在山西,人們壽(shou)誕生辰,聚友團(tuan)圓時,常常要(yao)吃(chi)這種(zhong)面(mian)(mian)(mian),以示長壽(shou)和(he)喜(xi)慶。龍(long)須(xu)面(mian)(mian)(mian)配料精細,制(zhi)(zhi)作講究,其制(zhi)(zhi)作方法過(guo)去曾被(bei)認(ren)為(wei)是(shi)絕招,秘而(er)不傳。龍(long)須(xu)拉(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)的面(mian)(mian)(mian)團(tuan)被(bei)和(he)勻(yun)后,抻(chen)開(kai),卷(juan)起,再抻(chen)開(kai),再卷(juan)起,如此數扣(kou)之(zhi)后,師(shi)傅們將拉(la)好(hao)的面(mian)(mian)(mian)放在撒(sa)滿(man)面(mian)(mian)(mian)粉的幾案上抖開(kai),而(er)后兩(liang)手(shou)像搭(da)毛線(xian)般(ban)(ban)地將面(mian)(mian)(mian)抻(chen)開(kai)并抖動著。整(zheng)個景象就(jiu)如瀑布嘩嘩瀉下(xia)一般(ban)(ban),蔚為(wei)壯觀。片(pian)刻之(zhi)后走上前去,看到(dao)拉(la)好(hao)的面(mian)(mian)(mian)已(yi)(yi)如絲般(ban)(ban)纖(xian)細,這已(yi)(yi)是(shi)標準的龍(long)須(xu)面(mian)(mian)(mian)了。
先用面(mian)水5∶3的比例和好面(mian),然后在(zai)(zai)上面(mian)抹點(dian)香油醒(xing)著,將醒(xing)好的面(mian)放在(zai)(zai)案板上,揉勻(yun)或(huo)搓(cuo)成(cheng)長(chang)(chang)條(tiao),雙手提(ti)兩端稍晃,再搓(cuo)成(cheng)長(chang)(chang)條(tiao)狀,搟成(cheng)片形,略醒(xing)后用刀橫(heng)切(qie)成(cheng)小手指粗的長(chang)(chang)條(tiao),撒勻(yun)面(mian)粉或(huo)抹勻(yun)香油,逐根(gen)或(huo)幾(ji)根(gen)并(bing)拉(la),拉(la)成(cheng)細條(tiao)投(tou)入沸水鍋內,煮(zhu)熟配上鹵即(ji)成(cheng)。
龍(long)(long)須拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)的(de)源頭是(shi)始于唐(tang)(tang)(tang)朝(chao)的(de)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。《新唐(tang)(tang)(tang)書·王皇后傳》記有“陛下獨不(bu)念(nian)阿忠(zhong)脫紫半臂(bei)易斗面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),為(wei)(wei)生(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯餅耶”。這(zhe)種生(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯餅,已(yi)可(ke)“舉箸(zhu)食(shi)(shi)”(劉禹(yu)錫《贈(zeng)進(jin)士張盥》),是(shi)和(he)軟(ruan)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)團,用刀切條,將(jiang)條拉(la)(la)(la)細、拉(la)(la)(la)長后落(luo)鍋煮(zhu)熟食(shi)(shi)用,民間至今(jin)保留(liu)此(ci)法,稱(cheng)(cheng)之為(wei)(wei)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。王皇后為(wei)(wei)李隆基做生(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯餅的(de)故(gu)事(shi),發(fa)生(sheng)(sheng)在(zai)李隆基作(zuo)潞(lu)州別駕的(de)時候,可(ke)見(jian)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)代(dai)至少(shao)太(tai)(tai)原(yuan)、長治(zhi)等山(shan)西(xi)(xi)地區(qu)已(yi)將(jiang)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)生(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)長壽面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)而制作(zuo)和(he)食(shi)(shi)用了。后來,這(zhe)一(yi)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技藝隨(sui)著(zhu)太(tai)(tai)原(yuan)玄中寺(si)的(de)凈土宗東傳日(ri)本(ben),形(xing)成(cheng)日(ri)本(ben)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技術(shu)(shu)的(de)基礎。到(dao)了宋代(dai),趙(zhao)光義鏟平晉(jin)陽西(xi)(xi)北系(xi)舟山(shan),意(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)欲拔(ba)掉“龍(long)(long)角”。第二(er)年(nian)太(tai)(tai)原(yuan)百姓將(jiang)二(er)月初的(de)中和(he)節(jie)改為(wei)(wei)“龍(long)(long)頭節(jie)”,并固(gu)定(ding)在(zai)二(er)月初二(er)以(yi)作(zuo)紀念(nian)。此(ci)日(ri),百姓多(duo)吃拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),意(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)思(si)是(shi)你拔(ba)我“龍(long)(long)角”,我挑你“龍(long)(long)筋”、吃你“龍(long)(long)須”,以(yi)示(shi)憤恨。自此(ci),拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)又被稱(cheng)(cheng)為(wei)(wei)龍(long)(long)須面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),黃庭(ting)堅(jian)曾作(zuo)詩“湯餅一(yi)杯銀絲亂,牽絲如縷玉簪橫”。元代(dai)時,馬可(ke)波羅三(san)訪太(tai)(tai)原(yuan),將(jiang)這(zhe)種拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技術(shu)(shu)帶回意(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)大(da)利(li),形(xing)成(cheng)影響(xiang)西(xi)(xi)方(fang)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)(shi)技術(shu)(shu)和(he)飲食(shi)(shi)文化的(de)意(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)大(da)利(li)通心粉(fen)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)(shi)。