Suzhou's late summer specialities at their very best

Many fruits and specialities in Suzhou are at their best.

Jujube

Both the Mayan jujube and Baipu jujube grown in Dongshan and Xishan areas have entered their harvest season. The Mayan jujube, or horse-eye jujube, has been exclusively cultivated on Sanshan Island for over 1,000 years and is known for its large size, thin skin, small pit, thick flesh, and juiciness. In addition to being eaten fresh, Mayan jujubes can be cooked with pumpkins, preserved, or made into wine.

Baipu jujubes from Xishan Island are oval-shaped. When ripe, they turn from green to white, with thin and smooth skin and ivory-white flesh that is crisp, delicate, and fragrant even before the first bite.

Gorgon fruit

Gorgon fruit, or chicken-head rice, tops the "eight aquatic treasures" of Suzhou and is acclaimed as "ginseng in the water." Now in peak season, gorgon fruits can be cooked in many ways. The simplest one is to blanch them before adding water, sugar, and osmanthus flowers.

Water caltrop

Water caltrop, also one of the "eight aquatic treasures," is thin-shelled, juicy, and tender, with a sweet and refreshing taste. Eating it is very simple: just cracking it open and slipping the flesh into the mouth.

Lotus seed

Available for over four months, lotus seeds are at their sweetest right now, making the bitterness of the core almost imperceptible.

Chestnut

Local chestnuts from Dongshan, Xishan, and Changshu have appeared at wet markets across the city. They can be either eaten raw or cooked with meat, both offering irresistible flavor.

Yellow peach

As the saying goes, " July peaches replenish energy, August peaches nourish the body. " While the peak season for local yellow peaches has passed, some late-ripening varieties are still available.

Fig

In Jinting Town, figs in purple-black and yellowish green are hanging on branches. Break one open and you will see its ruby-red pulp gleaming like a jewel. Take a bite and its sweetness will permeate your mouth.

Source: Suzhou News