Youxuan (Spiral Flatbread)

Youxuan is a coiled, spiral-shaped baked flatbread, golden and many-layered, named for its whorl shape and the oil brushed on before baking — a fixture of Jinan's traditional breakfast counters.

It is said the Xu brothers from Qihe learned the craft in the south and brought it to Jinan in the Qing dynasty, adapting it from sweet to savoury and adding scallion oil made from Zhangqiu green onions.

Youxuan is best eaten hot and fresh, its crust crackling and its centre tender. Locals classically pair it with a bowl of tianmo — the time-honoured 'one youxuan, one tianmo' breakfast.

Recognize it by the coiled spiral pattern, a golden glossy crust and a strong scallion aroma; the bite is crisp outside, soft inside, and savoury.