The "catfish" of the copper official jar swallowed a bowl of rice in half a piece

I ate very quickly, and whenever I ate, I had to be counted down by my wife: "You were released from the hunger prison!" You've been eating for seven days!" But I still went my own way, but in my heart I retorted: I have strong import power, there is no way. In fact, I eat fast, which is related to my childhood habits.

Four pieces of curd for a penny

My hometown is Tongguan Rural Hut Bay, in the 1960s and 1970s, the living conditions were relatively poor, and everything that could be eaten was filled by everyone, and it was still in a state of hunger for a long time. Although the thatched bay looks beautiful, and wisps of cooking smoke rise on the thatched roof of every household at three meals a day, after a pot and pan rice stove sound, it is nothing more than the children of the family holding a rice bowl and clinging to the threshold, a pair of chopsticks weakly turning over in the rice bowl, in addition to the half piece of "cat fish" that each meal has, there is nothing else, helpless, but also had to mix half a piece of "cat fish" in the rice and swallow.

"Cat fish" is curd milk, "rotten" and "tiger" in our hometown is a pronunciation, "milk" and "fish" are also a pronunciation, it is estimated that if the "tiger fish" is read together, not only is it difficult for people to understand, I am afraid that even dare not eat, so they use "cat" to replace "tiger", not to mention "tiger is not threatening, you still think it is a sick cat", "tiger" and "cat" are accommodating, so that "curd milk" becomes "cat fish".

To say that the "cat fish" at that time was indeed delicious, it was also a must-have meal for every household. Especially in the winter, when it snows, the adults do not want to break through the ice to find fresh vegetables, so they take out five cents to send the children to pick up a small pot or tea bowl and run to the nearby sales store to pick up a few pieces of "catfish" to come back. The "catfish" for a penny picked four pieces, and the remaining penny bought a sugar particle to come back, and the two sisters cut it off alone. So I couldn't take care of the wind that hurt my face, and went to the sales store with the bowl.

The owner of the sales agency called Zai Dad, took the small pot and did it on the counter for a while, there was a slightly sour smell wafting over, the pot was handed to the hand, the sugar particles were pinched in the palm, smelling this "cat fish" gas had an appetite, so he dipped his little finger on the tongue and swallowed half a mouthful of sour water.

The "catfish" that has just opened the altar has a slightly musty smell

I don't know that after a few years, the price of the "catfish" in the agency has risen, so the family has made it itself. Every time in the ninth and tenth months of the lunar calendar, on the road in front of the house, there is a master carrying the embryo of the "catfish" shouting and selling, "Buy the 'catfish' billet?" Penny for a piece!"" Fine-tuned? No old man!"" Fine fan fine fan li!" So in the midst of the clamor, my mother bought a hundred "catfish" billets, took them into the house, and spread the "catfish" blanks on the railing plate to make it moldy. Then find a "cat fish" jar from a copper kiln, and after the mold is good, cut some ginger and yellow peppers and put them together in the jar to wait for it to ferment.

That is, in a month, the "cat fish" in their own home can be eaten. Whenever it was time to cook, whether there was a dish or not, the mother would take two pieces of "cat fish" from the jar and put them on the table. At this time, the "cat fish" that has just opened the altar still has a slight musty smell, plus there are still a few ginger shreds and chili powder stuck to the "cat fish", which are entangled with the moldy wires that have not yet been completely melted, adding a bit of taste.

Pick up the rice bowl, use chopsticks to point in from the side of the "cat fish", turn over a thin layer of pale yellow skin, wrap a few points of ginger shredded and minced pepper, and then bring a little "cat fish" and soup into the mouth, a burst of ginger, pepper spicy, milk soft, moldy astringency, soup fresh on the tip of the tongue, full of freshness, a bowl of rice was sent into the belly by half a jar of "catfish".

At this time, two small friends came to the upper house, holding a bowl of rice in their hands, but without a little dish, leaning against the threshold and watching this side wolf. Seeing that the two partners really had no food to swallow, the mother took out a piece of "cat fish" from the jar again, divided it into two and put it in the bowl of the two partners, the two partners were not polite, mixed the "cat fish" in the rice and stirred up the matter three times and two times, and also handed the rice bowl to the mother and said: "Hmmm, I also borrowed two pieces to make me a night meal, so I am good..."

A few days earlier, in a place called "Tao Shu Love Jar Dish" in the former third factory of Tongguan Ceramics Company, I found the "cat fish" made by the jar, went home and opened the altar to try, well! There is the smell of "cat fish" made in their own house. (Text, photo/ Tan Tie'an)