Suzhou is near the sea and the lake, rich in products and the beauty of drinking and eating, and has long been famous. Su Zimei said: Wu Zhong"Nagisa tea wild brew, enough to sell worries; lettuce rice crab, enough to be palatable." "Regardless of the dishes and snacks, Sudi is a family of its own, with outstanding characteristics. If it is one of the components of Suzhou's long-standing culture, and makes Suzhou's charm to Chinese and foreign people more, it will also be approved by people. Another source of information and hearings and witnesses on Sioux cuisine from ancient times to the present day is appended into this manuscript, and the errors are corrected by those who pray for them.
Around Kinchang
The Jinchang area was once the most prosperous area in Suzhou, and the restaurants were also the most concentrated. With the stone road as the center, north to Bantang, south to The Main Road, two to Sanliu Bay, east over the suspension bridge to the West Central City Gao Bridge, restaurants, noodle restaurants, taverns, tea houses, food stalls, dotted with dots.
The "Yanyue Building" at the three forks of the stone road specializes in Beijing cuisine, and the diners are mostly official people. Opposite the "YiChangfu" is the Su bang restaurant, mainly for the business community and the Sixiang Ke gang. The "Daqing Lou" and "Xin Taihe" located in Ade Bridge are also Subang restaurants, and the frozen chicken in the "Daqing Lou" is particularly popular.
Huiguan has "Tianxin Building" and "Liuyi Building", which are good at clearing the back of the eel and boiling the water. Then there are the dried silk and pork of the "Jingjiang Pavilion" opposite the post office, the raw stir-fried beef shredded beef of the "Halal Pavilion" of Yaojia Nongkou, the Changshu Qinchuan "Songhua Lou" that once served the chicken, and the "Gongdelin" of the vegetarian restaurant, all with their own flavors.
The noodle shop has "near the water platform" and "Gathering new year". Sanitary porridge shops from late at night to early morning to provide chicken porridge, ham porridge, lotus heart porridge, etc., no less than dozens of dim sum shops, there are 40 or 50 large and small tea houses that also sell crab shell yellow and raw fried steamed buns, and it is even more difficult to count the rice stalls scattered in the streets and alleys.
Braised meat noodles
Small ravioli
"Eat the Road to Linton"
At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the People's Republic, the name of "Eating Linton Road" was popular, and the area was quite lively because there were many silk loom rooms in the eastern half of the city before the opening of Guanqian Street around 1930.
From the cross-Tang Bridge to the south through Lindun Bridge to Gujiaqiao, the restaurant has "LaoTongyuan", "Xinxing Garden", "Tianhexiang", "Tianxingyuan" and five or six other large and small hotels, noodle restaurants, cake dumpling shops, soup dumpling wonton shops and cake shops, almost a dozen households have a pot, as well as tea shops, sugar shops, delicatessens, tea house hotels... Form a street full of colors to eat and drink. After the widening of Guanqian Street and the development of the North Bureau, Linton Road gradually declined.
Su-style pastries
North Bureau Eunuch Lane
The North Bureau was gradually developed only later. Originally, the east, south and north sides of the North Bureau were all earthen mounds, and in 1911, a youth association (now the New Art Cinema) was built in the north, and then canteens, bathrooms, movies and other equipment were successively established.
Founded in 1912, the Eunuch Lane has pavilions and pavilions, rockeries and bamboo, which is a typical tea house in Jiangnan and a base camp for various snacks. Until a few years before the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the eunuch lane only had the "Gongdelin Branch" and another Wanxing Pavilion that operated noodles. When the War of Resistance Broke Out, the downtown area of Shilu was bombed by Japanese aircraft, and the shops were scattered with rubble, although they were gradually restored soon, but they were not what they used to be.
