A bite of egg roll and a bowl of paparazzi porridge, the delicacies of this small town in Guangzhou are directly regarded as gods!

‍‍Shawan Ancient Town , is a treasure place in Lingnan Water Town, hiding more than 800 years of historical stories.

When you walk in here, the stone steps and stone alleys are still there, the ancestral halls and ancient houses are well-proportioned, the old banyan trees and ancient wells stand quietly, and the atmosphere of old times is everywhere.

Liu Geng Hall, Shawan Ancient Town. Chen Yujing/photo

The architecture here is very Lingnan style, with wok-eared houses and carved wooden windows that are exquisite and unique. Photo by Chen Yujing

The most impressive one is the oyster shell house in the ancient town. The locals use oyster shells to build walls, with the shell tail facing outward. It is warm in winter and cool in summer, and is moisture-proof and durable. The wall is uneven and full of the effects of time. If you look closely at the traces, you can feel the wisdom of the Lingnan people.

Oyster Shell House. Photo by Chen Yujing

In addition to architecture, Shawan is also one of the birthplaces of Guangdong music. The three heroes of the He family here made famous songs such as \”Dragon Race to Win the Gold\” and \”Rain Beats the Banana\” spread to this day, becoming one of the classics of Lingnan music.

Shawan Guangdong Music Hall. Photo by Chen Yujing

Of course, the charm of Shawan is not just history and music, it is also a hidden gourmet paradise! Dairy Queen’s ginger milk, Aunt Zhen’s fish skin corner, Chi Cha’s handmade egg rolls…these authentic Sand Bay Bay snacks are waiting for foodies to unlock them one by one.

Chicha Cake Shop

If you walk through Shawan Ancient Town, you will smell the faint scent of eggs filling the air. The scent of eggs wafts from Chicha Cake Shop.

Chicha Cake Shop only has a small shop. Chen Yujing/photo

The shop owner Aunt Xie is busy. She and her husband each keep an egg roll machine. The machine buzzed softly, the aroma of eggs filled the air, and I felt hungry immediately.

Aunt Xie and her husband are each responsible for the machine to make egg rolls with different flavors. Photo by Chen Yujing

\”Auntie, how long has this store been open? \”The reporter couldn\’t help but ask.

\”It existed before liberation! It’s been over 70 years! \”Aunt Xie looked up with a smile, but her hand movements did not stop for a moment, \”This skill was passed down from my mother\’s generation. Now that she is older, she will continue to do it for the two of us. ”

Chicha Cake Shop was founded by Grandma He Chi. The name of the store is named after her mother-in-law. \”Cha\” means \”aunt\” in the local area, so Chicha Cake Shop can also be called Chi Auntie Cake Shop..

Chicha Cake Shop’s introduction to handmade egg rolls. Chen Yujing/photo

Nowadays, the 90-year-old mother-in-law He Chi rarely sells stalls. This craft has been passed down to Aunt Xie and his wife. They guard this small shop and continue to use hand-made methods to bring traditional food to the market. The flavor lingers.

They skillfully spread the egg paste on the iron plate, shoveling, folding, and rolling, and the egg rolls gradually took shape. The originally soft egg skin immediately became crispy and fell off after cooling. Chen Yujing/ Photo

\”Yes, making egg rolls requires slow work and careful work. We only have one hour hereIt can make 12 boxes. It is not as fast as machine production, but the taste of handmade ones is different. This is the taste of childhood. ”

Phoenix rolls with seaweed and meat floss were just made, and when you took a bite, the crispy skin melted instantly, and the salty aroma of meat floss mixed with the umami flavor of seaweed jumped in your mouth. Photo by Chen Yujing

Thank youThe aunt said: \”We use Sizhou seaweed. Good ingredients can make good taste.\”

There are only two flavors in the store – original egg rolls and seaweed and meat floss phoenix rolls, simple but classic. Aunt Xie said that every step follows ancestral techniques, no preservatives are added, and the shelf life is only 10 days.

Why insist on handmade? She said: \”Nowadays, mechanization is very fast, but hand-made things have warmth and memory. This is the taste of our childhood.\”

In today’s era of mechanization and standardization, Chicha Cake Shop is like a small pause in time. The taste of handmade food is not only delicious, but also a continuation of memory.

Aunt Needle

In Guangzhou, you must not easily judge food by its name. Just like there is no large intestine in rice rolls, there is no chicken in chicken cakes, and there are no children in claypot rice…

There is naturally no \”paparazzi\” in the paparazzi porridge.

According to legend, Paparazzi Porridge was originally a poor rich man who had no one to take care of him due to illness. Among his nine children, only the poorest and most unloved ninth one was willing to take care of him and cook porridge for him every day. , full of the traditional virtues of filial piety of the Chinese nation, later \”Jiuzai porridge\” gradually became known as \”Paparzi porridge\”

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So, what’s in paparazzi porridge? With curiosity, Aunt Zhen in Shawan Ancient Town, the answer immediately appeared in front of her eyes: a bowl of hot paparazzi porridge was served on the table, so full of ingredients that it almost covered the porridge noodles.

Aunt Needle’s paparazzi porridge. Chen Yujing/photo

Bacon cubes, dried shrimps, lard residue, peanuts, and the aroma of pepper linger in the air. When you scoop up a spoonful, the thick porridge base is packed with ingredients. The taste is salty and smooth, and the slight spiciness of pepper lingers on the tip of your tongue. This kind of porridge has no rice grains, but is chewier and more layered than traditional white porridge.

In addition to the paparazzi porridge, what made Aunt Needle famous is the \”one bite at a time\” fish skin angle.

