Yuncheng News Network reports: Touring the land of Hedong and savoring life's flavors. Yuncheng has a long history and magnificent landscapes, and its profound cultural heritage and abundant natural produce have given rise to a unique culinary culture. If you come to the "City of Good Fortune" and don't know what to eat, you might as well start with the "four dishes, one soup and one cake". Yellow River carp, Zhongtiao Mountain beef, Emei Ridge free-range chicken, Sushui River hot pot, Lord Guan mutton soup, and Emperor Shun baked cakes 鈥?these six specialty foods gather the essence of Hedong's mountains and rivers. They are both the everyday flavors that Yuncheng people enjoy year after year and the taste code through which visitors from afar can understand Yuncheng.

Yellow River Carp

"This Yellow River carp is our restaurant's signature dish, and every guest orders it," a waiter at Longxingmei Noodle Restaurant (Hanxin Road branch) in the central urban area said this way on a day in early September when Zhao Liang and his family came to dine. "Fresh and savory, tender and full of flavor," Zhao Liang's family said in praise of the Yellow River carp after the meal. No fish, no banquet. Whether steamed, braised in soy sauce, or sweet and sour, in Yuncheng, when people celebrate festivals, entertain guests, or hold birthday and wedding banquets, Yellow River carp is always indispensable. As a gift from the Mother River, the Yellow River carp has become the finale dish on Yuncheng people's dining tables. In the view of industry insiders, a good Yellow River carp is first judged by its appearance: golden scales and a red tail, with a robust and graceful form; then by its flesh: firm and elastic; and finally by its freshness. To this end, many counties and cities along the Yellow River in our city have deeply explored ecological farming of Yellow River carp and achieved certain results. While farming Yellow River carp, people have also put effort into ways of eating it, such as the all-fish banquet in Ruicheng and the multiple ways of preparing one fish in Yuanqu. The great river gifts the golden-scaled carp, and a family banquet conveys peace. Carrying the beautiful expectation of abundance year after year, this gift from the Mother River will release even greater economic and cultural value.

Zhongtiao Mountain Beef

In golden autumn, the sky is clear and the air is crisp. At a breeding base in Wanrong, hundreds of Jinnan yellow cattle stroll leisurely or lie quietly. Such breeding bases not only help preserve the Jinnan yellow cattle breed and drive nearby villagers to increase income and become prosperous, but also make it more possible for Zhongtiao Mountain beef to appear on dining tables. In Yanhu, Pinglu, Jiangxian, and other places, deep processing by many shops and enterprises makes Zhongtiao Mountain beef even more delicious. Around the central urban area's mosque, several cooked beef product shops are scattered about. These shops use genuine ingredients and braise and sell on the spot, making them the main places for nearby residents to buy cooked beef. Similar cooked beef shops also exist in Pinglu. For example, Yaoli beef is lean but not dry and can be eaten immediately after purchase, making it quite popular among locals. In Pinglu there is also a classic noodle dish 鈥?oil-splashed noodles. Handmade noodles are paired with braised beef slices, chili powder, and more, then doused with sizzling hot oil. After a "sizzle", it immediately whets your appetite. Slightly different from the beef shop business model in the above two places, "Jinjiang Beef" in Jiangxian follows a modern deep-processing route. Through vacuum packaging and other methods, "Jinjiang Beef" extends its shelf life and is easier to carry, which has also brought Zhongtiao Mountain beef to a broader consumer group. A seemingly ordinary piece of beef connects the rural mountains on one end and thousands of household dining tables on the other. This Zhongtiao Mountain cattle really is impressive.