And in the city of Shanghai in the original concession and four townships there are many people moved to Suzhou, the North Bureau and its surrounding market for a while deformed prosperity, restaurants have been newly opened Sanwu, Weiya, Shanghai Lao Zhengxing, Beiping Lao Zhengxing, Suzhou Lao Zhengxing, as well as Dadong Porridge Shop, New New Cuisine Restaurant, Dachun Lou noodle Shop, plus the original Hongxing Pavilion, Gongdelin Vegetarian Restaurant, as well as other hotels, delicatessens, vendors, called a complete variety of food, and from morning to late at night there are cooked food to eat. The phrase "eat the eunuchs" became popular at that time.
"Hanging Soup"
In the old society, it was not what the restaurant sold to eat, but what the customer ordered in the restaurant, and the gentry and merchants were more proficient in eating and drinking, and they were very picky. Although "mirin" and MSG have become popular, chefs only use them occasionally, but try to cook famous dishes that are more mellow than MSG.
They are particular about the timing of the selection of materials, such as "small summer yellow eel white dew eel, autumn equinox osmanthus cold dew ball (that is, female crab in September)". Several large-scale restaurants, with their own warehouses, directly to the place of origin, such as chicken, duck, fish, eel, are all live and slaughtered. In terms of operation, there is a set of processes and techniques that have been deactivated.
Red bean small lantern
For example, "hanging soup" is to boil chicken, duck, leg meat and other raw materials, use chicken mushrooms and other hanging soup water, and then put into the tank with a low flame to burn until the essence is exhausted, fresh and mellow, the soup is clear to the bottom. The soup thus hung is called "broth", and the connoisseur is also called "clear soup". The soup for boiling hooves and bacon is put into another pot for the lower-priced soup dishes.
Stock
"Broth" is the magic weapon of the coal stove master, such as "Songhe Tower" Chen Aba and other famous teachers, when listed, must prepare a bowl of "broth", which is then added with ham skin and other good ingredients, stewed on the side of the stove for later. Grilled fish dishes are sometimes specially boiled with fish bones and fish heads. Therefore, there is a saying in the industry that "the cavity of singing, the soup of the chef".
"Mother Oil Boat Duck"
Some other spices are also very exquisite, such as the mother oil used in the "mother oil boat duck" is made of pure soybeans as raw materials, after three volts of sun dew, until the late autumn extraction, fresh alcohol is abnormal. Su bang restaurants also often prepare many charcoal-based cylinders, the casserole pots are loaded with the main and auxiliary spices, the edge of the pot lid is gluten paper paste, and the outside is covered to prevent gas loss, and placed on the charcoal-based cylinder for half a day. When the lid is lifted and served, the fragrance is overflowing, the original soup is mellow and delicious, how can it not make customers want to eat it next time? The kitchen of the other restaurant is generally a bright stove, which is not isolated from the mouth of the church, although there is more smoke and dust, but what chef cooks what dishes, customers often look at it from the mouth of the hall, which also strengthens the chef's sense of responsibility for operation.
"Catfish soup"
"Catfish lung soup" (actually the liver of spotted fish) is an autumn delicacy, but the original reputation is ordinary, and the gill lungs in the soup are easy to stiffen and inconspicuous. Before the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, once Xu Mou, a Suzhou businessman, went to Mudu with Xiao Shuangzhu and dined at the Shijia Restaurant, and there was catfish lung soup in the order. Xiao Shuangzhu, who came from a scholarly apartment, taught the unique secret of the "Tangzi Dish" to the boss Shi Monk after the meal, she said: First soak the catfish lung with shaved flower water, see that the two sides of the catfish lung are elastic, take out the water and rinse it, and then put in the boiling broth, so that the catfish lung will appear full and tender in the mouth. Later, the Shijia Hotel did the same, and it was indeed quite attractive. After the 1927 poem given by Yu Ren (that is, "The old osmanthus blossoms in the world, watching the flowers walk all over the Taihu Lake, returning to the boat wood to duffle The Record, thank you Shijia Catfish Lung Soup") book plaque, and Li Gen's inscription, the reputation of the catfish lung soup has been greatly enhanced, and its value has doubled.
