In addition to its well-known cultural history and natural scenery, the ancient city of Yilan is also unique in its food. Yilan County was listed in "A Bite of China". It can be said that Yilan Food The culture also has a long history.
I studied here for three years in high school, and returned to work here after graduating from college. In total, I have stayed in this county for 25 years, and I can be considered a local expert. Over the years, I have eaten in many restaurants, large and small, in the county. Although I lack the gifted taste buds like the gourmets described by Lu Wenfu and am a complete layman in food culture, because I have seen a lot in the long years, I still have a little taste. Have some thoughts.
Among the local delicacies in Yilan, the ones that impressed me the most were the Manchu Restaurant, Sanxing Hot Pot and Lao Ice Cake.
Yilan is the birthplace of the Manchus. There used to be many Manchus here, and there were many Manchu restaurants on the streets. These Manchu restaurants, like Muslim restaurants, have their own unique style. The background color of the plaques of Manchu restaurants is usually black, and there are wooden couplets on the elegant lintels. The content of the couplets is varied, and all of them are related to eating. These couplets are neatly contrasted and exquisitely worded, and some of them contain allusions. If you think about them carefully, they will have endless charm.
As for Manchu cuisine, it feels similar to Northeastern cuisine. In other words, Northeastern cuisine is a derivative of Manchu cuisine. However, I have the impression that Manchu cuisine is not as "bloody" as Northeastern cuisine. For example, the "pig-killing dish" in Northeastern cuisine pays attention to the word "fresh". As soon as the pig is killed, its body is served to the table in a variety of ways, and the taste is very fresh. , but it always smells like blood and I really can’t bear to eat it.
Although Manchu cuisine often uses pork as an ingredient, its taste is smooth and moderate, and it captures the essence of the golden mean. Sometimes I think that in this land of white mountains and black waters, the Manchu ancestors were famous for their toughness and martial arts, but their food was so tepid. It’s really strange!
In the past, there were many Manchu restaurants, but now they are rare. Perhaps, because they are too mediocre, their characteristics are not outstanding. In addition, the competition in the catering industry is fierce now, with many opening and closing, and there are no outstanding characteristics. In this era of fast food, it is difficult to attract the attention of diners, and Manchu restaurants do not seem to be good at this. They are more suitable for leisurely and savory meals, so decline is inevitable.
In addition to the Manchu Restaurant, Yilan Food also has another signature feature, which is Sanxing Hotpot. Yilan used to be called Sanxing. It is said that the second emperor of Huiqin was exiled here. Although he also brought a cook, the Jin people had orders and they did not dare to cook without authorization. However, the two emperors could not get used to the half-cooked game cooked by the Jin people. Every time they ate, they were miserable, so the imperial chef used a copper pot to re-cook the food in the name of heating the food. The delicacies of the mountains and wild game are cooked in the copper stove, which has been passed down from generation to generation and has become a wonderful delicacy of Yilan. It tastes fragrant and leaves traces on the teeth. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, authentic Sanxing hotpot is now rare.
I had an authentic Sanxing hot pot once before, in a two-story building of a private house. The owner uses a copper hot pot to cook various ingredients, including beef and mutton, as well as many game and wild vegetables brought from the forest area, and burns charcoal underneath. After the hot pot boiled, it bubbled and bubbled, echoing with the crackling firewood below, like playing music, and it was extremely joyful. In the cold winter, the room was steaming with steam and the aroma was overflowing. It was such a delicious meal, and it left a deep impression in my memory. It's a pity that the bungalows were demolished a few years ago, and the restaurant seems to have disappeared. It's such a pity!
Yilan’s old sorbet is a very famous local snack. I don’t know when its history dates back, but in my long memory, it has always been looming, so fresh and distinct.
When we were young, the favorite snack for us children in the summer was popsicles. At that time, a popsicle cost only 5 cents. It tasted very cold and had a sweet and creamy taste. In the hot weather, In the middle of summer, it tastes really refreshing and refreshing. And it feels normal in the mouth after eating, unlike many ice creams nowadays that feel uncomfortable after eating.
We children are greedy and get itchy when we hear the sound of people selling popsicles outside. At this time, if the parents don’t give us pocket money, we have a way to find out the chicken’s freshly laid popsicles from the henhouse. He secretly exchanged his eggs for popsicles. From the current economic point of view, this is a very uneconomical barter transaction, but we are greedy and don't care about it. Although if parents find out, we will inevitably get scolded, but we still do it happily to make parents unable to guard against it.
When I came to the county town to attend high school, the school was in the suburbs, some distance away from the county town, and my study time was tight, so I didn’t have many opportunities to visit the city. Every time I come here, I usually go shopping. Except for the Erbaihe department store in the center, I just wander around the streets. In summer, sorbet is a must-try every time I come here.
At that time, there was an ice cream stand a few steps away from the current east section of Central Street and the intersection with Dongshuncheng Road. The stall is very simple. It is simply surrounded by a gauze tent. A few tables are placed inside, and some plates are purchased, and it is ready for business. The shop owner uses a special tool to pick out the ice cream piece by piece from the ice bucket. The sorbet that was taken out was a small white ball, sliding back and forth on the plate, it was so cute.
I remember the summer days when I was a student. It was really hot in the summer. The dogs tied to the telephone poles in the store to bask in the sun were so hot that they stuck out their tongues and panted.
At noon at that time, there were not many people on the street. They were probably taking a nap or hiding at home to escape the heat, so I had the impression that there were generally not many customers at ice cream stalls. In a quiet environment, I ate ice cream slowly and passed the time. The shopkeeper was beside me in a daze, wondering whether he was sleepy or worried. In this way, the still picture in the memory drifted slowly through the passing years.
In the area where Beicai Market used to be, and now Wuguocheng Road, there were several ice cream shops that were so famous that they even formed brands virtually. I went there last night. The environment here is very good and there are many diners. I ordered a piece of sorbet and tasted it slowly. I thought it tasted really good. After entering the mouth, it was smooth but not greasy. It had the deliciousness of fruit and the sweetness of cream. Although it was cold, it was just right, mild and not irritating. It was delicious. There is still an aftertaste in your mouth after finishing it.
I thought to myself, no wonder the business is so good, customers are the best reputation!
Yilan’s food culture is extensive and profound, far more than the three things mentioned above. Representative ones include cakes (silk cakes, pies, gluten cakes), stone barbecue, etc. Due to my limited talent and shallow knowledge, it is inevitable to say If there are any omissions or even biases, you are welcome to correct and add to them!