An indescribable aroma rushes to the nose, with some people loving it and others avoiding it. As a traditional delicacy made from duck eggs preserved in rice wine lees, Pinghu preserved duck eggs are hailed as the 'Number One Egg in the World' for their unique flavor and rich nutritional value. What makes them so special? Let's find out.
Upon entering the Pinghu Preserved Duck Eggs Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall, Pan Diguang, a非遗传承人 (intangible cultural heritage inheritor) with over 40 years of experience in preserving duck eggs, warmly invites us to taste them. He opens the fermentation vat, and the fragrant wine aroma fills the air. He scoops out one egg, and through its thin membrane, the creamy white egg white seems ready to burst forth.
Following his recommended way of eating, we pierce the egg with a toothpick, take a small spoonful, and follow his advice: 'First eat the yolk, then taste the egg white, sipping slowly.' The wine fragrance instantly spreads throughout the mouth, rich and mellow. The yolk is especially sandy, sweet, and refreshing, leaving a lingering aftertaste. 'Eating one before meals can boost appetite and aid digestion. Don't throw away the rice wine lees after eating the egg; use it to steam fish or meat for a unique flavor,' Pan Diguang says.
According to the introduction, the best time for preservation is in spring. From fresh eggs being placed into the rice wine lees to the eggs being fully preserved, there are seven steps: selection, washing, sun-drying, cracking, fermenting, preserving, and sealing. After five months, the eggshells fall off naturally, the egg white congeals into a creamy, jelly-like substance, and the yolk becomes sandy and turns an orange-yellow color, indicating the eggs are fully mature.
Making preserved duck eggs requires only two ingredients: fresh glutinous rice and duck eggs. Don't be fooled by the simple ingredients; each step of the process has its讲究 (requirements). For example, the eggs must be fresh, unbroken, and laid by ducks that eat grains; the best are the first eggs laid by new ducks each year. The rice used is high-quality Northeastern glutinous rice.
Among these, the most technically demanding steps are cracking, preserving, and fermenting. Cracking the eggs with bamboo slices requires breaking the shell without damaging the membrane, relying on the skillful wrist strength. To this day, this step can only be done manually and cannot be mechanized. 'The rice wine lees are a natural preservative. Next, the cracked duck eggs are placed in specially brewed rice wine. By 'special brewing,' we mean controlling the temperature and humidity of the fermentation vat.
Established during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, Pinghu preserved duck eggs have a history of over 290 years. In modern history, they have won awards at the NanYang Exposition, the British London Expo, and the Panama International Expo, and have been exported to countries such as Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Over 200 years, Pinghu preserved duck eggs have gradually become a unique Chinese specialty through continuous improvement of their formula. In 2012, the preservation technique of Pinghu preserved duck eggs was included in the Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Project List.
Today, this century-old brand has a new flavor. Pan Diguang and Wang Yunfei, the head of Zhejiang Longqian Food Co., Ltd., joined forces to create a visual modern factory including an immersive experience cultural hall, embarking on the revival path of 'Pinghu Preserved Duck Eggs.' The company's newly developed preserved quail eggs were officially launched, and the first batch of 100,000 pieces sold out within half a month. Currently, the company is researching Pinghu preserved duck eggs with osmanthus and jasmine flavors.
Many older people love preserved duck eggs. People from Shanghai, Jiangsu, and other areas often come to Pinghu specifically to buy them every year,' said Wang Zhiyuan, Vice General Manager of Zhejiang Longqian Food Co., Ltd. 'We hope traditional delicacies can also go modern and cater to young people's dietary tastes. Therefore, we have put effort into product innovation, flavor improvement, and packaging copywriting. We hope to let the old brand shine again with new techniques and flavors.