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 were scolded immediately.
I'm sorry that the things and methods they used were wrong.
They actually boil sugar with oil just like making shredded dishes.
How can this make "Zhang Dashao" attractive?
The old man immediately became serious and began to teach the two boys a lesson in a lecturing tone.
According to him, there are three grades of candied haws in Beijing.
One is to boil sugar syrup with maltose and make large bunches of candied haws.
They are strung together with wattle sticks and decorated with colorful flags on their heads. 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 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 treated as a plaything.
The other is the ordinary form, which is mixed with sugar and dipped in hawthorn, which requires a bit of 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 also stick to your teeth.
Moreover, hawthorn is small and tastes sour.
Therefore, the candied haws made in this way is something that small businessmen and hawkers deliberately reduce costs.
It wins with low price, but the quality is only slightly better than those made with sugar syrup.
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 digesting food.
Only this kind can be called "candied haws"
As for what is even better, it is the development of various tricks on candied haws.
This kind of exquisite candied haws, the fun is reflected in the rich variety of materials.
Although "Shanli Red" is mainly used, fruits 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 bullshit and will make people laugh to death if told about it.
It's just like you who don't understand and don't know how to ask people who do know for advice. You just mess around on your own stupidly and never understand the trick in this life.
Be obedient and listen to your voice, how can Hong Yanwu still stand stupidly like this?
Quickly 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 "Xinyuanzhai" master. He never expected that a real master was around.
Even though they are flattering, craftsmen are proud of their craftsmanship, but they are the ones who get the most flattery.
In this way, "Zhang Dashao" is instantly coaxed into being beautiful.
When I had enough shelves, I took advantage of my mood and showed off my skills.
It should be said that at this time, Hong Yanwu had already determined 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 unique "candied haws of sugar"!
Of course, there must be some people who 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.
If it comes from an extraordinary person, it must be an extraordinary thing.
Think about it, if "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, in his pure nature, he was born with the energy 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 something special.
To be honest, this is actually a characteristic shared by all master craftsmen.
He is not willing to lag behind others in his professional field, and is obsessed with paranoia and obsession.
Master Yu is like this, Carpenter Wang is like this, Tailor Su is like this, Shou Jingfang is like this, 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's like painting an exquisite gongbi 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 nothing improvised, everything is meticulous to the extreme.
Specifically speaking, Chuan Chuan Er was different from others from the very beginning.
"Zhang Dashao" means that all the raw materials to be used have been prepared and found, 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 homemade 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.
After peeling the yam, dig out holes of different shapes and fill them with various fillings.
Then, red hawthorn cake and green prunes are pressed on it, making it a colorful cylinder, as if it is inlaid with gems.
Finally, wait until the yellow rock sugar is boiled to the right temperature and becomes thick and transparent.
Then gently turn each stick against the foam on the cooked hot sugar, and evenly coat it 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 exclaimed, "I'll go...is this a candied haws of sugarcane?"
The other 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.
And what "Zhang Dashao" wants is this effect. 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 the big spoon, we are also good at making this gadget, right? Hahaha, my belly is like a grocery store, and I know a lot of stuff. Dipping candied haws is a piece of cake.
.”
"You guys don't mention Xinyuanzhai to me. Who are they? In terms of exquisiteness and level, I'll let them go in three directions. Let me tell you, I think the 'Fountain of Youth' was so crowded by 'Xinyuanzhai' back then.
No, I taught them the same thing, and it easily helped them get back on their feet. What did I teach? Hey, it’s actually simple, just use quinces to make the highest-grade 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. Simply remove the core and stuff it with pea yellow. The last secret lies in dipping it in sugar.
You must first use the method of "sugar painting" to draw a sugar dragon and set it aside, 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 red fruit hawthorn. It has always been
It is the most high-end preserved fruit raw material in Beijing and is very 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 looks like a golden dragon spitting out pearls. This has a name.
It's called 'Pailing Dragon Pillar'. If there are two more phoenixes forming a pair, it would be even more auspicious, it's called 'dragon and phoenix presenting auspiciousness'."