洪山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),又寫作菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),或者(zhe)紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),古時(shi)又稱為“蕓(yun)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)”。長得像油菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai),帶花(hua),只是(shi)(shi)顏色(se)呈(cheng)紫紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)色(se)、紫黑色(se),湯(tang)汁呈(cheng)紫黑色(se),如(ru)果是(shi)(shi)青白(bai)色(se)的(de)就是(shi)(shi)白(bai)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),產出的(de)季節比紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)晚,要(yao)到開春以(yi)后。和(he)湖(hu)北(bei)同緯(wei)度的(de)地(di)區基本上(shang)都可以(yi)產紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),四川也產紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),但(dan)是(shi)(shi)品種和(he)味(wei)道(dao)都不同,比較矮一(yi)些,梗(geng)子很粗。洪山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)的(de)莖干(gan)部(bu)分呈(cheng)喇叭(ba)狀,從(cong)下及上(shang),逐漸收小,而其(qi)它地(di)方(fang)出產的(de)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)莖干(gan)則上(shang)下粗細一(yi)致(zhi)。正宗(zong)的(de)洪山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)除外(wai)形肥壯外(wai),色(se)澤也較淺紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong),口感(gan)較清。在武漢,相傳只有能聽得見洪山寶通(tong)寺(si)鐘聲(sheng)地(di)域范(fan)圍(wei)內的(de)特定(ding)土壤上(shang)長出來的(de)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)才是(shi)(shi)當年給(gei)皇帝進貢的(de)貢品紅(hong)(hong)(hong)(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),發源(yuan)地(di)就是(shi)(shi)武昌亞(ya)貿(mao)廣場背后的(de)一(yi)塊丘(qiu)陵(ling)地(di),曾被封為“金殿玉(yu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)”。
生長環境
洪山(shan)(shan),處于(yu)丘陵地(di)帶,有(you)(you)九嶺十(shi)八凹,土(tu)質為紅壤(rang)和黃壤(rang)土(tu),避風向陽,又有(you)(you)泉水澆灌,冬(dong)春之(zhi)(zhi)際,氣候(hou)溫和,最(zui)宜紫菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)的(de)生長。優質紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)只產在(zai)洪山(shan)(shan),若遷地(di)移(yi)植,不(bu)(bu)(bu)僅顏色(se)(se)(se)不(bu)(bu)(bu)同,口味(wei)也有(you)(you)差(cha)異。民國初(chu)年,黎元洪離開湖北(bei),到(dao)北(bei)京(jing)(jing)當(dang)大總統時(shi),每臨冬(dong)天(tian),必派專差(cha)到(dao)洪山(shan)(shan)來(lai)運紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)。由于(yu)長途(tu)大批運輸(shu),鮮菜(cai)(cai)運到(dao)北(bei)京(jing)(jing)后,時(shi)間一(yi)久,菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)失(shi)去原有(you)(you)的(de)色(se)(se)(se)澤和鮮味(wei),較之(zhi)(zhi)產地(di)新(xin)鮮嫩菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)當(dang)然(ran)遜色(se)(se)(se)不(bu)(bu)(bu)少(shao),常使食者感到(dao)美中不(bu)(bu)(bu)足。于(yu)是有(you)(you)人(ren)(ren)出謀(mou)把洪山(shan)(shan)的(de)泥土(tu)裝上幾火(huo)車皮運往北(bei)京(jing)(jing)試種,結(jie)果,菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)雖長出來(lai)了,但(dan)色(se)(se)(se)不(bu)(bu)(bu)紅、味(wei)不(bu)(bu)(bu)鮮。試種失(shi)敗,更感到(dao)洪山(shan)(shan)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)之(zhi)(zhi)可貴,以(yi)(yi)后不(bu)(bu)(bu)得不(bu)(bu)(bu)沿用(yong)老辦(ban)法,用(yong)火(huo)車成批運轉(zhuan)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)到(dao)北(bei)京(jing)(jing)。王徒心《續漢口絲談》上亦有(you)(you)關于(yu)移(yi)植的(de)記(ji)載:“光緒初(chu),合肥李瀚(han)章(李鴻(hong)章之(zhi)(zhi)兄(xiong))督湖廣,酷嗜此品(按:指洪山(shan)(shan)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)),覓種植于(yu)鄉(xiang),則遠(yuan)不(bu)(bu)(bu)及。或曰‘立性有(you)(you)宜’。勤烙(李瀚(han)章的(de)溢號)乃(nai)抉(jue)洪山(shan)(shan)土(tu),船載以(yi)(yi)歸,于(yu)是楚人(ren)(ren)謠(yao)日(ri):‘制(zhi)軍(jun)刮湖北(bei)地(di)皮去也’。”據說北(bei)宋(song)蘇(su)東坡(po)偕其(qi)妹(mei)游(you)覽武(wu)昌黃鶴樓(lou)后,很想(xiang)品嘗(chang)洪山(shan)(shan)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai),可時(shi)值寒冬(dong)而推遲抽薹(tai)(tai)(tai),蘇(su)氏兄(xiong)妹(mei)特意(yi)(yi)滯留武(wu)昌,直到(dao)一(yi)飽口福才愜意(yi)(yi)而去。
食用歷史
史料記(ji)載,我(wo)國(guo)早在(zai)東漢、三(san)國(guo)時,紫菜(cai)(cai)薹已是普遍食用的(de)蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai)。<名(ming)醫別錄>中記(ji)載:蕓(yun)(yun)薹“乃人間(jian)所(suo)啖(dan)菜(cai)(cai)”,這里(li)的(de)“蕓(yun)(yun)薹”就是紫菜(cai)(cai)薹。據史籍記(ji)載,紅菜(cai)(cai)薹在(zai)唐(tang)代(dai)已經是著(zhu)名(ming)的(de)蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai),歷來是湖北(bei)地(di)方向皇帝進貢的(de)土特產,曾被封為“金殿玉菜(cai)(cai)”,與武(wu)昌魚齊(qi)名(ming)。在(zai)《齊(qi)民要術》、《唐(tang)本草(cao)》、《唐(tang)本草(cao)注》等古書(shu)中,都有關(guan)于紫菜(cai)(cai)薹的(de)記(ji)載。明李時珍<本草(cao)綱目>言(yan):“此菜(cai)(cai)易起薹,須采其(qi)薹食,則分(fen)枝必多,故名(ming)蕓(yun)(yun)薹。九月、十月下種,葉形似白菜(cai)(cai),冬春采薹必為茹,三(san)月則老不可(ke)食。”