Salted duck eggs, methods generally have such three categories:
Marinate with salt water, yellow mud and spiced eggs. Various pickling methods are either put in glass jars or ceramic containers.
However, you didn't know until you went to Mata Lake that there was another kind of golden duck egg, which was naturally preserved in a small mud pit without a container. Never underestimate this golden duck egg. It was once a royal tribute.
"Since ancient times, there have been flocks of geese and ducks in Mata Lake, and golden duck eggs have long enjoyed a good reputation.
Characteristics of golden duck eggs in Matahu Lake;
Goose and duck generally feed on the clams in the lake, and the duck eggs produced are of good quality and unique color and flavor.
After pickling and steaming, you can see that there is a butter ring at the junction of egg yolk and egg white, which seems to be screwed out with gold thread. It is delicious, the egg is oily but not greasy, and the meat sand does not choke the throat, so it is named golden thread duck egg. "In Shandong's tourism materials, there is such a generally consistent propaganda content.
Golden Duck Egg is a traditional local specialty in Zibo, which is produced in Qifeng Town, Huantai County. Mata Lake, known as "the south of the North and the land of plenty", is located in Qifeng Town.
I remember traveling to Zibo five years ago. After a few days, I really felt nowhere to go, so I asked the owner of the hotel for advice. He is in his forties and looks simple and honest.
"Is there any good place to go in Zibo?"
At that time, we had visited Zhoucun Ancient Street, tasted the famous "Zhoucun Sesame Cake", and went to Liaozhai Garden to experience the ghost world written by Pu Songling. When the store heard about it, it said helplessly, "Actually, we locals don't like going to those places.
You can go to Mata Lake and the ancient city of Qi. The Museum of the Ancient City of Qi State is the ruins of the capital of Qi State, which can witness the history of the hegemony of Qi kings during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Besides, probably only Mata Lake can be regarded as the most old rural place with Shandong flavor. "
Whether the shopkeeper is cheating or not, he has hit the nail on the head anyway. I like this recommendation, especially I am more interested in Mata Lake.
So, I hurried out of the city, traveled more than 30 kilometers to the north, and arrived at Qifeng Town, Huantai County. There is an ancient stone bridge in Zhentou, under which 10 small peasant wooden boats are parked.
There is also a small stone pavilion by the river, which enshrines ancient figures, making people feel that Qifeng Town should have a long history. But there are no toll stations and scenic spots here, and there is no shadow of Mata Lake at all, only a small river meanders through it.
"This is the entrance to the scenic spot. You are not allowed to drive into Mata Lake. You can only take a boat. One-way fare to 50 yuan, the journey takes more than 40 minutes. "
The old man who received the fee put the ticket money in his arms and arranged a boatman for us. People who charge for boating are all over 60 years old. It is estimated that they charge fees and represent the management of the town Committee.
It turns out that this 50 yuan not only includes the scenic spot tickets, but also includes the boat fee to send us in, and the price is not cheap.
The boat flows north along this blue river, and the river is fairly wide. Wickers on both sides of the river hang underwater, and spacious farmhouses on the banks of the river can be seen at any time. Because there is no fence in the yard, the situation of each family is clear at a glance.
At that time, just after the autumn harvest, the wheat stalks and oranges piled up in the yard were like a golden mat, flashing yellow, one by one, and occasionally farmers drying grain were busy.
These scenes are reflected on the river like mirrors, forming a three-dimensional picture with rich artistic conception, symmetry up and down and carefree. The boatman shook the wooden paddle, the boat creaked, and we seemed to be floating in a quiet and beautiful paradise.
The 65-year-old boatman has a rosy face, a kind heart and a simple mind. While rowing, he talked about the origin of Mata Lake. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Zibo was the capital of the State of Qi. Because of the circus in Qi Huangong, Huantai County was established, and Matahu area was a strategic place.
