◎文/楊春風(fēng) Text by Yang Chunfeng
◎圖/林松 Photo by Lin Song
“文秋餡餅”店從開業(yè)起就備受追捧,每天兩三百張的銷量不在話下
田莊臺的回民男性曾經(jīng)很厲害,清朝時一度包攬了這個埠頭糧谷交易的過斗事宜,并在遼河航道上“壟斷網(wǎng)利,嘯聚械斗”,事情還驚動了紫禁城,道光爺降旨嚴令整治,才漸漸收斂。再后來營口開埠,田莊臺商勢被奪去大半,時至民國,回民們已普遍以俗稱“勤行”的飲食業(yè)為生了。王文秋的爺爺王慶云就是其中之一。
王文秋說她出生時爺爺就沒了,沒跟老爺子打過照面,不過常聽母親說起爺爺?shù)氖拢绕涫撬肿鲑I賣,賣餡餅、切糕、小火勺的故事。老人家那時,推個小車子,上邊擱個小鐵爐,爐上架個平鐵鍋,現(xiàn)烙現(xiàn)賣。秋冬也做糖堆兒,也就是蘸糖葫蘆。勉強度個日月,一直沒開起鋪子。
王慶云育有二子五女。次子王鳳林繼承了父親的切糕手藝,成了田莊臺赫赫大名的“王把切糕”。長子王鳳山,也就是王文秋的父親,打小就對這行不感興趣,不過他的妻子胡志芹卻對餡餅情有獨鐘,還將公爹的手藝學(xué)了個精到,即使在不興個人做買賣的年代里,胡志芹也不曾丟下這手藝,時常烙餡餅給孩子們吃。
當(dāng)年田莊臺家家戶戶都有個“小炕跑”,就是順著炕洞子走煙的那種磚砌的爐灶,主要作用是燒水,爐蓋子上終日都撂著一把水壺,相當(dāng)于各家的小茶臺,胡志芹就用這種“小炕跑”烙餡餅。各種餡芯,換著花樣烙,芹菜元蔥牛肉、白菜元蔥牛肉、韭菜文蛤牛肉等。1967年出生的王文秋,就是吃著這些餡餅長大的,她說那真是吃了這回想下回啊。
初中畢業(yè)后,王文秋接了父親的班,就職于田莊臺土產(chǎn)公司。1987年結(jié)婚。1998年下崗。接下來就得自謀生計了,干點啥呢?王文秋當(dāng)晚便決定了:揀起爺爺?shù)睦媳拘?,烙餡餅。
幾天后,王文秋就租下了臨街的一間鋪子,年租金8000元。王文秋說當(dāng)年花這些錢租房子,那不是“嗬咧嗬咧”的?可鎮(zhèn)子都沒有哇,我家獨一份!
王文秋從小看著母親做餡餅,輪到自己開店,手藝早已爐火純青
剛出鍋的餡餅,焦香的餅皮包裹著多汁的肉餡兒,再配上店里的羊湯,絕了
而當(dāng)年田莊臺人的日子已緊巴慣了,通常并不出來吃飯,覺得那會讓人笑話,“不能去,咱家不能做飯咋地?”王文秋之所以還敢這么干,在于她堅信兩點:一是我家餡餅好吃,我吃這玩意長大的,我能不知道嗎?二是田莊臺是啥地方啊?那兒天天都是集,人來人往啊,自古就這樣,大家都習(xí)慣上這兒來買東西,天見天的臭魚爛蝦剩不下,全都有人買,月餅也常年做,天天有人吃。你不來,有人來啊!
