What are some heartwarming foods that bring a warm feeling when thinking about them?

Nov 22, 2023 cuisine, gourmet, food-travel, traditional-cuisine, recommended-cuisine

Memorable Hotpot Experience

Unfortunately, the experience can only remain as an unforgettable memory. Continuous cooling makes me feel the chill even in a heated room. Looking at this issue, my first reaction reminded me of a hot pot meal I had many years ago.

I remember it was in the winter 20 years ago.

That year, I had just graduated and started working.

After work, I took the bus home, passing by Dongchang’an Street. Looking outside the window, the cold wind was biting, pedestrians were shivering, rushing past in the cold wind.

Instead of going straight home, I got off the bus halfway and headed south to Taiji Factory Street.

There was an alley opposite the Municipal Party Committee. It was probably the first one. The alley was narrow and twisted, and the piercing cold wind felt even more intense.

At the corner of the alley, there was a very small hot pot restaurant. It was tucked between the former Hungarian embassy and the French barracks, not very noticeable.

I remember it was called Yangfang Hot Pot, I don’t know if it was the famous Yangfang Hot Pot branch.

The restaurant was very small, with only five or six tables inside. Most of the time, they would also place two tables outside the entrance.

I usually liked sitting outside because the smell inside was too strong. I wore glasses, and as soon as I entered the restaurant, I couldn’t see anything.

Was it cold? No!

When the steaming hot copper pot was placed in front of me, winter ended.

Hot pot, unlike regular hot pot, is different in terms of origin, utensils, cooking methods, soup base, ingredients, and condiments.

When I was alone, I usually ordered something simple: a combination of cabbage, frozen tofu, and vermicelli. In many hot pot places, this set came for free with the pot. After that, I would order a plate of hand-cut or high-calcium meat, and finally a plate of lamb tail.

When eating alone, these were enough.

I would start by putting in the lamb tail because it was fatty and would quickly melt against the side of the pot. Also, hot pot uses plain water, at most with a little bit of onion and ginger. Putting the lamb tail into the pot would dilute the soup and enhance a hint of meaty flavor.

After that, the real show began. Cabbage, tofu, and lamb slices would intermittently go into the pot. The combination of meat and vegetables, dipped in sesame sauce and other condiments, would bring a warm and hot sensation to the taste buds.

During the meal, I couldn’t forget to occasionally have a bite of sugar garlic. It was slightly sweet, refreshing, and helped prevent greasiness.

By the end of the meal, my body would feel warm, my stomach slightly full. I would put vermicelli into the pot, take it out, and dip it in the remaining sesame sauce in the bowl, swallowing it whole, feeling fully satisfied.

The last trace of coldness in my body would be completely driven away.

If I still wasn’t full, I would have a crispy and delicious baked bun.

This steaming hot feast in the winter was enough to fill the rest of my journey home with warmth.

Even if many years have passed, it still remains a warm memory in my heart.

However, this warmth can only become an unforgettable memory.

Not because that small store was demolished years ago, but mainly because of the high uric acid value of 490 on my medical report, which doesn’t allow me to have another hot pot meal.

Perhaps one day, I will have a hot pot meal again, perhaps in my dreams.

@ Zhihu Food

Delicious Winter Food in Yunnan, Unlocking Winter Delights in 2023.

This winter, Yunnan is also cold, and it’s still a bit cold to put on the down jacket that hasn’t been worn for years. Only a pot of warm and delicious food can warm up the body and heart.

Eat seasonally, be content. I am very happy to unlock the delicious winter in Yunnan with you in 2023.

Lijiang Waxed Rib Hot Pot

The main ingredient of waxed rib hot pot is ribs that have been cured and air-dried. The longer the time, the stronger the wax aroma. When stewed over low heat, the soup is thick, white, and delicious, and the meat is tender. No matter what vegetables are cooked in the pot, the hot pot is infused with the rich aroma of waxed ribs, making every bite memorable.

Earthen Pot

The pot of the earthen pot is a clay pot made by firing using traditional methods. The soup base is made from boiled chicken and fresh pork ribs. The main ingredients are green vegetables, accompanied by more than a dozen ingredients such as taro and Chinese yam. Slowly simmered over charcoal fire, the aroma fills the air. One bite warms the whole body from the stomach.

Fuyuan Sour Soup Pig’s Trotters

Fuyuan sour cabbage pig’s trotters is a specialty dish from Fuyuan County, Qujing. The crispy and tender sour cabbage, paired with fatty but not greasy pig’s trotters, creates a appetizing and spleen-boosting sour soup. The pig’s trotters are tender and juicy, and when dipped in the prepared dipping sauce, it is a delicious dish that never feels greasy no matter how much you eat.

