Author: Wang Ji Xinhua
I heard that there is a place in the Laiwu Peninsula in Chenghai District, Shantou City for making old lace candy is made of "white radish grown up listening to the sound of the waves", which makes me feel very poetic. Taking advantage of the sunny weather, on the afternoon of December 2, we made a special visit to Mr. Wang Wencheng, one of the eight major cuisines masters reported by CCTV, the vice chairman of the Chaocai Professional Committee of the Guangdong Cooking Association, an expert in Chaocai culture research and promotion, and the chairman of Shantou Shangmeixiang Laocai Culture Creative Co., Ltd.
"I started learning to pickle old dried vegetables with my mother at the age of 9. I made traditional trendy dishes in 1985. I have been making old dried vegetables for more than 40 years." Wang Wencheng knew everything about his struggle history.
"Old cabbage is actually dried radish , but the raw materials of our cabbage are different from those in other places. We use white radish grown on the Tropic of Cancer and grown up by listening to the sound of waves. They are fostered by sea water, cleaned by sea water, and marinated by sea salt. Our cabbage in south is equivalent to ginseng in the north. There are old ginseng in Changbai Mountain, Jilin, and Shantou Shangmeixiang cabbage in the south." Chairman Wang Wencheng's introduction was very interesting after hearing it.
Chaoshan has three treasures, pickles, fish sauce, and old dried vegetable candy. Old dried vegetable candy is one of the three treasures. There are new and old types of cabbage. The cabbage is golden in color, sweet in taste and crispy in taste. The cabbage is black and shiny in color, salty in taste, strong in mellow and fragrant, and soft and glutinous in taste. radish is called " Caitou " in the Chaoshan area of Chaoshan, so it is very important to prepare the dish of Caitou well. They have also developed more than 20 series of products made of "Caitou" such as Laocai dried vegetable sauce and Laocai dried vegetable red peach cake. Especially the carefully made old dried vegetable sauce, which can be added to seasoning in cooking, is very popular among customers. It is really unique in the "sauce"!
It is understood that Shantou Shangmeixiang Laocaiji Culture and Creative Co., Ltd. was established in 2016 and is located in Laiwu Scenic Area, Chenghai District, Shantou City. It is a primary and deep processing enterprise integrating "fabric production, procurement, processing, scientific research and sales". Its subsidiaries include Guangdong Chengxing Yufang Food Co., Ltd., the productive protection demonstration base for the production of old vegetable jelly production skills (Chenghai Dalaiwu Fort Patriotism Education Base), Shantou Yiyuan Guanlan Hotel Management Co., Ltd., and Chengxing Yufang Restaurant in Laiwu, Chenghai District, Shantou City.
Wang Wencheng, a provincial representative inheritor of the provincial intangible cultural heritage protection project "Old Vegetable Pastry Making Technique" of Guangdong Province, has been learning from his mother and grandfather since he was 9 years old. Through family inheritance, he mastered a complete set of traditional pickling Techniques of old Vegetable Pastry. He has a special liking for old dried vegetable, always upholding the spirit of innovation and inheritance, developed and launched a variety of old dried vegetable products that are popular in the market, and integrated them into fashionable dishes. He was once recommended by CCTV as the "eight major cuisine masters" and media at all levels often visit him.
Shang Meixiang adheres to the concept of inheriting traditions and introducing new things, and is committed to spreading the intangible cultural heritage of old cabbage, Chaoshan traditional culture and Chaozhou cuisine culture. Strictly controlling quality and ensuring high quality raw materials are Shangmeixiang's consistent persistence. He is also constantly moving forward on the road to pursuing the essence of trendy vegetables, making Shangmeixiang old dried vegetables that are "shang top and delicious"; making "see invisible and delicious" trendy vegetables to create landmark food.
"The Chinese brand Shangmeixiang, and the white sand and radish are famous. The secretly made old dried vegetable candy with versatile ingredients are healthy." This is a poem written by Mr. Wang, which is a true portrayal and perfect summary of Shangmeixiang candy.
