"When friends come, have good wine; when wolves come, have shotguns." This is the Chinese way of hospitality! When friends come, even if they are from a poor family, they should try their best to provide the best food to entertain them. Just as Du Fu said in his poem: "The flower path has never been swept by visitors, and the gate is now open for you. I am willing to drink with my neighbor, and call across the fence to drink up the remaining cups."
But this so-called waiting However, as time goes by, the way of guesting has changed greatly. In the past, only distinguished guests could eat in restaurants. And the next time we go to the restaurant, it will be like celebrating the Chinese New Year.
now? Going out to restaurants has become a daily routine, while entertaining guests at home has become VIP-level treatment. Speaking of which, does it resonate with everyone?
Hospitality in the past:
I remember when I was a child, every time guests came, my mother could not serve the table. While my father was busy entertaining guests to eat and drink, my mother kept cooking and serving dishes in the kitchen.
Whether you have money or not, you must have a whole fish. Since our home is a coastal city, everyone is more accustomed to eating sea fish, so my mother must make a sea fish. When
is served to the table, the fish head should be pointed at the guests to show respect. Then invite the guests to take the first bite of the fish, and then everyone starts to enjoy it slowly.
In that era, entertaining guests was a very grand matter. It was really like "sharpening a knife to a pig or a sheep". Meat such as pig, cow, sheep, chicken, duck, etc. are the most common dishes for entertaining guests.
When she learned that guests were coming, her mother would braise the beef in advance and soak it in the soup to let it absorb the flavor. Take out the beef early in the morning, cut it into slices and put it on the plate. When it's time to serve, serve directly to the table. It’s hassle-free and convenient, and the most important thing is that it’s very delicious.
The beef was chewy, delicious, and soaked in flavor. In those days, it was a very delicious dish to go with drinks. There is a sense of joy in eating meat and drinking wine.
In addition to beef, mutton was also a luxury product in that era. My mother could even keep the mutton in the refrigerator for a year without wanting to eat it. But when distinguished guests arrive, they still have to serve them.
The most authentic mutton taste, and of course the most original. With the skin and bones, chop it into small pieces and put it in an iron pot to stir-fry or stew.
Stew until the mutton is tender and the sheepskin is soft and "shivering". It will be a delicious dish after it is taken out of the pot. However, at that time, it was stewed in an iron pot over firewood, and its taste was unmatched by today's mutton, with a natural deliciousness.
Preserved eggs cost a few cents each. Peel them and cut them into small pieces. Sprinkle some sauce made with minced garlic or ginger, and the taste will become delicious immediately. In that era, it seemed that issues such as lead in preserved eggs were ignored. The food is very simple and only tastes good.
Cucumber mixed with pig head meat, mixed with pig ears, mixed with dried shrimps, and other cold dishes with cucumber as the main body, it can be said that they are timeless! The refreshing taste of cucumber is just right for the wine table. Anyone who puts it on the table will be robbed.
At the end of the drinking, my mother would always cook a pot of dumplings and serve them to the table. As the saying goes: "Welcome guests with dumplings and send them noodles." A plate of dumplings represents our welcome to guests.
In fact, this is just a very good etiquette we pay attention to. In fact, dumplings are our traditional pasta in the north. In addition to dumplings, large steamed buns and the like can all be served during the drinking party. Eating some pasta will make your stomach feel even more comfortable.
Hospitality now:
Nowadays, living conditions are much better. I am tired of eating out every day, but the taste at home is even more attractive. When guests come, cooking a few home-cooked dishes at home will make the guests feel that we treat them as one of our own, making them feel more cordial and warm. At the same time, in an era when we are tired of eating big fish and meat, such home-cooked side dishes are both clean and smooth.
Buy a piece of salmon, cut it into small slices, add some horseradish for dipping.Such delicious side dishes are a very popular way to eat nowadays and are also the most suitable dish to accompany wine. The amount of food doesn’t need to be large, it just needs to be delicious and comfortable to eat.
Another plate of Arctic sweet shrimps , peeled off the skin, just like eating salmon, dipped in horseradish. The taste is delicious and refreshing. This kind of dish with wine is actually more casual, and more modern than eating cold pork head .
and cold cucumber obviously seem to be indispensable in any era. But now, an ordinary cold cucumber has become younger.
Buy the packaged ribs, pour it into the cut cucumbers, add a little seasoning and mix it, and it's ready to serve. This kind of appetizer actually has a more youthful atmosphere.
No matter how the times change, meat cannot be missing from the banquet for entertaining guests. But there are also more ways to eat meat. Stewed lamb, stewed chicken, etc. are obviously a lot more monotonous.
Just like these ribs, they are marinated first and then grilled in the oven. After it is cooked and served, the taste is obviously different. The meat is tender yet chewy. And the taste is obviously richer and more popular.
Who said that pork ribs can only be eaten stewed or braised? It actually tastes better when grilled! This meticulous approach makes guests linger and make them feel at home.
In addition, seafood such as minced garlic is also very popular in today’s banquets. For example, garlic oysters, garlic scallops , garlic abalone, etc. The cooking methods of these dishes are actually very different.
Adjust the sauce first: Make minced garlic, add salt, sugar, oyster sauce and vinegar, mix well, and then pour oil.
After that, use a spoon to scoop the prepared sauce onto the abalone one by one, and steam it in the pot. When it's steamed, you can eat it directly.
To sum up: no matter how the times change, our hospitality remains unchanged; the more the times change, the more we cherish the taste of home, and the more the feelings between people are worth cherishing. When guests come, cook a few side dishes at home and it will feel more precious!
friends, do you think so too?
