4 “Not enough” things about Shanxi people

There is such a limerick in Shanxi: "I can't eat enough millet, drink enough soup, smell enough old vinegar, and hear enough Bangzi tune."

In the eyes of outsiders, Shanxi is a gray and dusty country with only coal. They would look at it and say: What are all this?

But Shanxi people, who have always been low-key, can only smile. They have a land and water, a civilization, and a wise life. What do you know?

Let’s talk about millet first.

More people know millet porridge. In fact, in the Jinzhong area, "millet thick rice", "馇禇" and "stewed porridge" are all made with millet as the main ingredient. Millet in Shanxi , has its own aroma, is simple and easy to prepare, and has the characteristics of strengthening the stomach and digesting food. A bowl of millet, pickles and shredded yam is a delicious treat in the morning. The longevity of Shanxi people seems to be inseparable from the millet they eat every day. Outsiders only know about Qinzhou Huang, but they forget that Shanxi is full of "fertile land, beautiful water, and fragrant grains!"

Let's talk about "Pian'er Soup".

Shanxi people are not only good at doing business, Shanxi women are also good at living. Just like the various kinds of noodles in yesterday's article, as long as there are noodles, there is no need to worry about the taste of the food. Even if the family is poor, a diligent and intelligent woman can make a bowl of plain noodles prosperous. What I remember most is eating a bowl of sliced ??pork soup during the Chinese New Year. Now that conditions are better, I can also eat mutton sliced ??soup from Yuci, but I still miss the bowl of sliced ??pork soup from the era of material scarcity. Maybe it had a little green onion in it. Ginger and garlic.

Let’s talk about old vinegar.

Shanxi mature vinegar is famous for its five characteristics: color, aroma, mellowness, concentration and sourness, and is known as "the best vinegar in the world". The color of mature vinegar is reddish brown, amber or reddish brown, and its taste is mainly "soft, sour, sweet and fragrant". The production process is complicated. It uses sorghum as raw material, then uses barley, peas and other raw materials to ferment Daqu. It also undergoes many processes such as smoking fermented grains, vinegar pouring, aging and other brewing processes. The production cycle takes up to one year. Top-quality mature vinegar will go through Several years of aging.

There is a joke that says: When foreigners buy vinegar in a store in Shanxi, they see that the shelf life is not marked on the vinegar. They think that the vinegar in Shanxi is a three-no product, and they are too scared to buy it. In fact, authentic Shanxi mature vinegar does not need to have a shelf life, because the acidity of authentic Shanxi mature vinegar is above 6 degrees and does not add any preservatives. It can completely inhibit spoilage by relying on its own acidity and can completely rely on its own The quality will not deteriorate after being stored for a long time, and this kind of vinegar will become more fragrant with age.

Have you ever heard of "Bangzi Tune"?

Shanxi’s four major clappers - Puzhou clapper, Zhonglu clapper, Beilu clapper and Shangdang clapper, have all been included in the national intangible cultural heritage list. Being a legacy naturally brings a touch of sadness. When I was young, I would hum a few verses to the radio, but now it’s hard to remember. When I was taking a taxi in Beijing five years ago, the driver’s cell phone rang, and the ringtone was “Down to the East of the River”. , tears filled his eyes instantly. Does your family still sing opera during the holidays?

For an authentic Shanxi person, a bowl of fragrant Pian'er soup, plus a few drops of sour and fragrant old vinegar, this taste is the taste of home, gradually drifting away from Bangzi accent, The smell of Fenjiu wine has changed. For those who are far away from home, this taste is like a haunting nostalgia. No matter how long it takes, no matter where they are, it will always linger in their hearts. The longer the time goes by, the more mellow the taste becomes.