Fire Pot Beef

The “fire” in fire pot beef refers to the charcoal fire used to cook the beef, and the “pot” refers to the copper pot used to cook the beef. Using a copper pot instead of an iron pot for cooking is not only interesting to watch, but the copper pot conducts heat faster than an iron pot, resulting in more delicious and tender beef. With each bite, the rich texture instantly conquers the taste buds.

Fuxian Lake Stone Pot Fish

In Fuxian Lake, there is a saying that no feast is complete without fish. Steamed stone pot fish is a unique way of cooking fish by the side of Fuxian Lake, and it is also a classic delicacy. Served with a pot of fresh fish, enjoying the lake scenery, it is truly a special pleasure.

Flower Pot Roasted Milk

“Flower pot roasted milk” is, as the name suggests, milk tea served in small pots. It is also called “stove-cooked tea” by netizens. Put clay pots on a grill, as the temperature rises, stir-fry tea leaves and glutinous rice in the pots until they become charred and fragrant, then pour in warm milk, add heated rock sugar, and finally sprinkle with roses or other ingredients as decoration. You can pour it into a cup and enjoy. What could be more healing than a hot cup of roasted milk in the cold winter?

Charcoal-grilled Rice Cakes

In winter, in the courtyards of rural areas, people like to sit around the charcoal fire for warmth and chat, and of course, they also enjoy food. Roast the rice cakes made of glutinous rice slowly over the charcoal fire until both sides are evenly heated. When the rice cakes gradually swell, they are ready. The roasted rice cakes can be enjoyed with honey or fermented bean curd. They are chewy and full of happiness in winter.

Air Pot Chicken

When it comes to “Yunnan cuisine”, air pot chicken is a well-known dish. The use of the air pot retains the original flavor of the chicken. After simmering in high-quality broth, the soup is rich and mellow. It doesn’t have the greasy feeling of chicken soup, but has a touch of refreshing fragrance. The chicken meat is tender and melts in your mouth. Warm chicken soup and winter are the best combination.

Killing Pig Rice

A meal of “killing pig rice” is the longing of Yunnan people. In the memories of many Yunnan people, eating killing pig rice in their hometown during the Chinese New Year has become a fixed custom. However, the forms and methods of killing pig rice vary in different places.

For example, in the central part of Yunnan, Chuxiong, the most characteristic dish is roasted pig liver with liquor; in the northeast part of Yunnan, Xuanwei, “killing pig rice” emphasizes the “eight large bowls”; in the northwestern part of Yunnan, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, they love to eat raw skin and blown liver, which are highly characteristic of the plateau ethnic groups; in the southern part of Yunnan, represented by Puer and Xishuangbanna, they prefer a sour, spicy, cold, and fragrant taste… In Yunnan, eating “killing pig rice” is like opening a blind box. You will never know what you will get unless you go to the local area.

Farewell in Beijing: Heading to Shenzhen.

Lawyer Wu told us that he is leaving Beijing to develop in Shenzhen. To bid him farewell, we went to Fangjia Hutong in Beixinqiao and indulged in heavy drinking at Beijing Ji Teng.

Beer naturally flowed one glass after another, while the peanuts on the second floor were constantly replenished. After drinking too much and feeling a buzz in our heads and stomachs, we walked through the tranquil environment of Fangjia Hutong, with a few friends linking arms.

Our long shadows cast under the streetlights suddenly got trampled underfoot. The cold wind quickly cooled down our tipsy state, and as we walked out of the hutong, we could hardly see any shops emitting light on the road.

Let’s stick to the usual plan then. Juxtaposed on the opposite side of the two-way street, Jiang Ji Hui Mian still had its lights on, and we supported each other as we crossed the streetlights, which were slightly frosted, resembling a river.

With clothes propped up against the door, entering Jiang Ji Noodle Shop instantly fogged up our glasses. Before we had even settled down, we followed the old routine and asked the boss lady for a pot of lamb offal soup and a few bottles of beer. So, the group of us sat around the stove, drinking beer and sipping on the lamb soup.

Looking around, some people were silently resting their heads on the table, while others dozed off on the long benches. Some were holding bowls, making the sound of slurping noodles… Outside the door, the winter wind blew painfully on our faces. Inside, this small shop seemed to be a refuge for these drinkers - the world around seemed to disappear.

Settling the bill, paying off the tab, with the sound of Alipay notifying the receipt of xxx yuan, we pushed open the door of Jiang Ji’s and everyone went back to their own homes.

