Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 185 "The Record of Sichuan Delicacies" [Seeking monthly votes!]

Lu Beigu smiled and nodded, refilling his teacup. He said modestly, "I'm glad you like it, Brother Zizhan. It's just some simple country food, hardly worthy of being served in a refined setting."

“A rustic, unrefined flavor?” Su Shi’s eyes widened, and he waved his hands repeatedly. “Brother Lu, you are mistaken! How can such a flavor be considered rustic? It is clearly a masterpiece! Only today do I understand what it means to ‘eat with utmost care and prepare with utmost delicacy’! May I ask, Brother Lu, is this cooking method truly an ancient recipe found in ancient books? I wonder which extraordinary book it is? I wish I could find it and see it immediately!”

This is a bit presumptuous, after all, this recipe is what the restaurant relies on to make a living. Even if it comes from an ancient book, how could it be casually told to a stranger it has never met before?
However, that was just Su Shi's personality. Although he was exceptionally talented, he was completely clueless about human relationships and social customs.

Seeing Su Shi completely captivated by the food, Lu Beigu chuckled inwardly.

He picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and calmly made up a story: "To be honest, it's not entirely a copy of the ancient recipe. I have indeed seen some scattered records in some lost Tang Dynasty miscellaneous records and classics on the same origin of medicine and food, about using things like dogwood and pepper to harmonize flavors and bring out the original taste of ingredients, but the methods are brief and vague."

He paused, met Su Shi's earnest gaze, and continued, "I have a penchant for research, so I used those few words as a starting point, combined with local products, to repeatedly experiment with the exquisite proportions, cooking time, and seasoning. How can the spiciness of dogwood blend with the numbing aroma of pepper? How can boiling oil bring out the fragrance of garlic sprouts? And how can tofu remain smooth and tender in that fiery red oil?"

"All of this is the result of years of trial and error, repeated failures and adjustments, before I finally figured out the flavor I have today. So rather than calling it an ancient formula, it is more accurate to say that it is just some of my own rudimentary insights, which I have developed by borrowing the ideas of the ancients, and through my own contemplation, improvement and creation."

"Created independently?!"

Su Shi was stunned when he heard this!

He originally thought that Lu Beigu had just stumbled upon some lost ancient recipe, but he never expected that the unparalleled deliciousness that made him so full that he could hardly move was actually created by this young scholar in front of him, based on his own understanding of flavors, through trial and error!

This is hardly a "shallow insight"; it is clearly a groundbreaking innovation by a master chef!
His gaze toward Lu Beigu was instantly filled with indescribable shock and heartfelt admiration!

That feeling was even stronger than hearing that Lu Beigu had won the title of top scholar in Luzhou at the age of seventeen!
After all, Su Shi didn't think it was anything special that Lu Beigu had won the top prize in the provincial examination, since he himself had also won the top prize.

But in Su Shi's view, a master who could create so many delicious dishes was truly remarkable!

"Brother Lu is truly a genius!"

Su Shi excitedly slapped his thigh: "This flavor, this method of creation, is truly unprecedented in the culinary world of our Great Song Dynasty! I dare to assert that this flavor will surely sweep through Sichuan and even spread throughout the world! Such an achievement is no less important than governing the country and bringing peace to the nation!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, completely forgetting about the literary competition.

Looking at Su Shi's excited and gesticulating manner, Lu Beigu felt both amused and subtly accomplished.

It's quite interesting that the future literary giant and top gourmet Su Dongpo was so full of Sichuan cuisine at his own restaurant that he couldn't move on his first meeting with the chef, and even admired himself immensely.

He raised his teacup, his smile gentle: "Brother Zizhan, you flatter me. These are merely minor matters to satisfy one's appetite; how dare they be compared to the great principles of governing the country and ensuring its peace? Come, have some tea; digestion is the most important thing."

"No, no, no!" Su Shi raised his teacup and shook his head repeatedly. "The way of cooking is also the way of the great! Harmonizing the ingredients and creating the five flavors, the balance of yin and yang contained therein is no different from governing the country and bringing peace to the people. Brother Lu has made a great contribution by creating this new flavor! My trip today has been worthwhile! Absolutely worthwhile!"

He tilted his head back and drank the barley tea in the cup in one gulp, as if it were wine.

The Anle Creek flows quietly, and the aroma of tea wafts from under the bamboo shed.

Two young men of similar age and with the same love for food, one talking eloquently about "culinary innovation," the other listening with rapt attention and longing.

