As the summer heat fades and autumn's gentle breeze provides welcome relief from the suffocating humidity, people in Wuxi start to enjoy seasonal food.
Candied lotus roots
Candied lotus roots. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]
Lotus roots are usually presented as an appetizer, or cold dish, during autumn. Candied lotus root stuffed with slow-cooked glutinous rice and topped with osmanthus jam is one of the most common starters.
This dish was once native to the East China region where diners liked having something sweet to start the meal. These days, the dish is popular all over the country, attracting loyal followers with the shiny luster of the osmanthus syrup, its appealing fragrance and, above all, the soft and sticky lotus root, cooked to a melt-in-the-mouth mealy texture.
Crabs
Steamed meat-filled buns mixed with crab ovary. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]
The annual frenzy for hairy crabs starts as September arrives, together with the cooling days and the scent of blooming chrysanthemums. It continues through October and tapers off as year-end approaches.
Hairy crabs are best enjoyed steamed, served with a tiny bowl of finely diced ginger in aged vinegar. This is the best way to savor a crab's sweetness.
Some restaurants in Wuxi in autumn will make steamed meat-filled buns mixed with crab ovary, which are appreciated for their delicious taste.
Mutton soup
Mutton soup. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]
Cai A'shui Mutton is well known for being the oldest restaurant in Wuxi's Meicun town. It offers all kinds of mutton dishes, from soup served in the traditional way to the more modern mutton with cumin.
Lilies
Yixing lily. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]
During this transition in weather, it's recommended that people eat foods helpful for protecting the stomach and moistening the lung.
Lilies produced in Yixing are famous for their white color and sweet taste. People always combine lilies with tremella and lotus seeds to make soup in order to reduce excessive heat in the body, calm the nerves and provide nutrition.
(Source: wuxinews.com.cn)
