奧灶面(mian)(mian)深(shen)受(shou)顧客(ke)(ke)歡迎,首先在(zai)于(yu)湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)面(mian)(mian)有(you)特色。它(ta)繼承傳統做法,用(yong)(yong)(yong)青(qing)魚的(de)魚鱗、魚鰓、魚肉、魚的(de)粘液煎(jian)煮(zhu)提出(chu),所以味道鮮美(mei)(mei)異常(chang)。其次在(zai)于(yu)澆頭有(you)考究,爆魚一律用(yong)(yong)(yong)青(qing)魚制作,鹵鴨則以“昆(kun)山(shan)大麻鴨”用(yong)(yong)(yong)老湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)烹煮(zhu),故肥而(er)不(bu)(bu)膩。再有(you)就是(shi),面(mian)(mian)條用(yong)(yong)(yong)精白面(mian)(mian)加(jia)工成龍須面(mian)(mian),下鍋(guo)時緊下快(kuai)撈,使之軟硬適(shi)度。奧灶面(mian)(mian)最注(zhu)重“五(wu)熱(re)(re)一體,小(xiao)料(liao)沖湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)”。所謂“五(wu)熱(re)(re)”是(shi)碗熱(re)(re)、湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)熱(re)(re)、油(you)熱(re)(re)、面(mian)(mian)熱(re)(re)、澆頭熱(re)(re);“小(xiao)料(liao)沖湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)”指不(bu)(bu)用(yong)(yong)(yong)大鍋(guo)拼湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang),而(er)是(shi)根據來客(ke)(ke)現(xian)用(yong)(yong)(yong)現(xian)合,保(bao)持(chi)原汁原味。奧灶面(mian)(mian)不(bu)(bu)僅選料(liao)講究,味美(mei)(mei)鮮醇,另外還有(you)“三燙(tang)(tang)”的(de)特點:面(mian)(mian)燙(tang)(tang),撈面(mian)(mian)時不(bu)(bu)在(zai)溫(wen)水(shui)中過(guo)水(shui),而(er)在(zai)沸水(shui)中過(guo)水(shui);湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)燙(tang)(tang),配制好的(de)面(mian)(mian)湯(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)放在(zai)鐵鍋(guo)里,用(yong)(yong)(yong)余火燜煮(zhu),保(bao)持(chi)其溫(wen)度;碗燙(tang)(tang),碗洗凈(jing)后,放在(zai)沸水(shui)中取用(yong)(yong)(yong),不(bu)(bu)僅保(bao)暖(nuan),還消毒衛生。因此“奧灶面(mian)(mian)”即便是(shi)在(zai)數(shu)九寒天(tian),食(shi)之也能冒汗。
關(guan)于(yu)“奧灶(zao)”二字,歷來眾說紛(fen)紜。傳(chuan)說乾隆(long)皇帝(di)微服下江(jiang)南時,途經昆(kun)山游(you)覽玉峰山景后(hou)腹中饑了(le),于(yu)是來到這家小(xiao)面(mian)(mian)店吃(chi)了(le)一碗紅油爆(bao)魚(yu)面(mian)(mian),覺得味(wei)道無比鮮美,忙讓太監(jian)打(da)聽烹制方法(fa)。但由于(yu)語言關(guan)系,太監(jian)似(si)懂(dong)非懂(dong),無奈只得急(ji)中生智面(mian)(mian)奏皇上(shang):“紅油面(mian)(mian)味(wei)道好,主要是面(mian)(mian)灶(zao)上(shang)的奧妙。”乾隆(long)一聽哈(ha)哈(ha)笑道:“面(mian)(mian)灶(zao)奧妙,奧妙的面(mian)(mian)灶(zao)”從(cong)此這莊小(xiao)面(mian)(mian)店就(jiu)有(you)了(le)“奧灶(zao)面(mian)(mian)”的美稱(cheng)。比較可信的說法(fa)是:顏復興面(mian)(mian)館(guan)又(you)小(xiao)又(you)舊,黑(hei)咕隆(long)咚;陳(chen)秀(xiu)英年紀大后(hou)手腳慢,眼睛不(bu)仔(zi)細,因(yin)此被老吃(chi)客戲稱(cheng)為“鏖(ao)糟(zao)面(mian)(mian)”。鏖(ao)糟(zao)是昆(kun)山土語,就(jiu)是不(bu)太干(gan)凈的意思。誰知這個怪名稱(cheng)反倒使(shi)它不(bu)脛而(er)走(zou)。
奧灶館至(zhi)今已有近百(bai)年的(de)歷史。它的(de)前身(shen)是(shi)昆山的(de)“天香館”,因為(wei)經(jing)營不善(shan),店(dian)主棄館而走。債主趙三(san)老(lao)太將它交給(gei)繡娘陳(chen)秀(xiu)英經(jing)營,易名(ming)“顏(yan)復(fu)興”。心靈手(shou)巧的(de)陳(chen)秀(xiu)英本來就擅長精(jing)細小吃烹(peng)調,她虛心征求意(yi)見,精(jing)心烹(peng)飪制作,果然非同(tong)凡響。只有三(san)張半桌(zhuo)子(zi)的(de)小面(mian)館顧客盈(ying)門,名(ming)聲四揚。解放后(hou),根據“奧妙在灶頭上”的(de)意(yi)思和(he)諧(xie)音,正式命名(ming)為(wei)“奧灶館”。
相傳,清朝同治(zhi)年(nian)間,在玉(yu)峰(feng)山(shan)下(xia)有(you)一(yi)(yi)家小面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食鋪,店主是(shi)名(ming)女子(zi),名(ming)叫顏(yan)陳氏。她悉心經(jing)營,取(qu)(qu)南(nan)北面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食之(zhi)長,制(zhi)作(zuo)出一(yi)(yi)種面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)白、湯紅的(de)(de)紅油(you)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。由于(yu)色香(xiang)味(wei)俱佳,因而深受過往食客的(de)(de)喜愛,生(sheng)(sheng)意(yi)興隆而馳譽(yu)古城昆山(shan)全縣。然而,有(you)些同行為了競爭,便中傷其經(jing)營的(de)(de)紅油(you)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)是(shi)“懊(ao)糟(zao)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)”(即邋遢之(zhi)意(yi))。盡管如此(ci),小面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)鋪的(de)(de)紅油(you)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)因其貨真價(jia)實,依然受顧(gu)客青睞。一(yi)(yi)天,店鋪來(lai)了一(yi)(yi)位書(shu)生(sheng)(sheng),吃(chi)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)時,他提出建議:干脆取(qu)(qu)“懊(ao)糟(zao)”之(zhi)諧音(yin),用(yong)“奧灶(zao)(zao)”兩字為招牌(pai),經(jing)營這一(yi)(yi)獨特(te)的(de)(de)風(feng)味(wei)。這樣,經(jing)書(shu)生(sheng)(sheng)和其他食客的(de)(de)廣泛(fan)傳播(bo),“奧灶(zao)(zao)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)”美食享譽(yu)四方,很快(kuai)成(cheng)為江(jiang)南(nan)的(de)(de)著(zhu)名(ming)小吃(chi)。