After a long and pleasant conversation, Su Shi asked again, "I really like it. May I see the recipe, Brother Lu?"

Lu Beigu paused for a moment and said, "The recipe is the foundation of a private chef's livelihood. My family relies on it to make a living. If an ordinary person comes to borrow it, I'm afraid they might have the intention to steal the secrets."

Su Shi was craving it so badly that he swallowed hard and swore to the heavens, "I only want to make it for myself to satisfy my craving. I will never tell anyone or make any profit from it. Please let me take a look, Brother Lu."

Lu Beigu might not believe what others said.

But coming from Su Shi, a famous gourmand, he believed it.

“Very well.” Lu Beigu nodded slightly. “However, this recipe has never been written down. I originally thought that once my family is well-fed and clothed and no longer needs to do this as a profession, I would then promote these new recipes to the world. So today I will write a manuscript for Brother Su to see.”

He then borrowed paper and pen from a nearby shop and weighed the paper down with an empty teacup.

Lu Beigu wrote the poem at a riverside tea stall where only the two of them were present.

Preface to "The Record of Sichuan Delicacies"

I once accompanied my superior through the market town of Min and Emei, where I saw a butcher carving up a pig by the riverbank, with steam rising from the cauldron and the aroma of pepper filling the streets.

I then exclaimed, "The flavors of Sichuan, since the beginning of time, have uniquely possessed the exquisite wonders of nature's vinegar and soy sauce."

However, observing what was displayed in the market, it was nothing more than the usual methods of roasting, grilling, slicing, and pickling. Thus, I developed the ambition to compile a collection of culinary recipes. Whenever a gourmet secretly imparted a unique recipe, or whenever I gained some insight from ancient books, I would record it on my Qing Teng paper.

This collection is now compiled into three volumes, which describe the cooking time, properties of ingredients, and the flavors of food, and is entitled "Shu Zhuan Lu" (Records of Sichuan Cuisine).

As the monks of Fawang Temple said, "Cooking a small fish is like governing a large country; the Zen wisdom lies in this very act."

After finishing the preface, Lu Beigu pondered for a moment and continued writing the recipes.

"The Record of Sichuan Cuisine, Part One: Cooking Temperature"

【Twice-cooked pork】Also known as braised pork. Take two pieces of pork buttock, remove them from the wok as soon as the broth boils, and slice them into thin slices. Slice green garlic diagonally, sauté fermented black beans until fragrant, then add the pork slices and stir-fry quickly over high heat until they are glistening like lanterns, so that the fatty parts are not greasy and the lean parts are not dry. This dish is most dependent on precise control of the heat; too late and it will burn, too fast and it will become fishy. It should be like a master general commanding an army, attacking and defending in an instant.

【Camphor Tea Duck】It is neither camphor nor tea, but is actually smoked with camphor leaves and Mengding tea. It is made with Qiongzhou ducks, which are marinated, smoked, steamed and fried. The skin is like amber and the meat has a smoky flavor.

【Spicy Tofu】Select two blocks of tofu and soak them in spring water to remove the astringent taste. Stir-fry minced meat with fermented black beans and ground pepper, then add chili oil and bring to a boil before adding the tofu. Simmer over low heat to allow the numbing, spicy, fragrant, and tender flavors to meld together.

【Boiled Lamb】Not literally boiled in water. Lamb is sliced ​​into thin strips, marinated in cornstarch and egg white. Vegetable oil is heated to its maximum temperature, then fermented black beans, minced ginger, and garlic are sautéed until fragrant. Chicken broth is poured in and brought to a boil. Seasonal vegetables are placed at the bottom, and the lamb slices are briefly poached and removed. Hot, bubbling chili oil is poured over it, creating a sizzling sound. This dish is best enjoyed on a snowy night, the crimson sunset reflecting on white porcelain, reminiscent of the moon over Mount Emei.

【Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork】This dish, devoid of fish but possessing the freshness of fish, is uniquely exquisite. Shred pork tenderloin, finely mince ginger, garlic, and scallion whites, and prepare a sweet and sour sauce. Stir-fry quickly over high heat until the shredded pork is coated with the sauce like a garland.

【Stir-fried Chicken Cubes】Cut young chicken breast into diced pieces and marinate with salt and wine. Heat oil in a wok until it's about 70% hot, add chili oil and pepper, and stir-fry until fragrant. Just before removing from the heat, pour in a sweet and sour sauce for a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and numbing flavors.

(End of this chapter)