“小肠陈”：“宝藏”卤煮的守正创新之路
卤煮,是老北京人味觉记忆中不可缺失的一枚拼图。尤其在天寒地冻的冬日,热气腾腾的卤煮更为诱人。若是再搭配着吸饱汤水的金黄火烧,一口下肚,鲜香扑鼻,暖胃又暖心。在卤煮店遍地开花的北京,如果问哪家北京卤煮最原汁原味?一个历久弥新的老字号品牌便会自然浮上人们的心头:“小肠陈”。
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".
自人来人往的南横街路口左转,一家古色古香的店铺便会映入眼帘——这就是“小肠陈”品牌历史最悠久的一家老店。“小肠陈”的卤煮火烧可追溯至清光绪年间宫廷御膳“苏造肉”。由于“苏造肉”的原材料五花肉价格昂贵,陈兆恩、陈世荣父子便尝试用价格更亲民的猪内脏代替炖制,创造了卤煮火烧的原形。第三代传承人陈玉田在传统手艺的打磨上更为精益求精,制作的卤煮火烧“肠肥而不腻、肉烂而不糟、火烧透而不粘”。久而久之,以两人姓氏为名的“小肠陈”便美名远扬。如今,第四代传承人陈秀芳带领“小肠陈”从“巴掌大”的小店,一路发展为连锁经营的餐饮企业。2014年,“小肠陈”卤煮火烧制作技艺被正式列入北京市级非物质文化遗产代表性项目名录。
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.
来自北京第二外国语学院的留学生索菲娅从未接触过用动物内脏做成的食物。在陈秀芳女士的热情招待下,她带着满腔好奇,第一次品尝了卤煮火烧。
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!它的口感很特别!这究竟是怎样制作的?”小肠、肺片的独特风味依次在舌尖绽放,让索菲娅发出了惊呼。陈秀芳女士如数家珍:一碗地道的卤煮火烧有着极为复杂的制作过程,需经过烙饼、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."
“清洗是保持食材鲜度的关键一步。” 陈秀芳女士透露,“小肠陈”作为民营企业,可以做到随时来货,随时加工——“像对待海鲜一样保存我们的食材。”
"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."
得益于“小肠陈”企业的长久发展,如今,卤煮火烧的制作过程已全部实现标准化。“食材的煮制时长对口感的影响特别大。实现标准化制作后,煮制时间得到了严格控制,这就让每一碗卤煮的食料尝起来都软硬适中,老人小孩都能接受。” 陈秀芳女士进一步介绍到。
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.
索菲娅感叹:“一碗小小的卤煮背后竟然有这么多讲究,我太想和我的朋友一起分享这道美食了!”出她意料的是,陈秀芳女士又端上一道神秘佳肴——卤煮火锅。层层上升的水蒸气散发着浓浓鲜香,围绕火锅一周整齐排列的食料在油亮的汤汁间起伏,发出令人垂涎欲滴的“咕噜咕噜”声。
"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.
看着索菲娅脸上充满期待的神情,陈秀芳女士笑着谈起卤煮火锅的“前世今生”:“最初我的父亲也是支一口大锅,在街边卖卤煮小肠,这就给了我灵感创造卤煮火锅这道新菜。逢年过节,和亲戚好友围坐一桌,点上一份热气腾腾的卤煮火锅,又喜庆、又气派。”
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."
在深入交流过程中,陈秀芳女士与索菲娅分享了她走上传承之路的故事。年幼时,父亲的好手艺与热心肠就为人尊敬。后来,父亲虽年岁已高,但遇上老邻居、新客人,即使双手控制不住地颤抖,他也坚持亲自端碗,为他们送上一份味道纯正的“小肠陈”卤煮。万千食客与父亲和小肠陈的情谊深深打动着陈秀芳。最终,她选择将这门精妙而充满温度的手艺传承下去。
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.
陈秀芳与索菲娅深入交流
然而,仅靠一腔热血行动并非长久之计。时代潮流滚滚向前,身为老字号的“小肠陈”是驻足原地,还是直面风浪,再挂云帆?陈秀芳与她的团队坚定地选择了后者。为了让更多食客了解、爱上“小肠陈”品牌,她根据年轻人的口味偏好,多次修改卤煮用料配方,同时研发了包括卤煮火锅在内的诸多新菜品。此外,在连锁店的经营模式之下,陈秀芳采用了实习培训加定期检查的“集体传承”制度。不仅确保了门店的顺利运营,也为“小肠陈”手艺的传承开辟了一条更为宽广的道路。
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.
作为一名非遗传承人,谈及“小肠陈”的发展规划,年逾七十的陈秀芳女士依然目光炯炯:“这么多年来,我们一直坚守着小肠陈卤煮的优秀品质,也有越来越多朋友追随着我们。在未来,我们也会保持团队的活力,勇于创新,让老字号、老北京味儿走出国门,发扬光大。”
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
