Shandong, not only spring water, but also food.
As a Shandong native, I grew up drinking the spring water of Baotu Spring, eating Yellow River rice, learning Confucian etiquette, and speaking authentic Shandong dialect.
One side of the water and soil to nourish the other side, Qilu land geological diversity, set mountains, rivers, lakes, sea, springs in one, rich products, simple people will always use the gifts of nature, from which to obtain a variety of delicious ingredients, thus creating a rich and diverse cuisine.
Famous chefs from all over the world have learned from their own strengths and have formed a unique cuisine for thousands of years - Lu cuisine.
I was born and raised in the land of Qilu, and Lu cuisine has had a subtle impact on my life experience.
The world's first spring - Baotu Spring
Listening to my father, Jinan originally had a "Huiquan Hotel" by the Huiquan Pool, historically called "Huiquan Lou", the hotel operated authentic Lu cuisine, and the old Jinan basically knew it. One of the more famous dishes is "sweet and sour Yellow River carp".
When I was young, every time my father took me to the Lu restaurant "Xia Restaurant" (to eat at the hotel), I had to order a "sweet and sour Yellow River carp". At that time, I didn't like to eat fish, especially carp, there were too many random thorns, children's throats were thin, and it was easy to get stuck... Also, sometimes in order to pick fish bones, my mouth is very sore and tired. But my father ate it with relish, and told me about the history and production method of this sweet and sour Yellow River carp. In fact, what children can know is that carp has a lot of thorns, who knows what is history...
"This fish grows in the deep waters of the Yellow River, with a golden head and tail, bright scales, and tender flesh, and is a good product at the banquet... In the preparation, the fish body is first cut with a knife pattern, wrapped in a paste, fried, the head and tail are cocked, and then the old vinegar and sugar are used here to make a sweet and sour sauce and pour it on the fish. It's fragrant, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and a little sour"...
Fat Yellow River carp
At that time, his old man was like a textbook, teaching me to make this "sweet and sour Yellow River carp", anyway, I didn't like to eat fish, I didn't remember the specific method, but later when I tried to do it myself, I slowly figured out the method. However, I basically went to school according to books when I made fish, and the heat and taste were far from the fish I ate when my father took me to the "next restaurant"...
Now that I am working and have an income, it is my turn to take my father to the Lu Restaurant to "get off the restaurant".
One day at noon, I took my father to the Huiquan Hotel where he used to take me to eat fish when I was a child.
With the passage of time, the Huiquan Hotel of that year has long disappeared into the long river of time, and is replaced by the "Golden Three Cups Restaurant" now located in the Sanlian Trading Company on Baotu Spring North Road.
Of course, to bring my father to lu restaurant must order "sweet and sour Yellow River carp". Thinking back to the scene when I was taken to eat fish, my father began to remember like a family treasure...
After a while, as my father was telling us about his memories, the waiter brought us the sweet and sour Yellow River carp that he had in mind. I persuaded my father to use chopsticks to taste first, my father put his hands on his knees, stared at the fish on the table, glanced at his head, and said in an authentic old Jinan tone: "This fish is light in color, it should be not much vinegar, you can try to see if what I say is right." "I picked up the chopsticks, first clipped a piece of meat from the fish belly to my father, according to his habit of eating fish, dipped him in some soup and put it on his plate, he waved his hand, let me quickly eat a piece. I then clipped a piece for myself, regardless of the boiling sensation of just coming out of the pot, and ate a bite, not to mention the taste, this sour head is indeed not enough, and it is really less vinegar! Savor it and feel that the fish is not as tender as before.
The "sweet and sour Yellow River carp" that our father and son duo ate
My father also said while eating: "If this fish is a naturally grown Yellow River carp, then this flesh is not said, but this is domesticated, naturally worse." Then his words turned sharply, "Today we ate the golden three cups of 'sweet and sour Yellow River carp', another day you will also make me a 'sweet and sour Yellow River carp' at home, the ingredients don't matter, ordinary carp is ok, you can master the way to make this Lu dish." Then he took a sip of tea and looked at me with a smile.
My father always knew that I was not good at making fish, but in fact I also knew his old man's thoughts. Learning to cook can not only learn what you love to eat, but also learn to make the dishes that others love to eat. The poor are alone, and the poor are good at the same time. In addition to feeding himself, he must also try to help the people around him get warm, which should be his heart.
After dinner, I went with my father to the nearby WulongTan Lake to enjoy the fish. Watching the colorful carp playing in groups in the pool, my father jokingly said to me: "How about this fish making 'sweet and sour Yellow River carp'?" "I laughed at the same time as I said that." Our Lu cuisine is the same as the carp in the pond, there are many kinds, cooking techniques are also very diverse, you will only make a home-cooked dish now, if you really let your future old Yue show a hand in front of it is estimated that it is not enough. He said and laughed alone.
Carp in The Five Dragon Ponds
A dish, a pool of fish, a father and son. There are hundreds of flavors in the cuisine, and there are also hundreds of flavors in life.
I still miss the "sweet and sour Yellow River carp" that I had eaten and that I didn't like to eat.
roc
May 9, 2020