Fragrant Medicine — The Chenpi of Xinhui (Dried Mandarin Peel)

Chenpi, the dried mandarin peel, is a specialty of Xinhui for as far as history remembers. In this part of China, the chenpi is so well-known that it is considered one of the three treasures of Guangdong, alongside with old ginger and straw. At first glance, these three things seem rather insignificant to be called the treasures of a province long reputed for its prosperity and vibrant cultural life. Yet all three have been critical ingredients and materials in Cantonese culture, especially in its cuisine. Chenpi is particularly known for its fragrance. Adding just a small piece of chenpi introduces a unique flavor and aroma in tea and food. Chenpi also comes handy in Chinese medicinal application. The Chenpi Village of Xinhui is a trading market for tourists. Chenpi, its literal meaning in Chinese is “aged skin.” The first order of judging the value of a piece of chenpi is the ability to discern between the fragrance, color, appearance and texture of the dried mandarin peel. In terms of fragrance, the good Xinhui chenpi is not supposed to be fruity. If you smell a strong, unitary smell that reminds you of the sweetness and sourness of fruit, beware. It is supposed to smell aged, “chen,” with hints of citrus, but a complex and rather subtle aroma. The older the dried mandarin peel, the chen fragrance is the more pronounced than the fruitiness. At the Chenpi Village I finally tried chenpi coffee, which I did not have a chance to do so in my last trip to Jiangmen. Because of its touristy nature, the Chenpi Village has all sorts of chenpi by products to offer. Besides the famous chenpi coffee, there is chenpi ice cream (as in ice cream scoops, not soft serve), and chenpi candies. Although I had hoped for taking cultural photography at the Chenpi Village, the people there said the drying season has long been over. They do natural sunlight drying on site, and that usually takes place between September and around the time of the winter solstice. #jiangmen #xinhui #chenpi #driedmandarinpeel #guangdong #cantoneseculture #cantonesecuisine #chineseherbs #chenpivillage