West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce

According to legend, in ancient times there lived the brothers of Ning’s family who were well educated and retreated on the shore of West Lake, making a living on fishing. High official Zhao, the local scoundrel wanted to seize Sister Song when he saw Sister Song was good looking and charming and played a trick to bring down her husband. The younger brother brought a lawsuit to the local authority for revenge, only to be cudgeled as a result. Sister Song talked over the younger brother-in-law to flee to some other place. She cooked a huge fish from West Lake with sugar and vinegar for a special purpose to give a farewell dinner before his departure and urged him “to keep in mind the hardships of common people no matter in bitterness or in sweetness”. Later on, the younger brother-in-law gained some meritorious fame. On one banquet, he restlessly tasted the sweet but sour specially-made fish dish and finally found his renamed elder sister-in-law who was on escape. Then he quitted the official position and restarted a fisherman’s family life.

Characteristics: Only Boiled Water plus Condiments instead of Oil Used, Fish Moderately Done for a Nice Savory of its Freshness and Tenderness as well as Original Flavor, and the Cooked Fish Tasting Tender and Delicious along with the Flavor of Crab Meat.

Home-made Salted Pork with Spring Bamboo Shoots

The legend has it that this dish is related to Su Dongpo. The revered Mr. Su was very well known for his fondness of pork, and had written many poems about eating pork. However he had a better love for the bamboo around his living room. It is said that he once wrote: “I would rather eat without pork than live without bamboo, as I may be thinner without port, but will be vulgar without bamboo.” Someone then wrote according to his meaning, “It may as well take pork braised with bamboo shoots for every meal, to be neither thin nor vulgar.” It is the literary quotations for the dish “Home-made Salted Pork with Spring Bamboo Shoots”. Thin-skinned pork belly and fresh, tender spring bamboo shoots are cooked together, tasty and tender, aromatic and glutinous, delicious in flavor and delicate in soup. It is probably the reason why this dish has become a famous Hangzhou traditional food liked by people.

Beggar’s Chicken

According to legend in the past, there lived a beggar who drifted to the south of the Yangtze River. One day, he fainted away from hunger and cold. His fellow sufferer stole him a small hen but he had no pot and cooking range. He then wrapped the chicken with mud and roasted it in the fire. When he stripped off the roasted chicken and took it, he surprisingly found that this chicken was overflowing with aroma and in a wonderful taste. Afterwards, this cuisine was passed down to wine houses, and further improved by chefs based on its traditional cooking method. Fat and tender chickens are chosen, wrapped with skins of bamboo shoots and leaves of fresh lotus, with the outermost layer coated with wine jar clay, to be roasted with strong fire before slow fire. The beggar’s chickens are freshly roasted and freshly taken, smelling faint scent and tasting delicate and savory.

Fired Shelled Shrimps with Dragon Well Tea

It is said that once when Emperor Qian Long came down to the south of the Yangtze River at the Pure Brightness Festival, he paid a sight-seeing visit to the West Lake Dragon Well. The tea farmers presented new tea to him. He brought the new tea back to his dwelling