At least it's not eating chaff and swallowing husks, Fei Qian consoled himself.
He swallowed a piece of millet cake and took a sip of mutton soup. Although the ancient original flavor, without any preservatives, was a first-class taste, Fei Qian couldn't help but sigh secretly.
Although mutton stewed with salt water and a little cassia twig can be considered the taste of the Han Dynasty, ordinary people still couldn't afford it.
It was much better than the bean porridge he ate when he first came to the Han Dynasty.
However, after eating this kind of food for a long time, he even missed the MSG, oil, and hot pot broth from later generations... …
As for Sichuan cuisine's twice-cooked pork, fish-fragrant shredded pork, sliced beef and ox offal in chili sauce, boiled beef, Kung Pao chicken, Mapo tofu—
And Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine's West Lake fish in vinegar sauce, Longjing shrimp, crispy braised pork, West Lake water shield soup, Jinling meatballs, three-set duck—
And then there's Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, vegetarian delight, dragon and phoenix banquet, shaowei banquet, and other things Fei Qian had eaten in later generations. Now he could only think about them, and then swallow a gurgling, unstoppable stream of saliva... …
In the long history of Chinese cuisine, the invention of any dish is closely related to the social productivity and production tools of the time.
Fei Qian originally thought that with his experience as a foodie who roamed the streets in later generations, he could at least rival the imperial chefs in the Han Dynasty in terms of food, or at least become a master chef. But he was brutally beaten by the backward kitchen utensils.
Chinese cuisine in later generations relies on three key things: stoves that can freely control the heat, woks with good thermal conductivity, and sufficient vegetable oil.
Only with these three conditions can various dishes become rich and diverse, and various methods of frying, stir-frying, cooking, and deep-frying can be continuously innovated.
The nomadic Xiongnu and Xianbei peoples, not to mention in the Han Dynasty, even in the Tang and Song Dynasties, did not have mature stoves. They only had a bonfire, and they could only either roast or boil their food, with no other means.
In comparison, the Han people had a little more variety. In addition to roasting and boiling, they also had steaming and stewing. But it was still monotonous. For example, what do you know is the most famous and top-level royal dish, only made during major festivals or celebrations, that makes every Han person's face light up with longing when they talk about it?
The famous—Five Ding Cooking!
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Zhu Fu Yan once said: A man who cannot eat with five dings while alive, may as well be cooked in five dings when he dies! Even if you can't eat food made with five dings while alive, then being cooked in five dings after death is also acceptable.
That's how deep the love for Five Ding Cooking is!
Don't think that Five Ding Cooking is a very exquisite and complicated dish. In fact, Five Ding Cooking is just boiling meat in five bronze dings with plain water... …
The ideal is full, but the reality is skinny.
There were no iron woks in the Han Dynasty. Iron woks only appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Dings were only for the use of feudal Lords. Most people in the Han Dynasty only used copper pots or pottery urns to cook rice. They were thick and round-bellied, with small ears as handles. When cooking, the temperature of the handles and the bottom of the pot were the same. People who haven't practiced Iron Palm should not think about tossing the wok, be careful of breaking the pot directly... …
By the way, there was very little vegetable oil in the Han Dynasty. The common vegetable oil was only sesame oil, and sesame was brought back from the Western Regions by Zhang Qian at that time, so it was called "Humma" at that time, meaning imported goods, and the price can be imagined... …
Fei Qian had worked hard in the culinary world at the beginning.
When Fei Qian expressed his dissatisfaction with the food and announced that he would personally create delicious dishes, Uncle Fu let Fei Qian be willful once.
However, when Uncle Fu saw Fei Qian pouring the expensive sesame oil into the copper pot, the corners of Uncle Fu's eyes kept twitching. Then, when he saw Fei Qian stir-frying a handful of good wormwood into black charcoal because the thick copper pot was difficult to control the heat, he could no longer bear it.
From then on, Fei Qian, this prodigal son, lost the right to enter the kitchen, and a rising star in the culinary world was dimmed.
However, if a small-scale improvement was made, Uncle Fu said that it was still acceptable.
For example, this millet cake, after steaming it and shaping it, slightly bake it—Uncle Fu said that this was acceptable. After baking, it was more fragrant and crispy than before. Well, my Young Master is so smart—
For example, this plain boiled mutton, you can find some cassia twigs to put in and stew together to remove the meaty smell—Uncle Fu said that this was also acceptable, and he secretly put cassia twigs every time, for fear that others would learn my Young Master's secret recipe—
Therefore, the food that people ate in ancient times was actually very scarce. It was precisely because of this that in ancient times, only the upper class and those in power had enough food to eat, making them fat and broad, commonly known as "blessed".
One of Uncle Fu's wishes was for Fei Qian to eat more blessed food. He always felt that Fei Qian had lost too much weight after his serious illness.
Every time Fei Qian was hungry, he would ask Uncle Fu to eat a little with him, but every time Uncle Fu would smile and shake his head.
Uncle Fu felt happier watching Fei Qian eat than eating himself, and stood aside with a smile. In his heart, as long as the Young Master eats well, sleeps well, and is healthy and free from disease, that is the most worthwhile thing to be happy about.
