Beiping Tan family dish in Rong Geng's diary

□ Xia and Shun

Beiping Tanjia cuisine is one of the most famous private dishes in the Republic of China period, and can also be called one of the characteristics of the "food in Guangzhou" era. Mr. Rong Geng went north to Beijing in 1922, became famous in one fell swoop, stayed in Beijing for more than 20 years, and when Fang Tan's family cuisine was in full bloom, there were many seats, and it was rare in the world. Now it is found from his diary, and the diaries of Shi Xian such as Gu Jiegang are not only rare historical materials of Tan family cuisine, but also a rare history of Learning Lin Yishi.

On July 11, 1935, after Rong Geng and Li Tang finished visiting the Liuli Factory, they came to Mishi Hutong and visited Tan Mansion. The master Tan Jianqing was a native of Nanhai, Guangdong, and the son of Tan Zongjun of Tongzhi Jiashu (1874). Li Tang was a native of Shunde, Guangdong Province, born of the Wang clan, and his grandfather Li Wentian was a Xianfeng Jiwei (1859) Ke Tanhua. Rong Geng was a native of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, and his grandfather Rong Heling was a Tongzhi Yanhai (1863) Enke Jinshi. It is conceivable that the theme of the three people meeting and talking is naturally inseparable from the father and ancestors.

According to reports, after Tan Xiaoqing returned to Beijing in 1909, he moved from Xisi Mutton Hutong to Mishi Hutong, which is southwest of Liulichang. Gu Jiegang, on the other hand, went to Tan's house twice in 1931 and 1937, and the addresses in his diary were Taiping Street and Fengshun Hutong, respectively. It can be seen that Tan Zhai has migrated several times, but whether it is Mishi Hutong, Fengshun Hutong, or Taiping Street, it is not far from Liulichang.

Tan Zongjun has loved delicacies all his life and is also hospitable and friendly. Tan Zuren, Zi Zhenqing, Young Chengjiaxue, good at calligraphy, rich collection, fine appreciation. Deng Zhicheng's 1933 diary mentions Tan Qingqing, mostly related to the collection: "On July 9, he entered the city in the morning to visit Tan Qingqing and entrusted Taiping Yan and Lai Feng Yan. "On August 21, when I entered the city in the morning, I thanked Tan Qingqing, Yin Shigong, and Liang Nin'an. Take the Jade Master Grate Zi Tou Yu Qing to shoot. Rong Geng's diary on February 25, 1937 also said that when he entered the city in the morning, he "went to Tan Jingqing to take the Xiong Jingxing hand scroll, the price was 30 yuan", the Xiong Jingxing hand scroll was probably a gift from Tan Zhao, and the further exchanges between Rong Geng and Tan Xiaoqing were also related to cultural relics.

Tan Qingqing can be said to inherit the father's business, especially in the food culture, the Chinese traditional concept of "food is not tired of fine and not tired of fine" to the extreme. The Tan family only set up banquets in their own house, limited to one table per day, and must be booked in advance, it is said that the reservation list is often queued up to a month later, but it can only be limited to a small group. On October 4, 1931, Gu Jiegang recorded that he "went to Fengshun Hutong Tan House for a banquet", and at noon on the same day, Chen Yuanzuodong, guests included Meng Sen, Yin Shigong, Huang Jie, Hong Ye, Deng Zhicheng, Ma Jian, Xu Dishan, etc., most of whom were colleagues of Yenching University, but Rong Geng did not participate.

In Beiping, Rong Geng often interacted with peking university classmates, Yanda colleagues, Guangdong compatriots, academics, art and even politicians, and he often appeared in his diary of various restaurants and restaurants, but before 1935 he did not mention Tan family cuisine or Tan house, perhaps related to the lack of diary.

On March 28, 1937, Rong Geng visited Tan House after visiting the Liuli Factory, "Tan Zhen Youth Bo Please Lunch", which was the first time he mentioned Tan family cuisine. More than a month later, on May 9, Li Tang invited lunch at Tan's house.

On June 6, Rong Geng arrived at Tan House at 12:00, where ta kung Pao Shidi Weekly Club had dinner. According to Gu Jiegang's diary, the participants included Tan Qingqing, Rong Geng and his wife, Hong Ye and his wife, Rong Zhaozu, Rong Yuan, Hong Siqi and his wife, Qi Sihe and his wife, Zhang Yinlin and his wife and Gu Jiegang. On Thursday, June 17, Rong Geng visited the Liuli Factory early, "The Department of Chinese Literature gathered at Tan Huangqing's house for dinner." These include Guo Shaoyu, Yang Yinliu, Lu Kanru, Feng Yuanjun, Dong Lu'an, Shen Xinwu, and may also include graduate students Chen Mengjia, Gu Tinglong and others.

