Four Regional Flavors of Su Cuisine (Part 1)

Jiangsu cuisine is mainly composed of four local flavors, such as Huaiyang (Huai'an, Yangzhou), Jinling (Nanjing), Suxi (Suzhou, Wuxi), and Xuhai (Xuzhou, Lianyungang).

Huaiyang cuisine is centered on Yangzhou, including Zhenjiang and Lianghuai regions. Since the Sui Dynasty Emperor opened the Grand Canal until the Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou was the hub of China's north-south transportation, the economic and cultural center of the southeast at that time, an important commercial port for foreign trade, a necessary place for successive emperors to tour or play in the south, and a place where rich merchants often came and went. Yangzhou in the Tang Dynasty was a "party metropolis" of "the crown of the world", there are "waist wrapped around 100,000 guan, riding cranes under Yangzhou", the economy was prosperous at that time, it can be described as "a thousand lights in the night market illuminating the clouds, high-rise buildings with red sleeves". The Ming Dynasty's "Yangzhou Fu Zhi" records that "Yangzhou food is luxurious, exquisitely made, the city is wanton, and the river watch is exaggerated". Yangzhou has historically been the key to the north and south, so in its dishes taste to absorb the characteristics of the south sweet and northern salty, forming its own salty and sweet moderate characteristics, the taste adaptability is wide, its influence is far-reaching.

Huaiyang cuisine has a long history, fine knife work, good at making freshwater products such as river fresh and chicken, meat dishes, full of characteristics, pay attention to fire, good at stewing, stewing, simmering and other cooking methods, the taste is salty and sweet moderate, light and delicious, good at melon and fruit carving, is an important part of Jiangsu cuisine.

Jinling cuisine is centered on Nanjing, good at stewing, stewing and other cooking methods, mainly mellow taste, known for duck food, freshwater products made of dishes rich and colorful, exquisite and delicate dishes, halal dishes are unique, Confucius Temple snacks are rich in variety. Nanjing has a long history, according to historical records, more than 2400 years ago, in the late Spring and Autumn Period, the Yue King destroyed Wu, Fan Li built a small city outside the Zhonghua Gate of present-day Nanjing called YueCheng, and later Chu died in Yue, and in 333 BC, it was renamed Jinling. After Sun Quan established the capital at the end of the Three Kingdoms, the economy was prosperous at that time, and the rich people of Jinling "wore jade food" and paid great attention to diet. Moreover, "hook bait and net-to-pop" ("Wu Dufu") also shows that its fishery is developed and freshwater products are abundant.

The "Seven Wonders of Jiankang" recorded in the Northern Song Dynasty Tao Gu's "Qing Yilu" Zhongyun "Jinling, Scholar Master Yuanxue, Family Affairs Ding Bell". Li Yu, the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty, sent Gu Hongzhong to inspect Han Xizai's night banquet, and painted the famous long scroll "Han Xizai's Night Banquet Map", which is a true portrayal of the Jinling family banquet at that time. "Seven Wonders of Jiankang" Yun: "There are seven wonders: the noodles can be illuminated, the wonton soup can be injected, the cakes can be reflected, the rice can be wiped on the table, the wet noodles can be worn with knots, the vinegar can be used as a persuasion cup, and the cold chewers can alarm the people of ten miles." That is, chopped and mashed pickled sauerkraut, evenly cleaned like a mirror can shine on the human face; Wonton soup is clear enough to be used in the ink; The cake is as thin as a cicada wing and can be seen through it the following words; Rice is cooked in clear grains, flexible and strong; Reconciled noodles, tendons as strong as skirts, knots are also constant; The vinegar is so mellow that it can be used as wine; the steamed bun is crisp and crisp to chew, which can alarm people within ten miles.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, the Jinling food market was prosperous, and Du Mu's poem "Bo Qinhuai" said: "Smoke cage cold water cage sand at night, night berth Qinhuai near the restaurant." It shows that there are not only daytime downtowns but also night market restaurants. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jiangning restaurants were revitalized, and in August of the twenty-seventh year of Ming Hongwu (1394), 15 new restaurants were built in Nanjing, which showed that the food market was prosperous and the Qinhuai River boat banquet was prevalent, the Nanjing Confucius Temple was even more prosperous, the snack vendors were lined up, restaurants, snack shops, and tea houses were lined up one after another, and the supply was varied and colorful.

The reputation of Nanjing's culinary heavenly kitchen began in the Six Dynasties, such as the representative of the Six Dynasties Heavenly Kitchen - Yu of Nanjing. He is good at seasoning, and the miscellaneous dishes he makes are very delicious, better than the meals of the palace officials, and he is known as the heavenly chef.

Nanjing cuisine is especially famous for duck dishes, which are well-known at home and abroad. There are many duck dishes in Nanjing, such as brine duck, yellow braised duck, wrapped fried duck, roasted duck, juiced duck, etc., and the first saltwater duck.

The "Jinling Trivia" written by Chen Zuolin of the Qing Dynasty recorded: "The duck is not produced by Jinling. Rate in Tai Bo, Gao Youjian to take it. Thousands of herds cross the river to the south, and the pond is filled with livestock. It is edible in about ten fattening. Kill its hair, raw the cities, called 'crystal ducks'; Raise the fork to burn, the skin is not scorched, called 'roast duck'; apply sauce to the skin, cook to make the taste thorough, called 'sauce duck'; And they are not as good as the 'brine duck' as the supreme product, light and purposeful, fat but not thick; In the winter, it is salted, and it is called a plate duck for a long time, and people from afar like to buy it as a gift. All the ducks in the city, except for the 'crystal duck', have their wings and feet amputated, probe their jaws, and retail their livers, called four pieces'. It can be seen from this that as early as the Qing Dynasty, the brine duck was known for its "supreme product" of "light and purposeful, fat but not thick", and was the leader of Nanjing duck food.

The Nanjing plate duck has lost a few points of its umami taste due to a long period of pickling, but for those who have not tasted this taste in other places, they still lose their temptation, and it is easy to carry, and people who travel to Nanjing on business like to buy gifts. Brine ducks have all four seasons, but the autumn osmanthus blossoms are the most fertile, at this time the new duck is on the market, the skin white flesh is fine, tender and abnormal, excellent quality, commonly known as osmanthus duck. Brine duck selection is exquisite, the procedure is strict, to go through salting, re-brine, hanging blank, soup pot and other processes. There is a recipe: "Rub the hot salt, clean the brine, blow dry, burn thoroughly, the skin and white flesh are tender and fragrant." Nanjing duck, in addition to the above, has developed to a duck to eat more, a wide variety of varieties, such as brine duck gizzard delicious and flexible, the more chewy the more flavor; The fried duck loin is tender and abnormal; the braised duck palm has a different taste; Duck hearts, duck blood, etc. can also be eaten.

To be continued...

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