The 2024 Xiaolan Chrysanthemum Fair is yet to come, but the edible chrysanthemum has entered its prime tasting period.
According to the owner of Hongyi Flower Farm, the best time to taste edible chrysanthemum every year is usually around mid-to-late November, which is before the Xiaolan Chrysanthemum Fair. However, the overall climate this year is very conducive to the growth of edible chrysanthemums, and the best eating period has come earlier.
In recent years, Xiaolan edible chrysanthemum is not only in great demand among local restaurants but also used by restaurants outside of Zhongshan in their signature dishes. Xiaolan edible chrysanthemum is now widely sold across the country, and even as far as northeastern China.
Xiaolan people have created countless dishes with chrysanthemums as the main ingredients, which have become an indispensable part of Zhongshan cuisine. In 2008, the "Traditional Dietary Custom of Xiaolan Chrysanthemum" was listed as a municipal intangible cultural heritage item.