Food is the most important thing. There are countless famous dishes in various places, and each famous dish has its own wonderful story. The following are the legends of famous dishes that I have compiled for you. I hope it will be helpful to everyone.
Legends of famous dishes: Dongpo Pork
Dongpo Pork belongs to the Zhejiang cuisine. Pork is the main ingredient. The dishes have thin skin and tender meat, bright red color, mellow flavor and thick juice, crispy but not broken, fragrant and glutinous but not greasy in the mouth. Dongpo Pork is a famous dish in Hangzhou. It has good color, aroma and taste and is deeply loved by people. Slow fire, less water, and more wine are the secrets to making this dish. It is generally a square piece of pork about two inches long, half fat and half lean. It is fragrant and waxy, fat but not greasy, with the aroma of wine, red and bright color, mellow and juicy, crispy and chewy but not greasy. Crushed, very delicious.
Origin of the dish:
According to legend, it was created by Su Dongpo, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty (from Meishan, Sichuan). The earliest birthplace of Dongpo Pork is Huanggang, Hubei Province. In 1080, Su Dongpo was exiled to Huanggang. Because the local pigs were plentiful and cheap, he came up with this method of eating meat.
"Dongpo Pork" was first created in Xuzhou. "Xuzhou Ancient and Modern Famous Foods" records that when Su Shi was appointed as the magistrate of Xuzhou, the Yellow River burst. Su Shi took the lead and built embankments with the people of the city to protect the city. The people of Xuzhou slaughtered pigs and slaughtered sheep to show their condolences to the government. Su Shi couldn't refuse, so he instructed his family to cook braised pork and give it back to the people. After eating it, the people felt it was fat but not greasy, crispy and fragrant, so he called it "return meat". . When Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou, he wrote a song about cooking meat: "The good pork in Huangzhou is as cheap as dung." The rich refuse to eat it, and the poor do not know how to cook it. Start the fire slowly and add less water. When the fire is sufficient, it will be beautiful. People began to imitate it and nicknamed it "Dongpo Meat". When Su Shi was appointed magistrate of Hangzhou for the second time, he was responsible for dredging the West Lake. Everyone carried wine and meat to pay him New Year greetings. Su Shi ordered the pork and wine to be cooked and given to the migrant workers. The family misunderstood that rice wine and pork were cooked together. After eating, everyone felt that it was more crispy and delicious. The reputation of "Dongpo Meat" slowly spread throughout the country.
Tracing back to its origins, Su Shi’s braised pork was first created in Xuzhou, further improved in Huangzhou, and became famous throughout the country in Hangzhou. Legends of famous dishes: Crystal Meat
Legend of Meat:
Legend of Meat There is also a beautiful legend circulating in Zhenjiang: Once Zhang Guolao received an invitation from the Queen Mother , invite him to Yaochi for a peach banquet. On the way, Zhang Guolao suddenly smelled a strange fragrance. After a closer look, it turned out to be the fragrance of crystal meat. He couldn't help but be greedy, so he turned into an old man and bought some, had a full meal, and continued on his way. . When I was approaching Yaochi, I suddenly lost interest in going to the peach banquet. I thought that the crystal meat was so delicious, why would I go to the peach banquet again, so I turned around and went back home. The bowl squatted under the eaves of a large house, lit a fire and steamed it.
At this time, a large family was dining, and the table was full of guests. After three rounds of wine, the dishes were served, and suddenly a strong aroma wafted up. The master hurriedly asked the boy if there were any other delicacies, and brought them over quickly. The boy knew that all the dishes were served, so how could anything be left out? But he still ran into the kitchen and really smelled a strong aroma coming from the window. He quickly opened the back door and took a look, only to see a beggar squatting on the ground, just opening the lid of the steaming bowl, ready to use it.
