Boqiao Human Culture Cuisine

Author: Min Buqu, Liu Wenyin / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Zheng Banqiao, a native of Xinghua, Jiangsu, is renowned for his famous quotes "It's hard to be wise" and "Being is a blessing," which have been widely for decades. His hometown of Xinghua is celebrated for phrases like "a paradise of shrimp, snails, fish, and crabs," "crabs wrapped in lotus leaves," "shrimp in bamboo cages," and "fish threaded with willow branches," all inspired by Banqiao's poetry. These phrases perfectly capture the culinary charm of the water-rich Xinghua.
Zheng Banqiao Cultural Cuisine () was born from the unique cultural heritage of Xinghua and has thrived in its homeland. It has been cherished in Xinghua for generations and is widely embraced by locals. In terms of ingredients, preparation techniques, cooking methods, and flavors, it stands out with its distinctive characteristics.
Zheng Banqiao Cultural Cuisine boasts a long history, directly evolving from ancient Huaiyang Cuisine. It shares close ties with other renowned historical dishes. The Book of Documents (·) once mentioned "Huai white fish," and poems by Su Dongpo and Yang Wanli praised dishes like "fermented white fish" and "Huai white fish stewed in Huai River water," echoing Zheng Banqiao's line "Buying fish by the lake is the best fish, cooking fish is like cooking lake water." Today, Xinghua still offers the dish "river water stewed with river fish," a direct descendant of this culinary tradition.
The preparation of Zheng Banqiao Cultural Cuisine is meticulous. Xinghua's Shagou fish balls are pure white, tender, and elastic. Many skilled locals have taken these fish balls beyond their hometown, introducing and sharing their deliciousness and spreading the culinary culture of their ancestral land. Xinghua's "Zhongzhuang Drunken Crabs" and "Sweet Rice Wine" are also famous beyond the region.