On August 16, at the drying yard of Gongsheng Food Brewery in Bailongqiao Town in Wucheng District, workers could be seen brewing soy sauce out in the sun. This process allows the sauce in the vats to fully ferment. Because of the warm days we are having, it is a good time to brew soy sauce. The cooked soybeans are mixed with wheat flour in a vat.

Under the high temperature of the sun, microorganisms break down protein and convert it into amino acids. This type of soy sauce, using traditional brewing techniques, has a red color, rich sauce aroma, and a mellow and fresh taste. It’s quite popular among consumers. (Text and photo by Han Dongru—Jinhua Daily, translated by Huang Dan, edited by Daniel Haws)