| The "Liang Xiang" chestnuts are well known. Here | | | | Others were trying everything possible to imitate, |
| "Liang Xiang" refers to the old "Liang Xiang" county, is | | | | but no one did at the end. During the Southern Song |
| equivalent to part of the mountain area of | | | | Dynasty Shaoxing years, Song's embassador was |
| "Fangshan" district of Beijing, and is not the "Liang | | | | sent to Jin (an old country in China) and arrived the |
| Xiang" village county. "Liang Xiang" chestnuts really | | | | now Beijing. Suddenly two people, who called |
| are "Fangshan Chinese chestnuts". | | | | themselves "Li, HeEr", sent in 20 bags of sugar |
| I was born in "Liang Xiang" and lived there for eight | | | | roasted chestnuts, then left with tears. |
| years. I like to eat chestnuts but don't remember I | | | | This chestnut frying expert wandered about |
| ever had any in my hometown. | | | | destitute in Beijing after Kaifeng was breached by Jin |
| There are many ways to eat chestnuts, but the | | | | people, expressing his nostalgia with several packages |
| most popular one is the sugar roasted chestnuts. | | | | roasted chestnuts. Perhaps Beijing sugar roasted |
| As soon as chestnuts are harvested in autunm, you'll | | | | chestnuts perhaps got handed down because of this, |
| see cauldrons are set up at every corner of the | | | | the same with Hangzhou's Song sister-in-law fish |
| street. Mix chestnuts with sand, sprinkle the plain | | | | soup, all were the Northern Song Dynasty's old |
| sugar syrup, fry till the sand becomes pitch-black. | | | | custom. |
| The chestnuts will then look shinning and bright as if a | | | | The standard sugar roasted chestnuts require the |
| layer of oil has been applied to the shells. The burning | | | | shell to be supple and crisp. The outer shell, the |
| smell flutters all over. People like me who are craving | | | | internal membrane, and the nut should be separated |
| chestnuts would come to buy wihtout seller's calling | | | | effortlessly when you open it. The pleasure of eating |
| out. People used to use shovel to fry, now the | | | | roasted chestnuts would simply vanish if it has to go |
| process is electrically operated. | | | | through the hassle ripping the outer shell, and then |
| The history of Beijing sugar roasted chestnut is quite | | | | more effort to tear off the internal membrane. The |
| long. | | | | nuts should not be crisp, soft, or worst of all, tough |
| The old "Zhitang" man copies others quotes from Lu | | | | (gen). It supposed to feel moisture in driness, sandy, |
| You's "Old School Notes" in "Roasted Chestnuts", | | | | floury, and the smell should be strong and sweet. |
| talking about a chestnut roasting story: The most | | | | Note: You may freely republish this recipe as long as |
| well-known and best-selling chestnuts in the Northern | | | | author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact. |
| Song Dynasty Kaifeng were roasted by Li, HeEr. | | | | Thank you. |