wedge
The words "eater" and "foodie" seem to be less distinct now. In the original, the former was probably a more solemn and positive title, similar to the "Fang family" and "Tongren" of drinking. The latter is only greedy and delicious, such as good reading without seeking to understand, and even the eight precepts of the pig eat ginseng fruit generally fall into the primitive and low-level taste, and are ridiculed. However, in recent years, the wind has changed, and the word "foodie" has gradually become neutral, and can be self-satisfied or respected. A man with a "foodie" hat on his head often becomes the leader of the social circle.
The rise of foodies is probably a manifestation of the Qingping Changyu of an era. There are few famines and disasters, and material accumulation is perfected to be rich, so in addition to the basic needs for survival, there is a higher demand and exploration for the appetite. This is the norm in the world, and it is said in "The Mean": "People can not eat and drink, and few can know the taste." In the Treatise, it is said: "The elders of the first generation know where to live, and the elders of the third generation know how to eat." "It's about this simple theory of evolution." The rise of "foodies" is nothing more than that after being full of warmth, people instinctively want to expand the boundaries of their recipes and tastes.
Modern media has become a powerful arm for the expansion of taste. One street has a street of dining, and one city has a map of food in one city, and there are endless one after another. The lack of text, the figure makes up for it; the lack of the figure, the video follows up. If you don't talk about eating for a day and don't search for food for a day, you will inevitably fall behind. The emergence of "China on the Tip of the Tongue" can be described as a climax of this taste expansion movement. With the principles of naturalism, the spirit of empiricism, and the language of romanticism, it has propelled gastronomy to the altar of Panshen-style secular consumerism.
In the midst of revelry, there will be secrets. In other words, the presentation and sharing of secrets constitute the tone of the carnival. When those secrets that belong to the past, those secrets that are secluded in a corner, those secrets that seem to be heard but cannot be caught, suddenly appear in vivid and real appearances, when those memories and imaginations about taste suddenly overlap in reality, the word "foodie" is given a new meaning unique to this era.
Abstract words cannot be said much. Well, let's talk about the century-old shop "Geng Fuxing", "Shrimp Seed Noodles", and some related fragments of experience that appeared in "China on the Tip of the Tongue 2".
recall
A clear sign of a "foodie" is that he does his taste homework in advance before going to a strange city.
Eight years ago, on a summer morning, I boarded the bus to Wuhu with two pieces of paper with the names and addresses of strange restaurants and specialties. It was strange that Wuhu, a city so close to me, had never really entered. The impression of it is only when it was young—with his father, who was returning from a business trip, waiting at the mottled old ferry at the berth, the wide and lonely river surface, the crowds of noisy people, and the large river crab that his father carried.
It was as if I could still smell the slight fishiness emitted by the crabs of the River. The level of the river is slow and glowing with a slight glow of glaucoma. It's also strange that my memory of Wuhu was tangled with food at the beginning. I don't seem to have eaten such a big river crab since.
Crab love is probably a chronic disease that is extremely difficult to get rid of. In "The Occasional Tale of Idle Love", Lee Kasa-ong unabashedly expresses his love for crabs - "In my obsession with food". Me too. However, at the end of the summer, before the time to eat crab, the opening line of the two food lists to be visited had to be - "Geng Fuxing, Phoenix Food Street." Crab yellow bun, shrimp seed noodles. "The intuitive web search and the summary of the rumors are like a date.
Before noon, when a group of colleagues from the unit lined up to ride the roller coaster under the scorching sun of Fangte Park, I had already taken a little brother to the appointment and sat in the air conditioner in the lobby of Geng Fuxing. Old-fashioned tables and chairs, the light is quiet and steady, and the diners sit most of the hall, but they are not noisy. I remember that at that time, the price of crab yellow buns was divided into three grades of 20, 40 and 100 yuan per cage, taking them, asking for two cages, and ordering shrimp seed noodles, a few small cold plates, and cold beer. At the moment of cicada noise and bitterness, thinking of sweaty colleagues, my heart suddenly gave birth to the pride of being a foodie. In the same heaven and earth, whether you can steal some leisure, enjoy some blessings, and take care of yourself.