After many years of Qi Huangong's expeditions to the east and the west, most of the places were conquered, and the power of Qi became stronger and stronger. So it was agreed to form an alliance with the waiting countries here (also known as Huicheng).
Everyone knew Huan Gong's ambition to be the overlord, and he was afraid that he would fall into a trap and be captured, so he rushed to him with a great army.
Because of the heavy array, many horses trampled on it and became a depression. After the rain, water accumulated into a lake, hence the name "Mata Lake", also known as Huicheng Lake.
On the Internet, "Huantai County has a high terrain in the south and a low terrain in the north, which inclines from southwest to northeast and is slightly microwave-like. Mata Lake is located at the northern foot of Taiyi Mountain, and the overlapping depressions in the flood alluvial plain in front of the mountain are trough-shaped, forming a natural wetland. " It seems that the description of Mata Lake in this story is still vivid.
On the way, the ship stopped at a beach. There is only one family on the river beach, an adobe bungalow, with a row of awnings in front and sparkling water on the side of the awning.
Ducks flock on the shore, and some catch fish and shrimp in the water; Some are floating on the shore, flapping their wings and shouting; Other people are dangling under our feet with their bellies.
Look at these ducks carefully. They are light in size, small in chest, plump in hindquarters, with brown feathers and black stripes. It belongs to the finch feather type similar to ancestors, so it is commonly known as "Ma Duck".
It is said that they have strong foraging ability and are suitable for living in rivers, ponds, reed fields and plains. Ducks with white and black feathers are all its variants.
We boatmen should be familiar with the owner of this family. As soon as the ship landed, they sat at the small wooden table under the arbor and drank tea. The teacup is a porcelain cup from the 1980s. It reads "Long live Chairman Mao" in red on the outside, which is very familiar.
While drinking tea, the boatman chatted with his friends. We turned and walked into the room, which was crowded with people. "Oh, duck eggs are sold in the house!" Because the wall near the door is covered with baskets of duck eggs.
The hostess of this family, who looks less than 60 years old, is sitting on the back wall with a row of dark cellars at her feet. She reached out and touched the cellar.
A duck egg wrapped in black mud was put into a small cardboard box with handles around it, and a box just contained 50 duck eggs. After paying the money, the tourists lifted the egg boxes and all laughed and squeezed out of the room.
It turns out that golden duck eggs can be pickled with hemp duck eggs outside the house. When curing, you don't need glass bottles, pottery pots and plastic barrels, just a small brick cellar underground.
It's the first time I've seen such a primitive and natural way to pickle eggs.
Those duck eggs were squeezed in the thick black sand mud in the cellar. I don't know whether the sand and mud brought back from outside are put into the cellar or whether the bottom of the cellar is directly connected with the river bottom outside the house.
I feel those duck eggs lying in the mushy river mud and sleeping comfortably. They can fully breathe the breath and spirituality of nature.
"Sand mud with old-fashioned big salt can be soaked in 20 days. The salted duck eggs won't go bad if they are kept for a long time. In the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong took a fancy to the golden duck eggs here and hand-picked them as royal tributes. "
We also walked out of the house with our favorite "baby" and saw the host proudly introducing the characteristics of golden duck eggs to tourists in the yard.
The river bank is sunny, the wicker flutters, the water ripples and the ducks croak. A man and a woman, two 10-year-old children are fishing on the west side of the corner, one left and one right, and they are very busy.
With the lifting of the fishing rod, a lively little fish was pulled out of the water. Before the children threw the hooked fish into the silk bag, several ducks suddenly jumped in, grabbed the fish and swallowed it.
The two children are probably the grandchildren of this family. What a relaxing summer vacation!
