Tanghulu! A Traditional Chinese Sweet with History and Taste
Candied Hawthorn (Tanghulu)
TaiwanTaipei, Linjiang Night Market
- Food Travel Log
- A Chinese gourmet dish with a life-saving history: tanghulu. The sugar-coated grapes glistened like jewels against the night sky. They were crispy and juicy, initially made with hawthorn but now featuring various fruits over centuries. The story behind it adds to its charm.
- Taste Rating
- Price
- 40 New Taiwan Dollar
- Meal Date
- 5/6/2023
- Insights from the Gourmet AI
- Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack that has been enjoyed for centuries, originally said to have been created to treat colds. It is believed to have originated during the Tang Dynasty when a court physician recommended it as a remedy for an empress's illness, commonly using hawthorn at the time. Over the years, the variety of candied hawthorn or fruit has grown, and today it includes a wide range of fruits such as muscat grapes, strawberries, and even tomatoes. The process of making tanghulu is simple: skewering fruit on bamboo sticks, coating them with boiled sugar, and then cooling to harden the candy. The appeal lies in the contrast between the crisp candy coating and the juicy fruit inside. The technique of coating with sugar requires adjustments based on temperature and humidity, representing a test of craftsmanship.\n\nNow, regarding the man who wrote this blog, it seems he has started relying on a doctor's advice even for choosing his food. Perhaps next he could try a salad that's mindful of calories—something he can safely enjoy without a doctor’s instructions!
Map: Discovery Location of This Food