Chapter 24 Early spring

In O. Henry's "Spring on the Menu," a girl who typed out a menu could find work, housing, and love in early-twentieth-century New York—a possibility that, by now, has Small.Let’s say that when spring came that day, the menu had changed as follows: the soup became light; the pork disappeared from the main course and only appeared on the barbecue list; the poor lamb replaced the pork; the oysters will be down; In order to reduce, the pie has greatly increased; the pudding has disappeared; the sausage has basically disappeared.Vegetables of all kinds—carrots, peas, asparagus, peas, corn, and even dandelions abound.

Just by reading this menu, you can feel: Kaikai Hongmeng, spring is here. The sages of our country and the ordinary people in the West have a consensus on this point: don’t eat from time to time.From winter to spring, bacon, fried noodles, and other big meat and oil matchmakers to keep warm in winter are all thrown over the wall.The advantages and disadvantages of the British and American diet system are straightforward and clear at a glance.So as soon as spring comes, the appetizers, soups, and main courses are immediately changed, and the vigorous and verdant spring vegetables and fruits are vividly arranged on the table.The disadvantage is that the changes are so great that it often surprises people. I just feel that the routine that was warm and affectionate the day before suddenly changed today?

On the point of eating vegetables and eating fresh, both Chinese and Western food are the same.The United States is eager to eat fresh corn and dandelion-boiled eggs, deliberately not embellishing them, just to capture the earthy aroma of early spring and February.It is said that the West's emphasis on the original taste of raw vegetables is really overbearing, and my elders often sigh: they are just eating grass.Of course, although our country is not vigorous enough, it still has acumen.During the Southern Qi Dynasty, Prince Wenhui asked Zhou Yong: "What is the best food?" The answer: "Early leeks in early spring, late autumn and late cabbage." Originally, leeks belong to the five spices, and they have the same meaty smell as onions and garlic. , I want Amitabha Buddha to thank Bumin. Leek is mentioned in "Xiao Lin Guang Ji", which means it is used as an aphrodisiac to turn over and over again to make up dirty jokes, which has nothing to do with elegance.But the leeks in early spring and February, the green leaves are light, soft and beautiful, like a young girl in her teenage years, before turning into a yellow-faced woman with a spicy smell, it is still fragrant and fragrant.So Du Fu also wanted to "cut spring leeks in the rain at night".February leeks probably still have time to be counted as chives, and they can be eaten as soon as they are slightly fried: a little oil, soft and clear, really touching.

Early leeks are used to reflect the elegant taste of literati, which has a flavor of sitting in the study and not forgetting the joy of the pastoral.The literati's eternal friends, Suihan and Sanyou, Mei Songzhu, were targeted in spring.Bamboo can be used to recite poems in winter to express noble ambitions, but in spring when it is still in the shape of bamboo shoots, it cannot escape the clutches of literati.When Su Shi arrived in Huangzhou, he found that there were bamboos all around the mountains. He was overjoyed and wrote letters to his friends everywhere, which also suited his taste of "no bamboo makes people vulgar". belly.Among the famous dishes of spring bamboo shoots, most of them are paired with shad and white chicken, etc. It is rare to have a match such as "braised hoof spring bamboo shoots", which shows that it is clear.The famous Subang dish is salted and fresh, which are spring bamboo shoots, fresh pork ribs, and bacon, all stewed over a slow fire.The old aunts all require the soup to be clear and white, with a strong umami taste, but the most taboo is greasy.This is the wisdom of the Chinese: Originally, fresh meat and bamboo shoots were stewed together, which was fortunately fresh, but after all, it was a little bland, and bacon was used to borrow the flavor.

The older generation in the north has the custom of the market, and the footsteps of spring usually look at the vegetable market.When onions, thorny cucumbers and sweet water radishes are on the market, it is considered spring.There are not so many special customs for ordinary people to eat spring vegetables. Only the north is good at making sauce. From North China to Northeast China, there is a habit of making sour sauce in March and April.In southern European countries such as Italy and Spain, the fruit is inexhaustible every spring, so it is also used to make sauce.Strawberry jam, blackberry jam, the list goes on.The spring jam seems to seal the soul of the fruit and make a specimen.So with a spoonful, the sweetness of spring will explode in the mouth.

Generally speaking, eating fresh fruits and vegetables in spring is a consensus between China and the world: After a winter, the brain is full of fat, and the eyes are like fire. It really needs a clear and peaceful weather.Britain and the United States were used to being rough in their early years, so they dared to eat raw. Chinese medicine has its own theory of the five elements that restrain the cycle of yin and yang: the most important thing in spring is peace, and it is also necessary to nourish the liver, so soup and porridge are the best.Of course, alcohol can hurt the liver, so drinking in spring is the enemy.However, some people in France believe that drinking wine in spring has a rich fruity aroma, which can intoxicate the spring breeze, is sweet and bright, so as to relieve the ambiguous feeling of "spring sleep without dawn".The diet in spring is roughly the same.

The advantage of oceanic countries over continental countries is that in addition to capturing the youth of plants in spring, they can also deal with the ocean in spring.Hundreds of years ago, the Swedes believed that the spring fish was near the spawning period and had been accumulating energy for a long time, so it was just a good time to enjoy it.Caspian fishermen catch sturgeon to make caviar mostly in spring, which is here.Fish that cannot supply caviar are always eaten by fishermen from Korea, Japan, and Sweden.In the words of Cuban fishermen quoted by Hemingway, "spring is fishy and sweet, with a vigorous breath of life".Therefore, when eating fish in spring, Guangdong and South Korea like to use steaming, so as to preserve the original taste.

In short, spring is the most beautiful, freshest and sweetest season.All diets in this season need natural taste: or eat it raw with some sauce, or serve it after a little stir-frying.Tender, bright and clean are the advantages of all early vegetables and fish in this season.Having said that, I have a rather evil idea: it is said that spring bamboo shoots and spring onions are fresh and crisp, taste good, and are slender and pure white. They are compared by Li Houzhu and Bai Letian to beauties' fingers.When you think about it, it's both ambiguous and alluring.Probably the feeling of spring and its diet is like this girl in her 20s.