事實證明,王文秋的判斷是正確的。從開業(yè)那天起,“文秋餡餅”店的餡餅就受到了人們的熱烈追捧,每天三四百張的時候也是有的,二三百張則純屬“跑平道”,還從來“不倒槽”。
王文秋雖然年紀不算大,土話老嗑卻總能一串串地往外冒,冒得那個令人驚喜!守著她的丈夫白鐵軍則怕人聽不懂,緊著在旁幫著翻譯,說“跑平道”就是“很尋常”的意思,“不倒槽”是說“總那么一股勁,穩(wěn)穩(wěn)的”。其實雖說聽著耳生,那字面下的意思卻也是只憑感覺就能領(lǐng)會個八九不離十的,這也很奇妙。
僅僅兩年后,王文秋就買下了自己的鋪子,用了更加“嗬咧嗬咧”的19萬元。爺爺王慶云畢生也沒能支起來的鋪子,她給支起來了。打那兒之后,“文秋餡餅”店還開始陸續(xù)地增加炒菜。店里并不曾聘雇大廚,都是白鐵軍掌勺,也不曾專門學(xué)過,通常都是在回民的傳統(tǒng)菜肴上做些相宜的改良,或者在外面吃了哪道菜覺得不賴,就回來自己琢磨著做。沒想到,白鐵軍做一道,火一道,眼下菜單上已穩(wěn)定到二十幾道菜肴,其中炸牛排、水爆肚、外脊筋、花腱肉等已成了每桌必點佳肴。至于餡餅的絕配羊湯,則更是誰都承認那是文秋在餡餅之外的又一絕活。
白鐵軍自己掌勺,回民傳統(tǒng)菜肴花腱肉、水爆肚做得十分地道
二十年來,幾乎每一天,王文秋都是凌晨四五點鐘就起來買菜、備料,十一點多開始招待第一波客人,午后兩三點鐘能稍事休息,四點多就又開始準備待客。每天二十幾桌是“跑平道”,趕上田莊臺廟會的日子四五十桌,那是得緊著翻臺的。
丈夫白鐵軍的作息與王文秋不差分毫,婦唱夫隨,其樂融融。實際上這已是田莊臺回民鋪子的整體特征了,如今幾乎每一家的當(dāng)家人都是女性,掌大局的都是老板娘。這種格局的形成找不到確切的起點,如果樂意猜猜,或許可以將回民“斗夫”不再風(fēng)光無限視為開端,沒準那一只只權(quán)威性的官斗在手里的滑落,也使大多數(shù)回民男性同時失了些爭強好勝的心勁。無論事情是否當(dāng)真如此,時至眼下,田莊臺回民歷史上的榮譽已經(jīng)被回民女性又給掙回來了,且再也無人能與其爭鋒。這從文秋餡餅所歷的二十度春秋里,已可見一斑。
兩年前,“文秋餡餅”已正式更名為“田莊臺餡餅”。如此鮮明的將地理坐標隆重標注,顯然是王文秋對自家餡餅味道之自信的坦誠流露。未來在她的眼里,無疑既是可控的,又是美妙的,就像她每日里烙出的一張張鮮香四溢的餡餅似的,也是相當(dāng)可指望的。
(責(zé)編/小白)
The Story of Wenqiu’s Pie
Wenqiu’s grandfather had long passed away, but his stories were often told by her mom of how the old man peddled his pies, nuts cakes, and baked cakes one alley after another. At that time, since running a shop was beyond his aあordability, her grandpa had to peddle his pies instead. He pushed before him a handcart, topped with a small iron stove and a flat pan. When winter came, he too sold haw apples coated with sugar and in this way he could keep his family barely alive.
W
Wenqiu’s father was not interested in peddling around his neighborhood.But her mother learned all the skills in his stead. I grew up eating my mom’s pies baked on the small iron pan over the stove, Wenqiu said. They were delicious.One pie made you forget everything.
In 1998, on the night when Wenqiu was laid off, she decided to rekindle his grandpa’s fire-- baking pies. Wenqiu’s pies were instantly welcomed and each day she could sell two hundred or three hundred or even four hundred pieces. Two years later, she had her own shop and named it Tianzhuangtai Pies. Soon the shop was enlarged to a restaurant, where her husband was the chef. Now Muslim food is served—beef, tripe, outer loin and tendon. These courses have become her customers’ favorites. Wenqiu has one more signature dish to offer—mutton broth—no customer would leave without a taste.
Wenqiu’s future is hopeful, full of tempting aroma, just like the pies she bakes each day. (Trans. by G. Q.)