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)(wei)漢民(min)族傳(chuan)統飲(yin)食的(de)(de)(de)“活(huo)化(hua)石”的(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi),屬(shu)源遠流(liu)(liu)(liu)長(chang)的(de)(de)(de)中(zhong)原(yuan)(yuan)黃(huang)河流(liu)(liu)(liu)域飲(yin)食文(wen)化(hua)傳(chuan)統的(de)(de)(de)一個分支,它(ta)既(ji)有(you)福州、閩南一帶(dai)的(de)(de)(de)飲(yin)食特(te)點,又有(you)汀州一帶(dai)山區客家飲(yin)食文(wen)化(hua)風格。因(yin)此(ci)具(ju)有(you)濃厚中(zhong)華特(te)色的(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)又分為(wei)(wei)兩(liang)大流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai),即口味清鮮淡甜、 制作(zuo)精細(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)城(cheng)關(guan)(guan)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai),代表品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)有(you)扁肉(rou)(面(mian)食)、燒麥、肉(rou)包等(deng),獨具(ju)特(te)色;口味咸辣酸、制作(zuo)粗放(fang)的(de)(de)(de)夏(xia)(xia)茂小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai),以(yi)夏(xia)(xia)茂鎮為(wei)(wei)代表,原(yuan)(yuan)料以(yi)米(mi)、薯、芋為(wei)(wei)主(zhu),如米(mi)凍、喜(xi)粿、米(mi)凍皮(粳(jing)秈面(mian))、牛系(xi)列等(deng)。夏(xia)(xia)茂人(ren)基本(ben)屬(shu)于客家,喜(xi)外(wai)(wai)出。因(yin)此(ci)外(wai)(wai)出經(jing)營(ying)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)較(jiao)早較(jiao)多(duo)(duo)的(de)(de)(de)是夏(xia)(xia)茂流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi),幾乎大江南北(bei)都(dou)有(you)夏(xia)(xia)茂人(ren)的(de)(de)(de)蹤跡,這種(zhong)(zhong)流(liu)(liu)(liu)動(dong)性也使(shi)夏(xia)(xia)茂流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)(de)原(yuan)(yuan)料加工與經(jing)營(ying)服務分離(li),即加工的(de)(de)(de)不經(jing)營(ying),經(jing)營(ying)的(de)(de)(de)不加工,形成(cheng)低(di)工藝(yi)的(de)(de)(de)簡(jian)單重(zhong)復勞動(dong)。而沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)城(cheng)關(guan)(guan)人(ren)則是山區文(wen)化(hua),喜(xi)歡(huan)自己加工自己經(jing)營(ying),即“前店后(hou)坊”的(de)(de)(de)家庭(ting)式(shi)經(jing)營(ying)格局,城(cheng)關(guan)(guan)流(liu)(liu)(liu)派(pai)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)制作(zuo)精細(xi)(xi),品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)多(duo)(duo)樣(yang),成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)的(de)(de)(de)主(zhu)角。因(yin)此(ci),到(dao)過沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)的(de)(de)(de)人(ren)必(bi)嘗沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi),吃(chi)(chi)(chi)了(le)“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)”都(dou)有(you)“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)陽歸(gui)來無(wu)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)”之(zhi)感(gan)嘆。中(zhong)國(guo)(沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)縣(xian)(xian)(xian))小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)(chi)旅游文(wen)化(hua)節官方定為(wei)(wei)每年公歷的(de)(de)(de)12月(yue)8日(ri)。
沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)以其品種繁多(duo)、風味獨特和經(jing)濟實(shi)惠而(er)著稱(cheng),成為(wei)福(fu)建(jian)飲食文化百(bai)花園(yuan)中的(de)一朵奇葩。沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)不但流行在(zai)三明市(shi)(shi)各縣(xian)(xian)(市(shi)(shi)、區),而(er)且在(zai)南平(ping)、福(fu)州、廈(sha)門也可常(chang)常(chang)遇到掛著“沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)”招牌的(de)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)店,甚至北(bei)至北(bei)京(jing)、南至深圳,以及在(zai)新加坡、馬(ma)來西亞、美國的(de)太平(ping)洋(yang)旅游(you)勝地——塞班島也有“沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)”的(de)蹤跡。足(zu)見沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)影響(xiang)之大、傳播之廣。據統計(ji),沙(sha)縣(xian)(xian)各類小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)有上(shang)百(bai)種,常(chang)年供應的(de)有幾十種,蒸、煮、炸、烤(kao)、腌,加工方(fang)(fang)法多(duo)樣(yang),米(mi)、面(mian)、芋、豆腐原料(liao)獨具地方(fang)(fang)特色,且來源豐富,家家戶(hu)戶(hu)都能做上(shang)幾樣(yang),城(cheng)區街頭巷尾日夜24小(xiao)時都有小(xiao)吃(chi)(chi)應市(shi)(shi),非常(chang)方(fang)(fang)便。