Chinese food culture is broad and profound, with a long history. Due to different tastes and regions, many genres of dishes have emerged during the cooking process. Among them, the most influential and representative are: Lu cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Fujian cuisine, Su cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Hui cuisine and other cuisines, that is, people often call China's "eight major cuisines". The "Eight Major Cuisines" plus Chu cuisine and Gan cuisine are combined into the "Ten Major Cuisines". The other four flavor dishes are: Lu cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine. The formation of a cuisine is inseparable from its development history, food culture and unique culinary characteristics. Predecessors described the "eight major cuisines" in an anthropomorphic way as follows: Su cuisine and Zhejiang cuisine are like elegant and beautiful Jiangnan women; Lu cuisine and Anhui cuisine are like thick and simple northern heroes; Cantonese and Fujian cuisine are like the amorous princes of grace and elegance; Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine are the celebrities who learn to be rich and rich. China's "Top Ten Cuisines" cooking techniques are unique, and their dishes have their own characteristics.
Characteristics of Su cuisine
The selection of materials is rigorous, the production is exquisite, the taste is moderate, and the four seasons are distinct. In the cooking technology, it is good at stewing, stewing, stewing, nesting, roasting, stir-frying, and paying attention to the soup, maintaining the original juice, fresh flavor, adapting to a wide range, thick but not greasy, light and not thin, crisp and boneless, smooth and crisp. Su cuisine, also known as Jiangsu cuisine, began in the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Su cuisine became one of the two pillars of "southern food". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the development of Su cuisine along the canal from north to south and along the Yangtze River from east to west was more rapid. The geographical advantages of the coast have expanded the influence of Su cuisine at home and abroad.
History of Su cuisine
Jiangsu cuisine has a long history and a wide variety of categories. It is here that our country's first professional chef to leave a name and the first city named after a chef's surname. According to legend, Peng Hao, also known as Peng Zu, once made pheasant soup for Emperor Yao to eat, and was named the Great Peng Kingdom, which is today's Xuzhou. In the Xia Yu era, "Huaiyi tribute fish" was a tribute until the Ming and Qing dynasties. "The beauty of the dish, the essence of the district", the Taihu Lake good vegetables and leeks in the Shang Tang period have ascended to the elegant hall. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Yi Ya of the State of Qi had passed on his art in Xuzhou, and the "Fish Belly Tibetan Mutton" created by him has been passed down through the ages and is the original of the word "fresh". Specializing in the Thorn Wu King, he studied "whole fish moxibustion" at Yamato College in Taihu Lake, one of which is the "squirrel mandarin fish" in the songhe tower in Suzhou. Liu An, the king of Huainan in the Han Dynasty, invented tofu on the Bagong Mountain, which was first circulated in the Suzhou and Anhui regions. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty chased the people to the seashore and found that the fishermen's "fish intestines" tasted very beautiful, and the Ming Emperor during the Southern Song Dynasty also loved this food. In fact, the "fish intestine" is the white ovary of the squid fish. When the famous doctor Hua Tuo practiced medicine in Jiangsu, he and his Jiangsu disciple Wu Jin both advocated "cremation" cooked food, that is, food therapy. Emperor Xiao Yan of Liangwu believed in Buddhism and advocated vegetarianism, using gluten as a dish. Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty has the saying of "five zhi", which has a great impact on Jiangsu edible mushrooms. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the Wu monk Zanning composed the "Bamboo Shoot Spectrum", summarizing the experience of eating bamboo shoots. Tofu, gluten, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms are known as the "four kongs" of vegetarian dishes. The origin of these cuisines is related to Jiangsu. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the "Heavenly Kitchen" of Nanjing could make dozens of dishes with a melon, and a dish could make dozens of flavors. In addition, pickled salted eggs and cucumbers made with sauce have been recorded in the classics since 1500 years ago.