Winter Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Hot Coffee Served by Beloved Girlfriend

Reunion with Friends Over Hotpot

Bedside Congee Brought by Wife During Illness

That’s all, and it seems enough. Roasted sweet potatoes in the middle of winter.

A hot coffee brought over by a beloved girl.

A hotpot of skewered food enjoyed with old friends.

A bowl of millet porridge brought to the bedside by my wife when I was sick.

It seems like that’s all, it seems like these are enough.

Winter Memories: Steaming Hot Winter Delight

When I was a child, winters were always very cold. In my memories, there would often be a basin of vermicelli soaking in the kitchen, chubby and white cylindrical shapes lying in clear water.

One of my mom’s best dishes was stir-fried beef with pickled cabbage. It would last for two meals. For the first meal, the tender and juicy beef, combined with the refreshing sourness of the pickled cabbage, would be devoured by us children in no time. For the second meal, my mom would usually make pickled cabbage beef vermicelli soup.

She would scoop out the chubby white vermicelli cylinders, cut them into small round slices or strips, or thin slices. Then she would boil the pickled cabbage and beef with water to make a steaming hot soup, and add the cut vermicelli and some greens. Once it boiled again, it would be ready to serve.

The soup base was delicious and rich, with the aroma of pickled cabbage and beef intact. The vermicelli was smooth and slightly chewy, every bite warm and satisfying, filling us with contentment.

Outside, the winter wind and rain would rage. Inside the house, there would be the delicious food made by my mom, creating warm days for our not so affluent family to come together.

Although these days did not last for many years, they will never come back again.

Image source: Internet, infringement to be deleted.

Delicious Stewed Soups

Of course, it’s all kinds of delicious stewed soups, drinking a bowl can warm up the whole body!!!

Apple Hawthorn Pork Rib Soup =========

Ingredients: Apple, hawthorn, carrot, pork ribs, ginger slices.

Instructions:

Wash the apple with salt and cut it in half to remove the seeds, then cut it into small pieces. Peel and wash the carrot, and cut it into small pieces.
Blanch the pork ribs in cold water, remove any unpleasant smell with ginger slices, boil and skim off any impurities, then rinse and set aside.
Place the pork ribs, hawthorn, carrot, apple, and ginger slices in a stew pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and stew over water for one and a half hours.
Ten minutes before serving, add salt to taste, stir well and cook until the flavors are infused. Serve hot.
Chestnut Mushroom Chicken Stew Soup =========

Ingredients: Chestnut, mushrooms, chicken, green onion, ginger slices, chopped green onion.

Instructions:

Clean the chicken and cut it into small pieces. Blanch the chicken in boiling water, add the green onion and ginger slices to remove any unpleasant smell, boil and skim off any impurities, then remove the chicken and drain.
Soak the fresh mushrooms in water, add salt and starch, mix well and soak for ten minutes, then rinse well and cut into decorative shapes. Peel and wash the chestnuts and set aside.
Put the chicken, mushrooms, green onion, and ginger slices into a soup pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for half an hour.
After half an hour, add the chestnuts and continue to simmer for another half an hour. When cooked, add salt to taste, stir well, and sprinkle with chopped green onion before serving. Enjoy!
White Radish Beef Brisket Soup ========

Ingredients: White radish, beef brisket, cilantro, ginger slices, green onion.

Instructions:

Clean the beef brisket and cut it into small pieces. Blanch the beef brisket in boiling water, add ginger slices to remove any unpleasant smell, boil and skim off any impurities, then wash the beef brisket and drain.
Peel and wash the white radish, cut it into small pieces. Wash and cut the cilantro into small sections.
Put the beef brisket, ginger slices, and green onion in a soup pot, add an adequate amount of water, cover and simmer for one hour.
Simmer until the beef brisket is tender, add the white radish and continue to simmer for half an hour. When cooked, add salt to taste, sprinkle with cilantro and stir well before serving. Enjoy!
Morinda and Eucommia Wub Chicken Soup =========

Ingredients: Wub chicken, morinda, eucommia, black beans, red dates, goji berries, ginger slices.

Instructions:

Clean the wub chicken and cut it into small pieces. Blanch the wub chicken in boiling water, add ginger slices to remove any unpleasant smell, boil and skim off any impurities, then wash the wub chicken and set aside.
Wash the black beans and soak them overnight. Wash the red dates and remove the pits. Wash the morinda, eucommia, and goji berries.
Put the wub chicken, black beans, morinda, eucommia, ginger slices, and pitted red dates in a soup pot, add an adequate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for one and a half hours.
When cooked, add salt to taste, stir well, and cook until the flavors are infused. Sprinkle with goji berries before serving. Enjoy!
White Radish Meatball Soup ========

Ingredients: White radish, pork, ginger paste.

