Wandering along Shanghai’s Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, shuttling between the bustling traffic and the streets blending ancient and modern styles, besides the brilliance of the Bund and the elegance of Yuyuan Garden, what touches people’s hearts more is the glutinous fragrance hidden in the century-old time-honored brand – Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao from Shen Dacheng. As a benchmark of Shanghai local-style pastries, Shen Dacheng has inherited nearly one and a half centuries since its establishment in 1875, perfectly integrating the glutinousness of Jiangnan glutinous rice with the richness of Chinese sweet fillings. Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao are two of the most representative ones, which are also the best choice for foreign visitors to understand the fireworks of Shanghai and taste the sweetness of Jiangnan. Their portability also makes them the first choice for souvenirs.
To understand Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao, you must first understand the century-old heritage they carry. Known as the “King of Shanghai Dim Sum”, Shen Dacheng was founded by Shen Zifang and moved to its current location on Nanjing Road East in 1924. Today, its main store is located in the bustling Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, adjacent to Shanghai Fashion Store. There is always a long queue at the first-floor window all year round. Both old Shanghai people and Chinese and foreign tourists are willing to stop and wait for this authentic glutinous fragrance. The embryonic form of Shuangniang Tuan can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. It was originally an innovative work of a small pastry shop, which improved the traditional single-stuffed glutinous rice ball into a “double-stuffed” feature. Later, it was polished and upgraded by Shen Dacheng and became a well-known signature pastry. Tiaotou Gao is a childhood memory deeply engraved in Shanghai people’s hearts. Because of its long strip shape and glutinous taste, combined with the sweetness of sweet osmanthus and the richness of red bean paste, it has become a taste concern of several generations. It also has the beautiful meaning of “getting better year by year” and is a must-have food for Shanghai people during festivals.
As a national time-honored brand, the essence of Shen Dacheng lies in “handmade pastries and sincere craftsmanship”. Every bite of glutinousness of Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao embodies the persistence and strictness of craftsmen. Both pastries are based on high-quality glutinous rice, but their craftsmanship and flavor are different, but they both adhere to the principle of “no additives and pure handwork” to maximize the fresh fragrance of the ingredients themselves. Making Shuangniang Tuan requires seven core processes: selecting rice, soaking rice, grinding pulp, sTeaming, kneading dough, wrapping fillings and rolling coconut shreds, none of which can be missing. Choose plump Jiangnan round glutinous rice, soak it for more than 4 hours in advance, grind it into fine rice milk, press out the water, steam it at high temperature, knead it into a smooth and flexible glutinous rice skin, then wrap it with double-layer fillings – the inner layer is dense red bean paste, the outer layer is mellow black sesame paste, and finally roll it with a layer of white coconut shreds. A round and full Shuangniang Tuan with rich layers is made. The name “Shuangniang” comes from the double-layer fillings. Taking a bite, you can taste three flavors: glutinous but not sticky, sweet but not cloying.
The production of Tiaotou Gao is more delicate. It also uses glutinous rice as the raw material, mixed with a small amount of sticky rice flour to increase toughness. After sTeaming, knead it into a uniform long strip of dough, then carefully spread a thick layer of homemade red bean paste filling, sprinkle a little sweet osmanthus pieces, roll it tightly and cut it into small sections. The outer skin is smooth and white, and the red bean paste and sweet osmanthus inside can be faintly seen, with a pleasant aroma. Shen Dacheng’s Tiaotou Gao focuses most on “glutinous but not rotten, soft but not sticky”. The steaming time needs to be accurately controlled – a little longer will make it rotten and deformed, and a little shorter will make it hard to swallow. With decades of experience, craftsmen make each Tiaotou Gao of uniform thickness and excellent taste. The sweetness of sweet osmanthus neutralizes the richness of red bean paste, and each bite is warm and long, as if you can taste the autumn atmosphere of Jiangnan.
