果子狸，亦称“花面狸”、“白额灵猫”，是一种野生哺乳类动物。其形状如家猫，但较细长，四肢稍短。产于长江以南地区，地处大别山区的商城县市其最北产区。果子狸多栖息于深山密林之中，善攀援，夜间活动，嗜食各种果实，兼食谷物和小鸟、昆虫等。其肉细嫩鲜美，营养丰富，素为山珍上品。
   
    “密炙果子狸”为商城所特有的名菜佳肴，有一套独特的烹制方法，烹制的果子狸肉呈紫红色，入口香甜鲜嫩，油而不腻，兼有多重鲜果风味，别具一格。
   
    商城烹制的“密炙果子狸”由来已久。旧时邑人在外做官，多以竹篓装置果子狸，口封红纸为礼作奉。南部山民猎获此物常于冬季林木落叶之时枪击夹捕。前些年，由于乱伐山林和滥捕野物，商城果子狸逐渐稀少，市场已罕有此物，饭馆亦无从经营。党的十一届三中全会之后，随着《森林保护法》的贯彻执行，生态平衡将逐步恢复，商城果子狸亦会绝处逢生，繁衍滋长，为“密炙果子狸”这项名菜提供充足的货源，以使其传世不衰。



    Paguma larvata is a wild mammalia animal and always lives in dense forest in the deep mountains. Its meet is fresh, delicate and nutritious, and is always regarded as superior delicacy. Secret-roasted Paguma Larvata is a famous specialty in Shangcheng, which owns a special cooking method. Finished paguma larvate meet is in purple-red color, luscious, fresh and tender, fat but not greasy and contains multiple flavour of fruits at the same time, which makes it so particular. 
      
    Shangcheng people began to cook this dish many years ago, when people always hunted this animal in winter when leaves fell. Some years ago, due to people's cutting down trees and hunting wild animals immoderately, paguma larvate reduced quickly so that this dish was rare seen in restaurants. After the Third Plenary Session, with carrying out of Forest Protection Law, paguma larvate in Shangcheng increases gradually, which provides this famous dish plentiful supplies and makes sure its spreading and inheriting.