糖桂花 — Honey-Preserved Osmanthus, Moon Fragrance in Reserve (táng guìhuā)
A thick, golden jam of osmanthus flowers submerged in honey, lightly salted to fix the color. A spoonful perfumes tea, a cake, a bowl of glutinous rice. It keeps for months.
A thick, golden jam of osmanthus flowers submerged in honey, lightly salted to fix the color. A spoonful perfumes tea, a cake, a bowl of glutinous rice. It keeps for months.
See how fleeting the flower of my laurel is: barely open, already fallen. I, who am imprisoned in eternity, have learned the price of what does not last. Pick the golden flowers in the morning, shake off their dust, salt them with a pinch to preserve their brightness, then bury them in honey in the hollow of a tightly sealed earthenware pot. When winter comes, when everything is bare and cold like my palace, open the pot: autumn and its fragrance will return, and with them, perhaps, a memory of me.
- •Fresh osmanthus flowers — several handfuls (scented material)
- •Honey — enough to cover (sweet preservative)
- •Salt — a pinch (fix color, preserve)
糖桂花 — Honey-Preserved Osmanthus, Moon Fragrance in Reserve (táng guìhuā)
A thick, golden jam of osmanthus flowers submerged in honey, lightly salted to fix the color. A spoonful perfumes tea, a cake, a bowl of glutinous rice. It keeps for months.
Why this dish? Osmanthus blooms only briefly in autumn—when Chang'e's Moon is full. Preserving it in honey is to imprison for the whole year the fragrance of the lunar tree, and to keep a little of the goddess until the next autumn.
See how fleeting the flower of my laurel is: barely open, already fallen. I, who am imprisoned in eternity, have learned the price of what does not last. Pick the golden flowers in the morning, shake off their dust, salt them with a pinch to preserve their brightness, then bury them in honey in the hollow of a tightly sealed earthenware pot. When winter comes, when everything is bare and cold like my palace, open the pot: autumn and its fragrance will return, and with them, perhaps, a memory of me.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh osmanthus flowers — several handfuls (scented material)
- Honey — enough to cover (sweet preservative)
- Salt — a pinch (fix color, preserve)
Ingredients
- Fresh osmanthus flowers (or rehydrated dried) — 100 g (fragrance)
- Liquid mild honey — 200 g (preservation medium)
- Fine salt — 1 pinch (color fixative)
- Sugar (optional, for firmer texture) — 50 g (thick texture)
Method
- Sort flowers, remove twigs and insects; rinse very briefly and dry thoroughly.
- Mix flowers with the pinch of salt to fix their golden color.
- In a scalded jar, alternate layers of flowers and honey until fully submerged.
- Seal tightly, let macerate 2 weeks away from light.
- Store in a cool place; always use a clean, dry spoon.
How it was made : Preserving flowers and fruits in honey is an ancient preservation technique in China, honey serving both as sweetener and air barrier. The added pinch of salt preserves the bright hue of the petals. This preserve allowed osmanthus fragrance to be available all year, long after the brief autumn bloom.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful of preserved osmanthus whipped into fromage blanc or plain yogurt: a floral 'moonlight' instant dessert, no cooking.
Chang'e · Charactorium