Catfish lung soup
"Kou Ding Pot Soup"
Speaking of the "Old Tongyuan" Kouding Pot Soup, the top mushroom in the Authentic Zhangjiakou Ding Temple area is selected. Before use, soak in rice wine, rinse and brush off the sediment. Soaked rice wine and water, precipitated and skimmed, still thrown into the soup. When the soup is boiling, the pot with sesame oil is put in, and it is served immediately, and it also makes a "squeaking" sound. This dish is fresh and crispy, the meat is elastic, and although the price is more expensive than others, it is still popular.
Similar to this, there is tomato and shrimp pot soup, in 1937 Chen Guofu was fond of this dish, specially named it "the first dish in the world". He believed that "chickens have courage, are good at resisting enemies, and have the virtue of being in a group; shrimp can bend and stretch, know how to hide in and out; pots are hard; tomatoes are full of irritation", all of which were needed by the people in the situation of strong enemy invasion at that time. Chen wrote a poem for this purpose: "It is the first dish in the world, and the color, sound, fragrance and fragrance are all complete." The guests were originally not dedicated to the mouth, self-should and entertain the eyes, ears and nose. This dish is not expensive and can be substituted for swallow ear or shark fin. Tomato pot chicken and shrimp, not only sweet but also more stomach. Dry and wet and wet, Chinese and foreign water and land products. Courage can go to the enemy to bend and stretch, because of things can especially grow ambition. I solemnly propagate it today, and I do not forget to share my desires at every meal. (See Ming Pao, January 10, 1937) Since then, the name "the world's first dish" has become popular.
Boat dishes
Boat dishes are worth a lot more than ordinary famous restaurants. It is designed for certain high-consumption guests, using the best raw materials at the right time and freshly made on board. "The boat style is light and exquisite, which is different from the magnificent and rich official cuisine" ("Wuzhong Recipe") "All kinds of dishes are cooked separately, so the true taste is not lost." The priests are all women, and those who are also cooks are made into various fresh fruits or animals" ("Suzhou Customs") Boat points are made into various fresh fruits or animals.
In the old days, there were often several flower boats moored under the Du monk bridge and the Guangji Bridge, some boats were about one zhang wide, two zhangs long, mahogany carved railings, marble inlays, and the boats could be used for two meals, such as: Chinese food four powders, four sides and two snacks, eight cold pots, four hot stir-fry, six small bowls; dinner is four six four, two meals cost about five or six yuan each (rice price seven yuan a stone). Taller than the restaurant.
1935 Stone Lake boat dish. Photo by Gu Gongshuo
In addition, there are often seven or eight large and small clippers moored on the banks of the Zhangxumen River, which are prepared for customers to visit the graves and travel in the spring, and light meals are also served on board. On the occasion of spring and autumn and fragrant floods, tourists from this port and other places often have boating and feasting, which is also the time when boat dishes are popular. Especially on the 17th and 18th days of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the annual spring bridge above the mountain is a moon-stringing wonder, and large and small light boats, clipper boats, and passenger ships shuttle on the blue waves, and each boat competes to dedicate their hands, and the dishes are colorful, which is the peak period of boat dishes. However, due to the turmoil in the old times, the price of boat dishes is also more expensive, and the objects of consumption are less and less, and boat dishes are gradually transplanted from the water to restaurants and bookstores. Cruise ships gradually changed careers and disappeared, and ship dishes declined. Although the "Crane Garden" restaurant once took the authentic Su gang boat dish as the call, and launched dozens of exquisite boat dishes such as crab paste hoof tendons, chicken and duck husband and wife, but soon the "Crane Garden" was closed, and the boat dishes disappeared.
Vegetarian restaurant
Suzhou's first vegetarian restaurant "Gongdelin Vegetable Food Office" was founded in 1926, located in the south of Ade Bridge outside the Gate, the owner He Guifang, Ningbo people, believe in Buddhism, and get to know more gentlemen and merchants. The shop sells vegetarian noodles in the morning, vegetarian dishes in the middle and late, because of the exquisite quality, the business is very good. Later, in the city eunuch lane, opened the "Gongdelin" branch, with a bowl of vegetarian noodles to open the situation. In 1931, another "Three Six Zhai" sprang up in the eunuch Lane of Gongxiang, and before the war, there was also the "Jue Garden" opened by Chen Dekuan, who was born in Yangzhou, but it was maintained for a long time.
