網路城邦
上一篇 回創作列表 下一篇   字體:
『大師』與「耳餐」
2007/05/15 00:31:40瀏覽13280|回應46|推薦52

袁枚「隨園食單」一書距今已逾兩百年,仍不失為中菜重要典籍。古本讀來艱澀些,不過現有白話本、更有新解篇,依然趣味盎然。書中不少菜式早已失傳、許多論點也已過時,用於今日不太適合。但是四處吃喝,偶也會觸景想到隨園老人(袁之別號)之見地。

「戒耳餐」

該書分為「須知單」、「戒單」以及各色食單(譜)。前二章為相當經典的綜論,未必古今四海皆準,但若干論述仍歷久彌新。「戒單」中列出許多『飲食之弊』,十四戒中之一為「戒耳餐」,也就是『不可誇耀食材貴賤』:『所謂耳餐,便是以誇耀食物名氣、貴賤為主,並不考究其味道、營養,只取其「名」便是耳餐』*。袁枚舉一例:某大官宴客,以大碗白煮燕窩、無任何味道,但是食者爭相稱頌讚美;袁笑罵「這些人是來『賣』燕窩,而不是『吃』燕窩的」─ 或許,每個時代都少不了如此情境?

兩百年後,交通便捷、運輸物流發達,安坐大城,便能品嚐世界各地食材。經過農漁畜牧業改良、精緻化、包裝、行銷宣傳,種種食材都有了「特選素材」版;活在這豐饒年代,大家日益講究材料由來,甚至一棵蔥、一粒豆,都得有來頭。似乎「戒耳餐」就不合時宜了。

正當此戒已成歷史,某日餐畢,卻忽然感到今日自己、眾食客以及廚師是否已過了頭,只顧一昧強調、追求「耳餐」?

高高低低、洗腦「耳餐」

近年拜媒體、網路傳播,北市外某日本料理店堪稱當紅。雖起好奇之心,但因路途遙遠、個人又一向沒那麼熱中專程尋吃,無機會一嚐。某日應邀,便於下班後塞、塞、塞,足足 80 多分車程始抵。一路,滿腦只有 "This Better Be Good, Very Good"(這可得要非常值得)念頭...

盛名小店既稱「料亭」(高級日式宴席場所)、亦名「鮨」(壽司店),不過只有幾個吧檯位,採預約、完全 おまかせ(Omakase、任店家搭配)制。其實頗似日本正流行的「隱れ家」式(隱蔽小店)風情,在當地則似乎是個特立獨行的存在。

口乾舌燥,坐下便點啤酒,店家答以『沒有』(奇怪... 最近怎麼喝杯冰啤酒這麼難?)
軟性飲料?『沒有』
請問有什麼?『Rei Shu』(冷酒)
哪一種冷酒呢?『就 Rei Shu』
嚐了一盅,日台廣見、十分普通的清酒,甚甘、配生鮮會過甜,沒得選。

大夥人疲肚餓,廚師卻先開場白、口若懸河好一陣,全無動作。小店只有大、小廚師各一,大廚不動、小廚不作。不記得說些啥,只記得已想小盹...

終於發表完畢、開工,眾人得享兩片生切鯵魚(Aji)、配數片蘿蔔
大廚那邊廂開始介紹食材,謂為『高級到不行!』的縞鯵(Shima Aji、亦做島鯵,夏之高級魚),曾嚐試伊豆列島之正品,此處油脂尚可但味平板,是季節未到還是他地品則不知,但並不重要:因選用蘿蔔偏甜、上淋之和風沙拉 Dressing 型醬汁亦甜,魚味難顯
太餓,囫圇吞後大廚『要用心吃!』之「警語」才傳過來...

