Free Web NovelChapter 425: Chapter 425: Origin
As they ate.
Village Chief Ma saw Li Xu and Ding Kaifang eating with great relish and began to explain the origin of Jiangyou Pork Intestines with a smile.
"Doctor Li, President Ding, this Jiangyou Pork Intestines isn’t just any old dish. It holds the history and wisdom of us Jiangyou people." Village Chief Ma took a sip of the sour soup and began his story.
"Since ancient times, we Shu people have been good at both eating and cooking. The *Records of Huayang and Shu* state: ’Their horary stem corresponds to Wei, thus they appreciate fine flavors; their virtue lies in Shaohao, thus they enjoy spicy and aromatic food.’ This means that we people of Sichuan are naturally fond of good food and love spicy, fragrant flavors.
Although several major waves of migration throughout history have replaced the people of the Bashu Land time and again, the customs of ’appreciating fine flavors’ and ’enjoying spicy and aromatic food’ have been passed down and have continued to flourish.
Today, Sichuan cuisine has become a world-renowned culinary tradition."
"Geographically, our Jiangyou is south of the Qinling Mountains, but thanks to the well-developed shipping on the Fujiang River, merchants from all directions once gathered here. As a result, the culinary essences of places like Yu, Shaanxi, Er, Gan, Yue, Gui, and Jin all blended and converged here, creating our wide variety of unique Jiangyou snacks. This very place you’re eating at today, Old Zhou’s Pork Intestines, grew from one of those old snack stalls."
He pointed to the bustling crowd in the shop. "These kinds of snack stalls are what we’d now call street-side eateries. They represent the most down-to-earth and yet most unique part of our culinary landscape.
Although these stalls may seem low-end, even a bit crude, many famous local dishes often originated in places like this before eventually making their way into high-end restaurants.
And among the many snacks in Jiangyou, the one that stands above all others has to be this Braised Pork Intestines."
Ding Kaifang played along, asking, "Village Chief Ma, why are the people of Jiangyou so particularly fond of braised pork intestines?"
Village Chief Ma smiled and explained, "That has to do with our unique geography here in Jiangyou.
The northern part of Jiangyou is very mountainous. In the past, the villagers often had to go into the mountains to cut firewood, fell trees, make charcoal, gather herbs, or hunt. All of this is heavy manual labor.
To replenish their energy, the villagers would buy offal like pork intestines to cook.
Doing so served a few purposes. First, it supplemented their fat and protein intake to make up for the calories burned during heavy labor.
Second, pork offal was cheap and economical. freewebnoveℓ.com
And third, when braised, the pork intestines have a spicy flavor that helps ward off the cold and dampness of the mountains."
He continued, "Because of this, the people in the mountainous regions used to place great importance on breakfast.
Only after eating a full, hearty meal would they have the strength to go into the mountains to work.
In contrast, they didn’t pay much attention to lunch, often just having a few bites of a steamed bun they brought with them and a few sips of mountain spring water.
Even today, braised pork intestines with steamed rice is still the most common breakfast combination for us Jiangyou locals."
Village Chief Ma was clearly in his element as he recounted the history of Jiangyou Pork Intestines. "By the 1970s, the Jiangyou County catering service company had opened state-run restaurants in the Taiping Town area, selling pork intestines and steamed rice to provide a filling lunch for the villagers who came into town for the market.
In the early ’70s, the trend was started by an old collective-owned restaurant near the small bridge in Taiping Town and another at the entrance of the New Cinema. They set up large iron woks and began selling a braised mix of ’pork intestines, blood curd, heart, and lungs’.
A heaping bowl of steamed rice was only five fen, and a large earthenware bowl of the intestines, blood curd, and lung slices was just 0.12 yuan... It was very rich and oily, and customers loved it."
"After the Reform and Opening-Up, privately-owned pork intestine shops began to appear in Jiangyou as well."
Village Chief Ma continued his explanation, "In the early 1980s, ’Song’s Pork Intestines’ opened in the county’s free market. Its flavor, color, aroma, and portion size were all excellent, and it became widely acclaimed.
Soon after, ’Xiaoxiao Eatery’ opened across from the North Gate Liberation Street Old Bank, next to the Huahua Inn. The shop itself was a wooden plank house, with a facade made of individually fitted wooden boards. It mainly sold pork intestines, steamed rice, and steamed dishes.
Later, shops like He’s Pork Intestines, City Edge Pork Intestines, Jianmin Pork Intestines, and Old Railway Station Pork Intestines all opened one after another."
"To attract customers, each shop had its own specialty and secret recipe: Xiaoxiao Eatery’s intestines were fresh; Chuanluo Pork Intestines were firm; Jianmin Pork Intestines were soft; Wu’s Pork Intestines were tender and smooth; Song’s Pork Intestines had an old-fashioned flavor; City Edge Pork Intestines were solid and substantial; Old Shop’s Pork Intestines were perfectly chewy... It was truly a scene of a hundred flowers blooming, with each contending for the top spot."
"Over time, our Jiangyou Pork Intestines became famous far and wide," Village Chief Ma concluded.
Listening to Village Chief Ma’s vivid and colorful account, Li Xu and Ding Kaifang felt as though they were tasting the depths of history as they ate the pork intestines before them. This made the dish seem even more fragrant and delicious.
After finishing the hearty lunch, Village Chief Ma drove the two of them toward Anchi Village.
The car traveled along the winding mountain road, the scenery outside the window gradually changing from the hustle and bustle of the city to the tranquility of the countryside.
Just as they reached the village entrance, Village Chief Ma’s son, Ma Rui, hurried over to greet them.
The moment he saw Li Xu, he bowed deeply in excitement. "Doctor Li, I’ve been wanting to thank you in person, but village matters kept me busy. It’s so good that you’ve come. Thank you for curing my illness!"
The last time Li Xu had visited Anchi Village, Ma Rui had been poisoned by Aconite and suffered nerve damage. It was thanks to the prescription Li Xu wrote that Ma Rui made a full recovery. However, by the time Ma Rui regained his senses, Li Xu had already left Jiangyou, so he never had the chance to thank him in person.
Li Xu smiled and helped Ma Rui up. After a few pleasantries, Village Chief Ma led Li Xu and Ding Kaifang to inspect the Aconite growing in the village.
It was spring, and the Aconite fields were lush and green.
Shoots of young Aconite plants broke through the soil, their verdant leaves shining with vibrant life under the sun.
On the ridge of the field, Village Chief Ma carefully pushed aside some Aconite leaves and said to Li Xu, "Take a look, Doctor Li. The Aconite is growing exceptionally well this year. The rhizomes are thick, so their medicinal properties will definitely be potent."
Li Xu crouched down to carefully observe the growing Aconite.
He picked up a leaf, smelled it, then examined the soil before nodding in satisfaction. "It’s excellent, indeed. The quality of the Aconite is as good as ever."
Ding Kaifang was also very pleased with the condition of the Aconite.
High-quality raw materials are the foundation of producing medicine. The superior quality of Jiangyou’s Aconite would also guarantee the quality of the True Martial Pill.
Afterward, Village Chief Ma led the two of them deeper into the mountains.
They followed a rugged mountain path over a small hill.
When they reached the other side of the hill, a vast scene unfolded before them.
Here was another large expanse of hilly land. Unlike the Aconite fields closer to the village, this area was planted with dense rows of Aloe Vera.
The endless field of Aloe Vera shimmered with a verdant glow under the sun, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Each Aloe Vera plant was incredibly robust, its leaves thick, plump with moisture, and radiating vibrant life.
The plants were spaced appropriately and arranged in neat rows, a clear sign of meticulous cultivation.