Gluten, beans, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots are known as the "four diamonds" in the vegetarian material. In the past, around the Qingming Festival, there were sugar mushrooms, small and round, tender and crisp, mostly produced in the Attached Guo Zhushan Mountains, which were fried into "osmanthus sugar mushrooms", which is a unique treasure of Wudi vegetarian cuisine. The names and shapes of the dishes in the vegetarian restaurant are mostly imitated by meat dishes, and the image is realistic.
In addition, "the temple is vegetarian, and it is often used in vegetable oil, sesame oil, bamboo shoot oil, and occasionally japanese flavor, which is unique." The Buddhist temple in the city is close to the capital Ru meat, so the vegetarian zhai is also very few experts, and in the old days, Baoji Temple was the most, but it was not as good as the Xuan tomb mountain Sheng'en Temple, which had mountain vegetables to taste" (Wuzhong Recipe). Qimen blocked the Bridge under the pond of ruilian nunnery, the old and precious and tilian, every summer, the lotus appreciators are very large, the monks often prepare vegetarian food, the flavor is light and elegant, better than the city.
Wai Bang Restaurant
Among the foreign restaurants, huiguan is the largest number, which is related to the considerable position of hui merchants in Suzhou. On December 18, 1929, the "Great Guangming Bao" carried an article saying that "there are no less than dozens of Emblem Halls (including Lidian), and their business is also developed ... In Hui cuisine, if you cook rolls, if you braised head and tail, if you stir-fry shredded meat with winter shoots, they are all delicious, and their cooking method is unparalleled. There is a color of 'Three Niang Godsons' (that is, fried shrimp meat in the snow, and shrimp under it) is also a good play in the Huiguan, and most of the dishes in the Cover Emblem are named after the drama." Hui restaurants sell noodles at the same time, such as braised noodles, butterfly noodles, pot noodles, etc., which also have unique flavors. Jingbang Restaurant is good at frying, slipping, bursting and stir-frying, and many techniques are gradually absorbed by Subang cuisine.
Stir-fried shredded meat with winter shoots and snow vegetables
Braised noodles
Guangbang has the "Guangnan Residence" opened in 1920, the three winter business should be supper, and a duck pot rice is popular; but like Zhenjiang and Changshu, it has little impact in Suzhou. As far as the Sichuan Restaurant is known, only the "Jiuhua Lou Ruiji" Jingchuan Restaurant opened in Adey Bridge in 1926 is only a part-time operation.
Western cuisine in the late Qing Dynasty, there is a "one-pin coriander restaurant" on the main road outside the Zhangmen Gate. Later, some Su bang restaurants also began to absorb some of the advantages of Western cuisine, such as "the city restaurant is creative, every new method, such as tomato fish fillet, curry chicken cubes, slightly Europeanized, quite delicious, a moment of imitation of the walkers almost all over the city" (see "Wuzhong Recipes"). After that, the number of Western restaurants has further increased, including the "Freedom Farm" on Orchid Street, the "Grand Hotel" outside the Gate, and the "Sullivan" at the ping'an Fangkou of Guanqian Street.
Diced chicken curry
Tomato fillets
Su-style snacks
Suzhou's snacks are famous. There is an empty space of about 3,000 square meters around the ruins of the "Miluo Treasure Pavilion" behind the Sanqing Hall of Xuanmiaoguan, where all kinds of small food vendors and various jugglers occupy a place, and snacks alternate throughout the year, with meat, sweet, dry and wet, hot and cold, all readily available.