As for the taste at that time, I really can't remember it. The crab yellow buns were satisfying, genuine, and more delicious than anything I had eaten in Hefei before. But that's to be expected. Shrimp seed noodles have never tasted, but more surprises, a small bowl of light and refreshing, the portion and saltiness are very suitable for me. There are also snacks, shrimp skin tofu residue, also a small bowl, delicate in the mouth, permeated with fragrance without tongue-in-cheek. In the early years in Beijing, I ate fried okara, coarse porcelain bowls, and fragrant, but in comparison, the figure was obviously much more vulgar. Make rough things fine, only to see the kung fu.
After eating comfortably, in the afternoon, I went to Luhe Village, which is surrounded by Zheshan Park, to drink tea. Upstairs and downstairs, the eyes are all three carved antiquities collected by old Huizhou. The big guy with the tea cup and dining utensil is a little strange, but if you look closely, it is an old thick wooden manger. Talking to colleagues on the return trip to the car inevitably attracted a mixture of regret and jealousy. Later, when they traveled en masse, there were more fans behind them who learned lessons and looked at the horse's head.
Back in Hefei, I remembered writing an idle text that recorded the look and feel of the trip. However, after too long, there is no trace of its existence. A lot of things are like this, maybe it just didn't happen. It's just that Geng Fuxing's old brand is remembered after all. If someone asks me to recommend a restaurant in Wuhu, it will always be mentioned.
Knock on the side
Of course, not everyone agrees with my recommendation. More than a thousand years ago, Su Yijian said: "There is no definite taste, and the palate is precious." Food is actually a kind of memory, and memory is often an illusion or illusion, arising from circumstances, moving with the situation, and varying from person to person.
I once recommended a mellow mutton soup to a friend in northern Anhui Province, and he shook his head after tasting it. Asked why, his answer was succinct: "Not dirty."
Having been a half-career "foodie" for more than a decade, I am no surprised by this answer. As usual, a friend from abroad proposed: "Help recommend an authentic Anhui restaurant." I always ask first: "Which anhui cuisine do you want to eat?" ”
Looking at it from the outside, the characteristics of Anhui cuisine are nothing more than the eight-character mantra: "Thick oil and red sauce, heavy color and heavy taste." "In fact, from the big end, Anhui cuisine is divided into at least three major families - laoHuizhou cuisine, along the Huai cuisine and along the river." Thick oil red sauce, heavy color and heavy taste" is generally only used to describe the old Huizhou cuisine, that is, the narrow sense of Hui cuisine, and it is not inevitable to be partial to the whole. Along the river cuisine is not the case, from baidu encyclopedia's glossary explanation can be glimpsed roughly - "popular in Wuhu, Anqing and Chaohu areas, it is known for cooking river fresh, poultry, pay attention to knife work, pay attention to color, good at using sugar seasoning, good at braised, steaming and smoking techniques, its dishes have the characteristics of tenderness, fresh alcohol, refreshing and fragrant.". In addition, there seems to be a finer classification recently, and hefei cuisine and Huainan cuisine are also singled out to support the portal. However, whether the Three Kingdoms are established or the Republic of the Five Nationalities, on the anhui territory that was originally formed by the east and the west, there has never been a door valve for the cuisine that covers the sky with one hand.
"One night the east wind blew and rained, and the new water of the river was full of fish and shrimp." Where the water and soil are, the taste is cultivated. Geng Fuxing, a green flag on the waves of the hundred years, the color of the spirit does not fade for the wind and rain, does not diminish from the twilight, or it is the reason why I have my heart.
Snag
Overnight, Geng Fuxing's shrimp seed noodles became popular throughout the country and became a household name. Eight years ago, I did not expect that geng changhong and geng changfu brothers who went from jiangdu road in Jiangsu to jiangcheng to open a small food stall more than a hundred years ago would not dream.
Searching the computer, there are many shrimp seed noodles, but the quality is thin, which really can't satisfy me. Every dish should have its origins, its clans and genealogies, and its secret and complicated historical and historical negotiations. A roll of dense, obscure silk.
