Dezhou Food Guide: Local Snacks of Pingyuan County

More than 30 time-honored local specialties with distinctive regional flavors thrive in Pingyuan County, including Taoyuan Tofu Pudding, Hand-Torn Chicken, Moqie Braised Eggplant, Skewer Steamed Buns, Beiren Brand Braised Chicken, Wang’s Traditional Firm Tofu, Braised Squab, Cooked Flatbread, Alfalfa Stuffed Pastries, as well as Tongde Baijiu, pickled vegetables, soy sauce and vinegar. Pingyuan boasts a great variety of snacks that carry unique local characteristics.

Most people have heard of soft tofu pudding, which can be found in numerous regions. Though the two look quite similar at first glance, the delicate flavor of Pingyuan’s traditional firm tofu far surpasses ordinary tofu pudding.

Three renowned varieties of this firm tofu come from Pingyuan in Dezhou, Shanghe in Jinan and Gaotang in Liaocheng, each with its own distinctive delicious taste. Locals from all three towns rarely cook breakfast at home; instead, they head to street stalls for affordable firm tofu, priced merely 0.6 to 1 yuan per serving, and stalls can be found everywhere across the area.

During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong passed through Pingyuan on his southern inspection tour and sampled the local firm tofu. He was so impressed that he recruited the tofu maker to the imperial kitchen to join the royal "tofu culinary team". The snack later spread to Beijing and was renamed "Beijing Traditional Firm Tofu". Nevertheless, the most authentic version still originates from Pingyuan, Shandong, and it remains the top breakfast choice across the three above-mentioned counties.

The tofu is snow-white and glossy, tender yet solid without crumbling. Its savory gravy is clear yet full-bodied, fragrant with oil but never greasy. When eaten, it releases an inviting aroma with a subtle meaty savor free of fishiness, and a gentle spicy kick that does not sting the throat.

Braised squab is a renowned Pingyuan specialty cooked with locally raised young pigeons. It boasts tender delicious meat and rich nutrition, winning high praise from guests at home and abroad. Pingyuan locals have a long tradition of pigeon breeding. Since the late Qing Dynasty, the Pigeon Fair held on the eighth day of the first lunar month every year in Encheng Town has evolved into a grand traditional festival. The farmed meat pigeons here are large, tender, nutrient-dense and flavorful, favored by consumers worldwide. Expert chefs prepare the squabs to achieve perfect color and taste, never growing tiresome no matter how many times you try them. The full pigeon feast is regarded as an edible work of art, pleasing to both the eyes and palate.

Also known as skewer mantou. Legend has it that troops led by Zhu Hongdeng of the Boxer Uprising won countless battles after eating these steamed buns. When Japanese troops invaded China, the nation fell into dire straits, and shops selling skewer steamed buns gradually dwindled. After the founding of New China, this traditional delicacy returned to people’s dining tables and has been passed down to this day.

Glossy, milky white, pliable and chewy; it will not crack when folded in half, with a sweet and pleasant taste.

According to legend, when Liu Bei served as Magistrate of Pingyuan, he cared deeply about the livelihoods of his people. One late afternoon, Liu Bei wandered the streets incognito accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to observe local conditions. They walked along a west street in the northern county seat lined with dense shops, taverns, workshops and grocery stalls, all bustling with prosperous trade.

By sunset, the three men stepped into a tavern. As they dined and discussed state affairs, an elderly woman sitting nearby admired their lofty aspirations and commitment to justice, so she brought them a complimentary dish. Though they were already full, they accepted her kindness and each took a bite. The flavor was so wonderful they finished the whole plate unknowingly. They asked the elderly woman what the dish was called, and she replied it had no formal name — she and her husband ran the small tavern and created the dish over time as it proved popular with customers.

The three men spoke in unison, naming the dish Moqie, a title that has been handed down through generations ever since.

Silky tender, soft and fully stewed until melt-in-your-mouth