Ten Delicacies from the Mountains and Seas of Taizhou, Each a Feast for the Taste Buds

The true essence of earthly delights lies in the pure joy of exquisite flavors. Taizhou, a city nestled between mountains and sea, is renowned for its abundant mountain delicacies and fresh, sweet seafood. Vast fertile lands yield countless delicious foods, while the long coastline brings the savory aroma of marine products. Throughout its long history, the people of Taizhou have skillfully blended these treasures to create a distinctive regional culinary culture. Today, let us explore ten mouthwatering signature dishes of Taizhou.

These ten dishes represent the concentrated essence of Taizhou's mountain and sea delicacies. They not only showcase the unique flavors of Taizhou cuisine but also reflect the wisdom of the local people. These delicacies include the incredibly fresh and savory Imperial Crab King (Sanmen Blue Crab), the sweet and refreshing White Jade and Green Agate (Oyster Meat with Garlic), and the harmonious blend of mountain and sea flavors in Mountain and Sea Double Delicacy (Sea Anemone with Bean Noodles). Additionally, there are the aromatic Home-Style Stewed Large Yellow Croaker, the uniquely fragrant Tea-Roasted Fragrant Stream Fish, the tender and succulent Green Onion Oil Jumping Fish, the colorful and enticing Colorful Sauce Three-Yellow Chicken, the exquisitely crafted Marvelous Brushwork, the sweet and refreshing Horse Hoof Treading Frost, and finally, the Seafood Chowder, which perfectly combines the flavors of various seafood for an unforgettable aftertaste.

Imperial Crab King (Sanmen Blue Crab)

This dish features tender and plump Sanmen Blue Crab as the main ingredient. Through meticulous cooking, it presents an appealing color and a delicious taste. It represents Taizhou cuisine's pursuit of ingredient quality and stands out among mountain and sea delicacies.

Sanmen Blue Crab, also known as "Yin" or "Qiumou," has a farming history dating back to the official breeding during the Republic of China era. Legend has it that during the Southern Song Dynasty, when the Jin army invaded, Emperor Gaozong fled south by sea and arrived at Sanmen Jiantiao. The locals treated him to a lavish feast of Sanmen seafood. Emperor Gaozong was full of praise for the deliciousness of Sanmen Blue Crab, especially its strong claws, thin and crispy shell, golden roe, plump meat, and unparalleled flavor, leaving him with an unforgettable aftertaste. Upon returning to the palace, he specifically ordered the kitchen to prepare "Qiumou Qian" using Sanmen Blue Crab as the main ingredient. Since then, "Qiumou Qian" became a delicacy in the imperial court.

White Jade and Green Agate—Oyster Meat with Garlic

Next, let us savor another delicacy—White Jade and Green Agate, which is Oyster Meat with Garlic. This dish pairs tender oyster meat with pungent garlic. The resulting dish retains the freshness of the oyster meat while incorporating the unique aroma of garlic, making it mouthwatering.

Tender oyster meat is not only delicious but can also be prepared in various ways, including steaming, frying, stir-frying, scrambled with eggs, pan-fried oyster pancakes, and soup. In the Wenling area of southern Taizhou, people particularly favor stir-frying oyster meat with garlic. This method removes the fishy taste while preserving the original flavor, leaving a lasting impression.

Mountain and Sea Double Delicacy—Sea Anemone with Bean Noodles

Sea anemone, a rare ingredient found in the coastal waters of Wenling, is highly regarded for its unique, savory taste. Bean noodles, a traditional staple in the Taizhou region, pair perfectly with sea anemone. In the kitchens of southern Taizhou's Wenling, this Mountain and Sea Double Delicacy—Sea Anemone with Bean Noodles—is not only a delicious dish but also a deep emotional connection to the flavors of home.

Sea Anemone with Bean Noodles, a signature dish of Taizhou, is not only delicious but also believed to have the magical effects of nourishing yin and invigorating yang. The main ingredient, sea anemone, scientifically known as anemone, is hailed as "ginseng of the sea" for its unparalleled umami flavor. Bean noodles, made from sweet potato starch, have excellent water absorption. When sea anemone meets bean noodles, the mouth is filled with a savory aroma intertwined with the unique fragrance of sweet potato starch, creating a smooth and refreshing texture with an incredibly delicious broth. This dish is undoubtedly an irresistible accompaniment to rice.

Home-Style Stewed Dachen Large Yellow Croaker

Next is the Home-Style Stewed Dachen Large Yellow Croaker. This dish fully showcases the charm of cooking, perfectly blending the freshness of Dachen Large Yellow Croaker with the unique flavor of home-style stewing. Each bite reveals the delicate texture of the large yellow croaker and the rich broth from the stewing process, leaving a lasting impression.

The returning king carries an extraordinary aura, and this masterpiece is bestowed here. After careful stewing, the large yellow croaker turns slightly yellow and aromatic, with its broth resembling golden jade nectar, intoxicating the senses. Among the four famous fish of the East China Sea, the large yellow croaker stands out for its brilliant golden color and unique freshness. Home-style stewed large yellow croaker perfectly preserves the fish's umami, with meat as tender as garlic cloves and a rich, flavorful broth.

Tea-Roasted Fragrant Stream Fish (Yongxi Roasted Fragrant Fish)

After careful roasting, the fragrant stream fish emits an enticing aroma, with tender and delicious meat. During the cooking process, the unique freshness of the fragrant stream fish is perfectly preserved, and each bite is filled with the essence of the ocean.

