七百多年前,新會崖門發生了(le)一(yi)(yi)(yi)場元(yuan)朝統(tong)一(yi)(yi)(yi)中國的宋元(yuan)大(da)海戰。大(da)戰結束后(hou),一(yi)(yi)(yi)位(wei)在(zai)(zai)南宋宮(gong)廷里負責制作燒鵝(e)(e)(e)的御(yu)師,帶(dai)著女兒(er)逃難到(dao)(dao)銀洲湖西(xi)岸的仙洞(dong)村(cun)。御(yu)師在(zai)(zai)仙洞(dong)村(cun)開了(le)一(yi)(yi)(yi)間燒鵝(e)(e)(e)店,憑著宮(gong)廷秘制燒鵝(e)(e)(e)的高超手藝,把(ba)鵝(e)(e)(e)燒得色香味獨特,很(hen)快便名揚遠近數十里,生意(yi)特別好。后(hou)來御(yu)師的女兒(er)長大(da)了(le),嫁到(dao)(dao)銀洲湖東岸的古井(jing),女兒(er)也把(ba)父親秘制燒鵝(e)(e)(e)的手藝帶(dai)到(dao)(dao)了(le)古井(jing)。古井(jing)燒鵝(e)(e)(e)由此而起,并代代相傳到(dao)(dao)今天。
現在的(de)古井鎮有(you)(you)條(tiao)燒(shao)(shao)鵝街(jie)——天(tian)成(cheng)街(jie),這里的(de)燒(shao)(shao)鵝店很多,但名牌只(zhi)有(you)(you)兩個:一個是恒益燒(shao)(shao)臘行的(de)“恒益”燒(shao)(shao)鵝,另(ling)一個是平(ping)(ping)香燒(shao)(shao)鵝專(zhuan)賣店的(de)“平(ping)(ping)香”燒(shao)(shao)鵝。當地人有(you)(you)句話:古井人吃“恒益”,外地人吃“平(ping)(ping)香”。
為什么“古井人(ren)吃(chi)恒(heng)益(yi)”?因為恒(heng)益(yi)燒(shao)鵝(e)(e)(e)的(de)(de)制作有其獨特之(zhi)處,從選(xuan)鵝(e)(e)(e)到燒(shao)烤(kao)(kao)都(dou)很講究(jiu)。據“恒(heng)益(yi)”老板(ban)呂柏介紹(shao),鵝(e)(e)(e)每年(nian)有兩造,燒(shao)鵝(e)(e)(e)常用(yong)的(de)(de)鵝(e)(e)(e)種是每年(nian)春季清(qing)明和秋季重陽前后(hou)一個(ge)半月的(de)(de)鵝(e)(e)(e)苗(miao),并且要在(zai)本地魚塘長至三、四個(ge)月大(da),大(da)約7斤重。這種鵝(e)(e)(e)叫“烏鬃鵝(e)(e)(e)”,不受污染,肉質最好(hao)。燒(shao)鵝(e)(e)(e)時采用(yong)傳(chuan)統的(de)(de)生抽王(wang)混砂糖、鹽(yan)、酒(jiu)、蒜茸、五(wu)香粉以及其他不得(de)外傳(chuan)的(de)(de)獨門秘方等(deng)為醬(jiang)料,塞入(ru)鵝(e)(e)(e)肚內,用(yong)繩扎緊搖(yao)勻,并以麥糖擦鵝(e)(e)(e)身,用(yong)荔枝柴燒(shao)爐。鵝(e)(e)(e)掛在(zai)熱爐內,爐下置有水之(zhi)鑊接鵝(e)(e)(e)油,避免把(ba)鵝(e)(e)(e)燒(shao)焦,以中火(huo)燒(shao)烤(kao)(kao)約40分(fen)鐘便成。當然,還有其他秘制的(de)(de)方法,呂柏說:“家族(zu)生意,守了幾十(shi)年(nian),不能(neng)說得(de)太(tai)多,畢竟市場競爭激烈(lie)。“恒(heng)益(yi)”燒(shao)鵝(e)(e)(e)主(zhu)要在(zai)古井銷售,古井鎮的(de)(de)酒(jiu)樓90的(de)(de)燒(shao)鵝(e)(e)(e)都(dou)是恒(heng)益(yi)供的(de)(de)貨(huo),所以有“本地人(ren)吃(chi)恒(heng)益(yi)”之(zhi)說。
平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)店(dian)(dian)(dian)也很風行,在(zai)外名(ming)氣也許比“恒益”還大,所以有(you)(you)(you)(you)“外地人吃(chi)平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)”之說。平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)店(dian)(dian)(dian)的(de)(de)前身(shen)是(shi)(shi)“奇(qi)(qi)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)樓”,奇(qi)(qi)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)樓的(de)(de)老(lao)板(ban)(ban)姓陳,人稱“燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)廣”。“燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)廣”的(de)(de)第6代傳(chuan)人陳群已(yi)69歲了(le),他(ta)15歲跟著叔叔到(dao)“奇(qi)(qi)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)樓”學做燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)。