For example, the relationship between Huaiyang cuisine and Hui cuisine and Yanjiang cuisine. Yuan Ming's middle-aged retirement was immediately after the shadow of Nanjing Xiaocangshan, and there are three articles in the "Suiyuan Food List" written about 150 years before the Opening of the Wuhu Store by the Geng brothers-
“...... Or use a fast knife to cut the fish back obliquely, so that the broken bones are broken, and then fry the yellow in the pot, add ingredients, and when you are eating, you don't know that there are bones: Wuhu Tao Taifa also. ("Knifefish Ii Method")
"Wuhu Da'an monk, wash the chicken legs, remove the mushrooms from the sand, add autumn oil, wine and stir-fry, feast on the guests, very good." ("Fried chicken thigh mushrooms")
"Wuhu respects the monk, cut the rotten skin roll into sections, slightly blanch in the oil, and simmer the mushrooms very well, and do not add chicken soup." ("Tofu Skin")
Regarding shrimp seeds, this old man is also mentioning - shrimp boiled shrimp oil, shrimp oil tofu, shrimp fish, shrimp curd milk. Or "good rot dry shredded very fine, with shrimp, autumn oil mixed."
In Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, the preparation and application of shrimp seeds has always been very common, and the food texts and rice bureau records of the elders since the Republic of China have been endlessly traced - shrimp seed wontons and shrimp seed dumpling noodles in Yangzhou's "Republican Spring", "three shrimp tofu" in Gusu Mudu Shijia Restaurant, pickle shrimp seeds in Taizhou, and shrimp seeds in Shanghai Dexingguan famous shrimp seed large black ginseng... And the most vivid thing I have read is Mr. Wang Zengqi's "Grass Lane Mouth" that recalls Gaoyou's hometown:
"Some people take a hot bath (they are not afraid of hot, not hot but addictive), but also have to wipe their backs, pinch their feet, and pedicure, which is called 'full set'. I also asked the young man to call for a bowl of shrimp lard and scallion noodles, and ate it in two bites. Then Gollum drank a pot of strong tea, tilted his head, and went to sleep soundly. After taking a "full set" of baths, eating a bowl of piping hot shrimp noodle soup, and sleeping, it was really 'happy like a god'. ”
Mr. Wang also said in the article "Tofu":
"'Wensi Monk Tofu'" is a famous vegetarian dish in Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty, and there are several recipes, but I have not seen it on the menus of temples and vegetarian restaurants in Yangzhou. I don't know whether the tofu of The Vince Monk was fried in oil or not fried. I felt for no reason that it was fried in oil, and for no reason I felt that it was made of soybean sprouts hanging soup, adding the best mushrooms or mushrooms, bamboo shoots, using excellent autumn oil, simmering over low heat. When the materials come together, I will try to make Avensie Monk Tofu once according to my imagination. My Vince Monk Tofu will be made with vegetarian meat, lard, shrimp seeds. ”
Not too cumbersome to copy the book, it is nothing more than to feel that whether it is shrimp seed noodles or vegetables along the river, it must have a relationship with Huaiyang cuisine and the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, you have me, I have you. As for which comes first and which is still constantly alternating with mixed blood, it can only be examined by experts.
Revisit
Gu Zhong's "Raising a Small Record" of the Qing Dynasty writes that the diet is too decent, far less wonderful and good-looking than the "Suiyuan Food List", but it is also advisable to flip through the toilet. The preface says that in the past, some people occasionally gave up fish and meat, and after eating a light meal, they sighed: "I only ate the taste of this today, and I have almost been deceived by the root of my tongue." This epiphany is quite rare, and there are some paintings that are close to Confucius's lessons.
My own taste over the years has become lighter and lighter. Eating fish can be steamed but not cooked, and braised dishes are mostly changed to yellow stew. He is increasingly estranged from native cuisine, and is willing to deal with Huaiyang and Cantonese cuisines that are heavy on their original taste. Yangzhou and Taizhou have been to Yangzhou three or four times in a row, and recently Suzhou has also eaten a special trip, and the overall style of clarity, mellow and meticulous is quite useful. Therefore, for the vein along the river in Anhui cuisine, it is natural to pay more and more attention. Coincidentally, Geng Fuxing was selected for "Tip of the Tongue".