Without saying a word, the boy picked up the steaming bowl and left. Liu Qi became anxious and gave chase. When a guest saw the steamed bowl that had just come out of the oven, he quickly put it into his mouth with his chopsticks and said it was delicious. But it was said that this guest was a local rich man who opened a large restaurant in Changsha City. So he asked Liu Qi's identity face to face, took him back to cook in his restaurant, and put up a "cured meat and steamed" menu sign, which really attracted diners from all over to come and try it. From then on, "cured meat combined with steamed meat" was passed down as Hunan cuisine. The legend of the famous dish: Wuwei smoked duck
Features of the dish:
Smoked with fat duck. The finished dish is golden in color, has thick sebum, fresh and tender meat, fragrant smell and unique flavor.
Introduction to the dish Wuwei smoked duck has been famous throughout the ages and has a long-lasting reputation for two reasons: First, the duck is good. Wuwei County is located along the Yangtze River, in a half-hilly, half-pole terrain. Ducks can be raised in the wild. Eat more live food such as small fish and shrimps. After the rice is harvested, the ducks forage in the rice fields, so the ducks grow quickly, have strong bodies, tender meat, and thick fat. Secondly, the production method is excellent, the operation is careful, and the finished product has a perfect shape. , bright golden color, crispy skin and tender meat, fresh and mellow taste, and a smoky aroma. If eaten with vinegar, the flavor will be even better.
The original origin of Wuwei smoked duck is related to Zhu Yuanzhang. It turns out that Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang's family was poor when he was a child, so he herded cattle for others. But his boss didn't give him enough to eat, so a group of cowherd boys got together and started catching wild ducks. They didn't dare to take it home to eat, so they cut some thatch in the wild and set up a fire to smoke it. Sometimes it is not cooked properly, so it is buried in the ashes of the fire. When it is pulled out the next day, the duck meat is fragrant, rotten, and delicious. Later, this practice spread among the people, and was carried forward by Ma Changyou, a Muslim man who sold beef in Wuwei County, Anhui Province. He also explored a unique production process of using sawdust to smoke duck. From then on, Wuwei Ma Changyou's halal smoked duck business expanded , and "Wuwei smoked duck" has become a popular local flavor food across the country.
The legendary story of the famous dish: Mapo Tofu
Origin of the dish:
Mapo Tofu is the name of Chen Senfu, the owner of a small restaurant in Wanfu Bridge in the northern suburbs of Chengdu in the early years of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty. Created by Liu, wife of Chen Fuchun. Liu had pockmarks on her face and was called Chen Mapo. The roasted tofu she created was called "Chen Mapo Tofu", and her restaurant was later named "Chen Mapo Tofu Shop". In 1916, the "Chengdu General View" (written by Fu Chongju in the Qing Dynasty) published by the Chengdu Popular Newspaper had listed this shop and "Chen Mapo's Tofu" among the 23 restaurants in Chengdu that are as famous as Baoxiguan Zhengyuan, Zhong Tangyuan and other shops. A famous food store? Books such as "Jincheng Zhuzhi Ci" and "Old Records of Furong Hua" all record the history of Chen Mapo's creation of Mapo tofu. Feng Jiaji, a poet in the late Qing Dynasty, said in his "Jincheng Bamboo Branch Ci": "The Mapo Chen family is still famous, and the baked tofu has the best flavor. The shadows on the side of Wanfu Bridge are moving, and Mr. Drunk in the spring of Hegu". Due to its outstanding reputation, Mapo Tofu has been spread all over the country, even in Japan, Singapore and other countries.
