"West Lake Fish in Vinegar", you can tell the origin just by looking at the first two words. It is a famous traditional dish in Hangzhou. It can be traced back to the Song Dynasty and has a long history. "West Lake Fish in Vinegar" is also called "Uncle and Sister-in-law Chuanzhen". Legend has it that in ancient times there were two brothers named Song, who were full of articles and very knowledgeable. They lived in seclusion in the West Lake and made a living by fishing. The local villain Zhao Daguan once visited a lake and met a woman washing her gauze by the lake. Seeing her beauty, he wanted to occupy her. After sending someone to inquire, it turned out that this woman was the wife of Brother Song, so they used conspiracy methods to kill Brother Song. The abuse by evil forces made the Song family's uncle and sister-in-law very angry. They went to the government to file a complaint together, hoping to uphold justice and have the villain punished. Little did they know that the government at that time was working with the evil forces. Instead of accepting their complaints, they beat them and drove them out of the government. After returning home, Mrs. Song asked Brother Song to pack up and run away quickly to avoid being followed by villains for revenge. Before leaving, my sister-in-law cooked a bowl of fish, adding sugar and vinegar, and cooked it in a strange way. Brother Song asked his sister-in-law: Why did the fish cook like this today? My sister-in-law said: There are sweet and sour fishes. I want you to never forget how your brother died when you go out this time. If your life is sweet, don’t forget the bitterness of the people who were bullied. Don’t forget that your sister-in-law suffered from hatred. The bitterness. The younger brother was very excited after hearing this, ate the fish, and left with his sister-in-law's wishes in mind. Later, Brother Song gained fame and returned to Hangzhou to avenge his brother's murder and punish the villain. But by this time Mrs. Song had already escaped and could not be found. One time, Brother Song went out for a banquet and ate a dish that tasted just like the dish his sister-in-law had cooked when he left home. He quickly asked who cooked it and found out that it was his sister-in-law's masterpiece. It turned out that after he left, in order to avoid being entangled by villains, my sister-in-law had hidden her name and worked as a kitchen worker in an official's house. Brother Song was very happy to find his sister-in-law, so he resigned from his official position, took his sister-in-law back home, and resumed the life of a fisherman who made a living by fishing. In ancient times, someone ate this dish and became inspired by poetry. He wrote a poem on the wall of the restaurant: "I got drunk in my skirts and sandals. I went up to the balcony in the shadow of the green sun. There were many boats on the lake in front of the door, half of which came back from the three pools reflecting the moon. Why bother to return?" Looking for Zhang Han's perch (the fish in West Lake vinegar is better than the delicious Songjiang perch). It is said that the fish is delicious and flavorful. Thanks to you for your blending skills, you can recognize that Mrs. Song didn't. The last sentence of the poem refers to "West Lake vinegar." Fish" creates legends.

The origin of the beggar chicken

Version 1

In ancient times of war, many people were ruined and became beggars (commonly known as beggars in Hangzhou). One day, a beggar got a chicken, but he was short of a pot and a stove. When he was unbearably hungry, he imitated the method of roasting sweet potatoes, wrapped the chicken in mud, put it on the "stove" made of stones, picked up some dry firewood, and roasted it. After a while, the mud-dried chicken was cooked, and he Picking it up and putting it on the ground, the chicken feathers fell off and the aroma suddenly filled the air. The beggar had a delicious meal. Later, this mud roasting technique was introduced to restaurants and restaurants, and chefs continued to improve it. They added Shaoxing wine to the roasted mud, and baked the chicken buns with West Lake lotus leaves to bring out the fragrance of the lotus leaves and the fresh fragrance of the hens. Become one. As a result, it was passed down over the years, and the reputation of "Beggar Chicken" spread far and wide.

Version 2

According to legend, in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, there was a beggar in the Yushan area of ??Changshu, Jiangsu. He usually went around begging for leftover food to satisfy his hunger. It was difficult to get a bowl of leftovers a day, so he had to endure hunger. On this day, he was very lucky. In addition to getting some food to satisfy his hunger, he also met a kind-hearted old lady who gave him an old hen. He danced with joy. But he was a beggar and had nothing but a broken bowl in his hand. How could he cook the chicken? He thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a good idea. Suddenly, he had an idea and a plan came to his mind. He found a nearby house, borrowed a knife from the owner, slaughtered the chicken, removed the internal organs, dug some yellow mud from the mountain and smeared it on the surface of the chicken, took some dead branches and leaves, lit a fire, and put the wrapped chicken on fire. He simmered it in the fire, and when the mud was dry, he estimated that the chicken was cooked, so he used a stick to knock off the mud shell. The chicken feathers also fell off with the mud, and the aroma suddenly overflowed. The beggar was very surprised, so he picked up the chicken and ate it hungrily. . Just when the beggar was enjoying his meal, Qian Muzhai, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, walked past here. He smelled the aroma of chicken and saw the beggar eating chicken from a distance, so he sent someone to find out how the beggar made such delicious chicken. . The messenger inquired about it and gave Qian Muzhai a small piece of chicken. After tasting it, Qian Muzhai felt that the taste was indeed unusual.

