Siheyuan: the beginning to realize the freedom of cooking

Lunar New Year's eve.

The traditional customs of Chinese New Year in the 60s are not much different from now.

The customs of doing New Year's goods, sweeping the dust, posting red couplets, reunion dinners, watching the year, setting off firecrackers, etc. are all the same.

At that time, it was generally poorer, and the food was definitely not as rich as it is today, but the taste of the New Year at that time was much stronger than it is now.

From the beginning of the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, the streets are crowded with people who sell New Year's goods.

Those at the entrance of the state-run food store set up boards and started doing business on the street.

On the New Year's ticket, there will also be two red lanterns symbolizing festiveness.

At this time, when ordinary people buy meat, it is two or three catties of large pieces of meat, which is much more comfortable and enjoyable than usual.

If there are children in the family, each household will prepare some small toys for the children in advance.Children aged two or three should buy a snare drum, children aged six or seven should buy a diabolo or kite, and children over 10 should buy a piggy bank.

The 100-ring red firecrackers are also a must for every household, from the first day to the fifteenth.The hanging firecrackers will be disassembled into small red whips, which will become the sweet pastry in the eyes of children.

Every household in the courtyard house is no exception.

Hardworking housewives get up early in the morning and start busy with three meals a day on New Year's Eve.

Some noodles are prepared from around the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, and the oil that is usually reluctant to be used will be fried at this time: sweet potato balls, shredded radish balls, etc.

No matter how difficult the conditions are, Chinese people will always reward themselves for a year's hard work on this day during the Chinese New Year.

Siheyuan is as difficult as Jia Zhang, the family of the third uncle Yan Bugui, and the family of the second uncle Liu Haizhong. Those families with a large population are no exception.

But among these almost impoverished families, the third master is the one who is most able to earn money by his ability.

No, the third master took the red couplets and blessing stickers he had written in advance, and went door to door asking if he wanted to buy some New Year red.

The first stop of the third master was the first master's house.

After knocking on the door and entering the house, I saw the old man was inside the house, helping the big mother to prepare the New Year's dinner together, so he stood at the door and asked, "Grandpa, are you home?"

When the elder heard the words, he looked back and said, "Third master, come in."

So the third master stepped over the threshold and entered the house.

After entering the room, I saw that the old man and his wife had already prepared a table of New Year's Eve dinner.

Braised hairtail in braised sauce, tofu in casserole, Sixi balls, bean sprouts, dried plums with oil, spiced spicy cabbage, etc.

That’s not even counting the dumpling stuffing that the aunt in the kitchen is chopping.

"Hey, Grandpa, there are only two of you husband and wife, and you have prepared so much food."

The uncle smiled: "Occasionally, it's just us and our family. It's not as lively as yours. Add a few more dishes to make you feel more popular."

"Oh, sir, look at what you said." The third master said in his heart that if he continued to speak, he was going to hit the uncle's pain again, so he changed the subject: "I just wrote this year's red, do you want to follow the previous year? According to the rules, buy a copy?"

The elder master smiled when he heard the words, none of the third master's words sold words, but he knew that they would charge money.

The four children of the third uncle's family can still earn one to two yuan in the entire courtyard by selling some red wine every year.

"Okay, according to the rules of previous years, give me one." The first uncle said, wiped the apron, turned around and went to the chest of drawers to get some change and handed it to the third uncle.

"Okay, uncle, you are busy first, I will post it for you." The third uncle said, then turned and went out.

Picking up the paste bowl placed at the door of the old man, picked up the brush, and brushed behind the couplet, and pasted it on the door frame of the old man, and pasted a horizontal batch across it.

After posting the couplets, the third master took out another "Fu" sticker and pasted it upside down on the gate of the elder master.

After finishing, the third master looked at his calligraphy with satisfaction, shook his head and read out.

"The first couplet: Fumen's fortune is prosperous year after year; the second couplet: the wealth of the treasure land is increasing day by day. Hengbiao: Jingtai Chunhe."

"Okay, good luck!" The uncle also nodded in satisfaction.

~
The third master walked out of the first master's door, turned around and went into the Shazhu's house.

Seeing that Silly Zhu was also busy preparing the New Year's dinner, the third master raised his head and called out: "Silly Zhu, are you there?"

"Third Master, come in, the door is unlocked, I'm busy cooking!" the silly man shouted from the kitchen.

So, after the third master entered the house, he stood at the door of the kitchen.

Before the third master opened his mouth, Sha Zhu had already seen the Nian Hong in the third master's hand, and said with a smile, "Oh, my third master, I just thought that you haven't written couplets for so many years, and there is still no movement until New Year's Eve."

The third master pushed his glasses and said with a smile: "I'm here right now, I just came out of the first master's room. Old rules, come here?"

Silly Zhu nodded: "Okay! You can do it for me. I'll get you the money."

After speaking, he took out the change from his pocket and handed it to the third master.

After the third master cheerfully took the change from Shazhu, he stuffed it into his trouser pocket.

Picking up the paste basin, ran to the Shazhu door and brushed it again, and put the New Year's Red on Shazhu.

Mrs. Jia Zhang from the opposite door was leaning against the door of her house, watching the third master sticking the couplets carelessly, and couldn't help but said: "Third master, you idiots and the first master have pasted up the couplets, can you help our family?" Post it too?"

The third master glanced at Jia and Zhang Shi indifferently and said: "Aunt Jia, I didn't post this couplet for nothing. The first master Ren and Shazhu gave money."

"Third Lord, you know the conditions of our family. It's just a new year. The cost is too high. The hunchback is going to be expensive. Anyway, the red paper is not worth much, so the neighbors are just trying to make it happy?!" Jia Zhang said with a cheeky face.

The third master heard the words, sneered and said: "Family conditions? My family's conditions are more difficult than yours. I have four children. My family is not as rich as the first master's family. The couple's annual meals are better than my whole family. good."

The speaker has no intention, the listener has the heart.

"The couple, how many dishes are they going to eat?" Jia Zhang thought about it.

"Seven or eight dishes, at least four or five meat dishes." The third master replied casually, and then glanced at Jia Zhang: "Why do you ask this?"

Jia Zhang gave the third master a blank look: "Didn't you say it first yourself! Third master, look at our orphans and widows, and those who celebrate the new year, why don't you post a couplet for us?!"

"Aunt Jia, since this red paper is worthless, you can buy it yourself. Don't worry about my small business like a mosquito's leg."

The third master smiled, and continued walking inside with the paste basin, ignoring Jia Zhang.

Jia Zhang was deflated, and stared fiercely at the back of the third master: "Stingy."