奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)深受顧客歡迎,首先在(zai)于湯面(mian)(mian)(mian)有(you)特色。它(ta)繼承傳(chuan)統做(zuo)法,用(yong)青魚(yu)(yu)(yu)的(de)魚(yu)(yu)(yu)鱗、魚(yu)(yu)(yu)鰓(sai)、魚(yu)(yu)(yu)肉、魚(yu)(yu)(yu)的(de)粘液(ye)煎煮提出,所以味(wei)道鮮美異常。其(qi)次在(zai)于澆(jiao)頭有(you)考(kao)究(jiu),爆魚(yu)(yu)(yu)一律(lv)用(yong)青魚(yu)(yu)(yu)制作(zuo),鹵鴨則以“昆(kun)山大麻(ma)鴨”用(yong)老湯烹煮,故肥(fei)而不(bu)膩。再(zai)有(you)就(jiu)是,面(mian)(mian)(mian)條用(yong)精(jing)白面(mian)(mian)(mian)加工成龍(long)須面(mian)(mian)(mian),下(xia)(xia)鍋時緊(jin)下(xia)(xia)快(kuai)撈(lao),使之軟硬(ying)適度。奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)最注重“五熱(re)(re)一體,小料沖湯”。所謂“五熱(re)(re)”是碗(wan)熱(re)(re)、湯熱(re)(re)、油熱(re)(re)、面(mian)(mian)(mian)熱(re)(re)、澆(jiao)頭熱(re)(re);“小料沖湯”指不(bu)用(yong)大鍋拼湯,而是根據來客現用(yong)現合(he),保(bao)持(chi)原汁原味(wei)。奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)不(bu)僅選(xuan)料講究(jiu),味(wei)美鮮醇(chun),另(ling)外還(huan)有(you)“三燙(tang)(tang)”的(de)特點:面(mian)(mian)(mian)燙(tang)(tang),撈(lao)面(mian)(mian)(mian)時不(bu)在(zai)溫水(shui)中(zhong)過水(shui),而在(zai)沸水(shui)中(zhong)過水(shui);湯燙(tang)(tang),配制好的(de)面(mian)(mian)(mian)湯放(fang)在(zai)鐵鍋里,用(yong)余火(huo)燜煮,保(bao)持(chi)其(qi)溫度;碗(wan)燙(tang)(tang),碗(wan)洗(xi)凈后,放(fang)在(zai)沸水(shui)中(zhong)取(qu)用(yong),不(bu)僅保(bao)暖,還(huan)消毒衛(wei)生。因此“奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)”即便是在(zai)數九寒天,食之也能(neng)冒汗。
關于(yu)“奧灶”二(er)字,歷(li)來眾說(shuo)紛紜。傳說(shuo)乾隆(long)皇(huang)帝微(wei)服下江南時,途經昆山游覽玉峰山景后(hou)腹中饑了(le),于(yu)是來到這家小(xiao)面(mian)(mian)(mian)店吃了(le)一碗紅(hong)油(you)爆魚面(mian)(mian)(mian),覺得(de)味(wei)道無比(bi)鮮美(mei),忙(mang)讓太監打聽烹(peng)制方法。但由于(yu)語言關系,太監似懂非懂,無奈只得(de)急中生(sheng)智面(mian)(mian)(mian)奏皇(huang)上:“紅(hong)油(you)面(mian)(mian)(mian)味(wei)道好,主要是面(mian)(mian)(mian)灶上的(de)(de)奧妙。”乾隆(long)一聽哈哈笑(xiao)道:“面(mian)(mian)(mian)灶奧妙,奧妙的(de)(de)面(mian)(mian)(mian)灶”從此(ci)這莊小(xiao)面(mian)(mian)(mian)店就(jiu)有了(le)“奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)”的(de)(de)美(mei)稱。比(bi)較可信的(de)(de)說(shuo)法是:顏復興面(mian)(mian)(mian)館(guan)又小(xiao)又舊(jiu),黑(hei)咕隆(long)咚(dong);陳秀(xiu)英年紀大后(hou)手腳(jiao)慢,眼(yan)睛不(bu)仔細,因此(ci)被老吃客戲稱為“鏖(ao)糟面(mian)(mian)(mian)”。鏖(ao)糟是昆山土語,就(jiu)是不(bu)太干(gan)凈(jing)的(de)(de)意(yi)思。誰知這個怪名(ming)稱反倒使(shi)它不(bu)脛(jing)而走。
奧(ao)灶館至今已有近百(bai)年的歷史。它的前(qian)身(shen)是(shi)昆山(shan)的“天(tian)香(xiang)館”,因(yin)為(wei)經營不善,店(dian)主棄館而走。債主趙(zhao)三老太將它交給繡娘陳(chen)秀英經營,易名(ming)(ming)“顏(yan)復興”。心靈手巧的陳(chen)秀英本來(lai)就擅長精細小吃烹(peng)調,她虛心征求意(yi)見,精心烹(peng)飪制作,果然非同凡響。只有三張半桌子的小面館顧客(ke)盈(ying)門,名(ming)(ming)聲四揚(yang)。解放后,根據“奧(ao)妙在灶頭上”的意(yi)思和諧(xie)音,正式(shi)命名(ming)(ming)為(wei)“奧(ao)灶館”。
相傳,清朝同治年(nian)間,在玉峰山下有(you)一(yi)家小面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)(shi)鋪,店主是(shi)名女子,名叫顏(yan)陳氏(shi)。她悉心經(jing)營(ying),取南北面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)(shi)之(zhi)長,制(zhi)作(zuo)出(chu)一(yi)種面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)白、湯紅的(de)紅油面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。由于色香味(wei)俱佳,因(yin)而深(shen)受過往食(shi)(shi)客(ke)(ke)的(de)喜愛(ai),生(sheng)意(yi)興隆(long)而馳(chi)譽(yu)古城昆山全縣(xian)。然而,有(you)些(xie)同行為(wei)(wei)了(le)競(jing)爭,便中傷(shang)其(qi)經(jing)營(ying)的(de)紅油面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)是(shi)“懊糟面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)”(即(ji)邋遢之(zhi)意(yi))。盡(jin)管如此,小面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)鋪的(de)紅油面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)因(yin)其(qi)貨真價(jia)實,依然受顧客(ke)(ke)青睞。一(yi)天,店鋪來(lai)了(le)一(yi)位書(shu)生(sheng),吃面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)時,他提(ti)出(chu)建議:干脆取“懊糟”之(zhi)諧音(yin),用“奧灶”兩字為(wei)(wei)招牌,經(jing)營(ying)這(zhe)一(yi)獨特(te)的(de)風味(wei)。這(zhe)樣,經(jing)書(shu)生(sheng)和其(qi)他食(shi)(shi)客(ke)(ke)的(de)廣泛傳播,“奧灶面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)”美食(shi)(shi)享(xiang)譽(yu)四方,很快成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)江南的(de)著名小吃。