There are three treasures in Northeast China and three wonders in Xiangyang. More and more Xiangyang people have this concept, and more and more outsiders also have this concept. Generally speaking, the three specialties of Xiangyang refer to "butter noodles, Xiangyang rice wine, and Xiangyang kohlrabi".
1. Butter noodles
Xiangyang people’s personality; Xiangyang people are simple; Xiangyang people are straightforward. "Boss, please have a bowl of butter noodles." This is the most common voice heard during breakfast in the streets of Xiangyang.
The breakfast of Xiangyang people is not as slow-paced, delicate and beautiful as that of Cantonese people; it is not as light and refreshing as that of Jiangsu and Zhejiang people, and it does not have the petty bourgeois sentiment of Shanghai people, but it is its own style and unique flavor. As long as butter noodles and rice wine occupy the breakfast market, it will definitely become lively, warm and plump, and even become fragrant, refreshing and indescribable. The more people in Xiangyang become addicted to it, the more benefit they will get from loving it. When a wanderer is homesick, he can't get rid of it in his dreams; when he returns home from a long journey, he must first have a good meal. Xiangyang people have a saying: "Three thoughts when traveling on business: first think about the children, secondly think about the wife, and thirdly think about the butter noodles in the morning." Xu is the unique geographical location adjacent to Sichuan, Henan and Shaanxi that forms the north and south butter noodles Compatible salient features: one spicy, two hemp and three fresh, delicious taste, long aftertaste, stomach-warming and refreshing, and you will never get tired of eating it for a long time. Many people in Xiangyang will feel tasteless in their mouths and lose their appetite if they don't eat butter noodles for three or two days. The butter noodles are simple to make: after the water boils, put the pressed noodles into the pot, take them out after boiling, add sesame oil and cool them into a ball. When eating, put a handful into the spoon, put it into the boiling water and stir it until cooked, then add the cooked beef, beef offal, beef intestines, spicy pepper and other condiments and it is ready to eat. When eating butter noodles, drink a bowl of rice wine, which is pleasant and comfortable. The reason why eating butter noodles and drinking rice wine in Xiangyang is so popular and is favored by thousands of people in the context of diverse food cultures is because it greatly satisfies Xiangyang people who like fresh food, spicy food, and sesame seeds. The unique taste buds even turn the taste of Xiangyang people into a colorful movie, luxurious and bright. The charm of butter noodles is that it often makes people feel like they have returned to ancient times. Everything relies on the power and skills of the original ecology, simple and unfettered. In fact, for most ordinary people, butter noodles may not be that profound, nor can they carry so many "metaphysical" profound meanings. In the eyes of 99% of Xiangyang people, eating butter noodles and drinking rice wine is actually a label for a hedonistic lifestyle. There was a joke circulated on the Xiangyang website for a while: When I get rich, I will also eat a big bowl of butter noodles, eat half and leave half; I will also drink rice wine, drink one bowl and pour another... Although there are some jokes There are no traces, but it shows the deep attachment of Xiangyang people to butter noodles. The "personality" of Xiangyang people does not want to turn butter noodles into an industry, and they do not learn from other people's business acumen. They open noodle restaurants all over the country. If you want to eat Xiangyang butter noodles, you have to come to Xiangyang to eat elsewhere. You still can’t eat it. It can be said to be absolutely the first of its kind in Xiangyang, absolutely exclusive to Xiangyang, and absolutely exclusive to Xiangyang. Xiangyang people are "outspoken". There are people driving BMWs sitting at street stalls early in the morning and eating bowls of butter noodles. Whether they are stunning beauties or three-wheel masters, municipal party committee secretaries or laid-off workers, they enjoy the butter noodles and rice wine. Everyone is equal in front of them, and they all enjoy themselves at the same table. Xiangyang people are "simple". If you want to eat delicious butter noodles in Xiangyang, you have to get up early. Top-quality noodle restaurants should be empty by 9:30 in the morning, and first-class noodles are available at 10 o'clock at the latest. The plaque for your next visit is unlike other restaurants where you can eat whenever you want all day long, so if you want to be worthy of your taste buds, don’t think about ruling the roost in the "Sleeping Forest". After the noodles are sold out and the door is closed, there is still half a day left. Noodle shop owners can still work on their second jobs instead of sitting at home doing nothing. What is the history of butter noodles in Xiangyang? From what era? How to develop? We cannot verify it and do not want to verify it. What is certain is that the long-standing food culture has brought enjoyment and joy to Xiangyang people. Like the water of the Han River flowing day and night, it has nourished and continued to nourish generations of Xiangyang people.