Emei Ridge Free-Range Chicken

At noon, customers come and go at Jianlong Restaurant in Beixiang Town, Yanhu District. Most people who come here order one of the "Beixiang Three Treasures": hubo, feng hulu, and crispy chicken. This time, let's talk only about the crispy chicken. Crispy chicken emphasizes "fragrance" and "crispness". Usually, tender chicken or specific parts of the chicken are chosen, marinated to absorb flavor, coated in batter, and fried in oil until golden all over with a crispy outer skin. This seemingly simple process actually tests precise control of oil temperature and heat. When served, the crispy chicken is golden and tempting, with an inviting aroma. Tap it lightly with chopsticks, and the shell gives a crisp sound. Pick up a piece and bite down with a "crunch" 鈥?that is the ultimate crispness, while the chicken inside remains tender. It does not need heavy sauce or complex spices; the base flavor from marinating and the crispy aroma from frying are enough to conquer diners. "After eating Jianlong's crispy chicken, the aftertaste lingers for three days," said Du Sanshi, a veteran food lover, with deep feeling. The main ingredient of this crispy chicken is Emei Ridge free-range chicken. Indeed, in Yuncheng's culinary map, Emei Ridge free-range chicken is not limited to this one form. Yuncheng big plate chicken, which has gone viral online, has drawn countless outsiders here. Chicken chunks, potatoes, and noodles 鈥?a "combination" that sounds simple 鈥?collides to create an endlessly memorable effect. There is no need to specially look for a particular big plate chicken shop; it seems every one can deliver. Tenglong, Luxiang, Wei Xiaodan... just walk into any shop with a bustling crowd, and the taste will certainly not be bad. Speaking of frying and stir-frying, how can we forget braising? This is another way to eat Emei Ridge free-range chicken, and its representative is Huabaogang Daokou roast chicken. Last year, Shanxi Huabaogang Food Co., Ltd. already settled in Linyi. After officially starting production, the company supplies roast chicken and other braised products to more than 130 stores every day. A stretch of plateau land nurtures good chicken, and a hundred cooking methods produce a hundred flavors. This freshness from Emei Ridge will surely bring you a different kind of "pleasure of the palate".

Sushui River Hot Pot

In late September, the Xinjiang Hot Pot Village restaurant on Gu Street received good news. The Shanxi Provincial Market Supervision Administration awarded it a plaque for "Famous, Special, Excellent and New Individual Industrial and Commercial Household". "This plaque is encouragement and also a spur," said Wang Cunzhang, the restaurant owner. "We must persist in doing quality well and move toward being a '30-year-old shop'." Wang Cunzhang is from Xiaxian and has struggled in the catering industry for many years. He is especially famous in the industry for making copper hot pots. The Xinjiang copper hot pot he runs is a typical representative of Sushui River hot pot. "Where people gather around the stove to cook and cheer, a hundred flavors melt in the small pot." Xinjiang copper hot pot holds "a hundred flavors" in one pot. During festivals or gatherings with relatives and friends, locals like to sit around a table and enjoy a steaming copper hot pot. "First use cabbage as the base, put a layer of tofu, then a layer of kelp, a layer of vermicelli, and then arrange a layer of ribs, a layer of meatballs, a layer of crispy pork slices, and a layer of pork belly slices in turn. Each layer is different, rising layer by layer, implying rising step by step." Such an operation is all too familiar to copper hot pot operators. After the ingredients are placed in the copper hot pot and the prepared stock is poured over them, it is time to add firewood and heat. After about 15 minutes, the copper pot bubbles and the soup and ingredients merge, and people can feast. Wang Cunzhang told reporters that running a copper hot pot does not require tricks; as long as the ingredients are genuine, the taste will not be far off. The Sushui River flows quietly, and the copper hot pot gives off fragrance leisurely. We look forward to more people finding a sense of ease and reassurance in that overflowing steam.

