“小腸陳”：“寶藏”滷煮的守正創新之路
滷煮,是老北京人味覺記憶中不可缺失的一枚拼圖。尤其在天寒地凍的冬日,熱氣騰騰的滷煮更為誘人。若是再搭配著吸飽湯水的金黃火燒,一口下肚,鮮香撲鼻,暖胃又暖心。在滷煮店遍地開花的北京,如果問哪家北京滷煮最原汁原味?一個歷久彌新的老字號品牌便會自然浮上人們的心頭:“小腸陳”。
Luzhu (braised dishes) is an indispensable part of the flavor memories of old Beijingers. Particularly in the cold winter, the steaming hot Luzhu, made with various offal, becomes more enticing. Accompanied by golden "huoshao" (a type of baked bread) soaked in rich broth, a single bite fills the mouth with fragrance, warming both the stomach and heart. Among many Luzhu shops in Beijing, when it comes to the most authentic taste, one China’s time-honored brand comes to everyone’s mind: "Xiaochang-chen".
自人來人往的南橫街路口左轉,一家古色古香的店舖便會映入眼簾——這就是“小腸陳”品牌歷史最悠久的一家老店。“小腸陳”的滷煮火燒可追溯至清光緒年間宮廷禦膳“蘇造肉”。由於“蘇造肉”的原材料五花肉價格昂貴,陳兆恩、陳世榮父子便嘗試用價格更親民的豬內臟代替燉制,創造了滷煮火燒的原形。第三代傳承人陳玉田在傳統手藝的打磨上更為精益求精,製作的滷煮火燒“腸肥而不膩、肉爛而不糟、火燒透而不粘”。久而久之,以兩人姓氏為名的“小腸陳”便美名遠揚。如今,第四代傳承人陳秀芳帶領“小腸陳”從“巴掌大”的小店,一路發展為連鎖經營的餐飲企業。2014年,“小腸陳”滷煮火燒製作技藝被正式列入北京市級非物質文化遺産代表性項目名錄。
Turning left at the bustling Nanheng Street, you’ll see a quaint, old-style shop – the oldest "Xiaochang-chen" restaurant. It can be traced back to the imperial "Su Zao Rou" in the late Qing Dynasty. Because the pork belly used for "Su Zao Rou" was expensive, Chen Zhao'en and his son Chen Shirong replaced it with more affordable pork offal, creating the precursor to today's Luzhu huoshao.The third-generation inheritor, Chen Yutian, refined the traditional craft even further, creating Luzhu huoshao that is "fatty but not greasy, tender yet not mushy, and the huoshao crispy but not sticky."Later , the name "Xiaochangchen," derived from the family name, spread far and wide. Today, under the leadership of the fourth-generation inheritor Chen Xiufang, "Xiaochang-chen" has grown from a tiny storefront to a chain of restaurants. In 2014, the technique of making Xiaochang-chen's Luzhu huoshao was officially enlisted on the list of Beijing’s intangible cultural heritage projects.
來自北京第二外國語學院的留學生索菲婭從未接觸過用動物內臟做成的食物。在陳秀芳女士的熱情招待下,她帶著滿腔好奇,第一次品嘗了滷煮火燒。
Sofia, a student from the Beijing International Studies University, has never encountered a dish made 0fanimal offal. Invited by Ms. Chen Xiufang, she curiously tried Luzhu Huoshao for the first time.
“哇,太香了!它的口感很特別!這究竟是怎樣製作的?”小腸、肺片的獨特風味依次在舌尖綻放,讓索菲婭發出了驚呼。陳秀芳女士如數家珍:一碗地道的滷煮火燒有著極為複雜的製作過程,需經過烙餅、炸豆腐、肉料下水等一系列工序。
"Wow, it’s delicious! The texture is so unique! How is this made?" Sofia exclaimed, as the flavors of intestines and lung slices unfolded on her palate. Ms. Chen explained with pride: "A bowl of authentic Luzhu huoshao involves a very complex process, including making the huoshao, frying tofuand preparing various meats and offals."
“清洗是保持食材鮮度的關鍵一步。” 陳秀芳女士透露,“小腸陳”作為民營企業,可以做到隨時來貨,隨時加工——“像對待海鮮一樣保存我們的食材。”
"Cleaning is the key to keeping the ingredients fresh," said Ms. Chen. "As a privately-owned company, 'Xiaochang-chen' can ensure fresh supplies and immediate preparation – much like how seafood is handled."
