Yue Kiln, and a large number of porcelain were exported from Ningbo Port to Southeast Asian countries, even to Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and other places. It has become the main export product of Ningbo Maritime Silk Road and enjoys a good reputation overseas. Yue kiln celadon is white as suet, smooth as jade, crystal clear in glaze color, beautiful in appearance and exquisite. Known as "round as the soul of the moon, light as the soul of the cloud." Ningbo Mingzhou Yueyao Celadon Co., Ltd. designed and produced bowls with high artistic value such as "Bing Ti Lian" and "Celadon inlaid with square cranes and plum bottles", which won the silver award, excellent award, Zhejiang silver award and gold award in the 2002 China Tourist Souvenir Design Competition respectively. Gifts are now widely used by governments at all levels and other departments.

Bamboo root carving in Xiangshan Mountain. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, local artists have made full use of the abundant bamboo resources and the natural shape of bamboo roots to carve various figures, Buddha statues and animals, with simple and vivid images. In recent years, Xiangshan bamboo root carving technology has developed rapidly, and its products are sold to Japan, Southeast Asian countries and Hong Kong. The "Fish Stuffed" bamboo root carving of Ningbo Hongda Root Carving Co., Ltd. also won the Excellence Award in the 2002 China Tourist Souvenir Design Competition.

Bone and wood inlay. The essence of traditional handicrafts in Ningbo has a history of 1000 years. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Ningbo's bone and wood inlay technology kept pace with Yangzhou's mother-of-pearl inlay and Guangzhou's ivory inlay. Ningbo bone wood is inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ivory, medium bone, boxwood, colored stone and other materials, and is carefully made into decorative patterns such as flowers and birds, scenery and ladies. , inlaid in hardwood blanks such as mahogany and rosewood, carefully polished and coated with Chinese lacquer, made into high-grade traditional furniture, architectural decoration, screens and pen holders, pen holders and paperweights. The three-piece stationery set of mahogany pen holder, business card holder and paperweight created by Ningbo Zilin Literature Workshop also won the silver prize in the 2002 China Tourist Souvenir Design Competition.

Bamboo carving with double reed. Ningbo traditional craft has a history of 100 years. Peel off the green skin with big bamboo, peel it layer by layer, dig out the bamboo spring, and process it into various handicrafts by modeling, painting, carving and painting. There are more than 100 varieties, such as mirror boxes, blue vases, vases, animal furniture, large screens and so on. Carved figures, landscapes, flowers and birds are vivid and lifelike. Carved works, both traditional sketches of China and simple and vigorous seal cutting, are well received at home and abroad.

Clay gold paint. The lacquer craft in Ningbo has a long history. A 7,000-year-old lacquer wooden bowl unearthed from Hemudu site is evidence. China raw lacquer is the main raw material of Ningbo clay gold colored lacquer, and the lacquerware is mainly made of wooden tires, as well as bamboo chips and bamboo braids. Production is divided into three categories: floating flowers, flat flowers and heavy flowers. Products mainly include screens, drum stools, coffee tables, fruit pots, TV cabinets, bookcases, writing desks and so on. It is one of the main export handicrafts in Ningbo.

Zhu Jin woodcarving, also known as lacquer gold woodcarving, is a famous traditional craft in Ningbo. Its composition is full, the contents are mostly festive and auspicious events and folklore, and the pictures are rich and colorful, forming a unique local style. Screens, cabinets, ancient figures, Buddha statues, animals, lanterns, etc. Zhu Jin made of wood carvings is exported to many countries in Europe, America and Asia.

Ningbo straw mat. Also known as "opening seats" and "permanent seats", commonly known as "slider", it is a famous specialty of Ningbo, especially Huanggulin and Yinzhou in Xixiang, Ningbo. This product has the characteristics of fine grass, white roots, clear color, smooth and straight, elastic grass core and strong sweat absorption (water absorption). And sleeping on a mat is especially cool and comfortable. Straw mats are divided into two types: hard mats with hemp as the diameter, top-grade mats with white hemp as the diameter, and water is poured on the mats for a long time; A cushion with yarn as its diameter. Summer sleeping mats can generally be used for 20 or 30 years and enjoy a high reputation abroad. Now, according to the market demand, we have also developed new products such as sofa seats, car cushion seats, combined folding and so on.