The most beautiful thing in Hangzhou is the West Lake, and you can't visit the West Lake without going upstairs to taste sweet and sour fish.

Come to the shore of the West Lake, along the lakeside avenue of the jagged green willows, cross the Wanghu Tower, go on the broken bridge, walk through the white causeway, pass through the autumn moon of Pinghu Lake, you will see the outer building of the lake leisurely by the lonely mountain, and then go to the Xiling Seal Society and the former residence of Yu Quyuan, as well as the Qiujin Wind and Rain Pavilion, and then go around, you will arrive at the Yue Temple and the wind and lotus of the Quyuan......

The outstanding building outside the building is echoing with several famous scenic spots such as the remnant snow of the broken bridge, the moon in the three pools, and the spring dawn at the Su Causeway, which can be described as a unique view. The mountain light is quiet against the smoke waves, and the tower shadow is clear and the water is between the moon. Although visitors come to visit paradise on earth, their anticipation of paradise's delicious food is also a kind of flirtatation.

It is said that in the Louwailou Building, there is a "Ten Scenic Banquet" with the theme of "Paradise West Lake", and the artistic conception of ten famous places of West Lake, such as the remnant snow of the broken bridge, the moon in the three pools, and the spring dawn at the Su Causeway, are cooked into delicious dishes, so that people can taste the beautiful scenery of the West Lake on the tip of their tongues and hide them in their thoughts.

Facing the lake by the window, I first asked for a cup of Longjing and ordered slowly. When the dish came up, I remember that while I was feasting, there were catkins floating in outside the window, which was fresh and pleasant, and I was very impressed. At that time, the tourists were not as many as now, and most of the diners were calm and relaxed, and the building outside the building was only a two-story small building with green tile cornices, and the chef was very attentive to cooking.

The grass carp in the West Lake is specially raised in the pool next to the stairs of the hall, more than a foot long, weighing one or two catties, and the guests are allowed to point to which one to catch. After some tidying, fry in the oil pan for three or two minutes, pour vinegar, and the tail of the fish is still moving slightly when it is served on the table, and the meat quality is unusually delicious and smooth, sweet and sour, which is unique.

Later, I went to taste the vinegar fish in West Lake and found that there was a change. Generally, the live fish is no longer directly put into the pot, but the body of the fish after slaughtering and washing is cut into two pieces, the fish bones are removed, boiled in water, and the sweet and sour thickening is just right, and it is applied to the fish with a head and tail and a style, exuding a bright and elegant luster like sandalwood.

Because the fish has been starved in the clear water pond for two days, vomiting out the stomach and intestines, not only does it not have the slightest muddy smell when eating, but there is a wisp of crab meat fragrance in a trance. The peculiarity of this dish is that it is cooked without oil, only plain water with spices. When cooking, the heat requirements are very strict, only three or four minutes, until the pectoral fins of the fish are erected, and the fish meat is cut off to the degree, paying attention to its freshness and original taste. Just look at the inscriptions hanging on the walls of the store, and you'll know that it's no wonder that so many cultural bigwigs and celebrities from all walks of life flock to it.

Zhejiang cuisine is rich in Jiangnan characteristics, and the materials pay attention to the variety and season, and strive for fineness, special and freshness, so as to fully reflect the tenderness and crispness of the food texture. The third fresh sea cucumber can be said to be famous all over the world. In the Loutang Pavilion featuring Hangzhou-style cuisine, the main famous dishes are not only the vinegar fish of West Lake, but also Song Sister-in-law fish soup, Longjing shrimp, Dongpo meat, bells, and Huatong chicken...... Dishes such as Shih Tzu tongue, silver silk rolls, three fresh siu mai, shrimp siu mai, cat ears, etc.

When it comes to the dishes by the West Lake, Hangzhou people have their own sayings. It is said that more than 100 years ago, a down-and-out Xiucai surnamed Hong opened a small shop next to the temple, cooking fresh West Lake fish and shrimp into special dishes for tourists. Xiucai used the ink in his belly to blend the historical legends of the West Lake into the recipes, and dug out the hollow out of the materials, colors, tastes, and characteristics to create a special dish rich in literati flavor, and gradually became famous.

Sweet and sour fish is the first signature dish by the lake, and it is the finishing touch. Some people say that the real original creator of the West Lake vinegar fish is a "Song sister-in-law" who is quite loved by the literati, and her brother-in-law beats her hands, so the West Lake vinegar fish is also called "uncle and sister-in-law Chuanzhen"; some people say that the "sweet and sour tile fish" in Yuan Mei's "Suiyuan Food List" is the original model of the West Lake vinegar fish.