得益於“小腸陳”企業的長久發展,如今,滷煮火燒的製作過程已全部實現標準化。“食材的煮制時長對口感的影響特別大。實現標準化製作後,煮制時間得到了嚴格控制,這就讓每一碗滷煮的食料嘗起來都軟硬適中,老人小孩都能接受。” 陳秀芳女士進一步介紹到。
Thanks to the long-term development of the "Xiaochangchen" enterprise, the entire process of making Luzhu huoshao has now been standardized. "The cooking time has a big impact on the texture. With standardization, the cooking time is strictly controlled, ensuring that every bowl of Luzhu has the perfect texture, suitable for both the elderly and children," Ms. Chen further explained.
索菲婭感嘆:“一碗小小的滷煮背後竟然有這麼多講究,我太想和我的朋友一起分享這道美食了!”出她意料的是,陳秀芳女士又端上一道神秘佳肴——滷煮火鍋。層層上升的水蒸氣散發著濃濃鮮香,圍繞火鍋一週整齊排列的食料在油亮的湯汁間起伏,發出令人垂涎欲滴的“咕嚕咕嚕”聲。
"I can’t believe how much goes into making this small bowl of Luzhu! I can’t wait to share this with my friends!" Sofia exclaimed. To her surprise, Ms. Chen brought out another specialty dish – Luzhu hot pot. Rising steam carried the rich aroma, while the various ingredients simmered in glossy broth, bubbling away enticingly.
看著索菲婭臉上充滿期待的神情,陳秀芳女士笑著談起滷煮火鍋的“前世今生”:“最初我的父親也是支一口大鍋,在街邊賣滷煮小腸,這就給了我靈感創造滷煮火鍋這道新菜。逢年過節,和親戚好友圍坐一桌,點上一份熱氣騰騰的滷煮火鍋,又喜慶、又氣派。”
Seeing the anticipation on Sofia's face, Ms. Chen began recounting the story of the Luzhu Hot Pot: "My father originally sold Luzhu intestine from a large pot on the street, which inspired me to create the Luzhu hot pot. During festivals, gathering around the hot pot with family and friends makes for a festive and grand occasion."
在深入交流過程中,陳秀芳女士與索菲婭分享了她走上傳承之路的故事。年幼時,父親的好手藝與熱心腸就為人尊敬。後來,父親雖年歲已高,但遇上老鄰居、新客人,即使雙手控制不住地顫抖,他也堅持親自端碗,為他們送上一份味道純正的“小腸陳”滷煮。萬千食客與父親和小腸陳的情誼深深打動著陳秀芳。最終,她選擇將這門精妙而充滿溫度的手藝傳承下去。
As the conversation wenton, Ms. Chen shared her journey of inheriting the traditional crafts. From a young age, Chen Xiufang’s father’s skills and kind-heartedness earned him respect. Though he grew old, when old neighbors or new customers came by, he insisted on serving them a bowl of the original Xiaochangchen Luzhu himself, even though his hands trembled . The connection between my father, the customers and the Xiaochangchen brand touched Ms. Chen profoundly. That’s why she chose to carry on this craft.
陳秀芳與索菲婭深入交流
然而,僅靠一腔熱血行動並非長久之計。時代潮流滾滾向前,身為老字號的“小腸陳”是駐足原地,還是直面風浪,再挂雲帆?陳秀芳與她的團隊堅定地選擇了後者。為了讓更多食客了解、愛上“小腸陳”品牌,她根據年輕人的口味偏好,多次修改滷煮用料配方,同時研發了包括滷煮火鍋在內的諸多新菜品。此外,在連鎖店的經營模式之下,陳秀芳採用了實習培訓加定期檢查的“集體傳承”制度。不僅確保了門店的順利運營,也為“小腸陳”手藝的傳承開闢了一條更為寬廣的道路。
However, passion alone was not enough. Faced with the ever-changing times, as a time-honored brand, will "Xiaochangchen" stop moving forward or face challenges bravely? Ms. Chen and her team chose the latter. To help more diners learn about and fall in love with "Xiaochangchen," she modified the ingredients to suit modern tastes and created new dishes, including Luzhu hot pot. Additionally, under the chain store management model, Ms. Chen implemented an internship and periodic inspection system for "collective inheritance." This ensured smooth operations and opened a broader path for the preservation of Xiaochangchen’s craftsmanship.
作為一名非遺傳承人,談及“小腸陳”的發展規劃,年逾七十的陳秀芳女士依然目光炯炯:“這麼多年來,我們一直堅守著小腸陳滷煮的優秀品質,也有越來越多朋友追隨著我們。在未來,我們也會保持團隊的活力,勇於創新,讓老字號、老北京味兒走出國門,發揚光大。”
As a cultural heritage inheritor, Ms. Chen, now in her seventies, spoke passionately about her plans for Xiaochangchen: “Over the years, we have consistently upheld the excellent quality of Xiaochangchen’s Luzhu, and more friends have been following us. In the future, we will maintain the vitality of our team, keep innovating, and bring this time-honored brand and authentic Beijing flavors to the world.”
文字:林高雪 王浩昆
