Chinanews.com Guangxi guests on May 26th: "Pastry Madness" of Overseas Chinese Family: Inheriting "Overseas Chinese Taste" Pastry to Retain the Nostalgia of Overseas Chinese

　　Author Huang Lingyan Wang Yi

　　In Laibin City, Guangxi in May, on the dark streets in the middle of the night, only the storefront of Jiang Yiwen, a family member of overseas Chinese, was still lit. She was making Indonesian-style egg rolls.

I saw her hands "dance" in the steaming pot, and her swift figure shuttled in front of the four pots. With the skillful flipping of the lid and rolling, the steaming egg rolls were freshly baked.

　　Jiang Yiwen's mother once lived in Indonesia, but returned to China in the 1960s and settled in Guangxi Laibin Overseas Chinese Farm.

During Chinese New Year and festivals, every household of overseas Chinese farms will make Southeast Asian delicacies.

She grew up eating Indonesian special cakes such as nine-layer cakes, shaking flowers, and green buns made by her mother since she was a child.

　　"Life was very difficult when I was a child. Without an oven, my mother took me to source materials on the spot and used discarded paint bucket lids and charcoal to make scones." Jiang Yiwen said that pastries are the traditional delicacies of returned overseas Chinese, and they are the sweetest of returned overseas Chinese family members. 's memories.

The picture shows Jiang Yiwen showing his cakes.

Photo by Wang Meng

　　14 years ago, Jiang Yiwen, who inherited his mother's craftsmanship, decided to start his business with cakes.

　　In order to obtain the best ingredients and make the most authentic Indonesian flavor, she has put a lot of effort into it.

"Panban leaf is an indispensable main ingredient for Indonesian pastries. I have spent the past two years searching for the most fragrant pandan leaves in various places, and constantly improving the recipe to ensure that the pastries I make are the same as the ones I ate in Indonesia. "

　　Jiang Yiwen went to Indonesia six times, and with the help of relatives, "learned" the local authentic food.

"Every day, on the way to taste the food, I visit countless small vendors and famous pastry shops, and the scenery of the journey is completely ignored." She also bought a large number of pastry molds in Indonesia, resulting in overweight luggage when she returned by plane and had to Thousands of dollars extra.

The picture shows Jiang Yiwen making Indonesian-style egg rolls.

Photo by Jiang Xuelin

　　On the basis of following traditional practices, in order to gain more public acceptance and love, Jiang Yiwen also conducts innovative research and development on pastries.

Taking the most representative Indonesian nine-layer cake as an example, she created new flavors such as chocolate, durian and rose.

　　Guangxi is one of the main hometowns of overseas Chinese in China.

Jiang Yiwen participated in the Southeast Asian Food Making Competition held by the Guangxi-ASEAN Economic and Technological Development Zone, and not only won the award, but also gained a lot in the process of visiting and tasting the food made by other returned overseas Chinese and their relatives.

Through learning and exchanges, she has figured out the practice of other kinds of Southeast Asian desserts. She has skillfully made more than 20 kinds of pastries, and learned to cook a variety of dishes from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries.

　　Because of his long-term dedication to making cakes, Jiang Yiwen suffered from many "occupational diseases"-the fingerprints of his ten fingers were almost flattened, and there were obvious burn marks on his hands.

"I'm a 'pastry addict', and I love the food of returned overseas Chinese too much." She said while rubbing her fingers, "Although it is very hard, but every time a new food is researched, the inner happiness cannot be expressed in words."

The picture shows Jiang Yiwen displaying the colorful leaves of pastry ingredients.

Photo by Jiang Xuelin

　　From setting up a roadside stall, to owning his own shop, and then expanding to two floors, Jiang Yiwen's pastries have not only gradually gained popularity in the local area through word of mouth, but also attracted overseas Chinese from all over the world.

Jiang Yiwen has become a well-known pastry chef in many returned overseas Chinese WeChat groups.

Returned overseas Chinese relatives of Guangdong Lufeng Overseas Chinese Farm and Haiyan Overseas Chinese Farm directly found her pastry shop through navigation, and solved the "nostalgia" in her memory.

　　"My pastries have always maintained the most authentic taste, so that relatives, friends, and classmates who came back from abroad can remember the taste of childhood when they eat the first bite of pastries here." Jiang Yiwen told reporters that it was precisely because of the conditions in his childhood. It's hard work, so the cakes you eat are extraordinarily sweet and unforgettable.

　　"Now the living conditions are better, the cakes are not only eaten by themselves, but also used to receive guests and visit relatives and friends." During festivals, Jiang Yiwen is very busy. Forehead.

Her products are also sold online, shipping as far as the United States.

Jiang Yiwen showed his hands with almost flat fingerprints.

Photo by Jiang Xuelin

　　At present, Jiang Yiwen's daughter is also learning Southeast Asian cuisine to help her manage her business.

"My biggest wish is to start a class to teach the skill of making cakes, to pass on the craftsmanship of my ancestors, and to bring the delicacies of overseas Chinese to more people." She said.

　　In Jiang Yiwen's view, a small cake not only conveys sweetness, but also a testimony to the customs and culture of the overseas Chinese, and it also represents the tenacity and optimism of the returned overseas Chinese.

(Finish)