Crack seed

Crack Seed Center at Ala Moana Center

Crack seed (Chinese: 話梅; pinyin: Huàméi) is a category of snacks that originated in China. It is highly popular in many regions like Hawaii. Crack seed is basically preserved fruits that have been cracked or split with the seed or kernel partially exposed as a flavor enhancement. Common Chinese terms for this category of snacks is Li hing mui and see mui [siː muːi]. The snack came with Cantonese immigrants in the 19th century to Hawaii when they were brought to work the plantations.

The flavors are wide and varied^[1][2] ranging from extremely sweet and salty with sour tastes being a possibility as well. Flavors can include rock salt plum, honey mango, licorice peach, or any kind of marriage between fruit, flavor types or preservative ingredient. The largest innovator of flavors in this category^{[citation needed]} is the Yick Lung Company (translates to 'profitable enterprise') which produces and distributes many varieties. What originally was a food category, preserved fruit, has become a favorite snack of Hawaiian children and a unique cultural food.

Crack seed stores also sell candies such as gummi bears, and Sour Patch Kids, coated with Li Hing Mui.

References

1. ^ Dennis Hollier. "The Sweet (& Sour) Life". Hana Hou! Vol. 9, No. 6, Dec 2006 / Jan 2007. Photos by Kyle Rothenborg. http://www.hanahou.com/pages/magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=524&MagazineID=33. 
2. ^ Wholesale Unlimited (2007). "What is Crack Seed?". Cybersnacks.net: Hawaii's Favorite Local Snacks. http://www.cybersnacks.net/glossary.html. 

• Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999), "Crack Seed". p. 223 ISBN 0-19211-579-0.