沙縣小吃是中原黃河流域飲食文化傳統的一個分支,起源于夏商周、晉、宋中原黃河流域中華飲食文化,以品種繁多風味獨特和經濟實惠著稱,被稱譽為漢民族傳統飲食的活化石
被(bei)稱為(wei)漢民族傳統飲食(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)“活化石”的(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi),屬源遠流(liu)(liu)長的(de)(de)(de)中(zhong)(zhong)原(yuan)(yuan)黃河流(liu)(liu)域飲食(shi)(shi)(shi)文化傳統的(de)(de)(de)一個分(fen)(fen)支,它(ta)既(ji)有(you)福州、閩南(nan)一帶(dai)的(de)(de)(de)飲食(shi)(shi)(shi)特點,又(you)(you)有(you)汀州一帶(dai)山(shan)區客家(jia)飲食(shi)(shi)(shi)文化風(feng)格。因此(ci)具有(you)濃(nong)厚中(zhong)(zhong)華特色的(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)又(you)(you)分(fen)(fen)為(wei)兩(liang)大(da)流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai),即(ji)口(kou)味清鮮淡(dan)甜、 制作(zuo)精細的(de)(de)(de)城關小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai),代表(biao)(biao)品(pin)種(zhong)有(you)扁肉(面食(shi)(shi)(shi))、燒麥、肉包等,獨具特色;口(kou)味咸辣酸(suan)、制作(zuo)粗(cu)放(fang)的(de)(de)(de)夏茂(mao)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai),以(yi)夏茂(mao)鎮為(wei)代表(biao)(biao),原(yuan)(yuan)料以(yi)米(mi)、薯、芋為(wei)主(zhu)(zhu),如(ru)米(mi)凍、喜(xi)粿、米(mi)凍皮(pi)(粳秈面)、牛系列(lie)等。夏茂(mao)人(ren)基本屬于客家(jia),喜(xi)外(wai)出。因此(ci)外(wai)出經(jing)營(ying)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)較早較多的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)夏茂(mao)流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi),幾乎大(da)江南(nan)北(bei)都(dou)有(you)夏茂(mao)人(ren)的(de)(de)(de)蹤跡,這種(zhong)流(liu)(liu)動性也(ye)使夏茂(mao)流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)(de)原(yuan)(yuan)料加工(gong)(gong)與經(jing)營(ying)服務分(fen)(fen)離,即(ji)加工(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)不經(jing)營(ying),經(jing)營(ying)的(de)(de)(de)不加工(gong)(gong),形成低工(gong)(gong)藝的(de)(de)(de)簡單重復勞動。而沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)城關人(ren)則是(shi)山(shan)區文化,喜(xi)歡(huan)自己(ji)加工(gong)(gong)自己(ji)經(jing)營(ying),即(ji)“前店后坊(fang)”的(de)(de)(de)家(jia)庭式經(jing)營(ying)格局,城關流(liu)(liu)派(pai)(pai)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)制作(zuo)精細,品(pin)種(zhong)多樣,成為(wei)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)(de)主(zhu)(zhu)角。因此(ci),到過沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)的(de)(de)(de)人(ren)必嘗沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi),吃(chi)(chi)了(le)“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)”都(dou)有(you)“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)陽歸來無小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)”之感嘆(tan)。中(zhong)(zhong)國(沙(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian))小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)旅游文化節官方定為(wei)每年(nian)公歷的(de)(de)(de)12月8日。
沙(sha)縣(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)以(yi)其品種繁多、風味(wei)獨特和經濟(ji)實惠而著稱,成為福建飲(yin)食文化(hua)百花園中的一朵奇葩。沙(sha)縣(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)不但流(liu)行在三(san)明市各(ge)縣(xian)(市、區),而且在南平、福州、廈(sha)門也可常(chang)(chang)常(chang)(chang)遇到(dao)掛著“沙(sha)縣(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)”招牌的小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)店(dian),甚至北至北京(jing)、南至深圳,以(yi)及在新加坡、馬來(lai)西亞(ya)、美國(guo)的太平洋旅游勝地——塞班島也有(you)“沙(sha)縣(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)”的蹤(zong)跡(ji)。足(zu)見沙(sha)縣(xian)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)影響之大、傳播之廣。據(ju)統計,沙(sha)縣(xian)各(ge)類小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)有(you)上百種,常(chang)(chang)年供應(ying)(ying)的有(you)幾(ji)十種,蒸、煮、炸(zha)、烤、腌,加工方法(fa)多樣(yang),米、面(mian)、芋、豆腐(fu)原料獨具地方特色(se),且來(lai)源豐富,家(jia)家(jia)戶(hu)戶(hu)都(dou)能做上幾(ji)樣(yang),城區街頭巷尾日夜(ye)24小(xiao)(xiao)時都(dou)有(you)小(xiao)(xiao)吃(chi)應(ying)(ying)市,非常(chang)(chang)方便。