Visiting the Liuli Factory and eating Tanjia cuisine is the supreme enjoyment for cultural people.

Rong Geng returned to the south in the summer of 1937, and a few days later the Lugou Bridge Incident broke out, and it was not until the end of the year that he returned to Beiping. On December 12, he went to Tan's house for a banquet. In the following years, Rong Geng and Tan Jianqing were very close, attending Tan's house banquets almost every month, even once a week.

Every time Rong Geng went to Tan House, he almost had to visit the factory. For example, on July 10, 1938, "Dinner at Tan House." To the glass factory. "September 4th," to the Liulichang framed "Jin Wen Ed. ". At twelve o'clock, we went to Tan House for dinner. On October 2, "I went to the Liuli Factory early and took Fu Shan and other fans." Visit Sun Haibo. At twelve o'clock, we went to Tan House for dinner. On November 13, "I entered the city at eight o'clock and went to the Liuli Factory." At twelve o'clock, we went to Tan House for dinner. On November 27, "Hayaku (visiting) the Glass Factory." At eleven o'clock, he visited Sun Haibo and at twelve o'clock he went to Tan House for dinner. "February 4, 1938" at eight o'clock into the city, visit the factory. At five o'clock, I went to Tan House to visit the exhibition of calligraphy and painting and have dinner." It can be seen that Tanjia cuisine is sometimes related to calligraphy and painting. After that, most of the people who went to Tan House with Rong Geng were people in the art circle, such as Huang Binhong, Zhou Huaimin, Wang Shensheng, Sun Haibo, etc. For example, on May 21, 1939, "visited Zhou Huaimin, Wang Shensheng, Sun Haibo, and Huang Binhong." At twelve o'clock, we went to Tan House for dinner. On July 2, "at ten o'clock, I went to the city to visit Huang Binhong and went to Tan's house for dinner." On May 5, 1940, "I entered the city at eight o'clock and visited Zhou Huaimin, Sun Haibo, and Huang Binhong." At twelve o'clock, we went to Tan House for dinner. "It is rumored that tan family dishes are good at dry goods and are good at cooking sea eight fresh food in broth and old fire. Rong Geng's diary is too brief, only remembering a certain day of a certain month to go to tan house for a banquet, not involving dishes, cooking methods and table mates. On November 3, 1940, Rong Geng's diary: "Twelve o'clock to Tan House dinner, shark fin seat, each person Ke YangQi yuan." "This is an exception, the shark fin feast of 7 yuan per person, which is very luxurious. Sunday, November 24, "Eight o'clock into town." At twelve o'clock to Tan House dinner, all Yan Datong people, each person to share the gold seven yuan. Go home at 5:30. "7 yuan per person, it is estimated that it is also a shark fin feast, which is a continuation of the last delicious meal."

On February 28, 1943, Tan Jianqing set up a dinner banquet at his home to invite Luo Fukan, Rong Geng and other fellow villagers. He fell ill and died on 5 June. On June 6, Rong Geng's diary: "In the afternoon, I visited liuli factory and went to Tan's house to mourn." ”

The delicacy of Tan family cuisine depends on the choice of ingredients and the grasp of the heat, and Tan Qingqing's third aunt, Zhao Lifeng, is the key gatekeeper and spoon person. On March 12, 1944, Rong Geng's diary still recorded "twelve o'clock to Tan House dinner", but this was the last time. In 1946, Zhao Lifeng died, presided over by his daughter Tan Lingrou, and the family chef Peng Changhai continued to operate Tan family cuisine.

On October 29, 1956, Gu Jiegang had the opportunity to taste the Tan family cuisine of Enchengju after the public-private partnership, and naturally recalled the taste of more than twenty years ago, he wrote in his diary: "Tan family cuisine was created by Tan Qingqing and his concubines, and before the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, about thirty yuan a table, limited to one table a day, and all those who set up banquets must invite Qingqing to sit with them to show that they are not in business." When Imabari died, his assistant chef contracted with Eun Sung-ju to operate in the same name. All the workers are boiled or stewed, no need to fry, so it is particularly rotten, the same as the Chengdu 'Aunt Feast' method, and the information is also mostly seafood. Xiao Qing, Tan Ying's great-grandson also (press: should be Tan Ying's grandson). ”