Mutton noodles warm up chilly winter
Temperatures in Jiaxing has recently droped significantly with strong winds. Why not have a bowl of hot food? Yes, Jiaxing natives do love the steaming hot bowl of mutton noodles in winter.
Noodle houses can be seen on streets and lanes in Jiaxing. If you are looking for authentic Jiaxing-style mutton noodles, you can go to the Wuzhen World's Best Mutton Noodles noodle restaurant opposite Jiaxing Library. The noodle house is usually packed during lunch hours on weekdays. Noodle houses such as Yao Qiang Mutton Noddle House and Mei Zhong Mutton Noodle House in Tongxiang are also favorites of locals.
The process of making mutton noodles starts with putting the plain boiled noodles into a bowl and pouring the stewed soup. The noodle maker then put big pieces of chopped braised mutton into the other bowl and sprinkled a handful of chopped scallions. A single-serve of mutton noodles consists of two bowls, and the noodles can be served dry or in a brown broth.
Winter is the season for people in Jiaxing to eat mutton. According to historical records, Jiaxing residents have more than 4,000 years of history of eating mutton. In Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen wrote that mutton is effective in invigorating vital energy, removing dampness, nourishing blood and building up resilience.