What are the special cuisines when traveling to Hangzhou?

Hangzhou cuisine belongs to Zhejiang cuisine among the eight major cuisines in China. It is popular in Jiangnan for its high quality and low price. "Refreshing and unique" is the biggest feature of Hangzhou cuisine. The ingredients are selected from time to time, the preparation is fine, and there are many varieties. We pay attention to nutrition and pay attention to the combination of fresh and salty, light and tender. Su Dongpo, a great poet of the Song Dynasty, once praised "the banquets in the world are as grand as those in Hangzhou", and there is an allusion to "get off your horse when you smell the fragrance".

Specialty Food

Dongpo Meat

Su Dongpo became the local magistrate of Hangzhou and mobilized tens of thousands of migrant workers to dredge the West Lake and build embankments to irrigate the fields. In order to reward the migrant workers, Su Dongpo ordered his family to cook the pork and Shaoxing wine sent by the people and give them to the migrant workers. The family mistakenly thought that the meat was cooked with wine, and the result was that the cooked meat was particularly fragrant and delicious, and it became a legend for a while. People praised Su Dongpo's character and imitated his unique cooking methods. Since then, "Dongpo Pork" named after this great writer has become a traditional dish in Hangzhou.

West Lake Vinegar Fish

West Lake Vinegar Fish, also known as "uncle and sister-in-law's treasure", is a traditional dish in Hangzhou. Legend has it that in ancient times, the sister-in-law cooked a bowl with sugar for the uncle. It comes from fish with vinegar. West Lake Vinegar Fish uses medium-sized grass carp as raw material and puts it in boiling water for about 3 minutes. The heat must be controlled. Cook sugar, vinegar, ginger, wine, soy sauce and starch into a thick sauce, put it on a plate and pour it on top. The body of the finished fish is complete, the eyes are round, the pectoral fins are straight, and the fish meat at the knife point is slightly turned outwards to keep the fish body fresh. The cooked West Lake vinegar fish is red and bright in color, the meat is fresh and tender, not raw and old, sweet and sour, with a slight crab flavor.

Songsao Fish Soup

According to legend, Song Wusao, a native of Bianliang in the Northern Song Dynasty, moved south to Hangzhou with the Song family, and made a living fishing in the West Lake with her uncle. One day, my uncle had a bad cold. Sister Song cooked a bowl of fish soup with pepper, ginger, wine, vinegar and other condiments. The uncle soon recovered from his illness after drinking the delicious fish soup. Once, Zhao Tao, Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, tasted the fish soup she made and praised it greatly. From then on, the dish was called "Songsao Fish Soup", and the business of her shop became more prosperous. This famous dish uses fresh mandarin fish and eggs as the main ingredients. When cooking, the mandarin fish as the main ingredient is steamed and the skin and bones are removed, and then cooked with shredded ham, shredded mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chicken soup and other condiments. The finished dish is pleasing in color, fresh and smooth, and tastes like crab soup, so it is also called "Crab Soup".

Longjing Shrimp

Longjing Shrimp, as the name suggests, is shrimp cooked with the sprouts of Longjing tea. It is a famous dish with local characteristics in Hangzhou. Hangzhou Tianwai Tian Cuisine Restaurant is the birthplace of this dish. The shrimps used in its dish are jade-white and fresh and tender; the buds and leaves are green and fragrant. It is refreshing and appetizing after eating. It is one of the best in Hangzhou cuisine. Not only does this dish use unique ingredients, but the heat must also be controlled just right. West Lake Water Shield Soup West Lake Water Shield, also known as water shield and water lily leaf, has been a precious aquatic food in my country for a long time. The soup made with water shield spoon is fragrant and mellow, with a unique flavor. Water shield not only tastes fragrant, but is also rich in nutrients. Its young stems, buds, and rolled leaves are surrounded by white and transparent gelatin, which contains high amounts of gelatin and other ingredients. If you use water shield and crucian carp together in a spoon, in addition to being delicious, it can also relieve qi and stop vomiting, treat hot gangrene, and get rid of sores.