Rose and Pear Croquette (玫瑰梨丸子/Meigui Li Wanzi)

Rose and Pear Croquette. [Photo/sdta.cn]

Rose and Pear Croquette is a traditional dish of the Han ethnic group in Pingyin county of Jinan. It is made with special local pears and roses, coupled with walnut kernel, sesame and white sugar. The roses are made into sweet fillings. Regular consumption of the dish is good for health, such as relieving coughs, reducing sputum and clearing lung heat.

The dish was popular in ancient times when it often appeared at banquets to entertain guests. Qian Weichang (1912-2010), the only university president with life tenure in China and then vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, went to Pingyin in 1988 and tasted the dish, immediately rating it as No 1 in the world.