婁葑鎮種植蘇(su)州茭白主要分(fen)布在葑紅、葑塘、群力、友(you)誼、團結、金(jin)厙、星(xing)紅、金(jin)湖、二一(yi)四等(deng)村。
蘇(su)州茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai)品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)很多,據蘇(su)州市(shi)蔬菜(cai)研究所高級(ji)農藝(yi)師鮑忠洲(zhou)介紹,蘇(su)州葑門外(wai)的茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai)名氣(qi)最響,歷史上(shang)葑門外(wai)的婁葑、斜塘、郭(guo)巷、車坊等地(di)地(di)勢(shi)低洼(wa),到(dao)處都(dou)是(shi)爛田,最適合茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai)等水生作物(wu)的生長(chang)。這里的茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai),無論是(shi)品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)還是(shi)收益,都(dou)是(shi)翹首全(quan)國的。以品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)為例,葑門外(wai)的茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai)立秋茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)種(zhong)(zhong),兩熟茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)就有(you)(you)大頭青(qing)種(zhong)(zhong)、兩頭早(zao)、小臘(la)臺(tai)、中臘(la)臺(tai)、大臘(la)臺(tai)、中秋茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)、楊(yang)梅茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)、吳(wu)江茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao);一熟茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)則有(you)(you)青(qing)種(zhong)(zhong)、白(bai)種(zhong)(zhong)、群力茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(又名大蕩茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao))、寒頭茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)等品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)(zhong),蘇(su)州茭(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)(jiao)白(bai)品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)早(zao)、中、晚(wan)兼備,合理搭配,供應期長(chang),因此蘇(su)杭地(di)區(qu)素有(you)(you)“杭州不(bu)斷筍,蘇州不(bu)斷茭”之說。
蘇州茭(jiao)白(bai)營養絕佳,含有抗壞血素、硫胺素、核黃素、尼克酸、蛋白質、脂肪、鈣、磷、鐵。茭白亦能治病,因其性味甘、冷、滑,能止消渴,解酒毒,壓丹石毒,降高血壓等功能。茭白籽能調腸胃,解燥熱。有中醫私方稱:茭白能治酒皶鼻赤,用生茭白搗爛,每晚敷于患部,翌日洗去;另每日用茭白30-60克水煎服,連(lian)續一周至半月,有良好療(liao)效(xiao)。
蘇(su)州(zhou)茭白是夏秋蔬菜珍品,可蒸、炒、燉、烹,亦可搭葷烹調食用,均具嫩、糯、香特色。茭白在秋后“清(qing)塘”時,剝(bo)取(qu)嫩茭(jiao)芯的“茭(jiao)兒菜”(又(you)名茭(jiao)白腦子)煮食(shi)更(geng)是鮮美無比。選(xuan)購茭(jiao)白時,以茭(jiao)白皮色微黃,肉質白凈細結為佳,肉質呈(cheng)黃糯心者更(geng)是上品(pin)。如(ru)果發現(xian)茭(jiao)肉如(ru)灰或(huo)黑(hei)斑屬于病(bing)茭(jiao),系黑(hei)粉菌(jun)侵入過多,其茭(jiao)肉不(bu)可食(shi)用。茭(jiao)白帶殼儲存,茭(jiao)肉可保(bao)鮮數日。
就種植收益而言,蘇州茭白秋種兩熟茭每年8月種植,10月份和次(ci)年5-6月就各收獲一次(ci),加起來畝產(chan)可達5500-8500公斤(jin)。
相傳春(chun)秋(qiu)時期吳國建都(dou)姑蘇時,六城門之一的(de)“葑(feng)門”即(ji)由“菰(gu)(gu)(gu)”引(yin)伸而來(lai)。《吳(wu)郡志(zhi)》載:“葑(feng),菰(gu)(gu)(gu)根也,今江(jiang)東(dong)有(you)菰(gu)(gu)(gu)田。”“菰(gu)(gu)(gu)草(cao)從生,其(qi)根盤(pan)結,名曰葑(feng)。”可見,食用茭白(bai)已有(you)三千四百(bai)余年(nian)的歷史了。南宋(song)石湖(hu)詩人范成大也說:“菰(gu)(gu)(gu),即(ji)茭也,菰(gu)(gu)(gu)首(shou),吳(wu)謂之(zhi)茭白(bai),甘美(mei)可羹。”明(ming)弘(hong)治(zhi)十一年(nian)(1498)《常熟縣志》有記:“栽水澤邊,八月取臺,其味甘美可食,又呂公(gong)茭臺生于夏”,可見已有一年兩熟之茭白。