Chapter 24 happy overlord face

"The first sound of spring thunder, springing up after the rain. Buy it with roasted pig's head, don't ask the cook, ask the old monk." I am not a person who loves poetry and poetry. I can remember this poem Qijue written by Luo Pin, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, entirely because of the delicious roasted pig's head. The first dish of Huaiyang's traditional "three-head banquet" is "grilled whole pig's head".According to legend, this dish was created by the monks of Fahai Temple in the Qing Dynasty.The first thing to do was not a whole pig's head, and the cooking utensils used were also very special.The monks at that time cut the pork head meat into one-inch square pieces like "Dongpo meat", stuffed them into an unused urinal, added various condiments and an appropriate amount of water, and closed the mouth of the pot with a wooden stopper. , and then hang the urinal on a lighted candle with a wire and slowly stew it.In this way, even if someone sees them, they will think that they are roasting to remove the smell from the urinal, and they will never think that they are cooking delicious pig's head meat.

Later, Emperor Qianlong passed by Fahai Temple on his southern tour, smelled the smell of meat, secretly visited, and discovered the secret of the monks stealing pork head meat.Lord Qianlong was furious and accused the monks of not abiding by the rules and regulations.Everyone was terrified, only one monk replied calmly that the pork head meat they cooked was not eaten by themselves, but was sold to nearby residents, so as to raise money for mounting gold on Buddha statues.After Emperor Qianlong appeased his anger, he couldn't help but taste the pork head meat. It was really delicious and full of praise.So Emperor Qianlong authorized the monks of Fahai Temple to openly sell pork head meat. Later, this pig head meat became a famous dish in Fahai Temple. ".

Knowing this allusion, we can understand the meaning of "Don't ask the cook, ask the old monk" in Luopin Qijue. The new year in March is the best time to taste roasted pig's head. As one of the most experienced diners in Yangzhou City, I will naturally not disappoint this heavenly delicacy. I live in Yangwu Lane in the east of the city.At the beginning of the year, a new restaurant opened in the alley. Although the front door is small, the taste of the "grilled whole pig's head" is really not bad.Recently, I often paced over after get off work, met two friends, ordered a roasted pig's head, and a bottle of old wine, enjoying a warm and fragrant early spring evening.

I was a little procrastinated at work that day, and I didn't have dinner until eight or nine o'clock.It was so easy to calm down, I was already hungry, so without saying anything, I went straight to the small shop. The first-time customers have dispersed, and it is almost time for a small shop like this to close.Because I am a regular customer, the boss greeted me warmly.Don't bother me to say more, he has already raised his voice and yelled in the direction of the back kitchen: "It's a roasted pig's head, hurry up..." Not long after, a shiny roasted pig's head was placed in front of me.Before the chopsticks were put down, the fragrance could not wait to waft around.

I leisurely poured myself a glass of old wine, and was about to toast for a drink, when I suddenly heard footsteps at the door, looked up, and saw a man walking into the store with his hands behind his back. This man was about fifty years old. Although he was thin and small, his waist was straight and he walked with a lean temperament.He raised his face slightly, his eyes were half-closed, but his nose was stuck up. This is an unforgettable nose. Not only is it big, but the two flaps of the nose are constantly trembling slightly.Looking at the situation, it seems that this person smelled all the way through this nose.

The boss has already stepped forward with a smile: "Are you a new customer? What do you want?" "Burning pig's head." Although the man spoke Yangzhou dialect, his accent was not very pure. "Oh, what a coincidence, today's pig heads are all sold out." The boss looked embarrassed, and pointed to my table, "That's the last one." "It doesn't smell bad. Sold out? It's a pity..." The man shook his head and sighed. I am a person who likes to make friends. Seeing him like this, I couldn't help but invite him: "Sir, if you don't dislike him, why not come and sit with me. This big pig's head is hard for me to eat alone."

The man said: "Okay!" He took two steps forward and sat down opposite me, his slightly opened eyes didn't care to look at me, and he stared straight at the pig's head. I set up the glass and wanted to pour old wine for him, but he refused with a wave of his hand: "The wine spoils the taste buds. You use it yourself." I chuckled twice: "Since that's the case, then I won't force it. But food without wine, it's a lot less fun. By the way, haven't you asked Mr. Gao's surname yet?" "Sun." The man answered absent-mindedly, his attention was clearly on the pig's head.

