Xiting crispy biscuits are baked in a furnace. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]

Xiting crispy biscuits, also known as sesame seed cakes, are a specialty of Nantong's Tongzhou district, carrying centuries of the region's culinary heritage.  

In 1880, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a merchant named Leng Chunxi from Zhenjiang opened a pastry shop in Xiting to make crispy biscuits. Despite business being slow at first, he recruited skilled chefs to refine his recipe. Using fine flour, sugar, lard, and sesame seeds, they crafted biscuits with enhanced color, aroma, taste, and appearance, quickly attracting customers.

The turning point occurred when Zhang Jian, a prominent industrialist and politician, returned to his hometown, Xiting, for ancestral worship. He tasted the biscuits and praised them highly. During his visit to Beijing, he gifted these biscuits to officials and foreign dignitaries, helping to spread their reputation.

From preparing the dough to baking, the process involves 28 meticulous manual steps. Baked in a yellow mud furnace over a low heat for over 1.5 hours, the biscuits achieve an irresistible texture.

Though less than 2 centimeters thick, each one boasts up to 18 layers. Eaten directly, they're crispy, fragrant, and sweet. When soaked, the layers remain distinct, the broth stays clear, and they're rich in aroma and nutrition, aiding digestion and appetite.

Honors speak volumes. Xiting crispy biscuits have earned national and regional recognition, such as a gold medal at the 1989 China National Food Expo and a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage (ICH) status in 2009, underscoring their cultural and culinary significance.