王小(xiao)余,清乾(qian)隆時(shi)是袁(yuan)枚家的掌勺大廚師(shi),是一位烹飪(ren)專家,身懷(huai)技藝(yi),有高明豐富的理(li)論經(jing)驗。
《廚者王(wang)小(xiao)余傳》 [清] 袁枚(mei)
小(xiao)余(yu)治具,必(bi)親市場(chang),曰(yue)(yue):“物各有天(tian)。其(qi)(qi)天(tian)良,我乃治。”既得,泔之(zhi)(zhi),奧之(zhi)(zhi),脫(tuo)之(zhi)(zhi),作之(zhi)(zhi)。客嘈嘈然,屬饜而舞,欲吞其(qi)(qi)器(qi)者(zhe)(zhe)屢矣。然其(qi)(qi)簋不過(guo)(guo)六七,過(guo)(guo)亦不治。又其(qi)(qi)倚灶時,雀立(li)不轉(zhuan)目,釜中瞠也,呼張吸(xi)之(zhi)(zhi),寂如無聞。眴火者(zhe)(zhe)曰(yue)(yue)“猛(meng)”,則(ze)煬者(zhe)(zhe)如赤(chi)日;曰(yue)(yue)“撤”,則(ze)傳薪者(zhe)(zhe)以(yi)遞(di)減;曰(yue)(yue)“且然蘊”,則(ze)置(zhi)之(zhi)(zhi)如棄;曰(yue)(yue):“羹定”,則(ze)侍者(zhe)(zhe)急以(yi)器(qi)受。或稍(shao)忤及(ji)弛期,必(bi)仇怒叫噪,若稍(shao)縱(zong)即逝(shi)者(zhe)(zhe)。所用菫荁(huan)之(zhi)(zhi)滑,及(ji)鹽豉、酒(jiu)醬(jiang)之(zhi)(zhi)滋,奮臂下(xia),未嘗見其(qi)(qi)染指試也。畢,乃沃(wo)手坐,滌磨(mo)其(qi)(qi)鉗铦(xian)刀(dao)削笮帚之(zhi)(zhi)屬,凡(fan)三十余(yu)種,庋而置(zhi)之(zhi)(zhi)滿(man)箱。他人掇汁而捼莎學之(zhi)(zhi),勿肖(xiao)也。
或請(qing)授教,曰(yue)(yue):“難言也(ye)(ye)(ye)。作(zuo)廚(chu)如(ru)作(zuo)醫(yi)。吾(wu)(wu)(wu)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)一(yi)(yi)心診百物(wu)(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)宜(yi),而(er)(er)謹審其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)水(shui)火之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)齊(qi),則(ze)(ze)萬(wan)口(kou)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)甘如(ru)一(yi)(yi)口(kou)。”問其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)目,曰(yue)(yue):“濃者(zhe)先之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),清者(zhe)后之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),正(zheng)者(zhe)主(zhu)(zhu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),奇者(zhe)雜之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。視其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)舌倦,辛以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)震之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi);待(dai)其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)胃盈,酸(suan)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)厄之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。”曰(yue)(yue):“八珍七熬,貴品(pin)也(ye)(ye)(ye),子(zi)能(neng)(neng)(neng)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),宜(yi)矣。嗛嗛二(er)卵之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)餐,子(zi)必異于族凡,何耶?”曰(yue)(yue):“能(neng)(neng)(neng)大而(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)能(neng)(neng)(neng)小者(zhe),氣粗也(ye)(ye)(ye);能(neng)(neng)(neng)嗇而(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)能(neng)(neng)(neng)華者(zhe),才弱(ruo)也(ye)(ye)(ye)。且味(wei)固不(bu)(bu)(bu)在大小、華嗇間也(ye)(ye)(ye)。能(neng)(neng)(neng),則(ze)(ze)一(yi)(yi)芹一(yi)(yi)菹皆珍怪;不(bu)(bu)(bu)能(neng)(neng)(neng),則(ze)(ze)雖黃雀(que)鲊(zha)三(san)楹,無益也(ye)(ye)(ye)。而(er)(er)好(hao)名者(zhe)有(you)必求之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)與(yu)靈霄之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)炙,紅虬之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)脯,丹(dan)山(shan)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)鳳丸,醴水(shui)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)朱鱉,不(bu)(bu)(bu)亦誣乎?”