賣相不錯的 Shima Aji Shima Aji、蘿蔔、和風醬汁

開動後,居然有點 "Trance" 恍神兼開始失憶。通常這種「選擇性記憶」情形總發生在想盡快忘記之事;難得一嚐此處,筆者這笨腦袋不知怎的、竟提前啟動 "Pre-Overload Shut Out" 超載遮斷防護功能。由於只記得每道菜前大廚自己直呼『高級到不行!』、且必耳提面命『要用心吃!』,頗有洗腦之效、其他印象就模糊了;之後得絞盡腦汁,才能回顧一下入口之物:

狀態... 的鮪魚赤身 鮪握壽司

鮪赤身(Akami、紅肉)刺身:一句『大間的一本釣り(Ippon tsuri,非延繩、拖網獲)本鮪』讓人精神一振。雖無日本人那麼狂愛鮪魚,但此季節居然還有尚未下肚的大間野生鮪(直釣漁季九至十二月、極少輸出)?令人期待重溫舊味,但肉質雖細緻,卻少了本鮪濃香與赤身應有微妙酸味。
正疑惑,大廚來一句『這本鮪跟黑鮪可不一樣』
(更迷糊:本鮪ホンマグロ不就是黑鮪クロマグロ嗎?)
又一句『這個絕對沒有酸味,那是氧化了才會有』
(仍不懂:本鮪赤身一定會帶些非醋酸之有趣酸味,也是爽口原因之一)

鮪握壽司散壽司雲丹烏賊:慶幸及早來個握壽司止饑,師傅說這回可是鮪魚近尾部份,『非常昂貴』(略納悶...近尾部大多用來紅燒熟食,價錢相對廉宜) ,口感爽脆、酸甘之香弱,舍利(醋飯)溫度異常高、偏粘,普通。小碗散壽司用了海膽雲丹、扇貝柱、蝦(忘記何種)、鲔赤身,十分豪華;大廚順手大撒金箔,來不及喊停(不喜金箔)、已經碗碗有份;做法介於散壽司與海鮮丼之間,溫度對、材料也大致不錯,僅蝦較不新鮮、口感綿爛。雲丹拌烏賊是常見組合,味可、下酒亦好,但是堆上兩小片鮪魚,便畫蛇添足了。

散壽司 雲丹烏賊、鮪赤身

烤活ズワイガニ(Zuwaii gani、長腳蟹、Queen/Snow crab):此季節自不再有日本海區域之真正山陰松葉、北陸越前蟹(依法十一至三月可捕,即使當令也罕見出口),其他產地(北海道及俄、美加、格陵蘭、智利等)活品也不多。無論如何,能吃到活的已好,而且烤後味道著實還不錯,可惜每位僅一支~支半蟹腳。

烤長腳蟹腿 烤羊排

羊排凍牛肉:素怕日式會席卻冒出個突兀的烤羊排,「台式和風餐」偏偏必備此道,羊排火候可、雖不羶但亦幾無味。大廚另取出一塊凍得梆硬如石的美國 Tenderloin 牛肉,削出薄片、加些細蔥段與「萬用」的和風沙拉醬,變成一道菜;與醬料不襯,牛肉內仍有冰渣、「寒牙」帶水且無味,此「創意」怪。

凍牛肉削片 炸魚

炸魚:此類會席通常以烤魚搭配,甚少見整條帶皮魚直接油炸。來了半條炸石頭魚(カサゴ、Kasago,笠子魚),本身肉質不差,但又三遇萬用和風沙拉醬,與炸魚之味難搭。

蝦夷法螺(前) 海鮮湯飯

湯飯:本想取個名字,實在想不出。此湯投入現殺エゾボラ(Ezobora、蝦夷法螺)、貝柱、蟹身、大洋菇,再加些米飯;雖非おかゆ(Okayu、熬粥)、雜炊(Zosui、湯煮乾飯)做法,但是用料新鮮、味道自不俗。之前上下、高低各狀況,靠此湯挽回不少。不過,開螺的方式卻讓人一愣:竟是以布包起猛敲、碎後再揀肉下湯... 實在很想制止,因為多種「真壺」(蝦夷螺)唾液腺有毒、且外殼完整亦可再利用,故日本料理師傅有特定開法:以冰鑿類銳器在上半鑽一小洞後刺入、上下一拉斷其筋,以筷、叉可輕易將螺肉帶出,割除唾液腺即可用(生食則還需些手續)。見過不少師傅處理,無聲且幾十秒乾淨俐落,何需「乒乒乓乓」敲得震天響加粉身碎骨。

