Whenever I come home from a trip to Xi'an, I always bring some specialties to my family, and here are a few cost-effective, tasty and safe specialties that they really like.

First is Quan Sheng Zhai, an old-fashioned pastry store that has maintained its place in the trend, with a moderate sweetness that doesn't feel mushy and is enjoyed by both the elderly and children.

There are also many varieties to pick from to suit your taste, and it's very affordable as you can mix and match for the same price. They stick to handmade paper packaging, giving it a full of sincerity. Although some people complain about their poor service, their specialties are really good. The Hawthorn Cheese was tart, the Coconut Crisp had a strong flavor, the Salted Wife Cake was a hit, and the Bran Crisp was also a good choice for me. The pretzel crisps were a bit salty in flavor and may take some getting used to, but they were still good. The date paste crisps and date paste flower dots are both filled with wet date paste and have a bit of a bitter flavor, but I personally like them very much. These specialties are more suitable for the elderly. Also recommended are their Maple Crisp, Coconut Crisp, Pretzel Crisp, and Crystal Cake

Another recommendation is the Junjun Mung Bean Cake, which is completely different from the old-fashioned mung bean cake I had in the Northeast. Xi'an's mung bean cake is Xi'an's specialty traditional pastry, made with mung beans as the main ingredient.

It is very popular for its soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and fragrant mung bean flavor. Whether as a dessert, breakfast or afternoon tea snack, Junjun Mung Bean Cake is highly prized. They offer a sugar-free option, which is perfect for summer, and with New Year's Eve fast approaching, you can buy a few extra boxes for friends and family.

And then there's the Mazhi Shan Pudding, which is my dad's favorite. It is a very famous traditional snack in Xi'an, made from pork, vegetables and flour.

It is similar to meatballs and egg dumplings, and can be eaten directly or with noodles and rice noodles. Buy it home and cut a few slices at random, it can be a dish that can be eaten directly or sandwiched between buns are delicious. It will not be salty or stinky, I will buy a dozen or so pounds back every year for Chinese New Year, and if you don't have to wait in line you should definitely take some with you because the probability of waiting in line is very high.

Last but not least is the Shorty Crispy Cake, there is a really long line to buy this in Hui Min Street. There are black sesame, pretzel, red bean, green bean, cinnamon and coconut flavors in one box, so you can put together your own mix and match.

15 yuan a box, or 1.5 yuan a, must be eaten while hot, simply crispy, too good! I personally recommend the pretzel flavor, that combination of runny, salty and crispy is simply addictive. Other flavors such as black sesame, cinnamon and coconut are all good, red bean and green bean are not flavors I particularly like. When you bring it home, we recommend heating it in the oven or in a pan over low heat for 30 seconds to try to restore the flavor as it was when it first came out of the pan.