Let's start with a favorite scene in a TV series. A heroic hero walks into Yuelai Inn (why are ancient inns called Yuelai? To be honest, I don't know much about it. It is speculated that Yuelai Inn is probably an ancient hotel chain like Home Inn. )
Forget the inn, let's talk about the hero. The Great Xia came in and shouted, "Boss, a bowl of good beef Lamian Noodles!" " The boss over there hasn't promised yet. The audience here, who graduated from our history department, should jump out and stop. Why? There are too many questions in this sentence. Noodles first. Although the history of noodles in China is as long as 4,000 years, people have been eating noodles since the Neolithic Age, but the noodles at that time were millet noodles, so it was impossible to make Lamian Noodles. It was not until the Han dynasty that something called "soup cake" appeared, which was a little close to the noodles we eat now. However, the noodles at that time were flaky and strip-shaped, which was very different from the noodles now. On the other hand, Lamian Noodles only appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, if the play is a hero before the Tang Dynasty, I'm afraid even Lamian Noodles has never heard of it.
Ok, noodles are not allowed. Is it okay to have two Jin of beef with wine? Every time Liangshan heroes go to the store, they don't always say, "Three or five pounds of beef, a jar of good wine!" You can do it in the Water Margin, because in the long history of China, only Liangshan heroes in the Song Dynasty can spit beef, and people in other dynasties want to eat beef, but there is no way! Why? Because in ancient times, cattle were an important agricultural labor force and could not be slaughtered casually. Civilians don't even think about eating it, unless they are some leaders, they can eat "special beef". As the saying goes: "the emperor eats too fast, and there are cattle and sheep." Princes eat cows, doctors eat pigs, scholars eat fried fish, and Shu Ren eats vegetables. " Every dynasty has laws to protect cattle, and all those who can supply beef are black shops. There were laws in Qin and Han dynasties; Those who steal and slaughter cattle will be beheaded, those who eat cattle will be punished and the first cow will be killed; The regulations in the Sui and Tang Dynasties were better; Those who kill cattle are sentenced to one year, as stipulated in the Song Dynasty; Those who slaughter cattle are sentenced to one and a half years and sent thousands of miles, which is stipulated in the Ming and Qing Dynasties; The ox slayer was punished with a hundred sticks, sentenced to one and a half years, and exiled for a thousand miles. Basically, eating beef in ancient times is almost crazy racing in Beijing's Second Ring Road, and it is a felony to hurt people with a broadsword at the entrance of Uniqlo. So, don't try to kill a cow unless you want to rebel with Liangshan heroes.
Speaking of which, I feel depressed for the ancient heroes. What should I eat? Pat your thighs and eat the simplest scrambled eggs with tomatoes! You won't risk beheading this time, will you? "Sorry,no." The audience sitting in the history department spoke again. Tomatoes were introduced to China and began to be eaten. It was in the Guangxu period of the late Qing Dynasty. Heroes of the previous dynasties really had no seeds to eat ~ "Then fry an egg with peanut oil!" "I'm sorry, peanut oil is a crop in South America, after Columbus discovered the New World. “
"Then fry a green vegetable in an iron pot. “
"I'm sorry, iron pot can't be used until the Song Dynasty. Heroes before the Song Dynasty can only make do with hot dishes. "
"Then, don't eat vegetables, there are always steamed buns, right?"
"I'm sorry, steamed bread won't be available until the Three Kingdoms period. Previous heroes can only order sesame cakes to satisfy their hunger. "
"Well, don't eat these. Eat a watermelon to quench your thirst."
"Sorry, watermelons were" imported "precious fruits before the Southern Song Dynasty, and they were usually not seen in the market ..."
"Don't even eat fruit! Just come to the head office and drink that pot of tea? "
"Sorry, tea was only available in the Han Dynasty, but only in the Tang Dynasty could officials afford it, so ordinary people could make do with making some leaves ..."
Looking at the history of eating delicious food in ancient China, I have to be glad that I grew up in such an era. Even in a small town like Tangshan, I can eat delicious food from all over the world. How honored it is that someone can cook for you in different ways!