The abundance of food choices in the land of fish and rice is described in the following verses written by the poet Su Dongpo:
“The delicacy of fish can be found in the area along the Yangtze River,
The fragrance of bamboo clusters comes from the hills nearby.”
Zhejiang cuisine, consisting of Hangzhou cuisine, Shaoxing cuisine and Ningbo cuisine, is among the eight main cuisine styles in China. Refined in cooking food, Hangzhou cuisine specializes in quick stir frying and is renowned for its lightness and freshness. Shaoxing cuisine is famous for its special fragrant dishes. Well seasoned, these dishes have a fresh, salty heavy flavor. Ningbo cuisine is known for its seafood which preserves its original flavors. It emphasizes freshness and smoothness and offers delicacies with very special flavors.