Sui and Tang Dynasty Songjiang's "Golden Dragon Jade Crab", Sugar Ginger Honey Crab, Suzhou's Linglong Peony, Yangzhou's Wisps, are all exquisitely shaped fancy dishes. The staple food and dim sum of Su cuisine were known as the "Seven Wonders of Health" in the fifth generation. Its rice grains are clear, soft and not rotten, can be wiped on the table; noodles are tough and tough, can be worn into a belt and continuously; the cake is thin and transparent, can reflect the characters; the wonton soup is clear, can be injected with ink; the steamed bun is both fragrant and crisp, "chewing to alarm the people of ten miles", which shows the exquisite skill. Since the Song Dynasty, the taste of Su cuisine has changed greatly. It turns out that the southern people's dishes are salty and the northern dishes are sweet, and the fish and crabs that pay tribute to Chang'an and Luoyang in Jiangnan should add sugar and honey. The Song Dynasty crossed the city of Hangcheng in the south, and a large number of scholars and doctors from the Central Plains went south, bringing the influence of the flavor of the Central Plains. Su and Xi's sweetness today is indiscriminately coveted. In addition, during the Tang and Song dynasties, especially since the Jin Yuan, there were more and more Muslims in Jiangsu, and the Su cuisine was influenced by halal cuisine, and the cooking was more colorful. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Su cuisine has been influenced by many local flavors. In the past, Wu WangFucha and Sui Dynasty Emperors feasted and drank on boats, and the emperors who enjoyed dragon boats enjoyed boat dishes, and at this time, as a means for merchants to make profits, they could also be tasted by ordinary people.
Wild vegetables are served in large quantities, Jiangsu people have the name of "eating grass", Gaoyou Wang Pan has monographs, and Wu Cheng'en also reflects it in "Journey to the West". The Manchu cuisine has been added to the Jiangnan cuisine, and there is a "Manchu Full Table". In the drink, the fragrance emerges. In "Dream of the Red Chamber", Baoyu's wood incense dew, Dong Xiaowan's handmade rose incense lotion, and the incense lotion sold by Tiger Hill Mountain Pond are all delicacies that nourish the spirit and nourish the body at that time, and can make people's teeth and cheeks stay fragrant. In addition to the restaurant, a large number of tea houses have appeared, and the tea style has been more prosperous since Qianlong. After 1840, Western food appeared in the treaty port, and there were restaurants that combined Chinese and Western. According to the "Qing Barnyard Banknotes" compiled by Xu Ke of Hangzhou, "each has its own characteristics, such as Jingshi, Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangning, Suzhou, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, huai'an." "Half of the ten famous cities are in Jiangsu." Su cuisine is composed of three major local flavor dishes: Huaiyang, Suxi and Xuhai, with Huaiyang cuisine as the main body. Huaiyang is located in central Suzhou, east to Haiqitong Taiyanfu, west to Jinling Liuhe, south and Jingkou Jintan, north to Lianghuai. Huaiyang cuisine is characterized by rigorous selection of ingredients, pay attention to knife and fire, emphasize the original taste, highlight the main ingredients, light and elegant color, novel shape, moderate salt and sweet, peaceful taste, so the adaptation surface is wider. In terms of cooking techniques, the method of stewing, stewing, simmering and simmering is mostly used. Among them, Nanjing cuisine is famous for cooking duck dishes, Zhenjiang cuisine and Yangzhou cuisine are known for cooking chicken dishes and river dishes, and its fine points are won by fermented noodles, hot pastries and puff pastry noodles. Suxi cuisine includes Suzhou and Wuxi, west to Changshu, east to Shanghai, Songjiang, Jiading, Kunshan are all within this range. Shanghainese cuisine refers specifically to the self-proclaimed gang of Shanghainese people, not other Haipai cuisine. Su xi cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine have similarities and differences, its shrimp and crab perch, cake dumpling boat dot flavor crown the whole province, tea snacks, especially better than the other places in the Su cuisine. Its dishes pay attention to shape, pay attention to beauty, gorgeous colors, white juice stew unique, both bad bright red yeast flavor, food has a strange fragrance; the taste is sweet, especially in Wuxi. Thick but not greasy, light but not thin, crisp and boneless without losing its shape, smooth and tender and crisp without losing its taste. Xuhai cuisine is originally close to qilu flavor, meat is used in five animals, and aquatic products are won by seafood. The dishes are rich in color, salty in taste, and they are still five spices, and their cooking skills are mostly boiled, fried, fried, etc. In recent years, all three local cuisines have developed and changed. Huaiyang cuisine has changed from peaceful to slightly sweet, seemingly under the influence of Su Xi cuisine. The taste of Suxi cuisine, especially Suzhou cuisine, has changed from sweet to peaceful, which is also influenced by Huaiyang cuisine. Xuhai cuisine is much saltier, and the color tone is also lighter and more elegant, which is on par with Huaiyang cuisine. In the entire Su cuisine, Huaiyang Lai still dominates.
