Participants pose for a group photo during the Taizhou edition of the program exploring Jiangsu's geographical indication products.

A program highlighting Jiangsu's geographical indication (GI) products featured Taizhou City on April 12 and 13. Co-hosted by the Intellectual Property Office of Jiangsu Province, Xinhua Daily Media Group and the Jiangsu Photojournalist Society, the initiative has showcased various cities over the years.

A glimpse of the process of making Huangqiao sesame cakes.

The latest edition attracted over 30 participants, including photographers and online influencers. They explored the city’s streets and stores, capturing local flavors through their lenses and uncovering the secrets behind the popularity of Taizhou’s GI products.

A waitress serves bowls of gansi, a signature Taizhou breakfast dish made with shredded dried tofu.

Local specialties include the golden, crispy Huangqiao sesame cake, the tender Xinghua fish ball, and the sweet-savory Jingjiang dried pork slice, each reflecting the vibrant culinary heritage of the region.

A participant displays freshly harvested pufferfish in Gaogang District, Taizhou City.

As water temperatures rise in April, pufferfish farmed in the city’s Gaogang District becomes a seasonal delicacy. The Gaogang pufferfish was granted national GI certification last year.

Xinghua scallions were included in the China-EU agreement on geographical indications in 2021.

Mid-April also marks the scallion harvest season in Xinghua, known for its distinctive geography and the Duotian agrosystem. Xinghua scallions are now among the most recognizable vegetable varieties in the area.

By 2024, Taizhou had secured 20 GI trademarks and 11 protected GI products, underscoring the city’s rich culinary and agricultural heritage.

(Photo by Zhang Yun, Zhao Yaling, Wei Linna & Song Congxiao/Xinhua Daily)