Fortunately, Fei Qian sold a few glass utensils, otherwise, let alone eating plain boiled mutton, even eating bean porridge would be a problem. Alas, if there were chili peppers, even if there was no boiled beef, I could still make boiled fish, boiled mutton... …
Speaking of beef, Fei Qian suddenly remembered something and asked, "Uncle Fu, Young Master Cui sent a visiting card yesterday, inviting me to his manor in the next few days for a chat. What do you think about this... …" Of course, Cui Hou said in the visiting card that the main purpose was to look at the mountain scenery together, drink tea, discuss some scriptures, and learn from each other. Only at the end did he briefly mention that a cow had fallen to its death on the manor recently, and also invited Fei Qian to have a meal together.
Although the Han Dynasty government explicitly prohibited the slaughter of plough cattle, "falling to death" naturally did not count as slaughter. Being able to eat a whole beef banquet in the Han Dynasty was about the same standard as eating at a Michelin restaurant in modern times. Ordinary people simply had no chance to eat it. Therefore, Cui Hou's invitation was already quite high-end.
"The Cui Family... …I have heard rumors in the streets about the Cui Family's affairs," Uncle Fu hesitated for a moment, but still felt it was better to talk about it, "There is a good family in the north of the city. It is said that the Cui Family took a fancy to their family's heirloom jade and insisted on buying it, but they couldn't. Not long after, the son of this good family was reported to be colluding with the Yellow Turban bandits and was thrown into prison. The good family ran around with no way out. Later, after being pointed out by someone, they offered the jade to the Cui Family, and then they obtained a verdict that there was no evidence—Also, it is said that Cui Hou is on good terms with many wandering knights in the city, and there are many good people in the manor... …"
Fei Qian frowned, "In that case, it's better not to go this time?"
Uncle Fu shook his head, "The Cui Family is, after all, a former Situ of the previous dynasty, and has many connections with the court. If the Young Master refuses for no reason, I'm afraid it's not good." That's right, although they are retired officials, they still have power. Even if the Cui Family has declined, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse, and it cannot be countered by Fei Qian, who is hanging the name of a collateral branch of the Hebei Fei family.
In modern terms, if a former national-level family invites a reserve government civil servant to a banquet, and then the reserve civil servant puts on airs and doesn't go, then he can only laugh.
Yes, not going is slapping the Cui Family in the face.
In the Han Dynasty, this kind of face-slapping behavior can turn friends into enemies. The most typical example is Tian Fen and Dou Ying during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. At that time, Tian Fen was the prime minister, and Dou Ying was named Marquis of Wei Qi. Once, Tian Fen met Guan Fu, a good friend of Marquis Wei Qi Dou Ying, and joked, Guan Fu, I want to go with you to see Marquis Wei Qi Dou Ying, but seeing that you are in mourning, forget it.
But Guan Fu didn't think that Tian Fen was joking. He said very seriously, If you want to see Dou Ying, it must be a big deal. How can I delay your national affairs because I am in mourning? Why don't we agree to go see Marquis Wei Qi together at noon tomorrow.
Tian Fen was very bored. How could this person not understand jokes? So he hummed casually and left.
But Guan Fu thought that Tian Fen had agreed, so he told Marquis Wei Qi Dou Ying. As a result, Dou Ying prepared overnight, cleaned the courtyard and streets, prepared wine and food, and waited outside the door with his wife from morning to noon, from noon to night, but he didn't wait.
Dou Ying asked Guan Fu, Didn't you say that Prime Minister Tian Fen was coming? Guan Fu was also strange, Yes, he said he was coming, so he rode a fast horse to the Prime Minister's Mansion to see, but Tian Fen had long forgotten about it, and was full and asleep. So Dou Ying thought it was a great humiliation and began to oppose Tian Fen everywhere.
In the Han Dynasty, face was sometimes more important than in later generations.
All in all, I still have to go.
Fei Qian had a headache. If what Uncle Fu said was true, then the Cui Family's sudden invitation to Fei Qian was a bit of a polite first, then force later. The Cui Family was like staring at the good family's jade, this time it was just staring at the glass, and if this glass technology was really handed over when it was unavoidable, would there be any butterfly effect?
Even worse, what if the Cui Family is greedy?
Fei Qian couldn't help but curse in his heart, Why do I watch so many TV novels, those other traversers invent things casually, they can make things as soon as they say they can, and everyone around them, from the emperor to the common people, are so kind and simple, they can believe whatever nonsense they say, but when it comes to me, I just made a little glass, and I don't dare to make a lot of it, and I'm being watched, and I have to worry about my personal safety all the time, what's going on!
I can only take it one step at a time, what else can I do? Many things are not ready yet, it's too early to run away now.
"Since I can't avoid it, then go!" Fei Qian made a decision. Let's just treat it as a small test. If I can't pass such a test, how can I survive the threat of so many big shots? However, maybe there is another way, which is to make a deal with the main family.
The so-called big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimps. If I am a small shrimp, then I can just find a big fish to scare the small fish of the Cui Family. In later generations, if you don't want to listen to your boss, then you must at least hug the thigh of your boss's boss.
"By the way, Uncle Fu, where is the Cui Family's manor? Do you know? How far is it from the city?"
"I know, it's not far from the city, about eight or nine miles out of the North Gate, at the foot of Beimang Mountain."
Fei Qian nodded, Oh, it's not too far, but, Beimang Mountain, why does this place sound so familiar?