Yongxi Township in eastern Tiantai, where Xu Xiake first visited Tiantai Mountain, is home to a rare specialty known as fragrant fish. Fragrant fish, one of the "three fragrances" of Yongxi, alongside fragrant rice and fragrant tea, is hailed as the "king of freshwater fish." It has extremely stringent requirements for water quality, and coincidentally, this land with its well-preserved ecology over millennia is the only home of fragrant fish. Pan-frying or roasting is the best way to enjoy fragrant fish, with its deliciousness even reaching the level of "one household roasting fragrant fish, the whole village smells it for miles." At banquets, a whole roasted fragrant fish symbolizes "abundance year after year," while the pervasive fresh aroma seems to tell the beautiful story of "sharing the fairyland."

Green Onion Oil Jumping Fish (Green Onion Oil Tan Hu)

This dish features a rare ingredient called "jumping fish" or "Tan Hu," paired with seasonings like green onion oil. The resulting delicacy retains the tenderness of the fish while incorporating the unique flavor of green onion. When tasting it, one can almost feel every strand of fish meat telling the ecological story of Yongxi, and the mouthful of fresh aroma is the best tribute to the beautiful life in the hometown of fragrant fish.

The Rarity and Deliciousness of Tan Hu

Tan Hu, also known as Tan Hu, Tan Tu, or more commonly, jumping fish, is a specialty of the tidal flats in Taizhou Bay, particularly abundant in the Sanmen Bay area. This seafood is not only tender and nutritious but also has medicinal value, earning it the title "ginseng of the water" and making it widely beloved. In traditional customs, when a Sanmen woman is in confinement after childbirth, relatives and friends often present "confinement bowls" as a gesture of care. Among these, smoked dried Tan Hu, dried white fish, and dried shrimp are indispensable treasures. The cooking method of green onion oil Tan Hu perfectly preserves the original flavor of the ingredient, leaving a lasting impression.

Colorful Sauce Three-Yellow Chicken (Xianju Three-Yellow Chicken)

Colorful Sauce Three-Yellow Chicken specifically refers to the three-yellow chicken from the Xianju region, an ingredient that combines deliciousness and nutrition. Its chicken meat is tender and juicy, with a firm texture. After marination with colorful sauce, it becomes even more aromatic and mouthwatering. Among the many delicacies of Taizhou Bay, Colorful Sauce Three-Yellow Chicken has become a staple on the dining table for its unique flavor.

Xianju, known as the place where immortals reside, not only boasts picturesque natural scenery but also produces high-quality tea. Among them, "Xianju Green Tea" stands out for its unique charm. The "three-yellow chicken" here is also well-known for its tender and juicy meat and distinctive flavor. What sparks will fly when tea meets three-yellow chicken? Gently pour tea into the pot and cook it with three-yellow chicken pieces, allowing the tea's fragrance to gradually infuse into the chicken. The cooked three-yellow chicken is not only more tender and delicious but also emits a subtle tea aroma, creating an intoxicating experience. Served as a cold platter with white-cut chicken pieces, paired with four-colored dipping sauces—green onion sauce, red spicy sweet sauce, garlic yellow sauce, and purple-red soy sauce—each bite is full of surprises, truly achieving excellence in color, aroma, and taste.

Rice-Fragrant Water Bamboo Shoots

Water bamboo shoots, a vegetable grown in water, carry a fresh and clean aroma. In the land of Xianju, they are especially known as "rice-fragrant water bamboo shoots," forming one of the three major local delicacies alongside tea and three-yellow chicken. Peel the water bamboo shoots to reveal their jade-white flesh, then steam them to fully absorb the fragrance of rice from the water. The cooked water bamboo shoots are not only sweet and refreshing but also carry a unique rice fragrance, as if transporting people into the pastoral fields of Xianju.

Huangyan, the land of oranges, is famous for its honey tangerines, which are praised as "breast tangerines" in The Record of Tangerines and are unique to Toutuo Duanjiang in Huangyan. However, Toutuo is not only known for tangerines but also hailed as the "hometown of water bamboo shoots." The excellent water quality and green, pollution-free environment produce high-quality Toutuo water bamboo shoots, making them famous and even earning them recognition as a nationally registered geographical indication agricultural product in the second batch of 2020. Taste the steamed small water bamboo shoots, dipped in soy sauce or meat broth, paired with fragrant rice. The sweetness of the water bamboo shoots intertwines with the aroma of rice, creating a tender texture and pure flavor that leaves a lasting impression.

Horse Hoof Treading Frost, Diantou Water Chestnut Balls

"Huangyan honey tangerines are red and delightful, Diantou water chestnuts with three green onions"—this catchy rhyme has long circulated among the people of Huangyan, praising the millennium-old tradition of Diantou water chestnuts. Water chestnuts, also known as horse hoofs, have a unique cooking process: first, boil the Diantou water chestnuts, peel them, then finely mash them into a paste, add a little starch, and carefully shape them into water chestnut balls. Next, fry these balls until golden brown, sprinkle with an appropriate amount of sugar, and a delicious dish is complete. This Horse Hoof Treading Frost not only has a unique texture but also offers multiple benefits, such as clearing heat, detoxifying, stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, and moisturizing dryness, making it deeply loved by locals.

Seafood Chowder (or Seafood Vegetable Chowder)

This chowder blends the freshness of seafood with the sweetness of vegetables. During preparation, various types of seafood and vegetables are added to the pot with an appropriate amount of water, simmered until the broth is rich, then thickened and reduced before garnishing with green onions for added fragrance. When tasting it, each mouthful combines the tenderness of seafood with the crispness of vegetables, making it both delicious and nutritious.

Taizhou, a treasure trove of seafood, is hailed as the hometown of seafood. The seafood chowder here combines various small seafood with vegetables to make a soup. The flavors complement and blend with each other, resulting in a broth that is incredibly fresh, tender, and refreshing without being greasy. This nutritious soup is deeply loved by locals and has become a household name.

Translator：Jiayang Lin