Gongcheng Camellia oleifera is a traditional food of Gongcheng Yao nationality. According to historical records, it began in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of 1000 years.
Gongcheng Camellia oleifera has the functions of promoting digestion, invigorating stomach, eliminating dampness and stopping dysentery. It is a health drink invented by Yao people who have lived in mountainous areas for generations according to the humid and miasma geographical environment in mountainous areas. Among them, tea is rich in theophylline, which plays a role in body conditioning. Ginger dispels cold and dampness, garlic disinfects, and peanuts contain three essential trace elements, which can supplement energy.
Legend has it that when Emperor Qianlong went down to the south of the Yangtze River, hundreds of officials paid attention along the way, and the delicacies of the mountains and seas were so dry that the chefs were helpless and panicked. At this time, a chef from Gongcheng suddenly remembered the efficacy of hometown camellia oleifera, so he quickly made tools and presented a bowl of Gongcheng camellia oleifera to the court. After drinking it, my mouth is full of saliva and my appetite is wide open. In joy, Gongcheng Camellia oleifera was given the title of "Double Ginseng Soup".
It's just a legend, but many food legends are related to Emperor Qianlong, which is also very strange. It can be seen that the old emperor is a master of eating, drinking and having fun.
Gongcheng Camellia oleifera is known as the crown of Camellia oleifera in the world because of its mellow and astringent taste. After 1990s, it spread to Guilin, Guangxi and other places. Nowadays, it is not limited to Gongcheng, but many Gongcheng children who are working hard in other places and people from other regions regard camellia as their leisure enjoyment. Look at the camellia shops all over the street, which is a good proof
Camellia oleifera said "beating", not boiling. It was named "beating Camellia oleifera" because of beating tea leaves in the production process. However, the flavor of Camellia oleifera in different places is different due to different production methods.
Gongcheng Camellia oleifera production is based on Laoye black tea. Tea picked in Qingming and Grain Rain seasons is generally selected. Soak in a little boiling water for 5- 10 minutes to reduce the smell of fireworks and bitterness. Then, put a little lard in the tea pot and heat it, and stir-fry the ginger, garlic and soaked tea. After that, they beat it with a wooden hammer in the pot. After pulping, boil it in water until it tastes good, and add refined salt.
After drinking a pot of tea, you can also add water to the pot and cook it five or six times repeatedly. The first and second pots of Camellia oleifera taste very strong and astringent, and the third and fourth pots are the most palatable good Camellia oleifera. After the entrance, there is the bitterness of tea and the unique fragrance of chopped green onion and coriander. Coupled with crispy fried peanuts, fried rice flowers and fried rice, it is really rich in flavor, sweet and delicious, with endless aftertaste.
In fact, what I like best is all kinds of snacks when drinking camellia oleifera. Although there is no custom of drinking Camellia oleifera in my hometown, these snacks are interlinked. Eating a snack in my hometown through someone else's camellia will greatly satisfy my homesickness.
Camellia oleifera is often served with a variety of fried fragrant foods, such as fried soybeans, peanuts, fried corn, fried rice or popcorn, crisp fruit (similar to fried dough sticks), fried rice balls or glutinous rice cakes. And there are often more than a dozen. When drinking camellia oleifera, the snacks placed on a table look like a treat, which is very ostentatious.
In fact, Gongcheng people have to "beat camellia oleifera" for breakfast every day, and some families can't even eat without camellia oleifera. Inviting guests to drink Camellia oleifera is equivalent to inviting them to dinner.
Speaking of drinking camellia oleifera as a meal, I remembered the first time I drank camellia oleifera. I made a silly joke because I didn't understand it.
That was when I was a freshman. The head teacher happens to be from Gongcheng. One Saturday, his family played with Camellia oleifera, and invited three Gongcheng girls from his class to his house to drink Camellia oleifera. Because one of the girls and I are good friends, I was invited to go together. I always feel that there is another reason to be invited, that is, I have the same surname as the class teacher.
We arrive at the teacher's house at about ten o'clock in the morning. The teacher and Jenny have prepared camellia oleifera and accompanying food, including scattered (crispy snacks fried with flour) and glutinous rice cakes. Everyone sat around the stove, eating and chatting, but it was also lively.
I have never heard of Camellia oleifera before, let alone drink it. I tasted it, but I didn't like it very much. Plus, I'm shy and not as generous as other girls, so I sat at the table and ate some food like Zanba carefully, so I didn't move my chopsticks much.
After sitting for more than an hour, we left the teacher's house and went back to the dormitory. It's time for lunch in the canteen. I foolishly said to my good friend, let's go to dinner.
My good friend in Gongcheng stared at me and said in surprise, didn't you just eat? It turns out that drinking camellia oleifera means eating. You are all full, and I am still half hungry. I don't understand this is eating.
More than 30 years have passed, the class teacher has left us for more than 20 years, and many things have been blurred. I have never forgotten the little thing of drinking camellia oleifera, not because it is astringent, nor because it lacks food. Some things, if you remember them for no reason, you will never forget them.
Looking back now, I never liked it until I did. The practice and taste of Camellia oleifera have not changed. It should be my own taste and feeling.
After decades of ups and downs in life, maybe now I am more adaptable, more tolerant of things, and more receptive to the strong and bitter taste of Camellia oleifera, so as to better taste the bitter and sweet fragrance. Perhaps this is the old saying "Bitter first, then sweet", and so is life. Only when you have experienced youth and youth, suffering and fatigue, will you grow up slowly and you can taste the sweetness of life.
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