Dian style mooncake: a characteristic mooncake in Yunnan region, among which Yunham mooncake is one of the few mooncakes filled with meat (mainly ham), with a unique taste; Yunnan specialty, represented by Yunham mooncakes, has a salty and sweet taste, rich in oil, and is filled with Xuanwei ham; Dian style mooncakes, belonging to the Dian cuisine, are a traditional Han Chinese pastry with distinct local characteristics. They are mainly popular in Yunnan and surrounding areas, such as Guizhou, and have gradually become popular among consumers in other regions of China and even around the world in recent years. The two representative varieties of Yunnan style mooncakes are cloud legged mooncakes and flower cakes.
1、 Characteristics of Yunnan style mooncakes:
1、Unique filling: The most prominent feature of Yunnan style mooncakes is their filling, especially the use of unique Yunnan style ham, which is a high-quality ham from Yunnan. The meat is delicious and the salty aroma is moderate. Cloud leg mooncakes dice ham and mix it with honey or sugar to create a unique salty and sweet flavor.
2、Loose crust: The crust of Dian style mooncakes is usually loose, and some even have a crispy characteristic, forming a wonderful contrast with the texture of the filling.
3、Taste balance: Salty and sweet taste is a major feature of Yunnan style mooncakes, which are neither too sweet nor too salty, achieving a good taste balance.
4、Unique aroma: Due to the use of Yunnan style ham, the mooncakes have a rich and unique ham aroma, which is not present in other types of mooncakes.
2、 Origin and Development:
There is a widely circulated story about the origin of Dian style mooncakes. It is said that during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Emperor Yongli of the Southern Ming Dynasty, who was stationed in Kunming, suffered from excessive anxiety and loss of appetite. A royal chef creatively mixed Yunnan ham with honey and sugar to make filling, steamed it into buns and presented it to the emperor. It was loved for its delicious taste and gradually spread to the people. During the reign of Guangxu, the "Hexianglou" Dim sum shop in Kunming first introduced the crisp "four liang tuo" moon cakes, which were divided into four flavors of ham, sugar, wash sand and hempen, and became a popular commodity in the Mid Autumn Festival.
Current situation of Yunnan style mooncakes:
Over time, Yunnan style mooncakes not only retain their traditional flavor, but also constantly incorporate new elements and creativity. For example, by combining Yunnan's rich flower resources, flower cakes filled with edible roses, chrysanthemums, and other fresh flowers have been developed, further enriching the variety and flavor of Yunnan style mooncakes. Today, Yunnan style moon cakes are not only an indispensable traditional food for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also an important part of Yunnan's food culture, and also a special gift to convey Yunnan customs.