Su cuisine faction
It is generally believed that Su cuisine is divided into four major factions: Jinling cuisine, which comes from Nanjing, is finely made and has a peaceful taste. Make good use of vegetables, known as "Jinling Three Grasses" (Chrysanthemum Waterlogging, Qiqi Head, Malan Head) and "Early Spring Four Wilds" (Mustard Greens, Ma Lan Head, Reed, Wild Garlic). Huaiyang cuisine, "Huai" is Huai cuisine, the Huai River Basin represented by the Huai'an area, "Yang" is Yang Cuisine, and the Yangtze River Basin represented by the Yangzhou area. Pay attention to the selection of materials and knife work, good at making soup.
Su Xi cuisine, from Suzhou, Wuxi and Changshu, is often seasoned with distiller's lees and is good at all kinds of aquatic products. Xu Hai cuisine, from Xuzhou and Lianyungang, specializes in seafood and vegetables. Su cuisine is a famous cuisine in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, covering the area of present-day Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shanghai, as well as parts of Jiangxi and Henan, because later Zhejiang cuisine, Hui cuisine with its distinctive characteristics are one of the eight major cuisines, Huaiyang cuisine converged in Jiangsu, while the culinary circles are accustomed to Huaiyang cuisine belongs to the Jiangsu regional cuisine called Jiangsu cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine in addition to Huaiyang cuisine also includes Nanjing cuisine, SuXi cuisine and Xuzhou cuisine and other local cuisines.
Huaiyang cuisine is rigorous in selection of ingredients, pay attention to freshness, the main ingredients are prominent, the knife is fine, good at stewing, stewing, burning, roasting, attaching importance to soup, paying attention to the original taste, and good at modeling, melon and fruit carving lifelike. The taste is mild and salty, suitable for both north and south, and can be cooked for "full board". Huaiyang fine point, beautiful shape, a variety of tastes, exquisite production, fresh and delicious, the four seasons are different.
Nanjing cuisine specializes in stewing, jiong, forking and roasting. Special emphasis on the seven tastes, and is famous for its good duck writing, known as "Jinling duck dumplings the world" reputation.
Su Xi cuisine is good at stewing, stewing, simmering, roasting, pay attention to maintaining the original taste, fine flower color, seasonal freshness, sweet and salty moderate, crisp and delicious. In recent years, he has also cooked "Wuxi Qianlong Jiangnan Feast", "Wuxi Xishi Feast", "Suzhou Cuisine Watch Banquet" and Taihu Lake Boat Dishes. The flavor of Xuzhou cuisine in history belongs to the Lu cuisine system, with the change of the times, its dishes have been between the two major cuisines of Suzhou and Lu, the taste is fresh and salty and moderate, the habit is still five spices, the five flavors are both revered, clear but not light, thick but not turbid. No matter what the ingredients are taken from, they pay attention to the role of "diet therapy and food supplement". In addition, Xuzhou cuisine is mostly made of crab and dog meat, especially the whole dog seat is very famous.
Famous dishes in Jiangsu include: squirrel crucian carp, Bawang Bieji, Tianmu Lake casserole fish head, Huai'an soft pocket, golden pedal fairy skirt and so on. Jiangsu dim sum is full of characteristics, such as Qinhuai snacks, Suzhou cake dumplings, soup buns, are very famous.
Huaiyang cuisine: Huaiyang cuisine is a famous cuisine in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, which covers a wide range of areas, including jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shanghai, as well as parts of Jiangxi and Henan, it has the reputation of "the best taste in southeast China" and "the most beautiful in the world", and its reputation has spread at home and abroad.
