Noodles are the staple of traditional Shanxi cuisine, and Shuozhou is no exception. Apart from well-known varieties such as knife-shaved noodles, hand-pulled noodles and pinched dough slices, Shuozhou also boasts its own distinctive dietary traditions. Located in northern Shanxi and constrained by natural conditions, the region mainly grows buckwheat and naked oats. Steamed buns and dumplings made from buckwheat and naked oat flour are common delicacies in local daily meals, featuring strong regional characteristics of Shuozhou.

Shuozhou offers a great variety of local snacks. Fried dough twists, yellow millet cakes and flatbreads are widely popular. Among them, Yingxian Ox Kidney Pastry stands out the most. With a long history and unique flavor, it enjoys a widespread reputation and high praise.

Brewing rice wine in Shuozhou has a long history. As early as the Western Han Dynasty, locals were skilled at making liquor from high-quality sorghum and rice wine from yellow millet. In the Han Dynasty, Shuozhou was known as Mayi County under Yanmen Commandery, and drinking alcohol was prevalent among garrison troops, nobles and ordinary people alike.

This rice wine is brewed based on local liquor and high-quality yellow millet. After adding fermentation starters for saccharification, the mixture is pressed and filtered to remove residues. It tastes sweet, smooth and mellow with a delicate fragrance. Low in alcohol content, it is rich in various vitamins and amino acids. Nourishing and good for blood circulation, it is especially suitable for women and the elderly.

There are differences between Han people and some ethnic minorities in the way they eat mutton. Ethnic minorities usually eat only mutton and discard all sheep offal. By contrast, Han people clean, boil and chop sheep heads, trotters, hearts, livers, lungs, intestines and blood, then simmer them with scallions, chili peppers, salt and other seasonings to make a soup. The name "sheep offal" comes from the mix of diverse ingredients.

Combined with Chinese yam noodles, the soup balances meat and vegetables. It is rich yet not greasy, with a pure and wonderful taste. Served piping hot with an inviting aroma, it is delicious and effective in dispelling cold, warming the stomach and soothing the body, making it an excellent therapeutic food. No visit to Shuozhou is complete without a bowl of spicy and fragrant sheep offal noodle soup.

Made from potato starch, Yingxian cold jelly is a distinctive local snack sold at street stalls all year round. Such stalls can be found everywhere across streets and alleys, especially in summer.

Favored for its unique taste, it has three notable features. First, it contains a high proportion of water, with a starch-to-water weight ratio of about 1:10, and is kept soaked in cold water until sold. Second, it is elaborately prepared. Third, it is seasoned to perfection with salt, soy sauce, chili, vinegar, sesame oil, monosodium glutamate, mustard and scallions. Shredded dried tofu is added as a side garnish, creating an appealing combination of color, aroma and flavor.

In Yingxian County beyond Yanmen Pass stands the world-famous Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. The county is also home to a time-honored snack known as Ox Kidney Pastry, which enjoys great fame.

Legend has it that a shopkeeper named Yu Yi was struggling with poor business. One day, he accidentally knocked over a bowl of malt syrup while making flatbreads. Having no other choice, he mixed the syrup with wheat flour, shaped the dough into small cakes and deep-fried them. The finished pastries tasted sweet and fragrant, and their shape and color resembled ox kidneys, hence the name.