Lord Guan Mutton Soup

In the Hedong catering world, Lord Guan mutton soup is truly the "number one". You can have a bowl of milky-white Jiangxian mutton soup in the morning, a bowl of Xiezhou Wangjian mutton paomo at noon, or a bowl of Zhangdian mutton soup in Pinglu at night... Even three bowls of Lord Guan mutton soup a day may not satisfy your picky taste buds. All of the above belong to Lord Guan mutton soup, yet Lord Guan mutton soup is more than these. In Yanhu alone, besides Xiezhou, places such as Dizhang, Dongguo, and Beixiang also have their own "specialties". Do not underestimate this bowl of mutton soup; it has nourished generation after generation of Hedong people. Now, some outsiders have also come after hearing of its fame. Xiezhou Wangjian mutton paomo is adjacent to the Xiezhou Guandi Ancestral Temple and is an old shop with decades of history. Most tourists who finish visiting the Xiezhou Guandi Ancestral Temple stroll over to "Wangjian". After worshiping Lord Guan, they drink a bowl of delicious Lord Guan mutton soup, and only then do they feel both body and mind are at ease. The long survival of Wangjian mutton paomo is inseparable from the influence of Lord Guan culture. Whether the older generation or the new generation, the leaders of "Wangjian" insist on honesty as the foundation and customer first. Because of this, the shop's business gets better and better, and during holidays, a seat is even harder to find. In golden autumn, the weather turns cool. When traveling in Lord Guan's hometown, do not forget to "devour" a bowl of Lord Guan mutton soup to warm up. Of course, drinking Lord Guan mutton soup must be paired with Emperor Shun baked cakes, just as eating dumplings requires vinegar.

Emperor Shun Baked Cakes

Juanjuan Stone Cake Shop is located at the entrance of Monan Town Government in Ruicheng County. Although the place where the cakes are made is very simple, it does not affect their deliciousness. Word spreads from one to ten and from ten to a hundred, and more and more people patronize this small shop, especially many outsiders. The cake shop is close to a highway entrance. Ruicheng people going out will take some to relieve homesickness, and outsiders coming to Ruicheng will buy some for a fresh taste. Down-to-earth, distinctive, and inexpensive... wave after wave of customers has made "Juanjuan" famous far and wide. Stone cakes are a major specialty of Ruicheng and also a type of Emperor Shun baked cake. As for what other types of Emperor Shun baked cakes there are, Yuncheng people should all be familiar with them. Common ones include half-moon cakes, flaky cakes, scallion cakes... In the streets and alleys of Yuncheng, cake stalls can be seen everywhere. Mixing dough, weighing, rolling, baking... in these constantly repeated actions, each Emperor Shun baked cake becomes people's "favorite". These baked cakes have even become an industry that enriches the people and strengthens the county. The hometown of Houji has "four treasures": fried dough twists, baked cakes, eggs, and dates. Many Jishan people have taken this craft across the country and carved out a world for themselves. Why can a single baked cake be played with in so many ways by Yuncheng people? This brings us to "Yuncheng flour", which enjoys prestige nationwide. Not long ago, the "Three Yuncheng" agricultural brands, including "Yuncheng Flour", collectively appeared in a series of "Double Festival Celebration Joyful Market" activities held by some communities and enterprises in Beijing, once again welcoming strong sales. If we trace further back, Yuncheng wheat comes into view. Our city is located in the global golden wheat belt, where the most precious gifts of heaven and earth for wheat are hidden. The sunlight, soil, water, and temperature difference between day and night at 35 degrees north latitude make this land a core production area for high-quality wheat in China. Small wheat grains support a scene of abundant human life. In this lively scene, Emperor Shun baked cakes are so eye-catching. One eye-catching aspect is their mixed ways of eating. They can be filled with meat, eggs, spicy skewers, or shredded potatoes; they can be paired with Lord Guan mutton soup; they can even accompany big plate chicken... Deep in the streets and alleys, the rising and falling sounds of patting are the ancient dialogue between the dough board and the rolling pin. These Emperor Shun baked cake-making skills, deeply rooted in the yellow earth, pass on the most authentic taste memories through the skillful hands of Yuncheng people.

"Four dishes, one soup and one cake" fully capture Hedong flavors. From the surging Yellow River to the quietly flowing Sushui River, from the foot of Zhongtiao Mountain to Emei Ridge, the landscapes and local products become delicacies on the plate, waiting for guests from all directions.

Recommended Restaurants

Yuncheng Hotel reservation phone: 0359-2291881

Yanyun Stone Cake Village 路 Yuncheng Famous Dish Building reservation phone: 0359-5638888

Longxingmei Noodle Restaurant (Hanxin Road branch) reservation phone: 0359-2659887

Mashi Dumplings (Tianmao Hejun branch) reservation phone: 15296796666

Photography: Jin Yumin, Chen Fangbin, Chen Yifei