Chen Mapo Tofu (people are accustomed to calling it Mapo Tofu) was founded in the first year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1862). It was founded by Wanfu Bridge in the outer north of Chengdu. Its original name was; Chen Xingsheng Rice Shop; . The owner Chen Chunfu died early, so the small restaurant was run by the proprietress, who had a slightly numb face and was known as "Chen Mapo". The Wanfu Bridge at that time was a wooden bridge across the Fu River, not long but quite wide. There are high railings on both sides, with bridge pavilions painted with gold and green paintings for catching fish. There are often traders and footmen on the bridge, and coolies who get off the carts and sedans rest and point here. The main people who patronize "Chen Xingsheng Restaurant" are porters who carry oil. These people often buy some tofu and beef, then scoop some vegetable oil from the oil basket and ask the proprietress to process it on their behalf. As time went by, Chen developed a unique set of cooking skills for cooking tofu. The cooked tofu is delicious and delicious. It was unique and loved by people, and Chen's tofu became famous. There are also considerable written records of the Qing Dynasty, which can prove its great appeal to the people. There are poems from the late Qing Dynasty as evidence: Mapo Chen is still famous, the baked tofu tastes the best, the shadows on the curtains of Wanfu Bridge move, and Mr. Drunk in Guchun. Literati and poets often meet here. Someone with good intentions would look at the pockmarks on the boss's face and call it Chen Mapo Tofu. This statement spread like wildfire and became a good talk. Therefore, the restaurant was named "Chen Mapo Tofu". According to "Chengdu General View", Chen Mapo Tofu was listed as a famous food in Chengdu in the late Qing Dynasty. Due to the continuous efforts of Chen Mapo Tofu's descendants, Chen Mapo Sichuan Restaurant has been famous for more than 140 years. It has become famous at home and abroad, and has won praises from gourmets at home and abroad.
Features of the dish:
The color is light yellow, and the tofu is white and shiny. Some people use eight words to describe this dish: numb, spicy, hot, fresh, tender, fragrant, crispy, and lively, which quite vividly summarizes its characteristics. Nowadays, Sichuan restaurants at home and abroad use this dish to attract customers. It is said that in recent years, a Japanese food company has also made canned Mapo tofu and sold it to all over the world.
Ma: When the tofu is cooked, an appropriate amount of peppercorns should be sprinkled on it. The peppercorns are made from tribute peppers from Han Dynasty that were sent to the imperial court. They have a pure numbing flavor and are refreshing. If the peppercorns from other places have a numbing taste that sticks in the throat and makes people feel tight, who would still have an appetite and who would dare to eat tofu? In the early 1930s, warlords were seizing power and fighting, and Hanyuan peppercorns were exhausted. Shops had to buy Hanyuan peppercorns from other counties at high prices. In addition to peppers, there is also a notice posted on the door of the shop stating that the best peppercorns are the best, and Mapo tofu would rather not be sold. This frank business approach is well-known among peers.
Spicy: Dahongpao oil peppers from Longtan Temple are used to make watercress, minced and cooked, and a small amount of cooked oil and sea peppers are added to cook the tofu. It is spicy and fragrant.
Blanching: It means to cook it and serve it immediately. You can’t smell the gypsum smell of tofu making, the rusty smell of cold-soaked tofu, or the original unpleasant smell of various condiments, only the aroma that arouses appetite.
Crispy: Refers to the cooked beef stuffing, golden in color, red and crispy, one by one, crispy in the mouth and melting on the teeth.
Tender: refers to the tofu that is put into the pot and fried properly. It is as white as jade, has ripples and corners, and can be broken into pieces when twisted. Therefore, most people use a small spoon to scoop out the food.
Fresh: refers to the raw materials of the whole dish, all fresh, tender and green, red and white, fresh color and taste, impeccable.
Job: This is a unique skill of Chen Mapo Tofu Shop: when the tofu is served, inch-long garlic sprouts stand upright in the bowl, emerald green and blue, with a bright oily luster, as if they had just come from the field. Picked and chopped, they are vivid, but when you put them in your mouth, they are all ripe and have no astringent taste.
During the Anti-Japanese War, public restaurants became popular, and many restaurants could make Mapo Tofu; many restaurants moved to Chengdu from the south of the Yangtze River, and they also listed the name of Mapo Tofu dish, both in terms of craftsmanship and firework. It can be said that there is Mapo Tofu Kung Fu. In terms of raw materials and ingredients, each has its own spicy taste, but no one in the city can overcome the challenge of bringing garlic sprouts to life. Zhejiang and Jiangsu restaurants on Nandajin Street and Jiangnanguan Street spent a lot of money to hire Master Chen Sanshi, the chef of Chen Mapo Tofu Shop, in order to make good Mapo Tofu. He worked there for three days to improve the tofu and teach him the technique of stir-frying garlic sprouts. It was also published in the newspaper. It has won a reputation for Sichuan cuisine in the catering industry.