Because later Zhejiang cuisine and Hui cuisine with their distinctive characteristics are one of the eight major cuisines, Huaiyang cuisine converges in Jiangsu, and the culinary circles are accustomed to calling the Jiangsu regional cuisine to which Huaiyang cuisine belongs to Jiangsu cuisine, so that Huaiyang cuisine has become a local cuisine with Yangzhou and Huai'an as the center, the Grand Canal as the mainstay, Zhenjiang in the south, Hongze Lake and Huaihe in the north, and the coastal areas in the east. Huaiyang cuisine is rigorous in selection of ingredients, pay attention to freshness, the main ingredients are prominent, the knife is fine, good at stewing, stewing, burning, roasting, attaching importance to soup, paying attention to the original taste, and good at modeling, melon and fruit carving lifelike. The taste is mild and salty, suitable for both north and south, and can be cooked with "whole eel mat". Huaiyang fine point, beautiful shape, a variety of tastes, exquisite production, fresh and delicious, the four seasons are different.
Representative dishes are: stewed lion's head, braised silver carp head, grilled whole pig's head, steamed crucian carp, crystal hoof, three sets of ducks, soft eel, braised tiger tail, fried butterfly slices, winter melon cup, three-ding buns, emerald roasted sale, crab yellow soup buns, mille-feuille oil cake, etc. In addition to the Huaiyang cuisine mentioned above, Jiangsu cuisine also includes local cuisines such as Nanjing cuisine, Suxi cuisine and Xuzhou cuisine. Nanjing cuisine specializes in stewing, stewing, forking and roasting. Special attention is paid to the seven tastes: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, fragrant, smelly; fresh, rotten, crisp, tender, crisp, thick, fat. Nanjing cuisine is famous for its good production of duck food, known as "Jinling duck steamed world" reputation. Su Xi cuisine is good at stewing, stewing, simmering, simmering, focusing on maintaining the original taste, fine flower color, seasonal freshness, sweet and salty moderate, crisp and delicious, fresh and plump. In recent years, he has also cooked "Wuxi Qianlong Jiangnan Banquet", "Wuxi Xishi Banquet", "Suzhou Cuisine Banquet" and Taihu Lake Boat Cuisine. The flavor of Xuzhou cuisine in history belongs to the Lu cuisine, with the change of the times, its dishes have been between the two major cuisines of Su and Lu, the taste is fresh and salty and moderate, xi shang five spices, five flavors and reverence, clear but not light, thick but not turbid. No matter what the ingredients are taken from, they pay attention to the role of "diet therapy and food supplement". In addition, Xuzhou cuisine is mostly made of crab and dog meat, especially the whole dog seat is very famous.
Jiangsu famous dishes are: brine duck gizzard, stewed Su core, stewed raw knock, raw fried turtle, clove pork ribs, stewed chicken, Jinling scallops, hibiscus crucian carp, chrysanthemum blue fish, juye yuban, Jinling saltwater duck, fork roast duck, fork roasted mandarin fish (the above is Nanjing famous dishes); squirrel mandarin fish, biluo shrimp, emerald shrimp bucket, snowflake crab bucket, crab powder fish lip, butterfly sea cucumber, clear soup shark fin, fragrant fried silver fish, dyeing creek crispy eel, mirror box tofu, Wuxi meat bones, Changshu flower chicken, Changzhou bad buckle meat (the above is Su Xi dish); Bawang Bieji, Pei Gong dog meat, Pengcheng fish balls, lotus iron finch, milk soup fish skin, crab yellow fish belly, anchovy shrimp, stir-fried black flowers, red braised Gaji fish, braised sand light fish (the above is Xuzhou cuisine); Tianmu Lake casserole fish head, Huai'an soft pocket, golden webbed fairy skirt. Jiangsu dim sum is full of characteristics, such as Qinhuai snacks, Suzhou cake dumplings, soup buns, are very famous.
Jiangsu is the hometown of fish and rice, with abundant products and rich dietary resources. Famous aquatic products include Yangtze River three fresh (sturgeon, knife fish, catfish), Taihu Lake silver fish, Yangcheng Lake Clearwater hairy crab, Nanjing Longchi crucian carp and many other seafood products. Excellent vegetables include Taihu lettuce, Huai'an pucai, Baoying lotus, chestnut, chicken head meat, russet white, winter shoots, water chestnut and so on. Famous specialties include Nanjing Lake cooked duck, Nantong wolf pheasant, Yangzhou goose, Gaoyou ma duck, Nanjing fragrant belly, Rugao ham, Jingjiang meat, Wuxi oil gluten and so on.