Yangjiao Mi (Ram's-Horn Honey Pastry)

Yangjiao Mi is an old-style Xuzhou pastry shaped like a curved ram's horn, its shell crisp and golden while the hollow interior is filled with honey, so that a bite sends sweet syrup flowing out, rich and fragrant.

Yangjiao Mi stands alongside Mi San Dao among the classic "Eight Great Sweets" of Xuzhou, a traditional gift that families carry to relatives at the New Year and the sweet memory of generations of locals, with the Taikang halal confectionery among its most representative makers.

Fried to order and eaten while crisp, it is usually served as a teatime treat or to guests at festivals; one minds the flow of honey with each bite, and a cup of clear tea is the perfect companion.

Its ram's-horn shape, the contrast of crisp shell and liquid honey within, and the experience of syrup flowing out at each bite are what make Yangjiao Mi so beloved.