Instructions:

Clean the pork and cut it into small pieces. Mince the pork, then add salt, starch, and cooking oil, mix well and marinate for ten minutes.
Peel and wash the white radish, then cut it into small cubes. Boil water in a pot and blanch the white radish to remove any spiciness, then remove and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok, sauté the ginger paste until fragrant, then stir-fry the white radish for about one minute. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Continue to cook for three minutes after the water boils, then add the meatballs and cook for five minutes until they are done. Finally, add salt to taste, cook until the flavors are infused, and sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve hot.
Lotus Root Pear Pork Rib Soup =========

Ingredients: Lotus root, pear, pork ribs, ginger slices, green onion, red dates.

Instructions:

Peel and wash the lotus root, then cut it into small pieces. Sprinkle salt on the pear, scrub it clean, then wash and cut it into small pieces.
Cut the pork ribs into small pieces, blanch them in boiling water, add ginger slices and green onion to remove any unpleasant smell, boil and skim off any impurities, then remove the pork ribs and drain.
Put the pork ribs, lotus root, ginger slices into a soup pot, add enough water to cover them, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for one hour.
Then add the red dates and pear, and continue to cook for another half an hour. Once cooked, add salt to taste, stir well, and cook until the flavors are infused. Serve hot.
Chestnut Yam Stew Chicken Soup =========

Ingredients: Chestnut, yam, chicken, ginger slices, green onion, red dates.

Instructions:

Clean the chicken and cut it into small pieces. Blanch the chicken in boiling water, add ginger slices to remove any unpleasant smell, boil and skim off any impurities, then remove the chicken and drain.
Peel and wash the yam, then cut it into small pieces. Peel and wash the chestnuts.
Put the chicken, chestnuts, yam, pitted red dates, ginger slices into a soup pot, add an adequate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for one hour.
When cooked, add an appropriate amount of salt to taste, stir well, and cook until the flavors are infused. Sprinkle with goji berries before serving. Enjoy!
Tea Tree Mushroom Meatball Soup ========

Ingredients: Tea tree mushroom, pork, red dates, ginger slices.

Instructions:

Clean the pork and cut it into small pieces. Mince the pork, then add soy sauce, starch, and a little water, mix well until sticky.
Soak the tea tree mushrooms, wash them, then put them in a steaming bowl along with the pitted red dates. Add ginger slices and meatballs, and pour in an appropriate amount of warm water.
Heat water in a steamer, then steam the mixture for half an hour. Once done, remove from heat, sprinkle with green onion segments, and serve.

Warm comfort food: roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes.

Fried chestnuts and baked sweet potatoes, belong to the warm and fragrant comfort food that can be smelled from afar in the cold wind.

Hot pot, regardless of winter or summer, there is nothing that cannot be solved with a hot pot feast.

Mom’s sour soup noodles, after eating a bowl when sick, curl up under the warm blanket to sweat and have a good sleep.

Self-made milk tea, hot cocoa, fruit tea, or red wine, accompanied by snacks, sitting on the carpet and watching dramas.

Delicious hot food: Memories of warmth

It’s all the atmosphere of daily delicacies, there are so many of them. All the steaming hot food gives you this feeling.

For example, in a noodle shop, a bowl of steaming hot soup noodles, brought to you with the hot steam hitting your face.

For example, the pot of mutton soup in a mutton soup restaurant, boiled and white.

For example, the steam basket in a roadside baozi shop, filled with white and hot baozi.

For example, the candied chestnuts sold on the street.

For example, the grilled meat in a barbecue restaurant.

For example, hot pot and stove-cooked fish.

…

Too many, too many.

But the warmest is still the meal that brings back warm memories, a warmth only you know.

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A Variety of Delicious Foods

Summary: Hotpot, spicy hot pot, BBQ, hot milk, hot coffee, fresh bread, pizza, and biscuits. Hot pot, spicy hot pot, barbecue, hot milk, hot coffee, freshly baked bread, pizza, biscuits.

Chrysanthemum and wolfberry tea brewed in the morning, wild chrysanthemums picked by me by the side of Bi Quan Pool.

Freshly cooked spicy flower clams.

Freshly cooked red rice, the red rice was given to me by a poet friend, grown in his own garden.

Sheep blood soup, the greenish color comes from celery leaves.

Beer chicken.

Winter sun-dried radish skin, cured meat.