A Suzhou-style warm pot includes:
Egg dumplings, in the shape of “gold ingots”, symbolize wealth
Meat balls symbolize “reunion”
Rice noodles symbolize “gold (silver) chains”
Winter Wine
Winter wine (冬酿酒), made from fermented osmanthus flowers and glutinous rice,
is a kind of low-alcohol family drink that is unique to Suzhou. It tastes a
little sweet and has a short shelf life of several days. The city’s residents
usually queue up on the morning of Winter Solstice’s Eve to buy winter wine.
Dongzhi Rice Ball
Dongzhi Rice Ball (冬至团, also Winter Solstice Rice Ball) is made of flour and
stuffed with meat, red bean paste or radish.
Wonton
There is such a saying in Suzhou: “Eat wontons for Winter Solstice and
noodles for Summer Solstice”.
Yuanbao Rice
Yuanbao Rice (元宝饭) is served with Chinese water chestnuts (荸荠). Seen as the
“gold ingots”, the water chestnuts in the rice are said to be able to bring
wealth to the people who happen to pick them up.
You can see other dishes such as pot-stewed dishes, whole chicken and duck,
pig’s trotters braised in soy sauce, soybean sprouts, etc.
