#722ED1 Taste Overture in Bazi, Western Sichuan: From banquet rules to street snacks
When most people think of Sichuan , the first thing that comes to mind is probably the piping hot hot pot.
But the charm of the real Tianfu Restaurant goes far beyond that.
Unlike Chinese banquets, which pay attention to ostentation and include both hot and cold dishes, Sichuan's food scene has a complete prelude that starts with an exquisite banquet and market snacks.
Just like Western food focuses on the order of serving, the Sichuan flavor journey also focuses on the distinction between first come and last come, showing a clear and distinct state.
#F53F3F The taste of the appetizer: the appetizing top note, the spicy kick
The purpose of appetizers in Western food is to awaken the taste buds, but in Sichuan, many flavored cold dishes play this role.
A formal Sichuan cuisine banquet will never be over-the-top.
The first thing that comes out is often a few exquisite and clever cold dishes, which are just like the appetizing food of Sichuan cuisine. The taste is mainly salty, slightly spicy, sweet and sour, and the quantity is small but very delicate.
For example, take the classic white meat with garlic paste. Cook it until it is just cooked, then slice it into thin slices as thin as paper wings, and then pour the sauce made with #1677FF red oil, minced garlic and replica soy sauce. When you eat it, you will first experience the aroma of garlic and the burnt aroma of #1677FF red oil, then it will turn to sweetness, and finally there will be the vague spiciness, which can whet your appetite in an instant.
Or a plate of diced rabbit with tangerine peel, which has a numbing texture, spicy flavor, salty and fresh, and is mixed with a citrus fragrance. This is exactly the beginning of the Sichuan cuisine philosophy of "a hundred dishes and a hundred flavors".
#722ED1 When the soup is boiling: A cup of good soup is the foundation of Sichuan cuisine
The second course of Western food is soup, while Sichuan cuisine also pays attention to "the accent of an opera singer and the chef's soup".
Located in a high-end banquet, immediately after the cold dishes, an extremely delicate soup is usually presented. It is not as simple as washing a pot of water. On the contrary, it can truly demonstrate the profound skills of Sichuan chefs.
Different from the cream soup of Western food, and also different from the clear soup of Western food, Sichuan cuisine has boiled cabbage that is unique.
Its name is "boiled water". In fact, it uses ingredients such as old hens, ducks, ribs, ham, etc., and is stewed carefully for many days on a slow fire. Then the soup is swept several times to remove impurities, and finally the tea-colored clear soup is obtained. This clear soup is so clear that you can see the bottom, but the taste is delicious and mellow.
A heart of cabbage is so tender that it floats in the soup like curdled fat. It looks plain and bland, but when you eat it, the delicious flavor bursts out instantly, perfectly interpreting the other side of Sichuan cuisine's "big flavor but simplicity".
#00B42A Side dishes and main dishes: the symphony of river gifts and mountain delicacies
If fish dishes in Western food are regarded as side dishes, then in Sichuan, what the rivers provide is the colorful movement that takes over the upper part and opens the lower part of the banquet.
The fish called #F53F3F Jiangtuan comes from the Yangtze River, the Minjiang River, and rock carp. These are the best ingredients in Sichuan cuisine.
There is a dish called Steamed Jiangtuan, which only uses onion and ginger to remove the fishy smell. What you taste is the extreme tenderness and sweetness of the fish itself. It is paired with a ginger sauce. This combination is just right, just right.
This is Sichuan cuisine’s highest tribute to umami.
Next, naturally, are the main dishes represented by beef, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
Here, there is the world-famous Mapo Tofu with the #722ED1 logo. Although its ingredients are ordinary, it can use the Pixian bean paste and Sichuan peppercorns with the #00B42A logo to show the ultimate spicy and spicy taste.
There is even twice-cooked pork, which is known as the "King of Sichuan cuisine". It uses two cuts of meat and is paired with garlic sprouts (green garlic). With the meat slices like a lamp nest, it is quickly stir-fried to bring out the caramel aroma of oil and the aroma of black bean sauce. Every bite is the taste of Sichuan people's hometown.
Speaking of poultry-related dishes, there is such a dish called Kung Pao Chicken. It has a spicy lychee flavor, with a hint of pepper in the sweet and sour taste. The chicken is smooth and tender, and the peanuts are crispy. It demonstrates the skill of balancing the taste extremely well.
#1677FF Freshness during the dinner: vegetables and snacks, decoration is also the protagonist
Salads in Western food have evolved into vegetarian dishes that relieve greasiness and clear the mouth in Sichuan banquets.
A plate of stir-fried pea tips requires only lard and high heat, and it can be cooked in just a few seconds. The unique fragrance and crispness at the turn of winter and spring are unmatched by any delicacies from the mountains and seas.
Or the classic fish-flavored eggplant labeled #722ED1. Although there is no fish in sight, it uses pickled peppers, onions, ginger and garlic to replicate the fish flavor. This is a model of vegetarian and meat dishes.
What’s even better is that Sichuan banquets are often interspersed with several famous snacks .
For example, Lai Tang Yuan, Dan Dan Noodles, and Zhong Shui Dumplings do not rely on portion size to gain advantage, but serve as a modifier to the taste, making a meal well-organized and full of surprises.
This is like a dessert in Western food, a little sweet comfort after the main course.
#F53F3F The aftertaste of the final chapter: a bowl of tea, a taste of slow life
Western meals end with coffee or tea, but after a Sichuan meal, there must be a cup of tea bowl .
Whether it is the fragrant #00B42A jasmine tea or the mellow and sweet bamboo leaf green, the moment the hot water is poured into the bowl, the aroma of the tea rises in an instant.
There is such a group of people who set up a dragon gate array while drinking tea. They took advantage of the unique taste of tea that is slightly bitter and then turns sweet to completely wash away the greasy feeling in the mouth. This long and unique taste experience finally settled into an atmosphere full of comfort and leisure.
This is the food culture of Sichuan. It is not just about eating, it is an art that has been integrated into the blood and has the #722ED1 slow life .
A dish turns into a table, a street stall transforms into an elegant hall, and the taste of Sichuan, with its clear layers, color, aroma and taste, slowly unfolds every day.
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