Huabobo
by Zhang Jizhou
Huabobo, literally flower-shaped steamed buns, refers to a traditional local delicacy deeply loved by people in east China's Shandong Province. The craft of making Huabobo has a history that dates back more than 300 years, and was listed as a Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2009. The picture book Huabobo presents the source, making process, and related traditional customs of this unique traditional food. Each Huabobo is created out of wheat. A grain of wheat can be ground into flour after jointing, heading, harvesting, and then it can be made into the steamed Huabobo through flour mixing, flour kneading, shaping, and coloring. The whole process is long and full of hustle and bustle. The book is accompanied by an introductory guide from which the readers could learn to make three kinds of Huabobo by following the videos.