Lotus root silk sugar

During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, Shen Yongfeng, an expert in pastry production, lived in Shenshiqiao, Cixi. This man is good at business, and he is good at cakes, and he is famous far and near. On the eve of the Spring Festival in 1725, the third year of Yongzheng, Shen Yongfeng introduced a new type of candy with unique flavor, which was quickly welcomed by local people. Later, Shen Yongfeng made many improvements on the production technology of this food, and finally worked out a suitable formula. The candy produced by Shen Yongfeng is columnar in shape, about the same thickness as a human finger, but not more than three inches long. Surprisingly, dozens of small holes are neatly arranged on this thin sugar stalk, which looks like a truncated lotus root. Therefore, people call this kind of food lotus root sugar, which is made of white glutinous rice, high-quality malt, fine white sesame seeds, fine sugar, Nanjing Xuema and other fine raw materials. Besides paying attention to the materials used, the production of lotus root candy is more meticulous in the production process. For example, the sesame seeds used have to be removed from the case. In the production, it is also emphasized to grasp the season and strictly limit the need to open the furnace and raise the fire in winter when the temperature does not exceed 10 degrees Celsius. Besides, frying is very particular about the temperature, so we can only use mountain firewood, and we must never replace it with coal. Pulling embryo and blowing air is an amazing stunt, which can best reflect the level of lotus root sugar production and is also the key to the quality of finished products. When blowing the embryo, the most important thing is to master the strength of blowing the sugar embryo. After being blown by a skilled old technician, the whole sugar embryo can be inflated to form many large and small holes. It is these holes that ensure the ideal brittleness and crispness of lotus root starch. The lotus root starch is crispy and delicious, leaving a fragrance between the teeth and an endless aftertaste, which is suitable for all ages. Therefore, since its birth, it has always been famous and has become a traditional high-quality brand-name food in Cixi. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the lotus root sugar in Sanbei was brought into the court, and was deeply loved by Empress Dowager Cixi. It was quickly listed as "imperial food" and instructed the local authorities to pay tribute to the court every year. Since then, the reputation of the three northern lotus root sugar has spread all over the world, and it is well known. It is said that at that time, many cake shops in Shanghai were vying to put up the signboard of "Three North Tea Food" to attract customers. In the late 19th century, three North lotus root candy was brought to Japan and Southeast Asia by overseas "Three North Gang" businessmen, and it was also very popular. Wu Jintang also chose it as a gift to the Japanese emperor, which was praised by the Japanese royal family. Nowadays, some overseas people admire the name of lotus root sugar and come to the hometown of lotus root sugar. They often buy it in large quantities and bring it to their relatives and friends as gifts.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)