Return To 1977 Chapter 891: Extraordinary
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This is a coincidence. Originally, Hong Yanwu was worried that he would not be able to find anyone to build a bridge, and he would not be able to hire a master from "Xin Yuan Zhai" to provide technical guidance.
One afternoon, when he and Chen Liquan were trying to make candied haws, "Zhang Dashao" saw them and they were immediately scolded.
I bet the things and methods they used were wrong.
They actually boil sugar with oil just like they make shredded dishes.
How does this make "Zhang Dashao" attractive?
The old man immediately became serious and began to teach the two boys a lesson.
According to him, there are three grades of candied haws in Beijing.
One is to make large bunches of candied haws by boiling maltose into syrup.
Connected with wattle sticks and with colorful flags on the head, they can grow from one foot to more than five feet. They were a unique product of the winter temple fairs that year.
This thing is the lowest level, and belongs to the country people's wild taste.
There is no need to dip it in sugar, just brush the sugar syrup directly on the candied haws.
Therefore, the raw materials are not particularly particular. If you catch Shanlihong, use Shanlihong. If there is ready-made hawthorn, use hawthorn.
It is also unhygienic, so few people eat it, and it is mostly used as a plaything.
The other is the ordinary form, which is mixed with sugar and dipped in hawthorn, which requires some craftsmanship.
It’s just that when the sugar is cold, it will turn into a white layer of frost. Not only is it not translucent at all, the sugar will still stick to your teeth.
Moreover, hawthorn is small and tastes sour.
So the candied haws made in this way is something that small businessmen and vendors deliberately reduce costs.
Winning with low price, the grade is only slightly better than the sugar-coated ones.
The third type is truly authentic, that is, candied haws made from yellow rock sugar and "Shanli Red".
A thin layer of sugar, transparent and bright, crispy and non-sticky when eaten, and has the medicinal effect of relieving coughs and transforming food.
Only this kind of thing can be called "candied haws of sugar"
As for what is even better, it is the development of various tricks on the candied haws.
The interest of this exquisite candied haws is reflected in the rich variety of materials.
Although "Shanli Red" is mainly used, other ingredients such as crabapple, yam, yam beans, dried apricots, grapes, oranges, water chestnuts, and walnut kernels can be used.
In this way, you can mix colors, make various fillings, and create something unique.
At this point, "Zhang Dashao" got angry again and scolded Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan for trashing things.
Even if it is the most common one, I have never heard of anyone boiling sugar with oil?
This whole nonsense of yours is nothing but bullshit. If you tell me about it, you will laugh to death.
It’s just like you, who don’t understand and don’t know how to ask for advice from those who do. You just mess around on your own stupidly, and you won’t be able to figure out the trick in this life.
Be obedient and listen to your voice, how can Hong Yanwu still stand stupidly like this?
Hurry up and stand at attention, respectfully offer tea to apologize, and sincerely ask "Zhang Dashao" for advice.
He repeatedly explained that it was not that he did not want to learn, but that he could not find anyone with real skills and could not find out the whereabouts of the "Xin Yuan Zhai" master. He never expected that a real master would be around him.
Thousands of people are flattered but never flattered. Craftsmen are proud of their craftsmanship, but they are the ones who get the most flattery.
In this way, "Zhang Dashao" was coaxed to be beautiful.
When I had enough shelves, I took advantage of my interest and showed off my skills.
It should be said that at this time, Hong Yanwu had already expected that "Zhang Dashao" must be an expert.
But the old man's level still far exceeded his expectations.
Because it was a superb method that he had never heard of before.
It is no exaggeration to say that in all his life, he has never seen such a stunning "candied haws of sugar"!
Of course, some people probably don’t believe this.
I have to say, isn’t it just a candied haws? Where can it be so good?
Hey, don’t forget, people are different.
It must be something extraordinary if it comes from an extraordinary person.
Think about it, since "Zhang Dashao" can be such a brilliant chef, how did he learn and practice it?
Yes, it is an ancestral craft, and he also has talent in this area.
