Chapter 3 presidential foodie

With the establishment of the Republic of China, democracy and freedom became the mainstream of society, saying goodbye to the autocracy and confinement of the Qing Dynasty. Under this background, after the Republic of China, the uniqueness, taboo and supremacy of court cuisine have gradually dimmed.Palace chefs, official chefs, and big family chefs lived among the people, or opened their own restaurants, or went to work as chefs in the homes of new rich and powerful families.This is a process of great fusion of cuisines, and the popularization of court cuisine and noble cuisine, which greatly promotes the prosperity and development of cuisine.

There is a notable feature in the development of diet in the Republic of China. The eight major cuisines were finally finalized, and the exchanges between regions became more frequent.This regional characteristic is reflected in four representative cities—Nanjing, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing. They can be said to be the four "cities of food" during the Republic of China, which played an important role in the development of Chinese food. effect. This is an era of gorgeous food, and there are naturally famous gourmets. Whether they are cultural celebrities, military and political dignitaries, or landlords and rich people, there are many gourmet experts among them.

Some of these influential gourmets have played an important role in the innovation and improvement of their hometown cuisine due to their love for their hometown cuisine and the fusion of cuisines brought about by social changes, and have also formed a driving force for the finalization of major cuisines. . The number one eater in the Republic of China is Yuan Shikai, because his life experience is too representative in eating: he was a high-ranking official of the Qing court, and he liked Qing palace dishes; he was also the president of the Republic of China, and he loved the food of his hometown Henan; Married to nine concubines, many of whom are good at cooking, including Su cuisine, Tianjin cuisine, and Korean cuisine.

Yuan Shikai has always shown people with a negative image in history, but objectively speaking, during the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China period, he did a lot of practical things in social reform, and he can be called a pioneer of the times. Contribute to the important eaters. Yuan Shikai adhered to the belief that "you can only do what you can eat", and often said that "you have to do great things if you don't have a lot of food". Since he has a huge appetite, he also calls on his children to eat more to become a great tool.During his tenure as the President of the Republic of China, Yuan Shikai routinely dined with his wives, concubines, and children every Sunday.

Throughout his life, Yuan maintained his love for court dishes and hometown dishes. There is a standard for palace dishes, whatever Cixi likes, Yuan Shikai likes it.Especially steamed duck, this dish was also the favorite of Emperor Qianlong, and won the appetite of President Yuan Da. The recipe of this dish in Yuan Shikai's era is still different from that in Cixi's era.The steamed duck is specially bred by Yuan Shikai. It uses the filling method, which is delicious and nourishes the kidneys. The "Qing Barnyard Banknotes" written by Xu Ke of the Qing Dynasty records: "Yuan Weiting (Yuan Zi) likes to eat stuffed ducks, and the method of feeding is to mash velvet antler and mix it with sorghum to feed." That's right. Boiled old male ducks are more effective than ginseng. All birds are female, but ducks are male; all birds are young, but ducks are old. Male ducks are a blessing, and the taste is the same."This may also be the explanation of what we often say "Lao Ya Tang is the best".

Yuan Shikai, like Cixi, loves the duck skin of steamed ducks the most.Using ivory chopsticks to last the duck skin, three rolls and two rolls, the whole duck skin was peeled off, and Yuan Shikai chewed it, making a ba ji ba ji sound. Another Qing palace delicacy that Yuan Shikai likes is "clear stewed fat duck". This dish is improved from Cixi's favorite "glutinous rice eight treasure duck". "Yuxiang Piaomiaolu" records: "Cixi's stewed fat duck is a dish that the Empress Dowager likes to eat. The duck is depilated, gutted, washed, and then seasoning is added. Put the porcelain jar into a tong pot half filled with water, steam it on a slow fire, and steam it for three days, and the duck will be crispy, so crispy that it only needs to be gently pinched with chopsticks, and it will be separated."

Empress Dowager Cixi's favorite duck skin is the essence of this dish.It is said that Cixi has duck dishes almost every meal, but the method is different. Yuan Shikai's duck eating method is based on the stewed fat duck, combined with the glutinous rice eight-treasure duck, stuffing glutinous rice, ham, wine, ginger juice, fragrant mushrooms, kohlrabi, bamboo shoots, etc. in the duck belly, and then soaked in water Steam.Cixi's method is to steam with clear water, but Yuan Shikai steams with chicken soup, and steams for three days, and the taste of chicken can be slowly integrated.From the perspective of food, Yuan Shikai's innovation is worthy of recognition.This dish has a very "republican" taste.

The characteristic of duck meat is delicious, fat but not greasy, and delicious.In addition to these, duck meat also has the functions of nourishing yin and nourishing stomach, benefiting water and reducing swelling.After Yuan Shikai added glutinous rice and mushrooms, it also had the effect of aphrodisiac. Wang Shixiong, a health-preserving expert in the Qing Dynasty, said in "Suixiju Diet Spectrum" that duck meat "can nourish the yin of the five internal organs, clear away the heat of fatigue, nourish blood and water, nourish the stomach and promote fluid, relieve cough and essence, and eliminate snail accumulation". Resist the possible parasite hazards caused by eating snail meat.Traditional Chinese medicine believes that duck blood can nourish blood and detoxify; duck oil can cure wind-deficiency, cold and heat;

There are many famous duck dishes in China, such as Beijing Roast Duck, Three Sets of Jiangsu Duck, Sichuan Immortal Duck, Cordyceps Duck, Camphor Tea Duck, Shanxi Braised Oven Roast Duck, Taiwan Dongmen Angelica Duck, Bazhen Grilled Duck, Tangerine Peel Duck, Ginger Duck Wait. I myself have created a crony silk cordyceps duck and a lost wild duck. The practice of duck with wakame silkworm grass is to fry it with sour radish first, then add the soup made with duck rack, chicken rack and big bones, stuff ham shreds, kelp shreds, etc. in the duck belly, and insert the caterpillar fungus on the duck. Enlarging the thickness of its taste also enhances its health benefits.

The practice of Mizong Wild Duck is to marinate the duck first, then soak the glutinous rice and steam it, then add bacon paste, together with peas, press it on the duck meat, and then deep-fry it into a dish.Finally, it is served with a compass to guide the lost duck. The crispy outside and tender inside also has the artistic conception of poetry...