Beijing Preserved Fruit

Beijing preserved fruit enjoys an international reputation for its unique taste and elaborate packages. It is said that in the Ming Dynasty, this preserved fruit was a Royal light refreshment and then spread to the common folk. The sweet taste was made by honey or sugar. To differentiate them, preserved fruit marinated in honey is called honey glazed fruit and the kind made by sugar is called preserved fruit.

 

There are a variety of candied and preserved fruits in Beijing. The distinction between candied fruits and preserved fruits, according to the native standard in Beijing, lies in the proportion of liquid and juice. The candied fruits are totally dried, like preserved apple, pear, apricot, peach, pear-leaved crab-apple, flowering crab-apple, tsao, green plum and haw, all of which are processed and boiled in sugar water before being dried. They look bright brown, golden or amber, though dry and slightly sticky with below 20% moisture content.