But more importantly, he has an inherent drive to be true to himself.
No matter what you do, pursue "excellence" and "reaching the top".
Either you don’t do it, but if you want to do it, you have to be better than others, and you have to play a little trick.
To be honest, this is actually a characteristic shared by all master craftsmen.
Not to be outdone by others in his professional field, he is also obsessed with paranoia and obsession.
Master Yu is like this, Carpenter Wang is like this, Tailor Su is like this, Shou Jingfang, Mr. Shan and even Hong Lucheng are like this.
Only in this way can they excel in their respective industries and become top-notch people that others cannot help but admire.
If nothing else, just look at "Zhang Dashao"'s seriousness in making candied haws, which is very different from ordinary people.
It was like painting an exquisite meticulous painting, almost treating the candied haws as a work of art.
From the selection of fruit ingredients, to the design of the shape, and even the technique of boiling the sugar, there is no improvisation at all. They are all meticulous to the extreme.
To be specific, Chuanchuaner was different from others from the beginning.
"Zhang Dashao" means that all the raw materials to be used are prepared and found first, and then the hawthorns are broken and cored.
He made each hawthorn half open and half closed, and then began to stuff it.
Some are filled with home-made sand, some are filled with jujube paste, and some are filled with pea yellow.
Then use a hand knife to modify the exposed filling into the shape of petals, and then press the melon seeds on top to serve as stamens, turning them into delicate flowers blooming on the hawthorn.
As the yam is peeled, holes of different shapes are dug out and filled with various fillings.
Then, red hawthorn cake and green prunes are pressed on it, making it become a colorful cylinder, as if it is inlaid with gems.
Finally, wait until the yellow rock sugar is cooked to the right temperature and becomes thick and transparent.
Then gently turn the sugar sticks one by one against the foam on the cooked hot sugar, and evenly coat them with a thin layer...
In this way, the refreshing and wonderful "candied haws" in several colors were born in the hands of "Zhang Dashao".
After five or six candied haws of various colors were cooled and set on the water board for three minutes, Hong Yanwu and Chen Liquan were dumbfounded when they picked them up.
One person exclaimed, "Let me go...is this a candied haws of sugarcane?"
The other one asked in disbelief.
"Master Zhang, this...did you do this?"
But just because he said such silly things, his admiration and admiration were completely revealed.
This is what "Zhang Dashao" wants. It feels like drinking a glass of ice-cold water.
The old man smiled like a child.
He said proudly, "You didn't expect that, did you? In addition to dipping a large spoon, we are also good at this gadget, right? Hahaha, my belly is like a grocery store, and I know many things. Dip candied haws, A piece of cake."
"Don't mention 'Xin Yuan Zhai' to me. Who are they? In terms of finesse and level, I will let them go three ways. Let me tell you, I wish the 'Fountain of Youth' had given way to 'Xin Yuan Zhai'" They couldn't stand the crowding, so I taught them the same thing and easily helped them regain their footing. What is taught? Hi, it’s actually simple, just use ‘quince’ to make the most luxurious candied haws. ”
“I use quince as raw material because of its high quality and golden color. The process of making this kind of candied haws is not complicated, just remove the core and stuff it with pea yellow. The final secret lies in dipping it in sugar. If so, you should first use the "sugar painting" method to draw a sugar dragon and then stick the freshly dipped candied haws on it. ”
(Note: The quince in old Beijing is not the "quince" in today's botanical sense. It actually refers to Altai hawthorn, commonly known as yellow fruit hawthorn. It is golden in color and small in quantity. The flesh and taste are better than those of red fruit hawthorn. It has always been the most high-end preserved fruit material in Beijing and was popular among wealthy families. It was still on sale in the early 1970s, but has gradually disappeared since then.)
"Do you know why this is? Think about it, the yellow fruit, the crystal clear dragon, all golden from top to bottom, what do they look like together? It's like a golden dragon spitting out pearls. That's it. The name is called "Pailing Dragon Pillar". If two phoenixes are paired together, it will be even more auspicious, which is called "Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Xiang".