他(ta)說,“奇(qi)(qi)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)樓”的(de)(de)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)主要(yao)(yao)妙(miao)在(zai)5方面(mian):一是(shi)(shi)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)用(yong)(yong)的(de)(de)酒料(liao)(liao)是(shi)(shi)用(yong)(yong)幾種(zhong)藥材浸制(zhi)而成的(de)(de);二是(shi)(shi)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)用(yong)(yong)的(de)(de)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)料(liao)(liao)是(shi)(shi)荔(li)枝(zhi)樹(shu),用(yong)(yong)荔(li)枝(zhi)樹(shu)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)出來(lai)的(de)(de)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)皮(pi)脆色(se)好(hao),有(you)(you)(you)(you)特殊香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)味;三(san)是(shi)(shi)用(yong)(yong)蜜糖(tang)反復涂抹(mo)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)的(de)(de)表(biao)皮(pi),燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)熟了(le)表(biao)皮(pi)金黃,肉(rou)脆甜(tian);四是(shi)(shi)鵝(e)(e)的(de)(de)生長期不能超過(guo)60天;五是(shi)(shi)宰(zai)鵝(e)(e)要(yao)(yao)用(yong)(yong)地下水。據了(le)解,平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)專賣(mai)店(dian)(dian)(dian)為(wei)了(le)保(bao)證質量,每(mei)天限量生產100只,售完即止。每(mei)逢清明(ming)、中(zhong)秋等傳(chuan)統節(jie)日,往(wang)往(wang)要(yao)(yao)提前預定(ding)(ding)才能買(mai)到(dao)“平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)”。如(ru)果有(you)(you)(you)(you)機(ji)會,去(qu)到(dao)新會古井品嘗(chang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e),一定(ding)(ding)會搞到(dao)你頭暈的(de)(de),因(yin)(yin)為(wei)在(zai)古井里,不單單只有(you)(you)(you)(you)一間(jian)(jian)是(shi)(shi)叫平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)店(dian)(dian)(dian)的(de)(de),是(shi)(shi)有(you)(you)(you)(you)很多(duo)間(jian)(jian)的(de)(de),去(qu)的(de)(de)那間(jian)(jian)對面(mian)就有(you)(you)(you)(you)一間(jian)(jian)也是(shi)(shi)叫平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)的(de)(de),而且在(zai)身(shen)后不遠的(de)(de)地方,也有(you)(you)(you)(you)一間(jian)(jian),我也沒有(you)(you)(you)(you)數有(you)(you)(you)(you)多(duo)少間(jian)(jian)叫平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)的(de)(de)名(ming)字,但可(ke)能有(you)(you)(you)(you)四五間(jian)(jian)吧,以前就已(yi)經(jing)問過(guo)剛(gang)才那間(jian)(jian)的(de)(de)服(fu)務員,她說其實(shi)(shi)間(jian)(jian)間(jian)(jian)都是(shi)(shi)平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)的(de)(de),雖然老(lao)板(ban)(ban)不是(shi)(shi)同一人,但都是(shi)(shi)自己兄(xiong)弟分出來(lai)搞的(de)(de)。平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)大飯店(dian)(dian)(dian)和平(ping)香(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)(xiang)燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)鵝(e)(e)總店(dian)(dian)(dian)(去(qu)過(guo),其實(shi)(shi)不錯),在(zai)江門市區也可(ke)以吃(chi)到(dao),因(yin)(yin)為(wei)它有(you)(you)(you)(you)一間(jian)(jian)“燒(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)(shao)賣(mai)店(dian)(dian)(dian)”開在(zai)勝利路。