There is also the West Lake Ulva soup, Zhang Han of the Jin Dynasty saw the autumn wind blowing, missed the delicious sea bass and lettuce in his hometown, and simply abandoned the official and returned to his hometown, and the allusion and poetry were in the elegant and smooth soup with fresh and tender color. The umami of Song sister-in-law's fish soup, shredded sea bass and shredded bamboo shoots and the smoke of shredded ham are seamlessly blended, making people can't stop eating chopsticks.

"The skirts are drunk and drunk, and the green sun is in the shadow, and there are many lake boats in front of the door, half from the three pools and the moon. Why bother looking for Zhang Han perch, the fish is beautiful and the flavor is said to be the West Lake; the loss of the gentleman has this harmonious hand, and he knows that the Song sister-in-law did not have it?"

Sour can go fishy, spicy can suppress the array, for people in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, sweet can be the most gentle and skillful maintenance of many miscellaneous flavors of life. I walked around Guangxi last autumn and found that all the fish and vegetables there had tomatoes, which were sour and spicy. I'm sweet and not spicy. Over the years, I have imitated West Lake vinegar fish at home, but it has not been successful. The problem is not to cut the fish and cut the knife flowers, nor to put water into the pot, add sugar, salt, black vinegar, soy sauce, pepper to boil, and then add cornstarch to thicken...... The main thing is that the fish is boiling in the water, and it is difficult to get out of the pot when it is tender.

After several failures, I finally figured out a way to keep the shape of a fish by entering the water with a plate. And the original soup is used to boil the juice, no need to add oil, especially tender and refreshing. There is only one condition that can not be easily achieved, the grass carp must be alive, the ruler is just right, the meat is too old, it is best to put it in the water for three or two days to starve, so that the fish meat is tightened.

Whether you're by the West Lake or not, if you want to taste the authentic West Lake vinegar fish, you have to go to some famous restaurants in Hangzhou. But for ordinary outsiders, what can be called is only the "Louwailou" next to the lonely mountain and the "Tianwaitian" on the side of Lingyin Temple, these two restaurants have a long history and reputation after all, and the dishes can definitely be regarded as the top quality of Hangzhou cuisine.

If you ask Hangzhou locals where the West Lake vinegar fish is the most authentic, they may tell you some famous shops such as "Tianxianglou", "New Bailu", "Wang Runxing", "Zhang Shengji", "Kuiyuan Pavilion" and so on, of course, the cost is not low. It is said that the favorite place for Hangzhou locals to go is "grandma's house". The Hangzhou cuisine there is not only authentic but also relatively low, but it is the same as the "Zhiweiguan" next to the Red Oak Villa in Huagang Guanyu, that is, there are too many people, and you have to be prepared for a long queue.

Oily Dongpo pork and Song sister-in-law fish soup, as well as Ulva soup, plus a dessert Dongpo crisp. The sweet and sour fish was finally served, two slices in half, lying flat in a large oval blue and white plate, poured with a crystal clear amber sugar juice, which seemed to arouse people's appetite.

Stretch out the chopsticks and clip a small piece into the mouth, a sweet and sour feeling instantly permeates the tongue coating, and then gently wrap it with the tongue, taste, well, the taste is as always, it is not age-rich fresh, smooth, pure and quiet...... There is not a single thorn, which is about the difference between this "superlative" fish and ordinary West Lake grass carp, but the price of the latter is only one-third of the former.

From the wind lotus in the Quyuan courtyard to the Su Causeway, in the willow breeze until the end of the flower port to watch the fish, just in the twilight by the way to the neon red oak villa to taste the lakeside food. Because I once wrote the old sentence of "the curved bridge and fine willows remember Huanting, and the wine in front of the red oak building is a few tours", I am particularly tempted by the extension corridor and the carved windows here.

In addition to entering the entrance hall full of people waiting for food, there was a long queue outside, I really don't know where so many gluttons came from this West Lake! No way, we simply went to the Silk Museum and the mountain behind Yu Qian Temple, and found a farmhouse restaurant with red lanterns to see what the flavor of the West Lake vinegar fish and Dongpo meat cooked by the farmer, and also specially greeted and burned a plate of vegetarian fried new bamboo shoots, a plate of dried water cress, and a bowl of mountain mushroom soup. Several dishes are also delicate and refreshing, red, black, green and white, and the colors are also quite attractive, the fresh and tender and the original flavor, together with two bowls of rice.

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