For foreign visitors who want to taste the most authentic Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao, the main store of Shen Dacheng on Nanjing Road East is undoubtedly the first choice. Located at No. 636 Nanjing Road East, it is in the core area of the pedestrian street, surrounded by dense scenic spots. It is very convenient to go there on the way after visiting the Bund and Yuyuan Garden. Walking into the main store, all kinds of pastries are displayed in the bright store. Behind the counter, the busy figures of craftsmen are clearly visible. You can witness the whole production process of Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao with your own eyes, watching the white glutinous rice balls turn into exquisite pastries in their hands, and feel the ingenuity and warmth of old Shanghai handicrafts. In addition to the main store, Shen Dacheng has many branches in Shanghai, among which the Huaihai Middle Road Branch and Yuyuan Branch are also conveniently located, suitable for tourists with different itineraries. No matter which one you go to, you can taste the original old Shanghai flavor. The unit price of each pastry is only 4-5 yuan, which is very cost-effective. You can choose and taste them freely, and each one will not disappoint you.
The transportation to the main store of Shen Dacheng on Nanjing Road East is very convenient. Foreign visitors can take Metro Line 1 or Line 2 to People’s Square Station, exit from Nanjing Road East Exit, and walk for about 5 minutes to reach it. They can also take Bus No. 20, 37 or 49 to Nanjing Road East Henan Middle Road Station, and walk for 2 minutes after getting off to see the store sign. If you choose to drive, you can navigate to “Nanjing Road East Parking Lot”, walk there after parking. The surrounding facilities are complete. After purchasing pastries, you can also wander along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, taste other Shanghai characteristic foods, and feel the bustling city and the warmth of daily life in Shanghai. In addition, some branches of Shen Dacheng are close to duty-free shops, which is convenient for foreign visitors to go directly to the airport or railway station after purchasing souvenirs, saving the trouble of carrying.
Here are some practical tips for foreign visitors to help you better taste this glutinous fragrance. First, the best time to eat Shuangniang Tuan and Tiaotou Gao is 1-3 hours after purchase. At this time, the taste is the most glutinous and the sweet fragrance is the strongest. They can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days without refrigeration, which is easy to carry. Second, eating collocation: both pastries are sweet. Matching with a cup of warm jasmine Tea or green tea can not only relieve greasiness, but also highlight the fragrance of glutinous rice and the richness of fillings. If matching with Shanghai characteristic salty snacks, the combination of sweet and salty will have a better taste. Third, souvenir purchase: you can choose the exquisite gift box. The gift box is simple and elegant in design, printed with the century-old history of Shen Dacheng and pastry patterns, which is both practical and commemorative. You can freely match Shuangniang Tuan, Tiaotou Gao and other signature pastries of Shen Dacheng in the gift box, which is convenient for giving to relatives and friends. The store will also kindly inform you of the shelf life and preservation methods, which is very thoughtful.
It is worth mentioning that Shen Dacheng has not stuck to tradition. On the basis of retaining the classic flavor, it has also launched a variety of innovative flavors. Shuangniang Tuan has added matcha and mango flavors, and Tiaotou Gao has added cheese and cranberry flavors, perfectly integrating traditional and modern flavors. It can not only satisfy tourists who like classic flavors, but also let tourists who pursue new experiences feel different surprises. But no matter how innovative it is, the glutinous layers of Shuangniang Tuan and the sweet and dense taste of Tiaotou Gao have never changed. This is the original intention of Shen Dacheng’s century-old inheritance and the persistence of old Shanghai flavor.
The glutinousness of Shuangniang Tuan and the sweetness of Tiaotou Gao are not only a enjoyment of taste buds, but also a carrier of Shanghai’s history and Culture. They have witnessed the century-old changes of Shen Dacheng, carried the childhood memories of old Shanghai people, and conveyed the warmth and ingenuity of Jiangnan food to every foreign visitor. When you feel tired during your trip in Shanghai, you may wish to stop, walk into Shen Dacheng, taste a Shuangniang Tuan or Tiaotou Gao, let the glutinous taste drive away fatigue, and let the sweet taste stay in your heart. When you leave, take a few boxes of pastries, share the glutinous fragrance and warmth of old Shanghai with relatives and friends far away, and let them also taste the fireworks warmth and Jiangnan charm of Shanghai.
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