Chapter 603
After saying goodbye to Jiang Xu, the father and daughter returned to the guesthouse to check out and get the car, about to head to their next destination, Xingcheng.
Before leaving, the father and daughter went to eat mixed noodles again and set off on their journey feeling satisfied.
In the winter in Star City, the cold wind carries moisture and blows freely through the streets and alleys like a naughty child.
Despite the cold weather, it cannot conceal the unique charm of this historic city.
The ancient buildings and mottled city walls seem to be telling stories of the past; the aroma of delicious food wafting from the streets and alleys adds a strong breath of life to the city.
They stayed in a hotel by the Xiangjiang River. The room was simple but clean. When they opened the window, they could see the hazy outline of Orange Island across the river.
After putting down their luggage, the father and daughter couldn't wait to go out to find food.
They came to the Fire Palace, where many authentic Star City delicacies were gathered.
The table was filled with tempting spicy dishes. The chopped pepper fish head was bright red and shiny, and the aroma of the pepper blended perfectly with the deliciousness of the fish. The spicy chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and each piece of chicken was covered with spicy seasoning, which greatly increased people's appetite.
The father and daughter feasted on the food, feeling the unique charm of Star City cuisine. The spiciness made sweat appear on their foreheads, but they couldn't put down their chopsticks.
After coming out of the Fire Palace, the father and daughter strolled leisurely on the street.
Suddenly, a unique "fragrant and stinky" smell hit me in the face. The smell was like fermented black beans, with an indescribable unique charm.
Following the smell, they saw a group of people gathered in front of a stall with expectant expressions on their faces. The father and daughter curiously went over to find out what was going on.
The black cubes rolled in the oil pan, emitting a smell like fermented black beans.
Su Miao took a deep breath, his eyes shining. "Dad! Authentic Xingcheng stinky tofu! I've read about it in a book. It's a Hunan specialty!"
Su Yuanzheng said doubtfully, "Stinky tofu? Why doesn't it seem that smelly? Isn't it said that if one person eats it, everyone in the alley will cry because of the stench?"
The stall owner was a lean middle-aged man with grease stains on his arms. He was using long chopsticks to stir the black cubes in the wok. He smiled and spoke with a thick Xingcheng accent:
"Those were just jokes passed around by young people, and when they got around enough, they became real. This used to be called fried tofu, but it does have a slight smell when it's in the brine, but it's definitely not outrageously smelly."
Several locals who were queuing in front said:
"This tofu is delicious. Don't just listen to rumors. Rumors may not be true. You'll know when you taste it. Come on! I'll let you take my seat first."
Su Yuanzheng waved his hands quickly and said:
"Thank you! Thank you! No need to let us in. Let's get in line and buy some too. We can also see how the tofu is fried."
You can put a lot of tofu into a pot and fry them slowly in the oil pan until the tofu blocks expand, small bubbles appear on the surface, and the edges turn golden.
The stall owner fished it out neatly, put it into a bowl, cut it a few times with scissors, poured a spoonful of bright red chili oil on it, sprinkled it with green coriander and chopped green onions, and finally drizzled it with a special sauce.
The customers took their bowls, some sat on the small stools prepared by the stall owner, and some just stood next to the stall and ate.
After waiting for a while, it was finally Su Miao's turn. They had just the last few pieces in the pot. The stall owner handed over the bowl and said:
"Since this is your first time eating it, you should order a small portion first. If you like it, I'll fry it for you. Otherwise, it will be a waste if you can't finish it."
"Okay, thank you, boss."
The father and daughter sat on the bench staring at each other. Su Yuanzheng said, "Why don't you try it first? If it doesn't taste good, then you can just not eat it."
Su Miao was not worried about the taste of the stinky tofu. She had eaten it in her previous life and quite liked it.
Several locals around smiled kindly, and an older woman in a flowery cotton-padded jacket said, "Don't be afraid, Meituo, we've been eating it since we were little!"
Su Miao picked up a piece without hesitation, blew on the hot air, opened his mouth and took a bite.
She could hear the sound of herself biting through the pastry in her ears, and with a crisp "crunch", she saw her father looking at her with wide eyes.
"Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Dad! Come and try it, it's really delicious!"
Su Yuanzheng mustered up the courage to take a bite, but to his surprise, there was no pungent smell in his mouth as he had imagined, but instead a rich, fresh aroma from fermented soy products.
The tofu skin is crispy, but the inside is as soft as tender tofu. The spicy aroma of chili, the mellow garlic juice and the unique fermented flavor of tofu explode on the tip of your tongue.
"Wow! It's really delicious, but the chili is a little spicy. But the stinky tofu itself is good. I think the taste is not as pungent as fermented bean curd. How come it is so legendary?"
The stall owner explained to them while frying tofu.
It turns out that this was originally called fried tofu. Because this tofu was also fermented in a flavorful brine, a long time ago, some young people wrote "stinky tofu" on the snack board in order to promote this name, saying that they wanted to compete with Wang's stinky tofu in Beijing.
It’s no wonder that the name spread quickly. From then on, the term “stinky tofu” gradually replaced fried tofu.
An old man who was eating stinky tofu turned around and said, "If you really want to say 'stinky', there used to be a kind of stinky dried tofu with a strong smell. It was made by soaking dried tofu in brine and then eating it directly without frying.
At that time, vendors would sell their wares in bamboo baskets along the streets. Once the baskets were opened, neighbors would know what was going on and those who wanted to buy would bring out their empty bowls.
So that's how it is! Su Miao and Su Yuan were nodding their heads. They had learned something new by eating stinky tofu tonight!
Just as the father and daughter finished eating the stinky tofu and left the stall, they heard the old man's grandson say:
"Grandpa, didn't grandma say that it was you and your friends who first wrote stinky tofu on the sign?"
…
It was the first time for the father and daughter to celebrate the New Year's Eve so far away from home. They didn't make any special preparations. As long as their family was around, they were healthy, and had enough food and drink, every day felt like Chinese New Year.
Since we are in Star City, we must visit the Revolutionary Memorial Garden. Especially as descendants of soldiers, the father and daughter have strong feelings for the selfless dedication of their ancestors.
So the next day, they went to visit the solemn Martyrs' Tower, where they met an old soldier in a wheelchair.
This was a winter vacation activity organized by a primary school, and veteran soldiers were invited to give lectures to the children.
Surrounded by a group of children, the old soldier told the story of the defense battle.
His voice was hoarse but powerful. His wrinkled hands gently stroked the armrest of the wheelchair. His eyes seemed to penetrate time and return to that smoke-filled era.
Then, looking at the children who were still ignorant but already had tears in their eyes, he said with relief:
"Great! Great! The revolutionary spirit has successors!"
The father and daughter walked out of the garden, and Su Miao asked:
"Dad, did grandpa ever tell you stories about the war?"
Su Yuanzheng shook his head regretfully and said:
"He never talked about it. He said he didn't want to remember it and he didn't dare to remember it. Every time he brought it up, it hurt like a knife in his heart. So it's better to just look forward and move forward."
Su Miao sighed, guessing that his grandfather had indeed experienced a brutal war, which left him with post-traumatic stress syndrome, so he would actively avoid this memory after the war.
"Huh? Comrade Su? What a coincidence!"
The father and daughter looked at Jiang Xu who suddenly appeared before them in surprise and said in unison:
"Reporter Jiang? Why are you also in Star City?"
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