Night tour to Ningyuan City

Ningyuan City belongs to Yongzhou, Hunan, and is located in southern Hunan. It has a long history and profound culture. With the Confucian Temple as the center and the Lingjiang River as the fulcrum, the county's construction has spread out and is much wider than before.

There are natural scenery such as Lianhua Mountain, Jiuyi Mountain, and Jiangnan Ancient Village, as well as the Confucius Temple, ancestral halls of various families, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Shun, which together form the unique cultural characteristics of Ningyuan City.

I am a native of Ningyuan, but I live in seclusion and it is not easy to travel. Although I have been lucky enough to visit these places, I only visited them briefly and did not appreciate them in detail, so I have no impression in my mind. What I am writing today is just a humanistic account of my friend’s visit and night tour of Ningyuan City.

When we first arrived, it was getting late, so we picked up Grandma Laolao’s shop to greet the guests. Although Grandma Lao Shao is not a high-end restaurant, it has an excellent reputation in Ningyuan City. The food and wine taste homely, the portions are sufficient, and the prices are fair, making it a good value for money.

I am somewhat familiar with this store. Someone told me before that many of the fruits and vegetables in the store come from my hometown. They are natural and fresh. It makes people taste like stepping into the countryside and taking in the scenery. Grandma Lao Shao has been opening a store in Ningyuan for some time. The business was not very good at first. As time goes by, it has its own unique style of signature dishes. Now, it has a branch.

There were not many of us and we did not want to be extravagant, so we ordered four dishes, one with taro ribs and one with preserved egg and chili paste. These two dishes are common and available in every store, so they are not worth talking about. The last two dishes, one is stuffed tofu and the other is Ningyuan blood duck, can be regarded as the authentic specialties of Ningyuan.

Yong Tau Fu is mainly made from fresh pork, mixed with ingredients according to their respective tastes, chopped into meat fillings, and stuffed into fried tofu. After that, put it in a pot with oil, boil it with water, or steam it with water. It all depends on your personal preference. It doesn't depend on the cooking process, which is also the uniqueness of this dish.

Ningyuan Blood Duck seems to be more famous than Yong Tau Fu. Recently, many people have come here because of its reputation.

The ducks used in Ningyuan Blood Duck are shelducks raised in free-range farmers. Medium size is better - ducks that are too big will be fat, while ducks that are too small will have tight meat. First stir-fry the water in the duck, and then cook it with cooking wine. When the time is right, water it with duck blood, and then it will have a black and red color. Add green pepper, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon and other auxiliary ingredients, and it will not only have a fragrant aroma after it comes out of the pot It's tangy, and the dishes are like a gorgeous picture, making people salivate.

On weekdays, families with a large population can add peanuts, new edamame, or soybeans according to their own tastes, and mix it with duck meat. Not only is it a sufficient amount, but it also has another kind. Flavor. Ningyuan blood duck has a spicy taste and tender meat. It is not only good for meals but also goes well with wine. It is a must-have delicacy during the local New Year festival.

My blood duck was not cooked well. The reason is that the watering time of duck blood was not controlled accurately. I think this is the key to making this dish well.

After talking about the dishes, it’s natural to talk about the wine.

The wine is home-brewed sweet potato wine, mainly made from sweet potatoes. The wine produced from hundreds or even thousands of kilograms of sweet potatoes may not be more than a hundred kilograms, so it is called "grain essence".

In Ningyuan City, people love this wine, and older people never leave it. At the same time, they often have it at home to entertain friends from far away. Over time, I don’t know when, someone called this wine "Ningyuan Moutai". It sounds interesting, but the price of this Moutai is far lower than other Moutai, and the difference is thousands of miles.

"Ningyuan Moutai" brewing equipment has been passed down from ancestors, and the production process is also the oldest method, whether you drink it yourself or sell it. In the past, I personally helped my grandfather brew the wine, and it was very hard to cook the wine all night long.

Last year, I soaked osmanthus flowers in this wine. I finished drinking it not long ago. The taste cannot be described in words. Now, I have brewed a large jar of bayberry, and waited until the Chinese New Year to enjoy it. While waiting, I felt that the wine had the taste of years of accumulation!

After three rounds of drinking, I was slightly tipsy. At this time, the sky outside the window gradually darkened. Suddenly, lights were everywhere, and cars with flashing lights were weaving in and out of the road.

People were coming and going, some were leisurely strolling along the tree-lined avenues; some were drunk, hugging each other and talking loudly and talking nonsense; some were walking in a hurry, rushing to meet at the night market. This created a lively and prosperous scene. It makes the night in Ningyuan City a little more interesting.

Someone suggested that they should eat the old-fashioned Qingtonic. Because after drinking wine, eating a bowl of Qingtonic could sober up the drunkenness. Everyone went there happily, and everyone was happy.

Everyone walked to the riverside and saw the popular street stalls, which made them feel more and more interesting. Street stalls display a variety of things, including a few fruits, shopping for daily necessities, antiques, etc. There is no need to put too many items, a few are enough.

Looking at one stall alone, it seems monotonous, but looking at the entire street, it feels like it is full of variety. Unfortunately, there was no bookstall that I loved, so on a whim, I had the idea of ??setting up a bookstall and buying used books. I said it out loud, which made everyone laugh. Although I have this intention, I actually don't want to part with my old books.

Swimming to a less crowded place by the river, the environment becomes quiet again, you can hear frogs singing and insects gathering together, and your mood will be different!

On the edge of the railing, there is a row of willow hanging silk threaded underneath, which is very interesting. Looking at the Lingjiang River at night, the river is completely dark. Only the lights reflected on the river flicker from time to time, and you can see that the river is flowing quietly and rushing to the sea. This scene made me feel poetic in my heart, and a poem came to my mind unconsciously: At night, the water of Lingjiang River flows by itself, and the breeze blows the green silk ribbon.

After everyone crossed the Xinqiao, they arrived at the old refreshment stall. The stall was packed with people, so I randomly picked a good seat and sat down.

The Qingbu Liang here is very famous in the county. The store has been opened here for decades and has never changed its location. I think most people come here, just like us, not for the taste, but for a feeling. Time flies, so many things and people are passing through my mind. It is rare that this refreshing and refreshing food is still like a childhood memory, unchanged. Who knows if the bowl I eat today will be the last bowl tomorrow?

Ningyuan City is unique at night. It may not be as good as a big city, but it still has its own small town style. I think landscapes are not to be compared, but to be appreciated.

Everyone said that they would go to see the scenery of Jiuyi Mountain together tomorrow. I couldn’t go because of many things, so I couldn’t write about the scenery at the beginning!

Although it is a pity, there is no need to be sad about it. If you understand some of the folk customs of Ningyuan City, you should feel more like fireworks.

I want to visit many mountains and rivers, and see many famous cities and ancient sights. Visiting some small towns can also be a change of taste. What’s more, the days are long and opportunities always come, so we can still look forward to it!