The snacks of Beijing composed of Han, imperial, and Islamic dishes, primarily fall into three categories: pastries, non-staple food, and fruit products and beverages. Many of the snacks are based on recipes handed down over the centuries, and some can be traced back more than 1,000 years. The more senior snacks are considered by some historians to be "living fossils," a part of Beijing's cultural history. Today, with snack restaurants scattered around Beijing, people can conveniently sample genuine Beijing-style snacks wherever they travel in the city.