The apricot skin water boiled by Liu Jun, the representative inheritor of the third generation of Dunhuang apricot skin water making technology, is sweet and fragrant, with strong color, and is loved by customers. Photo by Yang Yanmin
Lanzhou, November 3 (Reporter Ding Si Xu Xue) Cleaning raw materials, boiling, adding materials, filtering and other more than 10 processes... At 4 a.m. every day, Liu Jun and his sister started their busy day in the store of Dunhuang Crescent Spring Town.
The Dunhuang apricot peel water making technique passed down to Liu Jun has been established as a Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage Project of Dunhuang City, "No matter how the market environment changes, I will still adhere to this pure handmade apricot peel water skill, and pass on this culture on the tip of the tongue." Liu Jun said.
In order to meet the needs of the market and customers, Liu Jun constantly explores improved formulas and adds accessories that are suitable for the season. Photo by Yang Yanmin
Dunhuang, Gansu, famous for its "Dunhuang Grottoes" and "Crescent Spring", is an important node city of the ancient Silk Road, attracting a large number of tourists from home and abroad. Dunhuang Li Guangxing is a famous local specialty, and its name comes from the legend of the flying general Li Guang. Thanks to the local climatic and geographical conditions, Li Guangxing is famous for its luster, yellow and bright, and its juice is as sweet as honey.
Dunhuang apricot peel water is based on the famous local "Li Guangxing" as the main ingredient. After "Li Guangxing" is pitted and dried, the pulp is chopped, the sand and dust that falls into the drying process are washed, and a certain proportion of hawthorn is added to the cauldron for boiling. When the slow simmering juice is thick, filter it into a container with gauze and let it cool, and it is basically ready to drink. This is a room temperature drink, if it is chilled, sweet and sour, the most beautiful.
Liu Jun has been operating an apricot skin water shop in Dunhuang Crescent Spring Town for more than three years, and "Liu Ji Apricot Skin Water" has a good reputation in Dunhuang. Photo by Yang Yanmin
This delicacy on the tip of the tongue is familiar to Liu Jun. Recently, Liu Jun was interviewed by a reporter from China News Network and recalled that his grandfather was the first generation of representative inheritors of Dunhuang apricot skin water production technology. "Dunhuang people like to drink dried apricot water, which has become a living habit. The oldest dried apricot water, not boiled, but soaked, the apricots are dry cleaned and placed in a container, directly brewed with boiling water for 5 hours, when eating dried apricots, while drinking water, is the most beautiful memory of childhood. ”
Subsequently, this craft was passed on to Liu Jun's father, and the "dried apricot water" was renamed "apricot skin water", and the production process was changed from the previous "bubble" to "boil". However, due to the fact that the parents had a job and did not have time to take care of it, the operation of apricot peel water was temporarily shelved.
In the 1990s, Dunhuang's tourism industry gradually became popular, giving birth to a number of local special tourist snacks. Liu Jun, the representative inheritor of the third generation of this skill, seized the opportunity to regain his apricot skin water making skills with his retired mother and opened a handmade apricot peel water shop in Dunhuang Night Market, whose sweet and strong taste attracted tourists from home and abroad to look for it.
At the same time, the sales of Liu Jun's apricot peel water has also aroused the envy of local counterparts, who have joined the production of apricot peel water. "The market is chaotic at once, there are more and more apricot peel water mixed with tap water, pigments, etc., tourists can not identify, and some merchants have lower prices, which seriously affects the quality and reputation of Dunhuang apricot peel water." In 1999, Liu Jun, who had been operating for more than 2 years, decided to close down.
Until 2015, Dunhuang Crescent Spring Town, which focuses on cultural snacks in Dunhuang and surrounding areas, was put into operation, searching for local highly skilled craftsmen throughout Dunhuang, and after many inquiries and introductions, Liu Jun received this invitation. In September 2015, Liu Jun opened a shop with his sister and mother.
"On the first day of opening, Dunhuang locals came to queue early, and the pot of boiling apricot peel water never stopped, and when it first opened, it sold more than 500 bowls a day." Liu Jun said that in order to better meet the needs of the market and customers, he also tried to constantly improve the formula and add excipients that matched the season. "In winter, we will add hot excipients such as dates; in summer, we will add cool excipients such as hawthorn; and in spring and autumn, we will add health accessories such as goji berries, which will taste better."
On the other hand, Liu Jun also upgraded the apricot skin water production technique, adding saffron, osmanthus flowers, roses, old rock sugar, etc. to the original formula to make apricot skin water. "Since we want to do it, we must insist on making quality, keep this skill, and continue to pass it on."
In addition, as the popularity of Dunhuang tourism continues to increase, in order to meet the needs of tourists, Liu Jun also designed and modified the packaging, so that customers can "pack and take away" the apricot peel water. However, Liu Jun does not add any preservatives in the process of making apricot peel water, and in the refrigerated state, the shelf life of apricot peel water is only a few days, and the shelf life at room temperature is shorter. Although Liu Jun's apricot peel water is famous, it can only be tasted in Dunhuang at present.
"The disadvantage of handmade apricot peel water is that its shelf life is short, and many tourists want to buy it and take it home, but the taste is not as good as the day." We are also constantly trying and developing how to extend the shelf life of handmade apricot peel water so that more tourists can take Dunhuang apricot peel water home. Liu Jun said.
Liu Jun also said that his sister's daughter opened an apricot skin water shop in Xi'an, bringing the original Dunhuang apricot peel water into Xi'an, "No matter how the market changes, we will still adhere to this ancient handicraft, and we hope that young people will adhere to and inherit." (End)