Since I'm also a glutton, I won't say anything else: "Come on, Brother Sun, please use it." The man picked up the chopsticks, gently stretched towards the cheek of the pig's head, and picked up a small piece of meat. My heart moved, this person is also an expert! We must know that among all edible living things in the world, the most tender and best-tasting parts are the most active parts of the whole body.Such as the wings of chickens, the belly of fish, the root of tails of cattle and dogs, etc.Pigs are greedy for food all their lives, so the meat quality of the head is the most fresh and tender at the two cheeks.The man went straight to this place, so he is naturally well versed in this way.

I saw him put that piece of cheek meat into his mouth, then closed his eyes, and chewed slowly.His expression was so focused that his whole body was motionless except for his lips and teeth, as if all his senses had been concentrated on that small taste bud. After a long time, he opened his eyes slightly and said, "It's too sweet and slightly fishy, ​​half a ounce of sugar is too much, and two tiles are missing." "Oh?" After hearing this comment, I picked up a piece of pork head and tasted it carefully.Sure enough, as he said, there are some flaws, but the flaws are too subtle, if you are not a refined diner, you will definitely not be able to taste the difference.

"Brother Sun has a sharp sense of taste, I admire it!" I sincerely admired, and then asked, "But it's understandable that there is too much sugar, what does 'two tiles are missing' mean?" "Can you also taste that this dish is slightly sweet and fishy?" The man raised his head and finally glanced at me with some surprise in his eyes. Then he put down his chopsticks and asked me, "This pig's head was originally used by monks in Fahai Temple. The urinal was burned, you should know, right?" I nodded: "Of course." But the man said again: "The monks in Fahai Temple used the urinals originally to deceive others, but unexpectedly they accidentally made a peerless delicacy. I'm afraid you may not understand the reason behind it."