This is a farmer's life by Mata Lake, which seems to be not much different from the scenes in ancient legends. "In ancient times, there were many springs and rivers in Huantai. People by the water have raised more ducks. Hanoi produces a lot of screws and fish and shrimp. When the duck ate it, it laid layers of yolk and purple eggs. Cut it, such as gold thread winding, its taste is abnormal. If it is marinated for nearly a month and the knife is cooked, the butter will flow out of the duck egg along the edge, which is also commonly known as the silk-wrapped duck egg. "
It is said that Mata Lake, which was called Xiaohai in ancient times, has flourished since ancient times because of its rich products, forming a market that leaves early and returns late. Every day before dawn, vendors and fishermen have gathered, and a few stalls are trading with lanterns. Just before dawn, the transaction peaked. This unique morning market is called "Dew Collection".
After buying duck eggs, our boat continued to drift to the depths of the lake area, with reeds and blue waves beside it. When crossing several short bridges on the river, we quickly lowered our heads for fear of hitting the top of the bridge. In fact, it's just a matter of mentality.
In a short time, the vision was broadened and Mata Lake arrived. Lotus beds are everywhere in front of us and around us, and vast lakes and reed fields are in the distance.
"There is no way for reeds to block water, and a penny is worth more than another village." The boat floats in a world full of lotus flowers. During swimming, I feel refreshed and warm. The boatman told us the story of Yan Shu and Lv Zhonglian talking about the political gains and losses of the six countries by Mata Lake.
At that time, Lv Zhonglian had foreseen that Qin would be full of weather and dominate the world. After the Qin Dynasty destroyed Qi, the hermit of Qi, who was good at explaining grand and extraordinary strategies, was unwilling and threw himself into the river. These stories make people sad, and they also remind people of the prosperity of the homeland of the King of Qi.
Our boat hovered among the lotus leaves, and the green lake overflowed and reached below. So, I couldn't help picking a big lotus leaf with dew and covering it on my head. The fatigue of the journey and the fierce inflammation of the hot sun suddenly vanished. Mata Lake wetland is quaint and quiet, and it is really hard to see that Shandong still preserves such quaint scenery.
The water source of the lake area is composed of five rivers, Fu Xiao, East and West Zhu Long, Xinghua River and other rivers. The five rivers, called black water and Wulong water in ancient times, are cold and not frozen in winter, so they are named after purple water flowing and containing black silt.
I don't know if this is the reason why the golden duck eggs pickled in sand are black and oily. However, the lake here is not black, but clear water, lotus leaf fields, Yu Lian pavilions, fish and shrimp.
In the distance, reeds flourish, birds fly between Tianshui and insects sing on the grass by the lake. If the sun is setting, the fishing boat sings the lotus flowers late, and it will be a fascinating picture of water and sky. Although we visited before noon, we were satisfied.
Time passes slowly here, so I don't think it can be calculated by hours, but by the displacement of lotus shadow on the lake.
Time is long and quiet in Mata Lake, just like ripples drawn by fish, shrimp, birds and dragonflies, passing away bit by bit; Time is wonderful in Mata Lake, as colorful as the fragrant buds and red calyx on the blue waves.
Time is full of reverie in Mata Lake. It is like a closely woven reed flower in the distance, swaying, shaking out dreams and shaking off time. If there are pure land and holy land in the world, Mata Lake is one of them.
"The breeze blows the green willows, the clear water reflects the white lotus, the colorful fish plays with the boat, and people swim in the world of scrolls." It is the best explanation for this northern country Jiangnan.
At noon, we went to a farmer's fish shop by the lake and tasted local special snacks, such as "Black Fish Slices with Chili Pepper", "Bai Pu Monopterus albus Soup" and "Sugar Lotus Root". In particular, "sugar mixed with lotus root" makes people wonder.
Lotus root, we usually slice it in cold water, or have fried lotus root slices. I didn't expect the locals to eat raw lotus root slices. This dish doesn't need any cooking skills. Wash fresh lotus root, slice it, put it on a plate, sprinkle with white sugar and shredded ginger.
I thought the raw lotus root slices would be astringent and hard to swallow, and there would be an unspeakable starch flavor, but I didn't expect it to be so delicious.