When he returned home, he asked his chef to make it according to the method taught by the beggar, and added various condiments such as diced meat, ham, shrimp and spices into the chicken belly, wrapped it in lotus leaves, coated with yellow mud, and put it on the fire. Bake it and name it "Beggar's Chicken". One day, Liu Rushi, a famous prostitute from the south of the Yangtze River, came to Qian's house. Qian entertained her with a beggar's chicken and asked Liu Rushi: "How is the flavor of Yushan?" Liu said: "It tastes great" and said, "I would rather eat it for the rest of my life." Yu Shan chicken, one day does not eat Songjiang fish."

Dongpo Pork

The origin of the dish

It is said that it was created by the Northern Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo (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. Zhou Zizhi, a native of the Song Dynasty, recorded in "Zhupo Poems": "Dongpo was fond of pigs. When he was in Huanggang, he tasted Dongpo's meat.

The poem "Pork Eating Poem" said: 'Slow down the fire, When there is less water, he will feel good when the heat is sufficient. He will get up and drink a bowl every day, so that his family will not care. '" Later, Su Dongpo returned from Huangzhou in 1085, and returned to the capital Kaifeng after serving as Changzhou and Dengzhou. He served there, but not long after, he was excluded and asked to be transferred to Hangzhou as the prefect in 1089. Only then did he develop the experience of Huangzhou roast pork into the dish of Dongpo pork. As a delicacy of the Han nationality, it later became popular in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The Dongpo Meat Examination was done in memory of Dongpo and was not created by Su Dongpo himself. The prototype of Dongpo meat is the meat donated by Xuzhou, which is one of the "Four Dongpo delicacies" in Xuzhou. In the autumn of 1077, the tenth year of Xining, Shenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River burst and the flood did not recede for more than seventy days. Su Shi, the magistrate of Xuzhou, personally led the city's officials and people to fight against the flood, and finally defeated the flood, and built the "Su Embankment" the following year. The people thanked Su Dongpo for benefiting the people. They slaughtered pigs and sheep one after another, and carried wine and vegetables to the state capital to thank Su Dongpo. Su Gong couldn't refuse, so he processed the meat and gave it back to the people after it was mature. The mystery of Su Dongpo's method of cooking meat can be seen in his "Song of Stewed Meat": "Slow down the fire and use less water. The flames of the firewood will not smoke. Don't rush it when it is cooked. When the fire is sufficient, it will be beautiful." "Return." The characteristics of "meat" are fresh and mellow, oily but not greasy. Su Dongpo left four famous dishes in Xuzhou. In addition to the meat as a gift, there are also golden toads playing with pearls, Wuguan chicken, and drunken green shrimps. Later generations call these four dishes the "Four Treasures of Dongpo". Today, in various restaurants on the streets of Xuzhou, you can still enjoy the unforgettable and mellow flavor of Dongpo Pork. "Dongpo Meat" was first created in Xuzhou. "Xuzhou Ancient and Modern Famous Foods" records that when Su Shi was appointed 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 don't know how to cook it. Slow the fire and use less water. When the heat is sufficient, it will be beautiful. People They began to imitate it and nicknamed it "Dongpo Pork". When Su Shi was the second governor of Hangzhou, everyone carried wine and meat to him to celebrate the New Year. Su Shi ordered the pork and wine to be cooked and eaten by the migrant workers. It is said that when rice wine and pork are cooked together, everyone feels that it is more crispy and delicious. The reputation of "Dongpo Pork" gradually spread throughout the country. Su Shi was a famous writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was not only famous for his poetry and calligraphy. He is very accomplished and can be called a gourmet in ancient my country. He is also very good at cooking dishes. He is especially good at making braised pork. The reward pork is the braised pork created by Su Shi during his stay in Xuzhou. In April of the 10th year of Xining, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, Su Shi went to Xuzhou. Zhizhou. On July 7, the Yellow River burst in the Caocunxi area of ??Chanzhou. On August 21, the floods surrounded Xuzhou. The water level was as high as two feet and eight feet. Su Shi died with his own hands and led the imperial army to defend the city. After more than 70 days and nights of hard work, Xuzhou City was finally saved. The people in the city were all very happy. They expressed their gratitude to this wise leader and worked together with the people of Xuzhou. In the dying Haozhi Prefecture, people slaughtered pigs and slaughtered sheep one after another, and brought wine and vegetables to the government to express their condolences. Su Shi couldn't refuse, and after accepting it, he personally directed his family to make braised pork and gave it back to the people who participated in the flood fight. This meat is fat but not greasy, crispy and fragrant, so it is called "return meat". Since then, "return meat" has been spread in Xuzhou and has become a famous traditional dish in Xuzhou. There are records in "Xuzhou Ancient and Modern Famous Foods". On February 1, the third year of Yuanfeng, Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou as deputy envoy of Tuanlian. He cultivated wasteland by himself, so he called this place "Dongpo Jushi". This is the origin of "Su Dongpo".

