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| January 2000 Tuttu-frutti Local candied fruit shops not shackled by Japanese chains By Angel Hau Article from the same section: Traditional Chinese dried fruit shops have deep roots. They can stand firmly in the Japanese snack storm. While a Japanese snack shop has a daily average of 200 to 300 customers, a traditional Chinese candied fruit store like Wong Wing Kee has only 20 to 30. But it still stands firmly in the market. The store was set up around 1900 and has a history of more than 90 years of producing and selling candied fruit. According to Mr. Wong Pak Yuen, the shop’s fourth-generation owner, candied fruits originated in southern China more than 2,000 years ago. It was customary for Chinese people to deliver tributes to their king in olden times. One kind of tribute paid by southern Chinese was fruit. However, perishable fruits became rotten or were damaged before reaching the king, who lived in the north. To ensure the tributes were of good quality, the fruits were processed to reduce perishability. Fresh plums and peaches are especially suited for making into candied fruit. First, the fruits are washed. They are then salted and spread on round, shallow bamboo baskets under the sun so as to dry them up completely. Afterwards, the dried fruits are put into a container with sweet sauce to enhance their taste. The steps of drying and sweetening are repeated four times. Finally, the fruits are packaged with thin, colored pieces of paper. Candied fruits eventually became popular snacks among commoners. About a hundred kinds of candied fruits are available. Lemon gingers, winter gingers, candied plums like ka ying chi and candied tangerine peels called chen pei are some examples. It is common for children to eat ka ying chi after drinking bitter Chinese herbal medicine. In fact, candied fruits are more than snacks. Many Chinese, especially elderly women, often eat chen pei to avoid carsickness while travelling. This is because many Chinese believe that the fruit used for making candied fruits can cure some illnesses. For example, plums can eliminate toxins in blood, while ginger helps relieve an internal chill. A 64-year-old patron of dried fruit shops, Chiang Pui, said he started eating candied fruits in his childhood. He said, “Chen pei is my favorite snack, “It moisturizes our throats and removes internal chill,” he said. The nutritional value of candied fruits is high because little sugar and salt are added. Mr. Wong said that modern kids know little about the health and nutritional benefits of candied fruits. He said, “We have to introduce functions of candied fruits to our young customers. “Candied fruit is a kind of traditional, artistic food of China. “We keep up the traditional spirit of promoting Chinese culture.” Mr. Wong has stepped forward in order to promote Chinese culture as well as sell the products. He set up a web site and carries out marketing programs in overseas markets like Singapore and the United States. Dried fruits apparently will never disappear from Hong Kong, and they may even have a future overseas. |
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