Journey To ChinaLast updated
The shell cracks before the hawthorn turns sour
Whole hawthorns are threaded on bamboo, dipped in hot sugar syrup and cooled quickly. A good coating is thin and dry, breaking with a short crack before the fruit's acidity arrives. Beijing's winter air helps the sugar set; heated indoor spaces and humidity make it tacky more quickly.
Whole hawthorn, sticky-rice filling and newer fruit versions
The traditional whole-fruit version is the sharpest and may retain hard stones. Pitted hawthorn filled with sticky rice is softer and milder. Strawberries, grapes and citrus contain more water, while milk-skin or cream versions introduce dairy and stricter refrigeration needs. Ask whether fruit is pitted and what a filling contains.
Fresh fruit should be intact, without mould or dark decay, and the selling area should protect food from dust. A melted shell or an unusual smell shows that storage has changed the product. Children can have the fruit removed from the pointed skewer and cut around stones; thin parts of the sugar shell are easier on sensitive teeth.
