Nantong Xiting Cracker (西亭脆饼 or 南通脆饼), also possibly known as sesame seed cake,
[ is one of the specialties of ]Nantong
Nantong (; alternate names: Nan-t'ung, Nantung, Tongzhou, or Tungchow; Qihai dialect: ) is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Jiangsu province of China, province, China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth. ...
. It is known for the quality of its ingredients and the meticulous preparation involved in its production.
History
Nantong Xiting Cracker came to being during the Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
when Guangxu Emperor was in power. By now it has about one hundred years of history. The pastry's birth is said to originate from a specific legend. Once upon a time during the aforementioned period in Xiting, a town in Nantong, a particular couple ran a pastry shop. The husband was called LengChunxi(冷纯溪). But in the town most farmers couldn't afford their products, so they made only a little money and lived on the edge of subsistence. Dissatisfied with this situation, the couple decided it was time for a change. They found most farmers liked eating crackers, so they decided crackers should become their main product. Day and night they devoted themselves to improving traditional crackers to cater to farmers. Finally they achieved success, coming up with the exceptional but still inexpensive cracker. The husband named it "Xiting White Cracker".Zhang Jian Zhang Jian may refer to:
Name
* Zhang Jian (fencer) (born 1962), Chinese fencer
* Zhang Jian (football) (born 1965/66), Chinese football administrator
* Zhang Jian (businessman) (1853–1926), courtesy name Jizhi, Chinese entrepreneur, politician ...
. His ancestral residence was in Xiting and every year he went back to worship his ancestors. He was fond of the cracker, so he also presented them to far-off officials, native dealers as well as foreigner businessmen. Meanwhile, LengChunxi improved the cracker further and changed its name to "Xiting Cracker". Since then Xiting Cracker became popular not only among the middle class but also among the imperial family—even spreading abroad.
Preparation
The preparation includes 28 steps. Fine white flour
Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...
is used as the main material. The cracker is shaped by hand, then it is roasted with light fire so its surface becomes a little yellow but not burnt. It has about eighteen layers.
See also
* List of crackers
This is a list of crackers. A cracker is a baked good typically made from a grain-and-flour dough and usually manufactured in large quantities. Crackers (roughly equivalent to savory biscuits in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man) are usuall ...
References
{{reflist
Crackers (food)
Chinese cuisine