Su-style food has a long history. It was formed as early as the Qingliangang Cultural Period in ancient Jiangnan (about 4500 BC-4000 BC). Judging from the identification of cultural relics unearthed in Suzhou, Wuxian and other places, such as carbonized grains, pottery pestles for processing grains, a large number of animal and plant bones and remains, and food-related relics related to diet, it can be seen that the initial processing of food was already in the process of people at that time plays an important role in economic life.

There are many varieties of Su-style food. After thousands of years of development, there are now 12 major categories and more than 1,200 famous varieties. The 12 major categories are divided into 6 styles and 6 specialties, namely Suzhou-style dishes, Su-style braised vegetables, Su-style pastries, Su-style pastries, Su-style candies, Su-style preserves, Suzhou snacks, Suzhou cakes, and Suzhou roasted seeds and nuts. , Suzhou famous dishes, Suzhou special pickles, Suzhou special condiments.

Suzhou is known as the land of fish and rice. "Fresh fish, shrimps and crabs" and "japonica and glutinous rice" are the main themes of Suzhou-style food. Its cooking and production techniques have been inherited and invented by generations of famous chefs, and it has reached a state of perfection. Su-style food has four major characteristics:

1. Pay attention to the season and freshness. Suzhou has four distinct seasons, with different products. The traditional diet has always been adapted to seasonal conditions. Even home-cooked meals pay attention to the freshest food in spring, light food in summer, delicious flavor in autumn and nourishment in winter. This is especially true for Su Bang’s famous dishes, such as bisnail shrimps and pickled bamboo shoots in spring; watermelon chicken and stir-fried three shrimps in summer; barbel lung soup and hairy crabs in autumn; hen-fat chicken, herring in water, etc. . Suzhou-style pastries have the traditional production and marketing rules of "cake" in spring, "cake" in summer, "crisp" in autumn and "sugar" in winter. Seasonal food also has the flavor characteristics of being made and sold now, such as "wine rice cakes" in spring and "fresh meat mooncakes" in autumn. The beauty of Suzhou food lies in its freshness.

2. Pay attention to the selection of ingredients and workmanship. Suzhou’s traditional food is based on the ingredients selection principles of “freshness and tenderness” and “preferring to lack”. The selection of chicken, duck and fish pays attention to the parts. For example, a piece of herring should weigh four or five kilograms. Heavy, choose leg ribs when using pork. Production pays attention to knife skills, fire skills, and workmanship. Su-style dishes are mainly stewed, simmered, simmered, and warmed, and also include deep-frying, quick-frying, leaving, stir-frying, stir-frying, pan-frying, roasting, steaming, and other cooking methods. Carefully crafted, it is the flavor characteristic of Su-style food.

3. Pay attention to color, fragrance and shape. The beautiful color, fragrance, taste and shape are integrated into one, which is the traditional style of Soviet food. Use the natural pigments of food to embellish food dishes, and use the natural fragrance of flowers to increase your tempting appetite. In particular, the famous dishes such as "Squirrel Mandarin Fish", "Peacock Shrimp and Crab", the loquat peach in the boat snacks, the garden shape in the cake dumplings, etc. are all unique and skillful, using the art of painting and sculpture in food production. Breathtaking.

Fourth, pay attention to color and variety. Su-style food is in full bloom, with endless varieties and innovations. The same fish can be cooked into cold pot dishes, braised in braised sauce, braised in white, stewed in plain or white stew, or can also be made into a soup. The head, tail and body can be separated into various shapes. Dishes. A bowl of noodles can be made in various styles: tight soup (less noodle soup), wide soup (more noodle soup), cold mix, hot stir-fry, soft, hard, or rotten, not to mention the various types of noodles with different "toppings".

Suzhou-style food comes in many varieties, with a wide range of sweet, sour, salty and spicy tastes. It can be said to be suitable for all ages and has won praises from friends from all over the world. The beauty of Suzhou lies in its green mountains and green waters, as well as its food culture.