甜點:黑糖葛粉抹茶刀削冰,黑糖味不錯、餘普普。所用葛粉謂取自杏樹根,前所未聞... 向不嗜甜、又不喜軟糊一團口感,淺嚐糖汁而已。

消失的 Detail

各道盛盤不太重視覺美觀,亦欠合宜當令配菜(此時節多配些春夏山蔬齊食多好...)。所用器皿杯盤有的不合用途尺寸、若干未洗淨。店內小蚊蚋飛舞,兩度蟲為酒死俯衝栽入杯中。餐具小匙還貼著價錢標籤... 『大師』(師傅自稱)做大事,故不太重視小節?

無論生熟食、冷熱品、魚貝肉蔬,總是用同一砧(切菜)板,看得愛做菜的幾人頻皺眉頭。看來隨興了些,與好日本餐廳嚴謹、一絲不茍態度甚不同。

超級業務型『大師』

個人向喜坐壽司檯、但亦怕遇口若懸河之師傅,一有礙同席交談、二恐口沫橫飛至食材上。早聞此處大廚口才好,初時高談闊論食材、手法,還不妨一聆。說來源,又謂『特殊配合之貿易公司只進貨供此處』(做進出口的朋友暗嘆「那貿易公司難道就做今天兩隻蟹、明天一塊魚的生意?」)。講手藝功夫,最後成了台灣僅有、日本亦無,則令人傻眼。之後的『叫我大師!』,更是經典之語... 及後批評同業及其他師傅,便聽不太下去;待講到客人『A 老闆、B 董、C 醫師如何如何...』,則已有些過頭。

人各有所好,當天食友一半印象不錯、另一半並無正面評價,但能夠成功說服一半客人亦屬成功。相信大廚若從事業務、行銷必出人頭地;繼續料理之路,也能吸引不少食客、日日滿座。但是個人倒是更懷念幾位沉默寡言、甚至帶些靦腆的相熟師傅

除非高低差過巨,不太想得起 "C/P 值"(Cost/Performance 或價值比)這流行名詞,食畢卻想到了它:以其中一兩道及材料平均素質而言,此餐於當地確已具若干價值;但以「疲勞轟炸」之苦及路途之遙而言,則驟降。既然都需預做準備,此些食材於他處亦嚐得到;而百餘元美金、萬元日幣以上之價,競爭者眾。可能期望太高、也可能 Style 不合;總之,雖算是另類體驗,但個人覺得一趟足矣,大概無幸再嚐『大師之藝』囉 ~~

倘若袁枚在世、來此一餐,恐會笑贈此處「耳餐之最」一銜?

2007‧05(Pictures taken by author, all rights reserved)


* 引號部份摘自華谷文化「隨園食單」

延伸閱讀
小試《山花》創作派和食
《同壽司》的小師傅

( 休閒生活美食 )
回應 推薦文章 列印 加入我的文摘
上一篇 回創作列表 下一篇

引用
引用網址:https://classic-blog.udn.com/article/trackback.jsp?uid=scubagolfer&aid=944675
 引用者清單(1)  
2014/09/28 06:06 【udn】 購買前先比價!西餐 豪華 大師 做出 主廚 料理比價

 回應文章 頁/共 5 頁  回應文章第一頁 回應文章上一頁 回應文章下一頁 回應文章最後一頁


等級:
留言加入好友
disappointment
2007/05/24 13:46
Scuba,
I've yet to meet you and I've yet to eat at Mr. Kobayashi's place...