The cut lotus root slices have nine holes, and the texture is delicate and round, muddy as white jade and crisp as fragrant pear; Those sticky lotus root liquids can pull out rows of white silk, all of which are stained; The food was mouth watering, and I had an epiphany.
This is the first time in my life that I have eaten lotus roots like this. The store said: "White lotus root is also a must for Mata Lake, and it is also the first choice for entertaining guests.
The people on the lake are the best guests. In the past, when guests came, strong guys would jump into the lake. _ Fresh lotus roots are wrapped in lotus leaves, then wrapped in new handkerchiefs, cracked open with fists, sprinkled with appropriate amount of sugar and shredded ginger, and eaten raw lotus roots with a spoon until a clean shell remains. "
It seems that the way we ate just now is not the most primitive.
The name of the shop is Create Fishing, which is located by the lake. The restaurant has an elegant environment, surrounded by mosquito-net-like screens, not glass walls, which are ventilated, bright and mosquito-proof. It would be even more beautiful if we tasted lotus tea, basked in the sun and played poker here.
Not far from the east, there is an exaggerated arched wooden bridge, which is connected with a row of tortuous wooden plank roads, and under the plank road is a lotus pond. Needless to say, pieces of white lotus root are hung on the lotus root under water.
It is said that when President Nixon visited China in 1972, he ate the white lotus root here, which shows his fame. In addition, fried lotus and mint leaves are also famous for their nature and crispness.
The fishing shop itself is also a small farmhouse built by the lake. The fence corridor made of sorghum and orange stalks is covered with green vines. The sunlight passed through the fenced corridor and cast mottled light and shadow.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are planted in the yard, and baskets of red peppers are basking in the sun. The pepper basket is very big, belonging to a large wicker basket with a diameter of more than one meter. A corner of the yard is full of gorgeous flowers. Staying in the city for too long is getting farther and farther away from life in the country. Everything here makes people feel that they have finally found a long-lost pastoral atmosphere.
It's been five years since I swam back to Zibo, but I still regret a few things:
First, I bought too few golden duck eggs, only 1.5 yuan. Why did I only bring back two small boxes of eggs 100?
Pickled duck eggs in mud pits, starting in Taiyuan! In the northeast, salted eggs are put in jars, which are very clean, but they lose the original flavor of the soil. According to my friends in Shandong, when I was a child, their salted duck eggs were like this, which was super green and environmentally friendly. Therefore, every time I eat northeast porridge, my family will say, "If only I had that golden duck egg!" Now, a "seven-day crash method for duck eggs" is popular in cities.
The method is to soak the washed duck eggs in a white wine bowl, roll them with salt foam, then wrap them with plastic wrap layer by layer, put them in a large plastic box or glass container, and put them in the refrigerator for refrigeration. It can be eaten quickly after 7 days. Here, regardless of the advantages and disadvantages of this pickling method, compared with the quality of golden duck eggs, it is definitely not as good as they can't breathe the original flavor of the soil, so they naturally lack grounding gas.
By the way, according to the 7-day crash method, before wrapping the duck eggs with plastic wrap, roll a layer of spiced duck eggs and they will come out. If covered with a layer of yellow mud, it is the yellow mud pickling method mentioned at the beginning of this article.
Second, I didn't buy some reed painting. The reed weaving crafts in Mata Lake are very distinctive. Reed is cut, blanched, pasted, wetted and pasted. The whole painting is 80% of the natural color difference of natural reed, and about 20% is made of iron carbonization, which can be called "green art painting".
Thirdly, due to insufficient preparation in advance, I didn't go sightseeing in the historic sites around Mata Lake. It is said that there are 18 people. For example, Dongpo Pavilion boarded the poetry office for Su Dongpo.
According to legend, Su Dongpo visited Mata Lake when he was a secretariat in Mizhou (now Zhucheng), and he was full of praise, so he wrote a poem "Henghu Jueju".
