王(wang)小余,清(qing)乾隆時是袁枚(mei)家的掌(zhang)勺(shao)大(da)廚師(shi),是一位烹飪專家,身(shen)懷技藝,有高明豐富的理論經(jing)驗。
《廚(chu)者王小余傳》 [清] 袁枚
小余治具,必親(qin)市(shi)場,曰:“物各有天。其天良,我乃(nai)治。”既得,泔之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),奧之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),脫(tuo)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),作(zuo)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。客(ke)嘈(cao)嘈(cao)然(ran),屬饜而舞,欲吞(tun)其器(qi)者(zhe)屢矣(yi)。然(ran)其簋不過六(liu)七,過亦不治。又其倚灶(zao)時,雀立(li)不轉(zhuan)目,釜中(zhong)瞠也(ye),呼張(zhang)吸之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),寂如無(wu)聞(wen)。眴(xuan)火者(zhe)曰“猛”,則煬者(zhe)如赤日;曰“撤”,則傳薪者(zhe)以遞減;曰“且(qie)然(ran)蘊”,則置(zhi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)如棄;曰:“羹定”,則侍者(zhe)急以器(qi)受。或稍(shao)忤及(ji)弛期,必仇怒叫噪,若稍(shao)縱即逝者(zhe)。所用菫荁之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)滑,及(ji)鹽豉、酒(jiu)醬之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)滋,奮臂(bei)下,未嘗見其染(ran)指試(shi)也(ye)。畢,乃(nai)沃手坐,滌磨其鉗(qian)铦刀削(xue)笮帚之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)屬,凡三十余種,庋而置(zhi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)滿箱(xiang)。他人掇汁而捼莎學之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),勿肖也(ye)。
或請授教,曰(yue):“難言也(ye)(ye)。作廚如作醫。吾(wu)以(yi)一(yi)(yi)心診百物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)宜,而(er)(er)謹審(shen)其(qi)(qi)(qi)水(shui)(shui)火之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)齊(qi),則(ze)萬(wan)口(kou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)甘如一(yi)(yi)口(kou)。”問其(qi)(qi)(qi)目,曰(yue):“濃者(zhe)先之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),清者(zhe)后之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),正(zheng)者(zhe)主之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),奇者(zhe)雜之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。視其(qi)(qi)(qi)舌(she)倦,辛(xin)以(yi)震之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi);待其(qi)(qi)(qi)胃(wei)盈,酸以(yi)厄(e)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。”曰(yue):“八珍七熬,貴品也(ye)(ye),子(zi)能(neng)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),宜矣(yi)。嗛嗛二卵之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)餐(can),子(zi)必異于族凡(fan),何(he)(he)耶?”曰(yue):“能(neng)大(da)(da)而(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)能(neng)小者(zhe),氣粗也(ye)(ye);能(neng)嗇而(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)能(neng)華者(zhe),才(cai)弱也(ye)(ye)。且味固不(bu)(bu)在(zai)大(da)(da)小、華嗇間(jian)也(ye)(ye)。能(neng),則(ze)一(yi)(yi)芹一(yi)(yi)菹(zu)皆(jie)珍怪;不(bu)(bu)能(neng),則(ze)雖(sui)黃雀鲊三楹,無(wu)益(yi)也(ye)(ye)。而(er)(er)好名者(zhe)有必求之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)與靈霄之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)炙,紅虬之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)脯(fu),丹山之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)鳳丸,醴水(shui)(shui)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)朱鱉(bie),不(bu)(bu)亦(yi)誣乎?”曰(yue):“子(zi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)術誠(cheng)工矣(yi)。然多所(suo)炮(pao)炙宰(zai)割,大(da)(da)殘物(wu)命,毋(wu)乃為孽歟(yu)?”曰(yue):“庖犧氏至今,所(suo)炮(pao)炙宰(zai)割者(zhe)萬(wan)萬(wan)世矣(yi)。烏在(zai)其(qi)(qi)(qi)孽庖犧也(ye)(ye)?雖(sui)然,以(yi)味媚人(ren)者(zhe),物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)性(xing)也(ye)(ye)。彼不(bu)(bu)能(neng)盡物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)性(xing)以(yi)表其(qi)(qi)(qi)美(mei)于人(ren),而(er)(er)徒(tu)使之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)狼戾(li)枉死于鼎鑊(huo)間(jian),是(shi)則(ze)孽之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)尤者(zhe)也(ye)(ye)。吾(wu)能(neng)盡《詩》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)吉蠲(juan)、《易》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)《鼎》烹、《尚(shang)書》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)藁飫(yu),以(yi)得先王所(suo)以(yi)成物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)意,而(er)(er)又(you)不(bu)(bu)肯(ken)戕杞柳以(yi)為巧,殄天物(wu)以(yi)斗奢,是(shi)固司(si)勛者(zhe)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)策功也(ye)(ye)。而(er)(er)何(he)(he)孽焉?”說(shuo):“以(yi)子(zi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)才(cai),不(bu)(bu)供(gong)刀匕于朱門,而(er)(er)終(zhong)老隨(sui)園,何(he)(he)耶?”曰(yue):“知己(ji)難,知味尤難。吾(wu)苦(ku)思殫(dan)力以(yi)食人(ren),一(yi)(yi)肴上(shang),則(ze)吾(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)心腹腎腸(chang)亦(yi)與俱上(shang);而(er)(er)世之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)嗿聲流歠(chuo)者(zhe),方與庮敗同飫(yu)也(ye)(ye)。是(shi)難奇賞(shang)吾(wu),而(er)(er)吾(wu)伎且日(ri)退(tui)矣(yi)。且所(suo)謂知己(ji)者(zhe),非徒(tu)知其(qi)(qi)(qi)長(chang)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)謂,兼(jian)知其(qi)(qi)(qi)短之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)謂。今主人(ren)未(wei)嘗(chang)不(bu)(bu)斥我(wo)(wo)、難我(wo)(wo)、掉磬我(wo)(wo),而(er)(er)皆(jie)刺吾(wu)心之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)隱疚(jiu),是(shi)則(ze)美(mei)譽之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)苦(ku),不(bu)(bu)如嚴訓之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)甘也(ye)(ye)。吾(wu)日(ri)進矣(yi),休矣(yi),終(zhong)于此矣(yi)。”
未十年卒。余每食(shi)必為之泣,且思其言(yan),有可治(zhi)民(min)者焉(yan),有可治(zhi)文者焉(yan)。為之傳以詠其人。
他(ta)燒(shao)的(de)菜肴香味散發(fa)“聞其臭(chou)香,十步以外無(wu)不頤(yi)逐(zhu)逐(zhu)然(ran)”。他(ta)對于(yu)烹飪技藝頗(po)有(you)研究(jiu),曾發(fa)表過一系列高見(jian)(jian),這些技術上(shang)的(de)真知灼見(jian)(jian),對袁枚(mei)(mei)影響很大,《隨園食(shi)單》有(you)很多篇幅得(de)力(li)于(yu)王(wang)小余的(de)見(jian)(jian)解(jie)。袁枚(mei)(mei)喜歡王(wang)小余,對王(wang)的(de)要求亦很嚴。