洪(hong)(hong)山(shan)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),又(you)(you)寫(xie)作菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),或者紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),古時又(you)(you)稱為“蕓(yun)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)”。長得(de)像油菜(cai)(cai)(cai),帶花,只(zhi)(zhi)是顏色(se)(se)呈(cheng)紫(zi)紅(hong)色(se)(se)、紫(zi)黑色(se)(se),湯汁(zhi)呈(cheng)紫(zi)黑色(se)(se),如果是青白色(se)(se)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)就是白菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),產(chan)出的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)季節(jie)比紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)晚(wan),要到開春以后。和湖北同緯度(du)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)地區基本上(shang)都可以產(chan)紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),四川(chuan)也(ye)(ye)產(chan)紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),但是品(pin)種和味道都不同,比較矮(ai)一些,梗子很粗(cu)。洪(hong)(hong)山(shan)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)莖干部(bu)分呈(cheng)喇叭狀,從(cong)下及上(shang),逐漸收小,而其它地方出產(chan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)莖干則上(shang)下粗(cu)細(xi)一致。正宗的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)洪(hong)(hong)山(shan)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)除外(wai)形肥壯外(wai),色(se)(se)澤也(ye)(ye)較淺紅(hong),口感(gan)較清。在武漢(han),相(xiang)傳只(zhi)(zhi)有能聽得(de)見洪(hong)(hong)山(shan)寶通寺鐘聲地域范(fan)圍內的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)特定土壤上(shang)長出來的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)才是當年(nian)給皇帝進貢的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)貢品(pin)紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai),發源(yuan)地就是武昌亞貿(mao)廣場背后的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)一塊(kuai)丘陵地,曾被封為“金(jin)殿玉(yu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)”。
生長環境
洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山,處于丘(qiu)陵地帶,有(you)(you)(you)九嶺十八凹,土質為紅(hong)(hong)壤和(he)(he)黃壤土,避(bi)風向陽(yang),又(you)有(you)(you)(you)泉水澆灌,冬(dong)春之(zhi)際,氣(qi)候溫和(he)(he),最宜(yi)紫菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)的(de)(de)生長(chang)。優質紅(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)只產(chan)在洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山,若遷地移(yi)植(zhi),不僅顏(yan)色(se)不同(tong),口味(wei)也有(you)(you)(you)差(cha)異。民國初(chu)年,黎元洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)離開湖北,到北京(jing)當(dang)大總統(tong)時,每臨(lin)冬(dong)天(tian),必(bi)派(pai)專差(cha)到洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山來(lai)運(yun)紅(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)。由于長(chang)途大批運(yun)輸,鮮菜(cai)(cai)(cai)運(yun)到北京(jing)后(hou),時間一(yi)久,菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)失(shi)去(qu)(qu)原有(you)(you)(you)的(de)(de)色(se)澤和(he)(he)鮮味(wei),較之(zhi)產(chan)地新(xin)鮮嫩菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)當(dang)然遜色(se)不少,常使食(shi)者感到美中不足(zu)。于是(shi)有(you)(you)(you)人(ren)出謀把洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山的(de)(de)泥土裝上幾火車皮運(yun)往北京(jing)試(shi)種,結果,菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)雖長(chang)出來(lai)了,但(dan)色(se)不紅(hong)(hong)、味(wei)不鮮。試(shi)種失(shi)敗,更感到洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)之(zhi)可(ke)貴,以后(hou)不得不沿用老(lao)辦(ban)法,用火車成批運(yun)轉(zhuan)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)到北京(jing)。王(wang)徒(tu)心《續漢口絲談》上亦有(you)(you)(you)關于移(yi)植(zhi)的(de)(de)記載:“光緒(xu)初(chu),合肥李瀚(han)章(zhang)(李鴻章(zhang)之(zhi)兄)督湖廣,酷嗜此品(按:指洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)),覓種植(zhi)于鄉,則遠不及。或曰‘立性有(you)(you)(you)宜(yi)’。勤烙(luo)(李瀚(han)章(zhang)的(de)(de)溢號)乃抉(jue)洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山土,船載以歸,于是(shi)楚人(ren)謠日:‘制軍刮湖北地皮去(qu)(qu)也’。”據(ju)說北宋蘇東坡偕其妹游覽武昌黃鶴樓后(hou),很想品嘗洪(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai),可(ke)時值寒冬(dong)而推(tui)遲(chi)抽薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai),蘇氏(shi)兄妹特意滯留武昌,直到一(yi)飽口福才(cai)愜意而去(qu)(qu)。
食用歷史
史(shi)料記(ji)載(zai),我(wo)國早在(zai)東漢、三(san)國時(shi),紫(zi)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)已是普遍(bian)食用的(de)(de)(de)蔬菜(cai)(cai)。<名(ming)(ming)醫(yi)別錄>中記(ji)載(zai):蕓薹(tai)“乃人間所(suo)啖菜(cai)(cai)”,這里的(de)(de)(de)“蕓薹(tai)”就(jiu)是紫(zi)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)。據(ju)史(shi)籍記(ji)載(zai),紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)在(zai)唐代已經是著名(ming)(ming)的(de)(de)(de)蔬菜(cai)(cai),歷(li)來是湖北地方向皇帝進貢的(de)(de)(de)土特產,曾被封(feng)為“金(jin)殿玉(yu)菜(cai)(cai)”,與武昌魚齊(qi)名(ming)(ming)。在(zai)《齊(qi)民要(yao)術》、《唐本草》、《唐本草注(zhu)》等(deng)古(gu)書中,都(dou)有(you)關于紫(zi)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)的(de)(de)(de)記(ji)載(zai)。明李時(shi)珍<本草綱目>言:“此菜(cai)(cai)易起薹(tai),須采其(qi)薹(tai)食,則分枝必多,故名(ming)(ming)蕓薹(tai)。九月、十(shi)月下種,葉形似(si)白菜(cai)(cai),冬春(chun)采薹(tai)必為茹,三(san)月則老不可食。”