While in Huangzhou, he cooked braised pork himself and wrote his experience in "Pork Eating Poetry". The braised pork cooked by Su Shi when he was in Xuzhou and Huangzhou was only influential locally and not very famous nationwide. The braised pork that is really famous and famous all over the country is "Dongpo Pork" when Su Shi was in Hangzhou for the second time. On July 3, the fourth year of Emperor Zongyuan (right) of the Song Dynasty, Su Shi came to Hangzhou, where he had been away for fifteen years, to serve as magistrate. In May and June of the fifth year of the Yuan Dynasty (绻you), heavy rains continued in western Zhejiang, Taihu Lake overflowed, and large areas of crops were submerged. Thanks to Su Shi's early and effective measures, the people in western Zhejiang survived the most difficult period. He organized migrant workers to dredge the West Lake, build embankments and bridges, and transform the old appearance of the West Lake into a new one. The people in Hangzhou were very grateful to Su Shi for this good deed. Everyone praised him as a wise father-in-law. I heard that he liked to eat pork the most when he was in Xuzhou and Huangzhou, so during the New Year, everyone would carry pigs and wine to pay him New Year greetings. After Su Shi received it, he instructed his family to cut the meat into cubes, cook it until it was red and crispy, and then distributed it to the migrant workers who participated in dredging the West Lake. Everyone was amazed after eating it, and they affectionately called the meat he sent "Dongpo Pork". Going 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.

Longjing Shrimp

Allusion

Hangzhou allusion According to legend, Hangzhou chefs were inspired by Su Dongpo's poem "Looking to the South of the Yangtze River", "Let's try new tea with new fire, and take advantage of the youth with poetry." Inspired by, it is cooked with Mingqian Longjing new tea and fresh river shrimps that are "green in color, fragrant, sweet in taste and beautiful in shape". The cooked shrimps are fresh and tender, the tea leaves are green and fragrant, the color is elegant, and the taste is unique. Hangzhou Tianwaitian Restaurant is the birthplace of this dish. Qianlong's Allusion According to another legend, one day, Qianlong paid a private visit incognito and drank a cup of new Longjing tea at a tea farmer's house in Hangzhou. He felt that it was fragrant and delicious, so he secretly grabbed some tea leaves and left when no one was prepared. Later, I ate at a restaurant in the city and asked the waiter to make tea with it. The shop assistant saw a corner of Qianlong's dragon robe exposed and hurriedly told the shop owner. While the shop owner was cooking shrimps, he panicked and threw the tea leaves in the waiter's hand into the pot as chopped green onions. Unexpectedly, this tea-leaf shrimp dish has an elegant color and unique taste. Qianlong nodded and praised it. Since then, this dish has become a famous dish in Hangzhou and has been spread throughout the country. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty went to Jiangnan, it happened to be the Qingming Festival. He visited Longjing in the West Lake, and the tea farmers presented him with new tea. He took it back to the palace, and the imperial chef put tea leaves into the fried "jade white shrimps" and cooked this famous dish. Soon, the famous dish "Longjing Shrimp" appeared on the menu of "Lou Wai Lou". The clever chef incorporated Longjing tea leaves into his dishes, probably inspired by other famous West Lake dishes, and made a bold innovation in cooking techniques. This dish not only uses unique ingredients, but the heat must also be controlled just right. When making it, the chef uses an oily pan to add cooked lard, then immediately adds the battered shrimps, slides for about 15 seconds, then pours into a colander to drain off the oil, then adds it to the pan with new tea soaked in boiling water, and uses As soon as the cooking wine is sprayed, put it on the fire and put it on the plate. Kungfu is all it takes to cook this famous dish in the blink of an eye.