Revisiting the old shops on Phoenix Street, passing several shops on Front Street, all spending posters explicitly or implicitly, taking "Tip of the Tongue" as a gimmick. Geng Fuxing did not show off a word in his own home, just like a quiet old friend waiting for an old friend.
The dish was arranged by the host, and there was no need to order it yourself. Five-spiced broad beans, osmanthus glutinous rice root, shrimp skin tofu residue, lotus pond stir-fry, stir-fried mountain parsley, several dishes together on the table, soft red deep green, jade run pearl yellow, Jiangnan flower between the small order of the breath has been self-refreshing. Sesame tenderloin and raw baked fish head are rich and mellow, blending the north and the south without ruining the overall tone of a table. Just like Jiang Baishi's words, empty, but also do not lose strength.
Small soup buns, shrimp seed noodles, jade roast sold through the insertion field. The soup bun is the true color of the line, the shrimp seed noodles are still so gentle and beautiful, like the quiet sister of the flowers between the clouds and sideburns, and when you look at the shadow, you can't live up to it. The jadeite roast sale made me feel like I was in a trance, as if I had returned to the situation of eating morning tea in the Guyue Building in Taizhou Old Street the previous year. The same name and rhyme, as if separated by a water, simple and affectionate.
Some people say that Geng Fuxing shrimp seed noodles are delicious, and they are boiled in broth with green shrimp seeds, and some people emphasize the kung fu of pressing and cutting noodles. All right, not all right. Yangzhou's eel bone fish soup noodles, Suzhou's large meat noodles, three shrimp noodles, Kunshan's pop-up eel Ao noodles, Zhuji's sub-dock noodles, Shanghai's Yangchun noodles, Zhenjiang's pot lid noodles, Hangzhou's slices of Sichuan, Huangshan Taiping's bamboo shoot noodles, soup or wide or narrow, materials or luxury or simple, taste or light or heavy, as long as you work hard, keep your duty, I feel that you can rejoice. This is true for making noodles, so is it for making shortbread roasts, and it is also true for cooking.
The face of the family is the most important. Intangible cultural heritage, that is secondary.
Knock on the door
I had a copy of "Chinese Recipes (Anhui)" published by the China Finance and Economic Publishing House in 1978, which I borrowed from a friend in the spring and spent sixty yuan on the whole book for copying and binding. Reading those dishes in the book, quite emotional, once sent a WeChat, slightly as follows -
In the afternoon, idly reading the old recipe of Hui cuisine from 1978, the index finger moved again and again. Cloud mist meat, scorched fried elephant eyes, shrimp pipe ting, paulownia fish, soft pocket ice fish, baiyan umbrella, crab even fish belly, cooking pine silk, pillow shrimp, snow drizzled chicken, white grouse, hibiscus chicken loin, green snail stewed duck, chicken dog hoof, mussel crisp waist, mid-clawed rotten coat... Where did these dishes go? I think it is not that the hui cuisine did not appear, but that the people who cooked and ate the dishes fell, right? Too much for it".
Linyuan envied the fish, and the complaint was a bit heavy. However, I don't want to and don't have to correct it.
Speaking of Geng Fuxing's trip, a table to eat, Chengdong Dao held the scene, invited out of the Chinese chef chat. Zhang surname, about 50 Xu, a local, has been standing on the stove for 30 years. People are extremely generous and have to answer questions. Asked him to take the dish, he said that the most proud thing is to make river fresh river fresh, such as unicorn mandarin fish, phoenix mandarin fish. I asked if I could pick two simple demonstrations that could be ordered on the menu, but I gladly agreed and allowed me to enter the back hall to observe the scene.
