When talking about distinctive foods of Chongqing, besides spicy hot pot and fragrant noodles, there is a classic pastry carrying a century of history and the gentle sweetness of Bayu people — Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy. As a unique geographical indication food in Jiangjin, Chongqing, it is not only an unforgettable childhood memory for local people, but also a nationally renowned China Time-honored Brand and Chongqing Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage. With its crystal-white appearance, crisp and melt-in-mouth texture, and refreshing sweet flavor, it has become an irreplaceable traditional snack for countless people, and a must-buy authentic souvenir for tourists visiting Chongqing.
Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy boasts a history dating back to 1910, invented by the Chen brothers who ran the “Taihezhai” pastry shop in Jiangjin, with more than 100 years of inheritance. The original folk fried rice candy was rough and sandy in texture, so the Chen brothers devoted themselves to improvement: they replaced the traditional sand-frying technique with oil-shortening, changed brown sugar to white sugar, and added high-quality accessories such as rock sugar, peach kernels, peanuts and sesame seeds. After repeated tests, they finally created the classic oil-shortened rice puff candy, which became an instant hit in Sichuan and Chongqing, and a must-have item for banquets, festivals and gift-giving. During the Anti-Japanese War, it was deeply loved by merchants and refugees for its portability, durability and delicious taste, then gradually spread beyond Sichuan and Chongqing, and was exported to Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia, starting a century-long best-selling legend. In 1961, the “Rose Brand” trademark was officially registered, and it has since won many honors such as High-Quality Product of the Ministry of Commerce and Chongqing Famous Brand Product. In 2006, it was awarded the title of “China Time-honored Brand” by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, with its century-old quality officially certified.
The unique flavor of Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy comes from strict raw material selection and intangible cultural heritage handcraftsmanship. Authentic Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy selects high-quality glutinous rice from Xichang and Zhejiang, paired with top-grade accessories including Yunnan peach kernels, Neijiang peanuts, Hubei black sesame and Meishan roses, with every raw material carefully chosen to retain the original taste. Its production process is extremely exquisite, undergoing more than ten traditional procedures such as rice selection, steaming, dried glutinous rice making, oil-shortening, sugar boiling, mixing, shaping, cutting and packaging. Key steps still adhere to manual operation to preserve the traditional flavor to the greatest extent. Glutinous rice is soaked, steamed and dried in the shade to make dried glutinous rice, then shortened at about 150℃ to form fluffy white rice puffs; mixed with well-boiled maltose and white sugar, infused with secret rose sugar for fragrance, sprinkled with full peanut crumbs and sesame seeds, and pressed into square pieces of uniform thickness. The finished product is crystal white and full of aroma, crisp and crumbly at the first bite, with layers of rice fragrance, sugar sweetness, rose scent and nutty aroma blending perfectly. It is sweet but not cloying, crisp and melt-in-mouth, without the sticky feeling of traditional pastries.
After a century of development, Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy has continuously innovated flavors while retaining the classic original taste to meet the needs of different groups. The classic original flavor features a refreshing rose fragrance, restoring the century-old traditional taste; the salt and pepper flavor is a perfect mix of salty and sweet, refreshing and not greasy, suitable for those who do not like excessive sweetness; the spicy flavor integrates Bayu characteristics, with a slight spicy taste and richer layers; there are also xylitol low-sugar and fruit-flavored types, catering to the diverse taste needs of health-conscious people and young groups. Nowadays, it has formed a well-known brand matrix with Rose Brand and Hehua Brand as the core. Both brands adhere to traditional craftsmanship and excellent quality, with packaging ranging from portable small packages to exquisite gift boxes, suitable for daily snacks, home tea breaks, and gift-giving to relatives and friends.
In addition to eating directly, Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy has various creative ways to enjoy its deliciousness. It can be eaten straight out of the package for a crispy and sweet treat anytime, anywhere; paired with milk, soybean milk or light tea as breakfast or afternoon tea, refreshing and filling; crushed and added to yogurt, jelly or cold cakes to enhance taste and aroma, turning into creative desserts; even used as baking ingredients to make cakes, biscuits and snowflake crisps, adding traditional flavor. Meanwhile, authentic Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy has a long shelf life and can be stored in a moisture-proof and sealed condition, not easy to deteriorate, very convenient for carrying and stocking.
To buy authentic Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy, just look for the China Time-honored Brand logo and the two core brands of Rose Brand and Hehua Brand to avoid inferior imitations. High-quality Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy has a pure white appearance, regular square shape and uniform thickness, with a strong rice fragrance and light rose scent, no peculiar smell; it tastes crisp, melts in the mouth, with a soft sweet taste, not cloying and grit-free. As a Chongqing Intangible Cultural Heritage food and century-old specialty, Jiangjin Rice Puff Candy is not only a snack, but also a microcosm of Bayu food Culture, embodying the ingenuity and feelings of Jiangjin people. Every bite is the sweetness precipitated by years, and it can convey the most authentic Chongqing flavor whether tasted by oneself or given to family and friends.
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