I am greedy for Cui Gai's red makeup, but I don't feel the frost by the lake overnight. But the cat was covered with brocade, and the horse was taught to write about Qiu Guang. In memory of this outstanding poet, later generations took words from the poem and renamed Mata Lake "Qiu Jin Lake".
In addition, Wuxian Temple was built to commemorate Yan Shu and Lv Zhonglian in the Warring States Period, Yuan Gu and Zhuge Liang in the Han Dynasty and Su Dongpo in the Song Dynasty. On the north side of Wuxian Temple are Xuye Bookstore, the former site of Yuyangxuan and the iceberg site.
These monuments all have some award-winning stories that are different from what everyone thinks.
"The water color of Jinhu Lake is better than that of Xianghu Lake, and the pheasant tail soup is not as good as jade. In the history of Xie Jiangnan, casein is still like a canal. " This is "Scenery of Mata Lake" by Wang Yuyang, the minister of punishments in Qing Dynasty. He took refuge here to study when he was a child.
Fourth, I didn't stay in Qifeng Town for one night. In fact, what I want to stay most is the farmhouse on the left bank of the river and the newly built single-family building surrounded by four high walls on the right bank of the road to Mata Lake.
One is to experience the life in rural Shandong, and the other is to observe the design and structure of those new brick houses on the right bank. The house on the left bank has no courtyard wall, belonging to a completely open old mud-wood house, which looks simple and natural.
On the other hand, the residence on the right bank is a small building with modern style, with a three-story structure, a red painted iron gate on the courtyard wall, an exquisite door and a carved cornice, and the shadow of an old house brother.
Because there are high walls all around, you can't see how the yard is laid out. From a distance, they look like country villas built on the edge of the countryside. They are luxurious and should belong to the "small foreign buildings" of the rich.
Such a building will certainly not burn wood and carbon, and there will be earth stoves for fireworks. Later, I could only entrust a local friend to take photos and send them, and I had an eye addiction.
The houses on the left and right sides of the river bank are very different. From the perspective of wealth and family strength, it is obviously a feng shui ridge, with a civil style on one side and a brick structure on the other. On the one hand, it is simple and natural, on the other hand, it is fashionable and modern, and the river in the middle is the dividing line.
Of course, it can also be said that this is a typical epitome of the modernization process extending to the countryside.
Sometimes I think that since the city was invented by human beings, there are fewer and fewer places to see primitive rural houses and feel the pastoral atmosphere.
At the same time, with the development of modern transportation and communication technology, the game attractions are gradually eroded by commercialization, which makes the characteristics of those famous mountains and rivers and the pastoral charm in the rural soil gradually disappear.
Including the "seven-day quick curing method of duck eggs" mentioned above, and the practice of illegal merchants adding Sudan red to chicken feed in recent years in order to make egg yolk red, is it not also a manifestation of commercialization impacting people's lives?
Therefore, it may be more meaningful to keep some original things as witnesses and memories of the progress of human civilization than to excessively pursue material luxury and commercial interests.
They are evidence to remember the past and inspiration to arouse people's concern and protection of cultural heritage.
Over the years, when I think of the sand and mud and the golden duck eggs naturally preserved in the cellar, I think of the small village near Mata Lake and its primitive customs.
If 10 years later, the original ecology here is still not enveloped by the aura of commercialization, then Mata Lake area will certainly become a fascinating "pure land" and a small scenic spot on the tourism list.
I remember that day, when we finished our tour and left Mata Lake by boat, the boat was crowded with other guests. This place has the feeling of the countryside in the 1970s and 1980s. Will it be like this in a few years?
Before it is primitive enough, I really want to go to Mata Lake again and stay for one night.
The biggest advantage there is that it is primitive, and the disadvantage is that it is a little dirty, but perhaps dirty is the key element of the original. Clean is not necessarily beautiful, and dirty does not mean losing the original beauty.