High Life

品 62 #8 2017 年 5 月 HIGH LIFE #8 May 2017 63 谭家菜的精髓，是支撑其诸多菜肴口味的老火高汤。它 采用老鸡、老鸭、火腿等成分熬制八小时以上，再经复杂细致 的纯化过程，产生透明如水的高汤，同时富含食材精萃。茉莉 海蚌清鸡汤，就是一个鲜明的例子，汤色无油清澈，但口味醇 厚，又有茉莉花的清香，不会对味蕾造成压力。 刘师傅及其团队在烹饪技法的执行方面，可谓一丝不苟， 但如今最令他担忧的，是食材本身。 他说，“现代美食让我感到失望的是，食材与过去非常不 同。举个例子，三四十年前，我们打开一只鸡后，会看到鲜黄 的脂肪，色泽丰富强烈。而如今，鸡肉的脂肪呈白色，口味亦 不如从前那样浓郁。因此，有时我们会用团队从胡萝卜自然提 炼的颜色来加以弥补。” 谭宗浚是清朝贵族，当年极尽奢华的生活方式，与我们不 可相提并论。唯有味蕾精致考究之人，才能真正体会这其中的 细腻差别。 在食物味道常以味精及其他添加剂来增强的现代世界，京 花轩的谭家菜显得独树一帜，其餐饮体验亦可作为窥探浮华过 往的一个窗口。 “Tan cuisine was originated in the household of Tan Zongjun,” Papa Liu explains. “Originally from Canton, Tan was an official of the late Qing dynasty who had an immense passion for gastronomy. He was a Cantonese who had taken residence in Beijing, so he brought the culinary elements of Southern cuisine to the North, blending the best of both worlds to create an exquisite cuisine that pleases the palette delicately with its subtle flavors.” The essence of Tan cuisine is the broth that supports the flavors of its many dishes. Using a combination of chicken, duck, Chinese ham and many other ingredients, the broth needs at least eight hours of preparation. A complex process of purification follows thereafter to create a broth that is as clear as water, yet contains the quintessence of the ingredients. The Fresh clam and jasmine in chicken soup would be a prime example of such sophistication. The broth is clear as morning dew, flavorful yet never overwhelming on the palette.