Grape fish, a blue fish weighing about four or five pounds can only be made into two portions. Remove the head and tail to take the middle, remove the bone of the slice of meat, leave the skin knife, pat the powder and fry it, and finally mix the juice to pour the lid. Extremely skilled. The color is clean and full, soft and sweet, it is really a good dish.
Previously, I went to Suzhou Wumen's house to specifically order su bang signature squirrel cinnamon fish, the price is not cheap, and it feels slightly sweet. This grape fish technique is actually similar, but the form is simplified, and the taste is more natural and middle-of-the-road. From this, you can also glimpse the intersection of Yanjiang cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine again.
The most brilliant thing is the raw fried fish cake. Fish garden shrimp cake, originally used in Jiangnan place, soup stew, are all in the kitchen. Yuan Laocaizi mentioned shrimp cake twice in the "Suiyuan Food List", a little detailed -
"If the shrimp are pounded and fried, it is a shrimp cake."
"Raw shrimp meat, a little salt onion, peppercorns, sweet wine feet, add water and noodles, sesame oil burns through."
Master Zhang's raw fried fish shredded cake is somewhat similar, but the fish meat is not the usual diced or beaten, but diced and pulped, hand-patted and molded, and then fried over low heat to make a slight yellow. Sprinkle a little minced ham and chopped green vegetables on the cake to add color and flavor. Serve with a small plate of tomato sauce and salt and pepper, and choose the taste as you like. This dish is both fire-working, see kung fu, has style, and has to be admired. Master Zhang said that Geng Fuxing's old shop, no other family made this dish, even the Hefei branch also covered queru. I was a little stuffy, but helpless.
If someone re-orders the "Chinese Recipe • (Anhui)" in the future, it is recommended that the raw fried fish cake be added.
The end
Geng Fuxing was on fire, and it was gratifying. Looking at news reports, many foreign merchants have asked to join and open chain stores, but they have been rejected. This is particularly congratulatory.
I also heard a friend I knew well say that after Geng Fuxing became popular, diners flocked to him, and the supply exceeded demand. The staff in the store was enthusiastic because of their pride and took the initiative to work overtime, but the person in charge judged the situation and strictly limited the overtime time to ensure the energy of the service. I listened in a moment of silence. It was like a raw fried fish cake that made me feel sad, and the Hefei branch could not eat it. I thought about it, and I must have smashed the signboard because I didn't want to lower the standard. Then, it is also a good thing that you can't eat, and it is a blessing for a real foodie.
A bowl of shrimp seed noodles made Geng Fuxing famous. But this bowl of shrimp noodles carries a hundred years of hardships, honor and humiliation and perseverance, and is as vast and permanent as the river water, right?
And for foodies like me, I am very hopeful that an old brand like Geng Fuxing can always maintain its life. I don't want it to be completely wrapped up in the fast-paced outside world like some other old brands I've seen, losing its subtlety and calmness. I always feel that Chinese has its own unique noble temperament in catering, which is not in the nobility of ingredients and the luxury of consumption, but in its understanding of time and the reconciliation of heaven and earth. This is a spell that uses static braking and one thousand to control ten thousand, busy and idle, people and things, inside and outside, can be digested and balanced in a plate of small dots, a red bream or a cup of clear tea. I hope that the guest who sits down at Geng Fuxing's square table is not restless after watching "The Tip of the Tongue" or holding a street distribution promo - he just happens to be a little idle, and the soup color of the shrimp noodles or the freshness of the raw fried fish cake moves a little nostalgically, and he wants to talk to his friends or go in a daze, so he walks in.
The old man of Zhitang once complained that he had been wandering in Beijing for ten years and had never eaten a good snack. My wish for Geng Fuxing is that his old man can step in without any trouble, sit down, hold a cup of tea and idly say to the juniors——
"In addition to the necessary things for daily use, there must be a little useless play and pleasure to make life interesting." We look at the sunset, look at the autumn river, look at the flowers, listen to the rain, smell the incense, drink wine that does not quench our thirst, eat snacks that do not seek to be full, all of which are necessary in life - although they are useless decorations, and the more refined, the better. ”
Shhh tang http://www.douban.com/people/xutang/
