Tan Jiacai is very particular about cooking, which can be said to be a luxurious literati dish. For example, Tan usually likes to eat shark's fin, braised bear's paw, deer tendon in sauce, fish lips in chicken sauce, abalone with sugar heart and so on. Use delicious food or seafood. The only kind of ancestral temple tofu that seems to be very popular is also made of hen's breast meat and old hen's broth. It can be said that the production is extremely complicated and exquisite. It takes three days to soak shark's fin, and it needs to be cooked twice a day and changed twice. As for cooking, I am very particular about it. Take Anzu shark's fin and Anzu tofu as examples. The former is to stew a fat chicken, ham and shark's fin together for a long time to make them thoroughly cooked. On the table, only a beard with wings appeared brightly, and no other miscellaneous decorations were seen. Thick and juicy, full of flavor and delicious; Although the latter is just an ordinary tofu, it is finely ground and the salt water is light and tender. Then served with the newly developed Tricholoma, the original steamed chicken soup, slowly stewed, tender and delicious.
At that time, there was an excellent chef named Cao Chenjing, also known as Cao Si. Cao Siben worked as an imperial chef in the yamen of the Qing Dynasty, and was later accepted as a private chef by Tan. Whether Tan is at home or out, Cao Siben always accompanies him. Cao knows Tan's delicious food. Every time he holds a banquet, he asks Tan's advice. He is innovative and well-planned. Because Cao Siping is open-minded and eager to learn, he is deeply loved by Tan. Later, Cao Si stayed with Tan Yankai.
Because of Tan's in-depth discussion on diet, as well as Tan's exquisite cooking skills and innovative and unique recipes, many people were proud to taste his food at that time. It is said that every time the Tan family eats, friends and guests are full. For the convenience of friends who come to Tan's home for dinner, Tan's family also specially customized and used large tableware such as large bowls, large plates, long chopsticks and long spoons, which gradually formed one of Hunan's gourmet characteristics.
In the early years of the Republic of China, Tan went to Hunan to work, and this dish was spread to Changsha with Master Cao. Tan's favorite dishes before his death mainly include: shark's fin, tofu, spicy chicken, soup soaked belly, steamed fish head with chopped pepper, beef tendon, cabbage heart, stewed bear's paw with red diamonds, stewed deer's tendon with red diamonds, and fish lips with chicken sauce.
After the death of Tan Yu 1930, Cao opened a restaurant named "Key Land" in Pozi Street near the Fire Palace in Changsha (later renamed "Yuloudong" restaurant). The dishes that Tan usually eats have been labeled as "Anzu" and widely publicized. The taste of Hunan cuisine, oversized dishes and long chopsticks have also been vigorously publicized and are deeply loved by Changsha people. At that time, many provincial capitals, Datong, opened Hunan cuisine one after another. At this point, Hunan cuisine gradually flourished. It can be said that the formation and spread of Anzu cuisine has a great influence on the development of authentic Hunan cuisine.