A Discussion of Sweets

I have reserved for our final lesson a taste of Chinese sweets. This is not only to conclude on a note of sweetness, but also to dispel the many widespread misconceptions about Chinese sweets. China, in its long culinary history, has a tradition of foods sweetened with honey and cane sugar that goes back to the time of the Han Dynasty, in 200 B.C.Han writings talk of a “white” honey of northern China that is superior to the honey of the south, and sweetened and candied fruits and vegetables, sweetened soups and drinks, and various candies have long existed.