Cover news reporter Huang Xiaoqing
On January 17, 2022, the Neijiang Sugar Art Studio, located in the Neijiang Municipal Restaurant Association in Sichuan Province, after sugar melting, sugar blowing, sugar shaping, hooking, and coloring, was made into a lifelike red apple in less than half an hour under the dexterous hands of sugar master Ma Jie.
Neijiang was once rich in sugarcane and produced sugar and preserves in large quantities, so it was named "Sweet City". In recent years, Neijiang has paid attention to the excavation and development of sweet culture, established a "sweet woman" with good image and temperament, applied for the registration of the "sweet city taste" regional public brand trademark, and also created a number of cultural tourism landmarks represented by sweet source cane township.
After the establishment of Neijiang Sugar Art Studio, "Sweet Neijiang" has a new way of expression.
Ma Jie is making apples
Explore the sugar art making process
Blow, pull and shape at high temperatures
Walking into this sugar art studio, the reporter's eyes were instantly attracted by the exquisite works. Peacock welcome, phoenix spread its wings, golden rooster independence, tiger tiger vitality... It's hard to imagine that these nimble works are made of sugar.
Changing into a white chef's uniform, Ma Jie demonstrated the production process of sugar art works for reporters on the spot. First melt a piece of sugar that has been boiled before, the sugar cube is made of granulated sugar, glucose or caramel, etc. after the ratio, "a little sweet, but it will not be stuffy, the happiest way to do this is to have sugar at any time." With that, Ma Jie cut a small piece with scissors and put it in his mouth.
After the sugar has been melted, place the spare sugar cubes under a heating lamp and maintain the temperature. First make apple stems and leaves, and then use the blowing drum to blow out the shape of the ball, repeatedly pinch, rub, knead, constantly approaching the shape of the apple, and finally install the stem and leaves.
An apple-shaped sugar art
The temperature of the sugar block is maintained at 50-60 ° C, which is the easiest to shape. Although it is separated by gloves, it is still hot. Ma Jie still remembers the first two months of study, practicing from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day, and his hands were burned with countless blisters.
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Up-and-comers fell in love with the art
Ma Jie's main business is actually a chef, and he has been in the business for almost 20 years. In the first two years, I began to learn sugar art across borders, not only to be able to shape, but also to match and color, after continuous research, I have been handy.
In September 2021, Ma Jie, on behalf of Neijiang, won the second prize (second place) in the Chinese cooking project at the National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition. In the competition, Ma Jie carefully cooked three dishes of "Tianjiao Lamb Skewers", "Stuffed Lamb Chops" and "Bridge of Revitalization", and on the plate of dishes, he innovatively added sugar art works to make the shape of "Three Sheep Kaitai", which received unanimous praise from the judges.
Neijiang Sugar Art Studio is jointly built by Neijiang Catering Association and Stew Xiangyuan Catering (Group) Company, and has 6 R&D personnel. Most of them are the head chefs of the various stores in Stew Xiangyuan, and the 20-year-old Ding Yuan is a full-time sugar artist. From the initial interest to repeated setbacks, to now falling in love with this art, he has become more and more determined in his original choice. Every time you make a finished product, you have a great sense of accomplishment, and you want to make it more and more beautiful.
Ding Yuan is making petals
The original intention is to develop a sweet culture
I hope more people will join the growing force
"Sugar Art" products are rich in color, clear in texture, clear in three-dimensional effects, both ornamental, edible and artistic, and are particularly luxurious display or decorative raw materials in the pastry industry.
Wang Daoyin, vice president and director of the office of neijiang catering association, said that the reason for the establishment of the sugar art studio is on the one hand because Neijiang has a history of blowing sugar people, and sugar art is more environmentally friendly and sanitary, which is a better inheritance and development. On the other hand, Neijiang is vigorously excavating sugar culture, and the association also hopes to do its part to polish the business card of "Sweet City".
Studio finished product
Neijiang Sugar Art Studio Skill Technician inherits from Zhang Kang, a national food modeling art master. Zhang Kang's sugar art has won the Gold Medal of the 2012 Guangzhou Food Art Festival and the 2019 Chongqing Sugar Art Handmade Gold Award.
At present, the studio has completed hundreds of works, and in addition to participating in competitions, it is often placed at the main table of important banquets for guests to watch.
For the future of the studio, Wang Daoyin is full of expectations, hoping that more people will fall in love with this art, use sugar art products as collectibles or souvenirs, and hope that more people will join the industry and inherit the sweet culture.