Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 20 Time to Recreate Lion's Head

Incoming Cloud Tavern was the largest food establishment in Chongxian Lane, and could accommodate more than one hundred guests. The layout was luxuriously decorated, and there were even female entertainers who sang and served food personally to the guests. Although it couldn’t be compared to those famous big restaurants in the West Market, it was still very good.

The business of Incoming Cloud Tavern had always been excellent, but recently the shopkeeper was becoming increasingly worried; their guests were now frequently bringing in their own food.

Truthfully speaking, their restaurant had never forbade bringing in outside food. Occasionally, few of their customers would come in with their own freshly hunted game. These people often were not good at preparing wild meats, so they brought them in and asked the professional chefs to cook them on their behalf. The tavern would usually comply with a smile.

Of course, there were also customers with special tastes. Occasionally, they would come in with coarse snacks such as fried extra-firm tofu and marinated salted fish from the stalls outside. When the attendants see people like these, they can only smile and offer them a plate for their food. What could they do, these people weren’t into eating anything else.

However recently, more and more guests would come in with small white porcelain plates. On these plates were either two cubes of glossy and quivering meat, or meatballs the size of a child's fist. The guests would call out, "Bring me a spoon." The meatballs turned out to be so tender that they couldn't be picked up with chopsticks, and could only be scooped with a spoon.

Such a sight was becoming increasingly common, so the shopkeeper naturally noticed it. The most embarrassing thing was that there were often leftovers on the dishes ordered by customers, but the foods on the small porcelain plates are always eaten cleanly. Even the remaining juices were poured into the rice and devoured thoroughly!

Why act as such?!

The shopkeeper inquired and found out that this was from Shen Indelible Eatery on the same Lane. Shen Indelible was a familiar name to the shopkeeper, the owner of the shop was a good-looking young lady who made delicious pastries and delectable pointed steamed buns.

During the holidays a while ago, the shopkeeper even bought a Double Seventh Cake box from there to be used as a present. The cakes were really exquisite, with some designs not even found in the specialized cake shops in the West Market.

How come they were now providing meat dishes?

In this era, eateries and taverns were separate entities. Eateries specialized in flat cakes, steamed pastries, glutinous rice cakes, and various other flour or noodle based dishes. Majority of eateries would only sell breakfast foods, while most taverns only opened at noon. The latter catered a variety of entrees and wine, as well as post-drink meals, but none of their dishes used flour as the main ingredient.

Incoming Cloud’s Shopkeeper was displeased with the defying behavior of an eatery selling meat-based dishes, especially when their customers would bring their food to Incoming Cloud Tavern and use it to ‘slap their face’. However, no matter how angry he was, it couldn’t be shown to their customers. As for the young lady of Shen Indelible... forget it. 

The shopkeeper had someone buy both dishes to try.

Sure enough! In the end the Incoming Cloud’s Shopkeeper had to admit, it was truly delicious. He had never seen anyone deliver such a well-made pork dish. The taste was full-bodied yet tender but not greasy. Moreover, it looked as good as it tastes; such an item had no problem being served at a grand banquet.

The shopkeeper asked the restaurant's chef to recreate it, but the imitation couldn’t completely grasp the full extent of the original. There was some sort of secret method or ingredient; if it was not disclosed, it was near impossible to figure out. No matter how many times the chef tried, the end product always felt as if it was missing a little something.

…

Shen Shaoguang was unaware that she had committed a taboo in the industry, and stolen someone’s thunder. She was currently instructing A’Yuan on how to cut the meat for the Lion's Head Meatball.

The composition of meat to fat in a Lion's Head Meatball was very particular. A ratio of 5:5, or 4:6, or even 6:4 were all common standards. Mr. Wang Zengqi[1] said that a seven fat to three lean was also a possibility, while Mr. Liang Shiqiu[2] believed ‘seventy percent lean and thirty percent fat’ was the most suitable. Shen Shaoguang belonged to the school of the golden mean, and advocated for the legendary foodie Yuan Mei[3] belief that ‘half of each’ was the best.

The cutting part was even more particular. The tendons and muscles had to all be removed beforehand, and then minced into small pieces with a knife. There was a method to this mincing– this was the most critical ‘more slicing, less chopping’. Sliced too quickly, then the pieces would be too chunky, but chopping it into a meat paste was also no good.

A’Yuan's had a talent in mincing meat. She was blessed with great strength, patience, and most importantly, she found it enjoyable. In time, maybe she could also become a good cook.

After the meat was minced, the rest of the process was left up to Shen Shaoguang. The hands were to be dusted with cornstarch before kneading the meat into round balls. There must be no cornstarch into the meat, otherwise the meatballs would become sticky in texture. After the meatballs were shaped, it was then fried on a pan on all sides before it was steamed for two hours.

The Lion's Head Meatballs made in this manner were as tender as silk tofu.

The weather was getting colder. In addition, with the limited space in her eatery that barely had any room for diners to sit, almost all of Shen Shaoguang's popular products were entrees that required long and laborious simmering. Although such items cost more because of all the firewood used in the cooking process, it was well received as it was a perfect dish to warm the body with. Of course, it was also because these are famous dishes in the future centuries. After hundred years of trial and error, such creations were the most likely to garner everyone’s attention.

