After trying all the delicious food in Jiangmen, Guangdong, what classic foods are worth recommending in China’s first hometown of overseas Chinese?
Preface
For Cantonese people, eating is a lifelong pursuit. In this vast, vast territory, delicious food abounds. When it comes to Cantonese cuisine, Guangzhou, Shunde, and Chaoshan are the cities that come to mind.
But after trying these three classic regional cuisines, what other Cantonese delicacies are worth exploring? Let's get to know Jiangmen.
Jiangmen Overview
Jiangmen, also known as the "Five Counties," is located in the western Pearl River Delta, bordering the South China Sea and adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao. Known as the "Dance City of China" and "China's First Overseas Chinese Hometown," Jiangmen boasts a rich history and profound cultural heritage. It is the hometown of Liang Qichao, a pioneer of modern reform; it boasts the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages, a World Heritage Site; and the bird paradise that captivated the renowned writer Ba Jin.
Jiangmen, a hometown of overseas Chinese, is renowned worldwide for its customs. The Wuyi region boasts a global network of overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. This international influence has enriched the Wuyi region's rich folk customs. Consequently, the diligent cooking community, while retaining traditional methods rich in local flavor, also incorporates fresh inspiration, making Wuyi cuisine renowned far and wide.
It can be said that Jiangmen is not only a cultural capital, but also a food paradise!
Food recommendations
Century-old Ancient Well Roast Goose
Taste Index: ★★★★★
I'd always heard about the fame of Gujing Roast Goose, and finally had the chance to try it in person. The roast goose, smothered in rich sauce and smothered in golden and rosy hues, was steaming up, creating a captivating effect with the air. Despite my high expectations, it didn't disappoint. I'd always considered roast goose and plum sauce to be perfect, but this Gujing Roast Goose defied that notion.
Xinhui Tangerine Peel
Freshness index: ★★★★★
Tangerine peel tomato, tangerine peel spare ribs, tangerine peel baked shrimp, tangerine peel duck soup... there are so many delicious dishes flavored with tangerine peel. In Jiangmen, even the air is filled with the delicate aroma of tangerine peel. There's no dish you can't imagine with tangerine peel. Its sweet and sour flavor is appetizing, and its fragrance spreads from miles away. On this increasingly cool spring day, a bite is simply delicious.
Slate Sand Three Treasures
Fat index: ★★★★★
Yellow sand clams, river shrimp, and yellow croaker roe are known as the three treasures of Shibansha. They're at their peak around the Qingming Festival, a time when they only appear once a year. Muzhou, Xinhui, is the best place for yellow sand clams, and the most delicious of these clams is undoubtedly Shibansha Village.
This section of the Xijiang River boasts excellent water quality and is close to the sea estuary. As the river flows toward the sea, it carries with it abundant organic matter, resulting in the clams produced here, which are bright yellow and renowned as the finest. Unless you try one in season, you'll never truly appreciate the deliciousness of yellow sand clams!
eel rice
Appetite index: ★★★★★
This traditional Cantonese delicacy boasts a vibrant and delicious flavor. Made with local yellow eel and high-quality rice, it's seasoned with shredded ginger and chopped green onions for a soft, fluffy texture and a delicious flavor.
After the eel rice is served, don’t rush to open the lid of the clay pot. Wait for another 10 minutes before opening the lid, and stir it evenly before eating. The rice will be more fragrant, chewy, and not sticky.
Tangerine peel Pu'er tea
Health Index: ★★★★★
Selected Xinhui tangerine peel with the reputation of "thousand-year ginseng and hundred-year tangerine peel" + Yunnan aged Pu'er, processed through a special process, without any additives, the tea is fragrant and refreshing, the tea is mild and mellow, suitable for all ages, especially for middle-aged and elderly people to drink regularly for health preservation.
Drink a pot of tangerine peel Pu'er tea, the flavor is layered, mellow, and the aroma fills the entire mouth, it's just right!
Sanjiang cattle ear shell
Crispy index: ★★★★★
Ox ears are seasoned with butter and fermented bean curd and sliced as thin as paper, a feat that requires decades of knife skills. Deep-fry at 180°C for 4 minutes, until golden brown.
Niu Er Zai is a bit salty and sweet. A good Niu Er Zai has a fragrant and crispy texture, and the crispy taste is endless. You can eat one piece after another, making it a delicious after-dinner snack for all ages. Not all Niu Er Ke is called Sanjiang Niu Er Ke. You will understand after eating Sanjiang Niu Er Ke.
Warm Eggs Before Cooking
Uniqueness Index: ★★★★★
In Siqian Town, every village knows how to make warm eggs. They typically boil and shell chicken or quail eggs, then marinate them in a secret sauce. The resulting dish, unlike braised eggs, has a distinct aroma.
When people in Siqian see warm eggs on the table, they know there is something festive going on. And only in Siqian Town can you eat authentic warm eggs.
Magang goose
Aftertaste Index: ★★★★★
The world-famous "Magang Goose" is a traditional specialty of Magang Town, Kaiping City. Goose meat is as important to the Hakka people as white-cut chicken is to the Cantonese people.
Hakka people have a variety of ways to prepare goose meat. Besides using it in soup, they also prepare goose in other dishes, such as white-cut goose and soy sauce goose. In general restaurants, white-cut chicken is common, but white-cut goose is hard to find.
The goose is cooked in a white-cut sauce, which preserves its natural flavor to the fullest. The meat is perfectly balanced in fat and lean, and its own freshness is enough to captivate the taste buds. Dipping it in the special sauce is even more delicious. Soy sauce and goose are a perfect match, and the soy sauce is well-seasoned, while the goose meat is fragrant.
Double-water roasted pork
Novelty index: ★★★★★
Roast meat is actually divided into two types: "roast" and "cured", but now people always call them "roast meat" together.
Xinhui Shuangshui's roast meats are unique and renowned, with roast pork being the most famous. Prepared using a unique cooking method, the roast pork achieves a crispy, golden-brown skin and warm, fresh pork, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
Bean Rice Cake
Traditional Index: ★★★★★
This specialty food of Enping, Guangdong, is said to have originated in the late Qing Dynasty. Some say it was made into portable military rations for marching and fighting, while others say it was a byproduct of the bumper soybean harvest that was inconvenient to store.
In any case, this traditional food is becoming less and less common. Doujiaoci is not a snack made with beans, but with tofu as the raw material. The tofu dregs are fried, and then five-spice powder, green onions and other ingredients are added and fried together. It is fried in oil until golden brown, and then wrapped with a layer of rice paper. The rice paper is brushed with oil, salt and sesame seeds. It tastes very delicious.
Enping Rice Noodles
Smoothness index: ★★★★★
Since ancient times, the people of Enping have made rice noodles a staple food during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Whether for breakfast or a late-night snack, a bowl of delicious rice noodles is a common habit for many Enping residents. The rice noodles, soaked in a rich broth, are incredibly flavorful. A pinch of rice noodles and a sip of hot broth are simply irresistible! Enping rice noodles are long, so slurping them up makes you want to devour them all.
Conclusion
Although this introduction ends here, there are still many more Jiangmen delicacies worth tasting. So please promise me that you will come to Jiangmen to feast on them when you have time, okay?