Raw fried steamed buns
The perennial supply includes chicken and duck blood soup, spiced pork ribs, crystal soup dumplings, tofu paste, plum blossom cake, begonia cake, millet sugar, soup fried noodles, small steamed buns, soup dumplings, wontons, fried buns, lotus flour balls, eight treasure rice, raw fried steamed buns, crab shell yellow, tin-style small meat noodles, baked crispy beans, etc. At the same time, spring rolls, mung bean soup, lentil cakes, cold powder, cold noodles, oil-fermented fermentation, bag dumplings, gluten stuffed meat, thousand buns, sugar fried millet, copper pot diamonds, sauce snails and so on.
Marinade dried beans
Some of these famous varieties are still nostalgic to the elderly. Such as crystal soup balls, raw blanks are slightly smaller than soup balls, the filling is lard sugar, the skin is thin and the filling is heavy, in the oil pot to golden, transparent like crystal, hence the name. When the running hall is served on the table, it is necessary to repeatedly greet: "Don't be anxious to eat, first bite through a small bite and eat slowly."
Frustrated soup balls
One of the lost varieties must not be mentioned, that is, the "Zhou Wanxing" rice bee cake at the mouth of Gongxiang Tiaofeng Lane, which claims to be a "hundred-year-old shop" and "made according to ancestral secrets" (see March 28, 1934, Ming Pao) "The reed cake is loose and soft, the entrance is sweet, and when it first comes out of the steamer, the cake is round and large as a plate." If you want to sell it separately, the method of cutting cakes is not to be cut with a knife but to solve it with a line, because its quality is too loose. ...... As for the method of making cakes, according to Yun, half of the glutinous japonica rice is washed and dried, ground into fine powder, and fermented with wine, which is steamed and cooked in a cage. At that time, there were several imitations of this cake, and some people even paid for their neighbors, "every night the caves peeped together." However, the imitation of the cake will inevitably have a fermented taste, and the taste will be sour in the evening, while the cake of "Zhou Wanxing" "although it is separated by several days, the quality is slightly firm but the taste remains unchanged." However, before the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the quality of the rice bee cake made by the son-in-law of the "Zhou Wanxing" shop owner declined day by day, and the business finally closed its doors.
"Wu Yuan is a collection of snacks, and many boutiques... The color of the ribs of the peculiar taste of Zhai has been extraordinary" ("Wuzhong Recipe") There are dozens of snacks such as white sugar osmanthus lotus heart porridge, rice dumplings (which can be wrapped in sweet and salty fine ingredients), self-sugar rose bag dumplings, mint lentil cakes, lotus heart small yuan, sweet and salty dou cake and so on. "Ham dumplings and sandwich dumplings are also famous dim sum, with less rice and more filling, and the cooking is very bad, almost like eight treasure rice." ("Wuzhong Recipe") The elderly often have to buy a few to take home.
All kinds of cake dumplings
In addition to the shop stalls, there are also countless shoulder-to-shoulder vendors, walking through the streets and alleys, hawking food. The most local characteristic is the "camel burden", often in a fixed time to come to the deep alley, knocking on the bamboo pole, calling on the old customers to come to buy a variety of sweet and salty small food, and the quality is good, when people commented: "Wonton dumplings, are better than the bearers." (Wuzhong Recipes)
In the past, Suzhou people were very particular about eating noodles in the morning, and the rich and diverse varieties of flowers and the crisp and depressed Wu Nong soft language in the shouts of the hall made you feel kind and comfortable.
With the outbreak of civil war, prices soared and hundreds of industries withered. On October 15, 1948, the Restaurant Association presented the Wu County Chamber of Commerce and said: "The member stores came to report that rice, flour, vegetable oil, and rice firewood could not be purchased, so that more than half of them had been forced to close their businesses. The rest of the stores will run out of oil, rice, and firewood, and it will be impossible for the city to maintain it. Even the so-called "Songhe Tower", "Yichangfu", "Guan Zhenxing" and "Zhu Hongxing", which are known to have strong strength, have also lost a lot of money at this time and are sitting still. Finally, in the anticipation of all the people, the "spring" has arrived...