自序
當編輯邀請我出版一本中式點心的食譜書,我一口答應!雖然這和我做麵包是風馬牛不相及的事,但我多年出外學習和交流下,發覺做料理是不可以執著於某國菜式和做法,好像以前學西點的我會轉向做麵包,更以過去所學的甜點概念融入我的麵包中,而中式點心亦啟發了我不少做麵包的靈感。如果說音樂是世界語言,飲食更是世界溝通的橋梁,相信沒有人是不喜歡吃的。
中式點心有著源遠流長的飲食文化背景,所屬派系亦五花八門,不同地域有不同的糕點小吃,各具特色。香港比較幸運,很多民族鄉里都滙聚在此,以客家、潮汕、京滬、淮揚、廣州影響尤甚。
雖然香港沒有生產米糧,但地利因素,進口的原材料極為廣泛,像植物性原材料如五穀、蔬菜、乾果,以及動物性原材料,如禽畜類、水產類,這些材料都是我們日常生活經常食用的。點心的製作,只是將這些食物給予重新組合,成為主食或主副食兼具的包點,也有成為應節食品。
餅點製作所使用的原材料廣泛,是由於各地區風味不同,物產不同所至,所以我們對原材料選用要有基本的知識,了解各種原料的種類、性能和用途、原料的加工和處理方法、使用方法、配合方法,才能做出色香味形質俱全的食品。在這書中我將其主要歸納在四大種類:茶粿、酥點、糕點、包子饅頭,包括了地道的廣式餅點和京滬餅點。
獨角仙
Preface
When the editor asked me to write a book on Chinese Dim Sum, I said yes without hesitation. I'm actually a baker and Chinese Dim Sum doesn't seem to be my business at all. But after years of learning and working, I found a real culinary artist must not be restricted by any geographical or categorical boundary. I started out as a pastry chef, but I switched to bakery later on. The knowledge I acquired in a patisserie didn't go wasted. In fact, I always incorporate some pastry skills in my bread. Another major influence on my bakery is Chinese Dim Sum. People say music is the universal language. I'd say food is the universal bridge of communication. Good food speaks to anyone and everyone, across all races.
Chinese Dim Sum has a profound culinary history and there are countless variations from different parts of China. Every county has its own signature sweets and snacks. As a hotchpotch of cultures, Hong Kong is valued for its eclectic mix of quality Chinese food, including Hakkanese, Chaoshan, Beijing, Shanghainese, Huaiyang and Cantonese cuisines.
Hong Kong doesn't grow its own grain crops. But its central location favoured the importation of raw materials from all over the world. We consume botanical produce such as grains, vegetables, fruits, and animal produce such as poultry, meat and seafood on daily basis. The same raw materials are also put together creatively in Dim Sum making, for buns and snacks that serve either as staples or as a combination of staples and non-staples. Certain recipes also make great festive munchies.
Countless ingredients are used to make cakes and snacks.It comes down to the regional palate and availability of certain ingredients. Before we can make snacks and cakes with authentic taste, smell and look, we must master the basic knowledge on ingredients; understand their categories, properties and uses; how they are processed and used, and their classic combinations. I categorized the recipes in this book into 4 sections – homestyle dumplings, Chinese puff pastries, cakes and buns. Most of them are of either Cantonese or Beijing/ Shanghainese origin.
推薦序
一代接一代、延續自然美味的中式點心
談到中式點心,就想起小時候老母親的「炸鹹芋丸」,每逢過年及中元,老母親總會做出這一道點心來祭拜,在當時戰後物質不豐富的年代,父母總會想盡各種方式來餵飽孩子,將芋頭蒸熟、加入絞肉,並用紅葱頭切碎油炸,加入裡面味道特別香。中式點心就是這種揉合著記憶、嗅覺、視覺與自然食物美味的綜合體,這麼地令我魂牽夢縈。
記得多年前曾看過一部電影《吐司》,這是改編自英國名廚奈傑史萊特的(Nigel Slater)的同名自傳(Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger)同名回憶錄。電影主角利用美食抓住父親的胃不只是個手段,後來更成為與後母一較高下的利器,二人互相較勁的一道點心「檸檬蛋白霜派」令我印象深刻。對我來說,美味的點心是視覺、聽覺的雙重享受;就像「炸棗」時;油在鍋內輕快彈跳的聲音、「烤杏仁餅」時;烤箱滋滋作響的呼喚、攪拌麵糊時;溼搭黏稠的聲音,種種的視覺和聽覺,總喚起我對中式點心最心動的記憶。
在色彩繽紛、外型多變的點心世界中;中式點心顯得較為刻板,圓就是圓,扁就是扁,鮮少有變化。當我得知《無包不歡》榮獲2013 世界美食家圖書大獎的作者獨角仙(仙姐),即將在台灣出版這本《流行中式點心》時,感到非常地雀躍。她將「中式點心」融入了變化,啟用了創新,在每道甜點中運用了麵包的做法,巧妙的做出各種不同的風味點心。如同作者所言:「假如音樂是世界的語言,飲食更是世界溝通的橋梁」。 相信沒有人是不喜歡吃的。作者居住在香港,利用自然食材來製作各式點心:茶粿、酥點、糕點……,內容豐富,值得大家一窺究竟。希望讀了這本書的讀者,也能做出屬於自己的中式點心,讓中式點心得以一代接一代的繼續承傳下去。
中式點心糕餅職人、國寶級糕餅師傅
《懷舊糕餅90 道》、《懷舊糕餅2 》 作者――呂鴻禹師傅