The stomachs of Zhongxian people are scented by the river breeze and soaked in citrus fruits. Come here and be prepared to let your taste buds “jump back and forth” between spicy and sweet!
1、Chungju fermented bean curd
Recommended reasons:
China’s national geographical indication product, 400 years of intangible cultural heritage, red fermented bean curd is spicy and fresh, white fermented bean curd is soft and sweet, the “Oriental cheese” in the rice world.
Hidden ways to eat:
Spread it on toasted steamed bread slices, or mix it with hot pot dipping sauce, the delicious flavor is explosive!
Must-visit stores:
Zhongzhou Fermented Bean Curd Factory Direct Store, Laojie Sauce Garden Workshop.
2、Shibao Steamed Tofu
Recommended reasons:
Tofu made with spring water from Shibaozhai, steamed in bamboo baskets with honeycomb holes, topped with chopped pepper and pork sauce, bursting with juice, known as “breathing tofu”.
Soul partner:
A bowl of Zhongzhou yin rice porridge, which can relieve spiciness and warm the stomach.
Recommended shops:
Farmhouse at the foot of Shibaozhai Mountain, Zhongzhou Old Street Steamed Vegetable Restaurant.
3、Xiangshan Honey Cake
Recommended reasons:
The thousand-year-old palace snacks “traveled” to Zhongxian County, with sesame, walnuts, and honey mixed into crispy crust. Take a bite and the crumbs will fall apart, making sweet lovers ecstatic!
Hidden Easter eggs:
Break open the honey cake and dip it in Zhongxian fermented bean curd. Do you dare to try this dark dish of salty and sweet interweaving?
Where to eat:
“Su’s Honey Cake” in Zhongzhou Old Street and the mobile stalls at the night market.
4、Citrus Feast
Recommended reasons:
Zhong County is known as the “Citrus City of China” and the thousand-year-old “Zhong” orange is no exaggeration! Orange peel braised pork, citrus salad, freshly squeezed orange juice… a table of orange fragrance sweeps the taste buds.
Seasonal restrictions:
From November to February of the following year, go to the orchard in Xinli Town to pick and eat fresh oranges and realize “citrus freedom”.
Recommended experience:
Orange Sea Farmhouse, pick and make orange coriander at the same time.
5、River fish hotpot
Recommended reasons:
The Yangtze River fish is a fish that migrates in the Yangtze River. It has tender and boneless meat. The red soup base is cooked with Zhongxian bean paste, which is spicy and fresh.
Must-have dishes:
Handmade potato vermicelli, which is slippery after absorbing the fish soup!
Recommended restaurants:
Yangtze River Fish Restaurant, Pier Story Hotpot.
Zhong County, a city soaked in the fragrance of the Yangtze River and oranges, has the uniqueness of Shibaozhai, the salty and fresh fermented tofu, the poetic beauty of Bai Juyi, and the heroic spirit of the people of the Three Gorges, who put the word “loyalty” at the top of their minds. Here, you can be a fruit farmer in the orange orchard for a day, listen to the riverside songs in the old street teahouse for half a day, and taste the half-city landscape and half-city fireworks in the hot steam of Jiangtuanyu hotpot. On weekends, bring a 512G stomach and a pair of hiking shoes to Zhong County, eat the most “loyal” flavor, see the most “wild” river, and be the most “roaming” guest!