The skin of the fish skin angle is scraped from the dace meat into minced fish paste, which is then repeatedly battered until it becomes gelatinous. The texture is smooth and chewy. The filling is solid, a mixture of pork, shrimp and white sesame seeds, and is served with several simmered ingredients. The pork bone and fish bone soup is extremely delicious. Photo by Chen Yujing

Take a sip of soup and eat again The next fish skin corner, the aroma of fish and the sweetness of the soup base are intertwined in the mouth, making people instantly understand why Aunt Zhen’s fish skin corner has become the signature of Shawan.

Daily Queen of Shawan

Who is the \”Cow Queen of Shawan\”? The Queen of Cows is the manager Wang Xiutian, and she is affectionately called Sister Tian by everyone.

The Cow Queen of Shawan. Chen Yujing/photo

Sister Tian’s sweet career originated from a “cow” relationship she had more than thirty years ago. At that time, in order to take care of her young children, she used her family\’s only savings to buy two cows and start her own business.

Sister Tian has been dealing with cows. Picture source: Guangzhou Panyu District Federation of Trade Unions

Later, she used the fresh milk to make desserts, from ginger milk to fried taro milk to souvenir gift packs, all of which have become Shawan\’s signature.

Drinking ginger milk in a building full of Lingnan style, with blue brick walls, sliding doors, colorful windows, and marble round tables and chairs, making people feel like they have traveled back to old Guangzhou. Chen Yujing

Ginger milk is served on the table, with a delicate luster and as white and tender as fat. When you scoop it up with a spoon, the milk surface is smooth and not broken. The ginger flavor is strong but not choking. The milk is mellow but not greasy, with moderate sweetness. It warms you instantly. Spread from the stomach to the whole body/Photo by Chen Yujing

Ginger Buried Milk is also called Ginger Buried Milk. The orthodox name. Their ginger milk is made from home-grown buffalo milk, and its freshness and aroma are impeccable.

正园

In Shawan Ancient Town, there is also a breakfast shop hidden in a historical building. This building is called \”Zhengyuan\”, and the neighbors here affectionately call it \”Zhongji\”.

This was originally a building from the Republic of China. Now, this historical building has been transformed into a breakfast shop. The bustling neighbors and students every morning give this old house a new lease of life. Photo by Chen Yujing

This breakfast stall, which has been low-key for nearly 30 years, is almost the \”second dining hall\” for nearby residents and students of Xiangxian Middle School. There is no decoration, no menu, and not even a sign. Photo by Chen Yujing

Every morning at five o\’clock in the morning, Zhengyuan opens on time. Porridge is cooked on the left side of the yard and rice rolls are steamed on the right side. To have breakfast here, you have to get used to \”making two trips\”, porridge and rice rolls. Order separately for fans

Lean meat rice rolls/Photo by Chen Yujing

I ordered porridge, and the aunt cooked it right away. It contained lean meat, pork liver, and fish fillets. The ingredients were enough to satisfy everyone. The rice rolls were even thinner and smoother, and you could easily find a few large pieces of pork ribs and intestines if you rummaged through them.

There are also \”teahouse dim sum\” such as beef balls, steamed pork ribs, and dry steaming. The solid portions are enough to make people finish them. Full of energy all day long

Runxiong Peanut Oil Factory Store

\”Runxiong Peanut Oil Factory Store\”, don\’t be misled by the name, it sells more than just peanut oil, but fragrant fried food fresh out of the pan. This is an old store that has been open for more than ten years. Now it has become a \”check-in place\” for neighbors and tourists.

Runxiong Peanut Oil Factory store. Photo by Chen Yujing

The store owner told reporters frankly: \”Frying oil is very important. We use peanut oil squeezed by ourselves, so you can eat with confidence. ”

Runxiong’s history can be traced back to the early years. It was formerly a peanut oil factory and later gradually transformed into a fried food shop. Photo by Chen Yujing/span>

\”Fried shrimp cake\” is the signature. A whole prawn is wrapped in shredded taro. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Even if it risks \”heat\” (getting angry), it cannot stop it from entering the mouth.process. Chen Yujing/photo

\”Fried sweet potatoes\” are sweet and soft, with the natural aroma of sweet potatoes. The most special thing is the \”salty pancake\”, which has a strong aroma of southern milk. Take a bite while it\’s hot, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Chen Yujing/photo

There is also the nostalgic \”Xiaokou Zao\”. You can buy it and take it with you on the go.eat. Chen Yujing/photo

Fan Gui Herbal Tea

This young brand from Foshan perfectly combines Lingnan tradition with Western coffee culture in a unique way, which is refreshing. .

Fangui herbal tea. Chen Yujing/photo

\”Fangui\” means \”foreigner\” or \”imported product\” in Cantonese, and \”Fangui herbal tea\” is named after this, implying the fusion of coffee from the West and Lingnan herbal tea to create a \”Cantonese style\” \”mixWest\” is a new tea drinking experience.

The design of the store is full of nostalgic style. The counter is like a Chinese medicine shop, filled with medicinal materials and gourd medicine jars. Tradition and modernity meet here. Photo by Chen Yujing

The bitterness of herbal tea is similar to the mellowness of coffee, so special drinks such as Luo Han Guo Tea Ice American and Tangerine Peel Latte came into being.

Classic Shasha herbal tea, Wuhua tea, secret Guiling paste and other \”old flavors\” of herbal tea shops are also available one by one. Retained. Even the traditional chicken bowl has been redesigned, and every drink conveys the unique charm of Lingnan culture.