"Is there something special in this urinal?" I was aroused and asked curiously. "The key point in the cooking process of this pig's head is to remove the fishy smell from the pig's head." The man explained, "In ancient times, the urinal was made of clay, and the cooking process was like a fine sand filter. Dou, it can absorb the fishy smell in the pig's head." "Oh." I understood somewhat, "This tile is also made of clay..." The man nodded: "If you use two large terracotta tiles as the bottom when stewing the pig's head, it will have the effect of removing the fishy smell of the original urinal." I clapped my hands and said it was wonderful, and raised my neck and drank a cup: "Wonderful! Wonderful! Brother Sun, don't bother to talk about it. Although this pig's head is slightly flawed, it is still delicious in the world. Come on, keep eating, keep eating!" But the man shook his head: "One piece is enough. If you eat too much, it will spoil the taste." Then he waved to the boss, "Give me a bowl of rice, and some light vegetarian dishes, and take them away together." I looked at him puzzled: "You just ordered roasted pig's head, but now you only eat one piece?" The man didn't answer my question, but turned his head to look at the boss who was busy preparing meals, and asked solemnly: "Boss, in Yangzhou city, which one has the best roasted pig's head?" "How dare I comment on my colleagues?" The boss smiled and kicked the ball to me. "This Mr. Duan is a well-known gourmet in Yangzhou City. You should ask him." The man raised his hand at me and said, "Please advise, sir!" I hurriedly returned the gift: "Don't dare. The best roasted pig's head in Yangzhou is actually well known. Of course, it is the century-old brand 'Tongleju' in the north of the city. The boss Ling Er there is still mine. good friend." "Tongleju, Ling Er... Good! Good!" The man's eyes suddenly flashed, but he took it back in an instant. After a short pause, he asked again, "In this case, why don't you eat 'Tong Le Ju'? Where's the pig's head?" "Although Ling Er's pig heads are well made, he has a rule that he only makes ten of them a day. So if you want to eat his pig heads, you have to queue up early." The shop owner interjected, "If not, we There is no business in these small shops." "Okay, okay." The man said yes, but there was no happy expression on his face. He snorted coldly, "He even learned that old man's bad temper." I was stunned for a moment, not understanding what he meant. Just as I was about to ask, the man took out a letter from his pocket and said to me: "I'm going to ask Ling Er for something. Since you are friends, this Please forward the letter to me." After finishing speaking, he put the letter on the table in front of me, and regardless of whether I agreed or not, he got up and settled the meal payment with the boss, and then left on his own. "What a weird guy." The boss looked at the man's back and murmured, "Why do I always feel uncomfortable when I look at him?" Yes, I feel the same way as the store owner, and I know why. From entering the store to leaving at the end, the man never smiled.There is a strange temperament about him, as if he is destined to be an unhappy person by nature. When I arrived at "Tongleju", Ling Er was squatting comfortably on the bench, fighting around a chessboard and neighbors. Only make ten roasted pig heads every day, and spend the rest of the time enjoying life.This is Ling Er's attitude towards life. As in the past, as soon as I came to Ling Er, I was infected by his cheerful mood, and I couldn't help but move closer to him and become a "grass-headed military advisor". Compared with his technique of burning pig's head, Ling Er's chess strength is too far behind, and with me messing around, he was quickly defeated. Ling Er laughed and laughed at himself while taking the letter from me, opened it and read it.After a while, he scratched his head with his hands, with an embarrassed look on his face: "Why...it's Sun Da...he's back?" "Sun Da? Who is it?" "It's my brother. Ten years ago, the master passed on the position of chef of 'Tongleju' to me. As soon as the brother got angry, he left Yangzhou. We have never been in touch since then." Er also congealed his expression at this time, probably lost in memory. "Then why did he come back again?" When I learned of this allusion, my heart was itchy, and I couldn't help but peek at the contents of the letter. "Hey, take it." Ling Er noticed my abnormality, and threw the letter to me carelessly, "The neck is almost stretched out like a giraffe!" There is only one short sentence in the letter: "Three days later, bring the pig's head to visit Boss Ling Er and respected teacher. Sun Da." "Is he going to... compete with you in cooking?" I guessed. "Of course. Master chose me as his successor. He was very unconvinced. Before leaving, he said that one day he would come back and let everyone know who can make the best roasted pig's head. I waited for ten years, and this day finally coming." "Then are you sure you can win him?" Thinking of Sun Da's unpredictable appearance, I couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. "No one can stop my senior brother from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish." Ling Er hastily replied, "Hey, what are you thinking about after three days? Come on, play chess, continue playing chess! " After finishing speaking, Ling Eryi turned his head, as if these things had also been left behind. I smiled wryly. This young man, who is not confused, still looks like a carefree child most of the time.Maybe it is because of this that we will become good friends? Ling Er and Sun Da are from the same school, and their skills are superb.What will be the result of the competition between these two people? I was full of anticipation, but fortunately, the three-day wait was not too long.After I got Ling Er's consent, I was fortunate to witness that peak duel in the back kitchen of "Tong Le Ju". There were also some veterans of the Huaiyang culinary industry present, and of course Zhang Huiyong, the old shopkeeper of "Tongleju", was also there.Seeing his two apprentices fighting in the nest, he is almost seventy years old, maybe he will have some complicated emotions? Sun Da didn't say much. The ten-year grievances and grievances were originally unclear in language, and everything only needed to be seen through cooking skills. Fine selection of ingredients is one of the characteristics of Huaiyang cuisine.To become a good cook in Huaiyang, the first thing you need to practice is to select ingredients. Therefore, the main ingredient used in the competition between the two - the pig's head, was prepared separately. When Sun Da took the pig's head he brought out of the basket, everyone present was surprised. Because no one has ever seen such a plump, pink and white pig's head that looks extremely delicate. Anyone who has eaten a pig's head knows that the more tender the pig's head, the better the taste; the fatter the pig's head, the better the dish.However, tenderness and fatness contradict each other, which is well understood. The bigger the pig grows, the older the meat will naturally be.Therefore, when a chef making a pig's head chooses ingredients, how to grasp the balance between fatness and tenderness has become the most critical factor. If there is a pig's head that combines "fat" and "tender", such a raw material is undoubtedly the dream of all chefs. Sun Da took out such a pig's head. Compared with it, Ling Er's raw materials are much inferior, even he himself couldn't help sighing, and said: "The pig's head brought by senior brother is really rare, it seems that you have put a lot of effort into the selection of materials. " "For this pig's head, I spent a whole year." Sun Da said expressionlessly. a year?Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, not understanding the meaning. "I fed this pig myself." Sun Da explained, "Since it was a piglet, I have whipped its face with a whip made of wicker every day. After the pig's face was injured, out of physiological protection The mechanism, the nutrients in the body will be concentrated and supplied to the wound to promote its healing and growth, and over time, the pig's head will naturally grow fat and tender." This method of raising pigs is really unheard of, but it is indeed ingenious.Everyone applauded and commented. Ling Er shook his head and smiled wryly: "Senior brother took the initiative as soon as he made a move, and I can only hope to turn the tables in the following cooking steps." "Then let's start." Sun Da's face was full of confidence. Yes, he has every reason to be confident.When a master fights, everything is watertight. If the opponent wants to restore the decline, it is not easy! The two didn't talk any more, they each raised their knives to operate. I opened my eyes wide and looked at Sun Da without blinking, hoping that he would make a little mistake, just a little is enough! However, Sun Da did not make any mistakes from beginning to end.Shaving, deboning, soaking, stewing, cutting, and fire control, every step is methodical and meticulous.He is like a well-oiled precision instrument, without any loopholes to follow. Ling Er is also working hard.However, in the situation where he has already lost a game, will his efforts still have any meaning? Finally, two ready-made "grilled whole pig's heads" were served in front of everyone, and the small back kitchen smelled lingering, making people salivate. "Master, ten years ago, you said that I was inferior to my second brother. Today, please judge again." Sun Da said to Zhang Huiyong confidently. Zhang Huiyong didn't speak, but just looked at the two finished pig heads intently. Is he looking at the dishes?The two pigs were one big and one small, and the difference in size was so obvious that it didn't take so long to look at them. Could it be that he is still observing something else? I also suddenly had a strange feeling in my heart, and I also stared at the two pig heads closely, with a trace of doubt lingering in my heart. After a long time, Zhang Huiyong finally spoke: "We are cooks, we do it here and there, and the ultimate goal is to satisfy the diners. This Mr. Duan is a famous diner in Yangzhou City, why don't we let him speak a word of justice first?" .” Sun Da had no objection, and made a gesture to me: "Please!" I picked up the chopsticks, picked up the pork head meat made by the two of them, and tasted it carefully.Then he commented realistically: "The quality of the meat is both crispy and rotten, as tender as tofu, and at the same time the taste is extremely strong, lingering on the tongue. If only in terms of taste, these two pig heads are really hard to distinguish. .” "It's hard to tell which taste is better. Okay!" Zhang Huiyong pondered for a moment, "Then it's time to compare the dishes. Mr. Duan, please be frank and frank. Which of these two pig heads gives you the better first impression?" I pointed to Ling Er's work without hesitation: "This one." "What?" Sun Da immediately questioned, "How is this possible? His pig's head is so small, how can he compare to me in cooking?" "It's not a matter of size, it's another indescribable feeling." I frowned and said, "I can't describe what it feels like. Anyway, when I first saw it, I felt that Master Ling Er made The pig's head is very comfortable, but Master Sun's is somewhat awkward." The others nodded slightly at this time, and they seemed to agree with my point of view.Only Sun Da looked around in a daze: "Comfortable? What is comfortable?" "Alas." Zhang Huiyong sighed at this time, looked at Sun Da and said, "This 'grilled whole pig's head' has a common name among the people, do you remember?" Sun Da was stunned: "How could I not know this, isn't it just 'Happy Overlord Face'?" "Yeah, the overbearing face of happiness." Zhang Huiyong pointed to Ling Er's roasted pig's head, "Look at it squinting and grinning, with a hearty smile on its face. Once this kind of dish is served on the table, it will fill the room with joy. The diners don't need to move their chopsticks, and their mood has naturally improved." "Laughing? It's just done with simple knife skills and techniques." Sun Da argued unconvinced, "Isn't my pig's head also laughing?" "The expression can be made, but the expression cannot be adjusted." Zhang Huiyong said lightly, "Although the pig's head you made is smiling, the eyebrows and eyes cannot be stretched, with obvious sadness. The atmosphere is much worse." Zhang Huiyong said so, and I suddenly realized: Yes, the awkward feeling is revealed from the eyes of the pig's head. However, Zhang Huiyong continued to say: "After the slaughter and cooking process, the skin and muscles of the pig's head have become loose. Why does it show a different look? This is related to the situation of the living pig. If the pig eats well If you are full, get enough sleep, and feel at ease all day long, the skin and muscles of your face will naturally show a happy expression; on the contrary, the fat pig raised by Sun Da is often tortured and frowning all day long, and this resentment will always be there. It is in the eyebrows. I wonder if you understand the truth of this?" Everyone nodded in agreement, only Sun Da stared at the pig's head he had made, and muttered to himself, "Resentment? Is there really resentment? Why haven't I found out?" Zhang Huiyong looked at Sun Da with pity and hatred in his eyes: "Think about it, how long has it been since you laughed happily? With your state of mind, how can you tell the joy or sadness between the pig's eyebrows and eyes? " Sun Da smiled miserably: "So, I finally lost..." "Cooking is originally a thing that makes everyone happy, but you make it too heavy. It deviates from the original intention of cooking. This is why you lose. Ten years ago, you were like this. Ten years later, I don’t know. Can you understand." In Zhang Huiyong's meaningful words, everyone bowed their heads and fell into deep thought.Only Ling Er was always smiling, with a happy expression that had nothing to do with him. Maybe he never cared about winning or losing this competition. So he won. Today, I will tell a story about cooking.In fact, many things are like cooking, with the same principle.