1. The origin of lotus crisp
Lotus crisp is a traditional pastry, and its name generally comes from "lotus" because its shape is similar to that of lotus. It is said that it originated in Suzhou and became a popular food in the Ming Dynasty. Since then, lotus crisp has gradually spread to neighboring cities such as Zhejiang and Shanghai, and now it has become one of the indispensable specialty snacks in Jiangnan.
2. Production process
The production of lotus crisp requires exquisite skills, which are generally divided into two parts: stuffing and outsourcing. The stuffing is made of bean paste or other sugar materials, while the crust is made of dough and butter. These raw materials are first made into soft and uniform balls, then a certain amount of stuffing is taken out, wrapped in the middle of the skin by hand, and finally baked in the oven until golden brown.
3. Taste characteristics
Lotus crisp has a strong sesame aroma and sweetness, is very soft when chewed, and has a dense taste, which is very popular among consumers. The filling of lotus crisp is delicate, non-sticky and comfortable to eat.
4. Rich cultural background
Lotus Crisp has become one of the important representatives of food culture in the south of the Yangtze River. Like steamed buns and moon cakes in China, it has a long history and rich cultural connotations. Every year (the eighth day of the fourth lunar month), Suzhou holds the Lotus Crisp Festival, attracting countless tourists to taste this kind of food.
5. Making methods and tastes in different places
Although lotus crisp originated in Jiangnan, it is popular all over the country because of its delicious and unique flavor. The production methods and tastes of lotus crisp are different in different places. For example, the lotus cakes in Suzhou and Wuxi are more delicate in taste, while the lotus cakes in Hangzhou are added with walnut powder and olive oil to make them more crispy and delicious.
Handmade lotus cake
In addition to tasting lotus crisp, some people may want to make this kind of food by themselves. If you are interested, you can search for simple and easy-to-learn methods of making lotus crisp through the Internet, including preparing materials, making stuffing and cake crust, stuffing, sprinkling sesame seeds and baking. The production process is a bit difficult, which requires patience and meticulousness.
7. Modern development and challenges of lotus crisp.
Nowadays, with the increasing demand of consumers, the manufacturers of Lotus Crisp are constantly innovating, and have introduced various flavors and packaging. For example, Lotus Crisp is made into a smaller and portable handbag snack, which shows good sales in the market. However, the production of lotus crisp is also facing challenges such as rising raw material prices and increasing labor costs.
In a word, lotus crisp, as one of the traditional cuisines in Jiangnan, not only has high cultural value in history, but also becomes an indispensable part of traditional cuisines because of its unique taste and taste. So far, it is still developing and innovating to meet various challenges, and it has broad market space and development prospects.