I trolled onto another blog which supported (with photos) one of your statements/observations that was haphardly debunked by a few in a tried effort to support Mr. Kobayashi-- an honorable gesture...

I remember the show of respect Morimoto had for the cutting board when he beat Bobby Flay in a zagat's sponsored cooking duel at Webster Hall. I am glad the Japanese chefs I trust in NYC show the same...

scubagolfer
等級:8
留言加入好友
再覆...
2007/05/21 12:48

實在有些想打住此討論串,不過總覺網友花了工夫留言,也該回覆一下。So, here we go...

Food Critics我可不夠格當什麼 "very picky food critic",那些留給專業人士去就好。回答一下您文中問題(不對歡迎修正):日本料理店開店營業時,將部份食材以室溫放置其實正常。刺身、壽司類基本上是以室溫供應客人的。台式日本料理較喜以低溫品給客人吃,部份客人亦逐漸變成習吃低溫(甚至帶些冰溫)生魚,算是獨特地域性習俗。當然,並不是所有食材都應以室溫放置、展示,非當日生食用途之魚鮮自宜冷藏之、以降低 Decay、Contamination。

至於為何他人於同店吃得滿意?這我就無法越俎代庖代答了。下面回應已寫過:"Perhaps others get differential treatment, perhaps the chemistry is right between them & the chef, or perhaps everyone simply has different taste afterall."


Food Critics
Food continued
2007/05/21 04:43
One thing I dont understand is, why they placed all the food in wood box  in regular temperature, NOT in the refrigerator??  Wouldnt they get contenimated?? like the whole fish, it's dead, but he let it sat there for hrs??  Also I do think that it's cuz the chef wanted to SHOW OFF his so called "Expensive/High class" foods!
 
What I hate to see is, because of the popular demanding, so the sellers would raise up the price of their foods, but not because the true value.
 
but what I dont understand is, why other bloggers they had superly great experiences when they dined there? They even went there many times! They were just simply very dumb and never noticed those details that you pointed out? or their eyes were covered up by all the Extravagant /Expensive foods??
 
Lastly, I Hate those pumped up asshole chefs, they really think they are SOMETHING! When in fact, they are NOTHING!   If I didnt have the good experience when I dine out (the food itself, the freshness of the ingridients, the taste, the Service, the cleaningness, the Cost), I wouldnt go again, yeh it's the kimogi that we get when we dine out, if we'r happy, we'd deifintely go back again!  If they rubbed Me the wrong way, they'd get bad tips, and Me not seeing them again!

Food Critics
Food
2007/05/21 04:42
I do believe in we should get what we pay for.  a small plate or bowl of Taiwanese tapa/snack, it only charges a very small amount of money, and if it tastes good, then it's totally worth it!
However, often times when we dine out whether in Taiwan or US, we'r always ripped off, and not always get what we pay for!
 
I can tell that you are a very picky food critics.  you are also very detailed and notice every single little things that most other people wouldnt have noticed!
Like a criminal frosencist!  I always am amazed at the great performance of those forsensic sicentists!
 
So that's why other people would be pleased with that chef's food/performance.  Generally, people dont really bother to see if he used the same cutting board (which I noticed, and that's VERY DISGUSTING!!  he sliced the fish, did the sush , and all placed them on top of the same big cutting board; and then he also cut the fruits and did many other things on the SAME board!! WOW!   Or people wouldnt notice the difference between this or that crab from japan, if the chef said oh this is so on so expensive crab from certain area of japan, then people would believe him. 
If people were not pleased, one reason probably was the PRICE!  Some people just not willing to spend that much money, even if they thought oh the food was great when they ate it, but when the check came, they'd think oh that food was JUST OK, or Not soo good!!
well some people are just very cheap!!

scubagolfer
等級:8
留言加入好友
Cost issue?
2007/05/20 23:15

Wilson:well, the idea of "Cost" did cross my mind. However, it wasn't the main issue(actually, it wasn't really an issue at all). IMHO, most of their food did not live up to the owner/chef's self-proclaimed level at all. If the place was 5 minutes away from my office & the cost NT$800?  I probably still won't go there again.