With the Cornelian Meat and Lion's Head, Shen Shaoguang considered if she should also add Earthen Jug Chicken. Once the weather becomes even colder, she can also start curing ham. When recalling the taste of ham stewed with tofu and cabbage, steamed with duck or fish, or simply honeyed ham, old wine marinated ham... Tsk! Tsk!

…

Such flavorful and tender stewed dishes were not only perfect for the weather, but also suitable for the elderly– such as Li Yue, the Minister of Rites, who lived in Yankang Lane.

When Li Yue turned sixty, his position as a Ministry of Rites also celebrated its ten year anniversary. Shortly after, he was demoted and sent to serve as an Administrative Division Governor in Jiangnan. It wasn’t until last year that he came back and was reinstated as a Minister of Rites. Not long later, he was also bestowed the title of Chancellor, and became one of the four Grand Chancellors in office.

Chancellor Li was said to be a man of elegance. Though in his younger years, he was known to be an extremist and offended countless dignitaries. His officialdom rinsed and receded like tidal waves, how many times it peaked was how many times it had fallen. As the years went by, so did his temper. With a renewed indifference to fame or gain, he devoted himself more to the scenery, poetry, wine, food, and other entertainments that life had to offer.

Yankang Lane bordered one side of Chongxian Lane. Due to Chancellor Li’s hobbies, his servants often searched far and near for new delicacies. It wasn’t long before they found Shen Shaoguang's eatery.

From Sharpened Mutton Jade, to the various sweet cakes, to the Cornelian Meat, and to the most recently introduced Lion's Head, every one of them suited the elderly Chancellor Li’s taste. Hence the servants of the Li Residence often ran to and from Chongxian Lane. When entertaining guests, the meat and meatballs from Shen Indelible Eatery were also never short on the table.

Chancellor Li even specifically pointed to it, which further validated how much he enjoyed the dishes. "Shou Ren, An Ran, have a taste of this Cornelian Meat."

In terms of age, the capital city’s Magistrate, Bai Jingshan, was only a few years younger than Li Yue. In terms of official position, he was only one rank lower, but regardless, Magistrate Bai was extremely deferential towards him. He immediately tasted the pork, and nodded with a smile, "The color of rouge tinted cornelian, the wonderful flavors fills every corner of the mouth, the name is more than befitting! Chancellor Li’s private dishes are too wonderful for words."

Chancellor Li laughed. "This is not made from the kitchen of my residence. You two should also try this Lion's Head."

Even before he took a sample, Magistrate Bai laughed and exclaimed, "What a formidable name!" Imitating Li Yue, he scooped up a piece with a spoon and put it in his mouth. His expression quickly changed to astonishment. "It's so fresh and tender!"

Chancellor Li then asked Lin Yan, "What does An Ran think of it?"

Lin Yan faintly smiled. "This junior official also thinks it is extremely well done."

"The truth is, this was purchased from an eatery in your Lane. Have you ever had it before, An Ran?"

Lin Yan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and replied, "No, this is the first time." Such exquisite quality… seemed to be of common origin to that soup filled Sharpened Mutton Jade.

Magistrate Bai laughed, "Chongxian Lane has a lot of delicious food! The youngsters in our government office all tend to eat the chicken crepes from Chongxian Lane in the morning. I tried it once and it tasted pretty good."

Chancellor Li looked at Lin Yan with a smile and teased, "I can't imagine An Ran holding and eating one of those crepes."

The corners of Lin Yan's mouth curled up, but he didn't bother to explain himself.

Magistrate Bai also laughed, "An Ran is not included as one of the ‘youngsters’. We have worked together for so long, yet I haven't seen An Ran make a single careless action."

Chancellor Li sighed, "An Ran’s poise, back then—" He shut his mouth suddenly, sipped his wine and glossed over with a smile, "Why don’t we have Tao Rui dance a section from <Spring Orioles Sing[4]> accompanied by Chun Nu’s pipa[5] to express my gratitude?"

Li Yue, with his favored Concubine Tao Rui and Concubine Chun Nu were heading to sightsee Qujiang when their horse had suddenly gone berserk. Fortunately, several bailiffs from the capital city’s government repository passed by and rescued the two women. Chancellor Li specially hosted a banquet today to extend his appreciation.

The two women were quickly summoned. They first thanked the two officials for saving their lives, even though the two men were not at the scene of the incident, and then began to play the song and dance.

In a place of music and wine, there couldn’t be without the composition of poetry.

"Appearance (smooth) as jade, magenta-tinted lips, bold as rouge… Huadian scattered about, waist exquisitely soft, delicate and frail…"

Lin Yan took a sip of wine as he listened to the words of his two superiors, and finished the Cornelian Meat on his plate. Why does it seem as if these verses were about this piece of meat?

.

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Footnotes:

[1] Wang Zengqi - Wang Zengqi was a contemporary Chinese writer. He is famous for his short stories and essays. He is regarded as a successor of Beijing School Writers.

[2] Liang Shiqiu - also known as Liang Chih-hwa, was a renowned educator, writer, translator, literary theorist and lexicographer.

[3] Yuan Mei (袁枚) - was a Chinese painter and poet of the Qing Dynasty. Yuan was opposed to the strict moral and aesthetic norms of his day and valued creativity and self-expression. He advocated for women's literacy. One of the four classical gastronomes.

[4] <Spring Orioles Sing> (春莺啭) - Is a song, I think. Here’s a clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE5k_BJ1zfg