曰(yue)(yue):“子(zi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)術誠工矣。然(ran)多所(suo)炮炙宰(zai)割,大殘(can)物(wu)(wu)命,毋(wu)乃為孽歟?”曰(yue)(yue):“庖(pao)犧(xi)氏至今(jin),所(suo)炮炙宰(zai)割者(zhe)萬(wan)萬(wan)世矣。烏在其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)孽庖(pao)犧(xi)也(ye)(ye)(ye)?雖然(ran),以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)味(wei)媚人(ren)者(zhe),物(wu)(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)性也(ye)(ye)(ye)。彼不(bu)(bu)(bu)能(neng)(neng)(neng)盡物(wu)(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)性以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)表其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)美于人(ren),而(er)(er)徒使之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)狼(lang)戾枉(wang)死于鼎(ding)鑊間,是則(ze)(ze)孽之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)尤(you)者(zhe)也(ye)(ye)(ye)。吾(wu)(wu)(wu)能(neng)(neng)(neng)盡《詩》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)吉蠲、《易》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)《鼎(ding)》烹、《尚書》之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)藁飫,以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)得先王所(suo)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)成物(wu)(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)意,而(er)(er)又(you)不(bu)(bu)(bu)肯戕(qiang)杞柳(liu)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)為巧,殄天物(wu)(wu)以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)斗奢,是固司勛者(zhe)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)策功也(ye)(ye)(ye)。而(er)(er)何孽焉?”說:“以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)子(zi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)才,不(bu)(bu)(bu)供(gong)刀匕(bi)于朱門,而(er)(er)終老隨園,何耶?”曰(yue)(yue):“知(zhi)(zhi)己難,知(zhi)(zhi)味(wei)尤(you)難。吾(wu)(wu)(wu)苦(ku)思殫力以(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)食人(ren),一(yi)(yi)肴上,則(ze)(ze)吾(wu)(wu)(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)心腹腎(shen)腸(chang)亦與(yu)俱上;而(er)(er)世之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)嗿聲(sheng)流(liu)歠者(zhe),方與(yu)庮敗同飫也(ye)(ye)(ye)。是難奇賞吾(wu)(wu)(wu),而(er)(er)吾(wu)(wu)(wu)伎(ji)且日退(tui)矣。且所(suo)謂(wei)知(zhi)(zhi)己者(zhe),非徒知(zhi)(zhi)其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)長之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)謂(wei),兼(jian)知(zhi)(zhi)其(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)短之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)謂(wei)。今(jin)主(zhu)(zhu)人(ren)未嘗不(bu)(bu)(bu)斥我、難我、掉磬我,而(er)(er)皆刺吾(wu)(wu)(wu)心之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)所(suo)隱疚,是則(ze)(ze)美譽之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)苦(ku),不(bu)(bu)(bu)如(ru)嚴訓之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)甘也(ye)(ye)(ye)。吾(wu)(wu)(wu)日進矣,休(xiu)矣,終于此矣。”
未十年卒。余每食必為之泣,且思其(qi)言,有(you)可治民者焉,有(you)可治文者焉。為之傳以詠其(qi)人。
他燒的菜肴香(xiang)味散(san)發(fa)“聞其臭香(xiang),十步以外(wai)無不頤逐逐然”。他對于(yu)烹(peng)飪(ren)技(ji)藝頗(po)有研究,曾發(fa)表過一系列高見(jian)(jian),這些技(ji)術上的真(zhen)知灼見(jian)(jian),對袁枚(mei)影響很(hen)大,《隨園食(shi)單(dan)》有很(hen)多篇(pian)幅得力于(yu)王(wang)小(xiao)余(yu)的見(jian)(jian)解。袁枚(mei)喜歡王(wang)小(xiao)余(yu),對王(wang)的要求亦很(hen)嚴。