B-u-t, it's just me. Perhaps others get differential treatment, perhaps the chemistry is right between them & the chef, or perhaps everyone simply has different taste afterall.


袁枚
高級食材 = 好吃?
2007/05/20 11:54

好的廚師本應把好的材料的最好一面呈現給客人。所謂「高級到不行」的食材本身就不一定好吃,再加上學藝不精的廚師,那更是一種浪費。有部份的人總以為「高級」就等於好吃;其實像魚趐鮑魚這些高級食材,假如没有廚師的用心烹調,根本就不會好吃。

版主的「戒耳餐」真是講到重點!


黃莎莎
等級:7
留言加入好友
還是日本吃的好
2007/05/19 20:31

S大常遇到這類搞笑餐廳阿

在日本沒有特地去吃壽司名店

不過在築地吃到好吃的sushi

現在有點怕台灣的台式日本料理阿!

且,個人最討厭愛"踫風"的人了!!!!


壹路人
OMG
2007/05/18 18:23

OMG會不會太專業一點?平常吃也不會看吧

不過板大真滿有風度


scubagolfer
等級:8
留言加入好友
續覆
2007/05/18 13:10

Tungsten:Your reply reminds me of my bi-weekly "Roquefort(or sometimes Bleu d'Auvergne) Run" to the cheese counter. Blue cheese IS an acquired taste for an Asian, same thing goes for a Westerner to appreciate stinky beancurd. I guess an open mind would help a lot.

Felix:另放大一蟹照看,文中蟹確是  Zuwaii gani(楚蟹),非 Oozuwaii gani(大楚蟹)。原文既有誤,故已刪去「疑為大楚蟹」該段。順便來點分享辨識訣竅(真不知哪位網友會用得上...):

身型:楚蟹(左)高大於寬,大楚蟹(右)寬大於高

 

牙齒:楚蟹(左)四顆蟹齒中間兩顆為平的,大楚蟹(右)為犬齒狀

 

另外,大楚蟹腳略微粗短,但並非明顯易判。

不過,楚蟹不完全等於松葉蟹(馬非白馬?呵呵)。松葉蟹雖屬楚蟹之一,但傳統僅日本山陰地方(兵庫縣北、京都府北)捕獲者得稱松葉蟹,且有特殊黃色吊牌標示。同樣,僅北陸地方(福井、石川縣)捕獲之楚蟹得稱越前蟹,亦有特殊吊牌標示。至於所謂「北海松葉蟹」等楚蟹一族,因貨源混雜俄貨、大楚蟹、紅楚蟹,價較廉、且一般認為味略遜。山陰地方人士至今仍反對其他地域產品襲用「松葉蟹」名稱。

↑真懶得細述食材,但為勘誤起見,又來了... 唉



等級:
留言加入好友
localized taste buds, worldly tastes
2007/05/18 10:57
AB is a character and definitely will tell viewers his likes and dislikes. The beauty of his "No Reservations" show is the effort the producers go to present to viewers some really authentic fares from each country/culture. At least AB is not eating Peking Duck, made from Long Island ducks,  in a NYC Chinese restaurant recommended by a second generation Asian American whose parents were born in either Taiwan or Hong Kong.

what fascinates me even more (without judging and hope no readers take it as flaming) is the  foodies' appreciations of some western "worldly" foods such as cheese (over 90% of the Chinese population is supposedly lactose intolerant). Even in the west, a finely aged blue cheese or goat cheese would be considered an acquired taste... and the gasoline fume smell of a good white truffle oil... from slimy shiokara to steamed/fried stinky tofu, too! how does a group of people become so open minded as to always embracing such fares?  it puzzles me. Maybe I need some assertions from a book or an expert :-)


頁/共 5 頁  回應文章第一頁 回應文章上一頁 回應文章下一頁 回應文章最後一頁