3-Year Pixian Doubanjiang (Handcrafted Sichuan Chili Bean Paste)

  It's no exaggeration to say that this 3-year-old Pixian doubanjiang is the pinnacle of traditional Sichuan food production. Made entirely by hand—as it has been since 1688—this Yi Feng He Hao douban is the premium product of Sichuan Pixian Douban Co., which also makes the popular 1-year Juan Cheng brand.  Made in the Pidu district of Chengdu, formerly called Pixian, both brands are a fermented mix of broad (fava) beans, er jing tiao chilies, salt and wheat flour—and nothing more, no extraneous ingredients, additives or preservatives. They are a pure concentration of spicy, salty, natural umami.  Unlike the 1-year chili bean paste, which is aged in long, industrial, cement pools, the 3-year is aged in small batches in 3-foot-tall earthenware crocks with conical lids. Each day those lids are removed, the doubanjiang is stirred by hand and then left to bask in the rural Sichuan sun and air, soaking in the microbes of its unique terroir. This 1,000-plus days of careful, hands-on aging ma