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Huaiyang cuisine

Salted Soup Duck

Liuhe Pressed and Dried Beef

Fish Hidden in Mutton

Butterfish in Cream Sauce with Lotus Fragrance

Gan Si

Pressed Duck

Tuo Soup

Duck Blood Soup

Zhenjiang Qianlong Imperial Banquet

No.1 Banquet of South Jiangsu Province

Huaiyang cuisine is one of the four major schools of Chinese cuisine and was once the designated cuisine of the Chinese imperial court. Its characteristics include using fresh ingredients, creating a light, delicate flavor, retaining the original taste of the ingredients, meticulous presentation and elaborate carving, and using pleasant colors and appealing shapes. The most common cooking methods used in Huaiyang cuisine are stewing, braising, roasting, and simmering. Because this cuisine originated in the area of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, there are many dishes that feature fresh fish and crustaceans. Soy sauce and spices are used sparingly, although richly-flavored broths are featured extensively. Some famous dishes include Beggar's Chicken, Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, Pingqiao Beancurd, and Juicy Crab Buns.

The origin of Huaiyang cuisine can be traced back to 300 B.C. Soft-shelled turtle simmered in clear broth, called Farewell my Concubine, a Huaiyang specialty, was mentioned as a delicacy in an ancient poem by Qu Yuan (circe 340 - 278 BC), who was one of the greatest poets in Chinese history. Yangzhou, the city where Huaiyang cuisine originated, remained an important economic and salt-trading center for more than 1,000 years, as the famous Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passed through the area. The salt traders and scholars from the north and south gathered there. They became patrons of the many local restaurants, which competed with each other for customers. The most important patron of Huaiyang cuisine was Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Impressed by the local cuisine when he took control of Yangzhou as the leader of a peasant rebellion, Zhu Yuanzhang later designated it as the imperial cuisine in Nanjing, the first capital of the Ming Dynasty. When the capital moved north to Beijing, the Huaiyang chefs were taken up north as well.

There is an abundance of fish in Huaiyang cuisine, and one of the most important is butterfish, which is considered to be one of the three treasures from the Yangtze River, along with hilsa herring and cutlass fish. Butterfish in Cream Sauce with Lotus Fragrance features thick and tender fish with no bone, and a heavenly taste. Other freshwater fish and crustacean dishes include Stewed Crab in a Clear Broth and Liangxi Crispy Eel.

Meat dishes in Huaiyang cuisine usually have a soft texture but are not falling off the bone. A perfect example is Sanfengqiao Soy Sauce Spareribs. This dish is prepared with high-quality spareribs and more than 20 precious spices. Other features include a bright red color, tender meat, and a slightly sweet taste. This dish is well known both in China and abroad. Another example is the dish known as Caigen Large Meatballs, which are a staple of Huaiyang Cuisine. At the banquet to celebrate the founding of the People‘s Republic of China, Premier Zhou Enlai entertained honored Chinese and international guests with this special delicacy. Even though this is a meat dish it is not oily, but surprisingly light and delicate. Pork Prepared with Fermented Bean Curd Juice First, which has a history of over 100 years and was created by the Jufengyuan Restaurant in Wuxi. As a famous local dish, it has a bright red color and a slightly sweet taste.

Well-known Jiangsu snacks include juicy crabmeat buns, Nanjing salted duck, Yangzhou jerky, and jade steamed dumplings. Both meat and vegetarian snacks of all shapes and tastes are available. The most notable snacks are in Qinhuai, which include Huangqiao Baked Cake, Kaiyang Dried Beancurd Slices of Yongheyuan, beef soup, Jiangyou's fried dumplings, jellied beancurd, and Liufengju scallion pancakes, noodles with smoked fish and Kuiguangge spiced eggs.