小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)何時發(fa)展成(cheng)大(da)把拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),暫不(bu)可(ke)考,但明人宋詡《宋氏養(yang)生(sheng)(sheng)部》記載:“用少(shao)鹽入(ru)水(shui)和(he)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),一(yi)斤為(wei)(wei)率。既勻,沃(wo)香(xiang)油少(shao)許……漸以(yi)兩手(shou)纏絡于直指、將(jiang)指、無名指之間,為(wei)(wei)細條,先作(zuo)沸湯,隨(sui)拉(la)(la)(la)隨(sui)煮(zhu)。”可(ke)見(jian)山(shan)西(xi)(xi)明代(dai)時已(yi)有大(da)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)制作(zuo)技術(shu)(shu)。清道光年(nian)間,山(shan)西(xi)(xi)稷山(shan)縣(xian)馬金定(ding)兄弟,千(qian)里迢迢去陜西(xi)(xi)岐山(shan)做掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)生(sheng)(sheng)意(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi),字(zi)(zi)號“順天(tian)成(cheng)”,直到(dao)今(jin)天(tian),岐山(shan)掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)還沿用這(zhe)個(ge)老(lao)字(zi)(zi)號。這(zhe)種掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)起(qi)初就是(shi)將(jiang)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)拉(la)(la)(la)好后,掛在(zai)線(xian)上曬(shai)干銷售,是(shi)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)半成(cheng)品銷售的(de)典范。
清(qing)朝(chao)(chao)末年,拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)已成為(wei)山(shan)、陜面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食制(zhi)作(zuo)的成熟技術。清(qing)末薛寶辰著的《素食說略》中(zhong)說,在(zai)(zai)山(shan)、陜流行一(yi)種(zhong)“楨(zhen)(zhen)條面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)”:“以(yi)水(shui)和面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),入鹽、清(qing)油(you)揉(rou)勻,覆(fu)以(yi)濕布(bu),俟其(qi)軟和,扯開細煮(zhu)之,名為(wei)楨(zhen)(zhen)條面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。做(zuo)法以(yi)山(shan)西太原、平定(ding)州(zhou)、陜西朝(chao)(chao)邑、同州(zhou)為(wei)最。”這種(zhong)楨(zhen)(zhen)條面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),即山(shan)西拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),也稱龍(long)須面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),在(zai)(zai)清(qing)代還進(jin)入宮廷。《清(qing)稗(bai)類鈔》、《中(zhong)國歷(li)代御膳大觀》中(zhong)記(ji),內廷大宴之一(yi)、清(qing)朝(chao)(chao)帝王的壽誕(dan)宴——萬壽宴,以(yi)及(ji)滿(man)漢(han)全席(xi)第一(yi)宴的蒙古親藩宴,都以(yi)龍(long)須面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)作(zuo)為(wei)御宴的重要膳食。
“千招易學(xue),一(yi)竅難得”。拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)制(zhi)作(zuo)技術解(jie)放前曾(ceng)被(bei)認為(wei)是(shi)“絕招”,秘(mi)而不傳。解(jie)放后,逐漸(jian)在(zai)社(she)會(hui)上得以公(gong)開,成為(wei)山西面(mian)(mian)案的(de)(de)基本(ben)功,受(shou)到山西飲食界的(de)(de)重視,并不斷在(zai)實(shi)踐探索中(zhong)細分為(wei)小拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(一(yi)根面(mian)(mian))、大拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(6至8扣(kou))、龍(long)(long)須(xu)拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(10扣(kou)以上),空(kong)心拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)等。現在(zai),龍(long)(long)須(xu)拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)除(chu)食用之外,還(huan)(huan)作(zuo)為(wei)一(yi)種表(biao)演(yan)藝術,拉(la)(la)至14扣(kou)時,共(gong)計28924根,相(xiang)連長達25公(gong)里(li)。全(quan)晉(jin)會(hui)館的(de)(de)蒙眼拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian),還(huan)(huan)曾(ceng)獲得全(quan)國(guo)(guo)廚藝絕技超群獎,多次應邀(yao)赴(fu)日本(ben)、新加坡(po)、臺灣(wan)等國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)和(he)地區(qu)表(biao)演(yan)。2008年初,全(quan)晉(jin)會(hui)館作(zuo)為(wei)傳承(cheng)單(dan)位的(de)(de)龍(long)(long)須(xu)拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian),被(bei)列入第二批國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)級非物質文化遺產保護名錄,受(shou)到了國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)的(de)(de)高(gao)度重視。龍(long)(long)須(xu)拉(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)制(zhi)作(zuo),這一(yi)山西面(mian)(mian)食中(zhong)技術性強的(de)(de)特色手工(gong)技藝和(he)表(biao)演(yan)藝術,將在(zai)新時代煥(huan)發出傳承(cheng)文脈、走向和(he)諧、造福社(she)會(hui)的(de)(de)無比絢麗奪目的(de)(de)光彩。