The TV series "Sesame Hutong" not only showcases the craftsmanship of pickles, but also vividly expresses the culture of old Beijing Hutong, capturing the hearts of many viewers.

In the plot of "Sesame Hutong", Yan Zhensheng and Kong Laochi discuss and demonstrate the craftsmanship of making sauce. They rake, pound the sauce, and change the vat. They perform the actions in one go, with a steady and powerful pace, showing the ingenuity and inheritance of traditional Chinese culture.

Although today's public opinion on low-salt and low-sugar health claims makes it difficult to give up pickles, old Beijing pickles are still a must-have with rice and porridge, leaving a fragrant taste in your mouth and teeth after eating.

Old Beijing pickles have a long history, which can be traced back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It already took shape in the Yuan Dynasty, and three schools were formed according to different tastes.

The first is the old soy sauce garden, which is said to be related to Baoding pickles, with a saltier taste and rich sauce aroma, represented by Liubiju.

The main products are sweet sauce radish, sweet sauce cucumber, sweet sauce nectar, sweet sauce ginger sprouts, sweet sauce eight-treasure vegetables, sweet sauce assorted coriander, sweet sauce melon, and white sugar garlic.

The second is Jingjiang Sauce Garden, which adds sucrose during the pickling process and uses sweet noodle sauce as the main raw material for pickling. The taste is sweet, light and pleasant, represented by Tianyuan.

The main products include sweet sauce nectar, sweet sauce milk melon, sweet sauce mixed vegetables, sweet-scented osmanthus sugar mustard, sesame seeds, etc.

Sweet sauce nectar, sweet sauce milk melon, sweet sauce mixed vegetables, sweet-scented osmanthus sugar mustard, sesame seeds, etc.

The third is Nanjiaoyuan, run by southerners, with sweet, salty and delicious sauces and rich sauce aroma, represented by Guixinzhai.

The main products include prune vegetables and bergamot dumplings, and it is known as the "old winter vegetable store".

There are many kinds of pickles in old Beijing, including a plate of pickles and a bowl of porridge. Pickles can be used as accompaniment when you have more time, or as the main dish when it is simple. They are indispensable on the dining table.