Wait for Hangzhou's Winter in the Memories of Taste...

01 Pickled Vegetables

The taste of winter in the memories of many Hangzhou people often starts with pickled vegetables. Potherb mustard, garlic chives, Chinese cabbage, radish, green beans... After a light wash or air-drying, they are salted and pickled in a jar, known as "salted vegetables" or "pickled vegetables." The jar is filled with the memories of taste buds, and the winter with pickled vegetables is filled with different flavors...

There are many kinds of winter pickled vegetables that Hangzhou people love to eat, such as salted Chinese cabbage, pickled radish, daoducai, dried radish, and so on, but the most common one is long-stemmed Chinese cabbage. The verdant leaves and white stems of the long-stemmed Chinese cabbage are neatly arranged after air-drying.

After arranging them properly, they are packed layer by layer into a large earthen jar and tightly compressed. Then, salt is sprinkled on top, and then it is covered with plastic film, and bamboo slices and several large stones. In this way, a jar of pickled vegetables is considered half successful.

Speaking of winter pickled vegetables, we have to mention its good partner - winter bamboo shoots. Stir-frying them together creates the famous dish "Two Winter Delicacies." It is crispy and crunchy, and has always been one of Hangzhou people's favorite winter cuisine.

02 Sticky Rice Cakes

Sticky rice cakes are made by steaming and mashing glutinous rice. When freshly made, they are warm, soft, and chewy, with a rich aroma.

In Hangzhou, people love Jishan sesame sticky rice cakes, which are filled with brown sugar, giving them a sweet and fragrant taste. The craftsmanship of Jishan sesame sticky rice cakes is a representative intangible cultural heritage element in Xiaoshan District. It is mainly distributed in Jinhua Town, in the south of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. The process of making the sticky rice cakes is entirely by hand, including soaking the rice, draining, steaming, pounding, and cutting.

Sticky rice cakes come in various forms. In addition to Jishan sesame sticky rice cakes from Xiaoshan, there are also stuffed sesame sticky rice cakes from Sandu in Jiande. These have a unique flavor as they encase sesame candy in the sticky rice cakes. The locals call them "sesame sticky rice cakes."

03 Marinated Duck

Hangzhou marinated duck has a reddish-brown color, a fragrant and oily texture, and a savory salty taste. It is a traditional and famous dish in Hangzhou. Every year during the "Small Snow" solar term, native Hangzhou residents start making marinated duck, marinated fish, and marinated pork, etc.

Hangzhou's culture of marinated food has a long history. The preparation of Hangzhou marinated duck requires strict temperature control and sunny weather. After the "Small Snow" solar term, the weather is less likely to change dramatically, so this is the time when people start preparing preserved meats, making sausages, and preparing marinated duck and fish. The appearance of marinated food indicates that the Spring Festival is approaching and it is time to prepare food for the festival. And this has become a custom.