2. Xiangyang Yellow Wine
Xiangyang Yellow Wine has a milky color, good aroma, slightly sour and sweet taste, and a slight alcoholic taste. Its alcohol content is diluted by adding pulp, and is generally only 2-3 Spend. The raw material used is glutinous rice, and it inherits the ancient traditional production method. Rice wine contains a large amount of protein, fat, thiamine, riboflavin, especially carbohydrates and niacin, reaching 78.9 grams and 2.6 grams per 100 grams respectively. Therefore, this wine has high nutritional value and is very suitable for the elderly. drink. Because rice wine contains a large amount of sugar and nitrogen extracts, it has a high calorie content and a very low alcohol content. Therefore, it does not harm the liver or stomach. It can also accelerate blood circulation in the body, strengthen bones, relax muscles, activate blood circulation, and promote muscle growth. Appetite function. In daily life, it can also be used as a flavoring or deodorizing agent for cooking dishes, as well as an auxiliary material and medicinal primer in medicine. Currently, "Maolu Chun" which is said to be created by Zhuge Liang's wife Huang Yueying and "Yi Er San" rice wine brewed by Ji Fang Street in Fancheng are the best.
When drinking rice wine, drink it and eat a bowl of butter noodles, it will be pleasant and comfortable!
Xiangyang rice wine has a long-standing reputation. The Tang Dynasty poem "The fermented rice fermented in a jade vat is like tung milk" gives people an endless aftertaste of strong, fragrant and mellow juice. The clear mellow aroma, light sweetness and slight stimulation will make your body Relaxed, high-spirited, not as burnt and hot as white wine.
"In the old days when Xiangyang was prosperous, the monkeys often got drunk in the Xijia Pond." When Li Bai chanted "Song of Xiangyang", "a pot of wine was hung beside the car", which shows how long the history of rice wine is. Xiangyang yellow wine is a unique specialty in Xiangyang, and its uniqueness lies in the word "in season" in "seasonal yellow wine".
3. Xiangyang kohlrabi
Although most people in Xiangyang are accustomed to eating butter noodles for breakfast, there is no fixed pattern for lunch and dinner. Some family dinners are as good as steamed buns and porridge. No matter what they eat, there is one dish that is a must-have on most family tables - kohlrabi. Old Xiangyang calls her pickled vegetables. Because it is crispy, delicious, durable and economical, it has been popular for more than two thousand years. Nowadays, the processing technology and various ways of eating kohlrabi have undergone great changes and innovations. Kohlrabi, which is conveniently packaged for cooked food, has spread all over the country through various channels. Once upon a time, whether Xiangyang people went to other places to do business or outsiders came to Xiangyang as guests, if they did not bring or give kohlrabi, it meant that the etiquette was not enough. Bring a kohlrabi gift back home, and you will bring back not only vegetables, but also the wisdom of Xiangyang people. Xiangyang kohlrabi, which has a planting history of more than 2,000 years, actually has a lot of origins. It is originally a product of the mountains and wild fields. It was discovered by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period, and then he realized the secret of pickling: pickle the fresh rutabaga with salt for a few days and it will become a delicacy. Later, kohlrabi became the essence of the Shu army's military rations, so it was also called Kongming vegetable. Today's kohlrabi is much more sophisticated than that of the Three Kingdoms period. The craftsmanship has gone through a complex process of "three picklings, five brines, and six suns for up to 300 days." It has a low salt content and does not contain chemical preservatives. It has appetizing, spleen-strengthening, and The effect of digestion. Its texture is crisp and tender, its taste is delicious, and its aroma is rich. It is a high-quality green health food. It has won honorary titles such as "Chinese Time-honored Brand" and "China's Unique". It is one of the most iconic products in Xiangyang, Hubei Province. . Kohlrabi not only made great contributions to Zhuge Liang's "three-thirds of the world", it is said that this black kohlrabi also had "prominent fame" in the Korean War. After China and the United States established diplomatic relations, an American general named Clark asked the news editor who had reported the Korean War for the Chinese army with a big-headed vegetable in his hand: "According to the investigation, your Chinese army eats this food that will not rot for a long time." "What is this dish called? It's crispy, delicious, salty and sweet." The editor-in-chief didn't expect him to be so interested in this dish, and he was very excited at the time. I thought to myself that the volunteers had never left Kohlrabi when they entered the DPRK. In those years, they went through many battles, some of which were very difficult. When the logistics could not keep up, many soldiers became weak due to severe lack of salt. It was precisely because of this use. The pimples soaked in salt water enabled the soldiers to overcome difficulties. The volunteers have a deep affection for kohlrabi, which is also a treasure of the army. Kohlrabi is a treasure in the hearts of Xiangyang people and a symbol of their wisdom. It can be eaten raw or stir-fried as a main dish, side dish, or condiment. No matter how beautifully packaged other things are nowadays, kohlrabi is just a dark lump, optimistic, confident, simple and true to itself, standing alone in the modern prosperity without any shock.