洪(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),又寫作菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),或者(zhe)紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),古時又稱為“蕓菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)”。長(chang)得像(xiang)油(you)菜(cai)(cai),帶(dai)花,只(zhi)是(shi)(shi)顏色(se)呈紫(zi)紅色(se)、紫(zi)黑色(se),湯汁(zhi)呈紫(zi)黑色(se),如果是(shi)(shi)青(qing)白色(se)的(de)就是(shi)(shi)白菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),產(chan)出(chu)的(de)季節比紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)晚(wan),要到開春以后。和湖北(bei)同緯度的(de)地(di)區(qu)基本上都可以產(chan)紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),四川也(ye)產(chan)紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),但是(shi)(shi)品種(zhong)和味(wei)道都不(bu)同,比較矮(ai)一(yi)些,梗子很(hen)粗。洪(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)的(de)莖(jing)干(gan)部(bu)分呈喇叭狀(zhuang),從下(xia)及(ji)上,逐漸收小,而(er)其它地(di)方出(chu)產(chan)的(de)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)莖(jing)干(gan)則上下(xia)粗細一(yi)致(zhi)。正宗的(de)洪(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)除(chu)外形肥壯外,色(se)澤也(ye)較淺(qian)紅,口感較清。在武漢,相(xiang)傳只(zhi)有能聽得見洪(hong)山寶通(tong)寺鐘聲地(di)域范圍內(nei)的(de)特定(ding)土壤上長(chang)出(chu)來的(de)菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)才是(shi)(shi)當年(nian)給皇(huang)帝進(jin)貢的(de)貢品紅菜(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai),發(fa)源地(di)就是(shi)(shi)武昌亞(ya)貿廣(guang)場(chang)背后的(de)一(yi)塊丘陵(ling)地(di),曾被封為“金殿玉菜(cai)(cai)”。
生長環境
洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山,處(chu)于(yu)丘陵地(di)帶(dai),有(you)九嶺十(shi)八凹,土(tu)(tu)質為紅(hong)壤和黃壤土(tu)(tu),避(bi)風向陽,又有(you)泉(quan)水澆(jiao)灌,冬(dong)(dong)春之(zhi)際,氣候溫和,最宜(yi)紫菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)的(de)生長。優質紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)只(zhi)產在洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山,若遷地(di)移植,不(bu)僅(jin)顏色不(bu)同(tong),口味(wei)也(ye)有(you)差(cha)異(yi)。民國初年(nian),黎元洪(hong)(hong)(hong)離開湖(hu)北(bei)(bei),到(dao)(dao)北(bei)(bei)京當大總統(tong)時(shi),每(mei)臨冬(dong)(dong)天,必(bi)派專(zhuan)差(cha)到(dao)(dao)洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山來運(yun)紅(hong)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)。由(you)于(yu)長途(tu)大批運(yun)輸,鮮(xian)(xian)(xian)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)運(yun)到(dao)(dao)北(bei)(bei)京后,時(shi)間一久(jiu),菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)失(shi)去(qu)原有(you)的(de)色澤和鮮(xian)(xian)(xian)味(wei),較之(zhi)產地(di)新鮮(xian)(xian)(xian)嫩菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)當然遜(xun)色不(bu)少,常使食(shi)者感(gan)(gan)到(dao)(dao)美中(zhong)不(bu)足。于(yu)是有(you)人出謀把(ba)洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山的(de)泥土(tu)(tu)裝上(shang)幾火車(che)皮運(yun)往(wang)北(bei)(bei)京試種(zhong),結果,菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)雖長出來了,但色不(bu)紅(hong)、味(wei)不(bu)鮮(xian)(xian)(xian)。試種(zhong)失(shi)敗,更感(gan)(gan)到(dao)(dao)洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)之(zhi)可貴(gui),以(yi)后不(bu)得不(bu)沿(yan)用老辦法,用火車(che)成(cheng)批運(yun)轉菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)到(dao)(dao)北(bei)(bei)京。王徒心《續漢口絲談》上(shang)亦有(you)關于(yu)移植的(de)記載:“光緒(xu)初,合肥(fei)李瀚(han)章(李鴻章之(zhi)兄)督湖(hu)廣,酷(ku)嗜此品(pin)(按:指洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)),覓種(zhong)植于(yu)鄉,則遠(yuan)不(bu)及。或曰‘立性有(you)宜(yi)’。勤烙(李瀚(han)章的(de)溢號(hao))乃抉洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山土(tu)(tu),船(chuan)載以(yi)歸,于(yu)是楚人謠日:‘制軍刮湖(hu)北(bei)(bei)地(di)皮去(qu)也(ye)’。”據說北(bei)(bei)宋蘇東坡偕其妹(mei)游覽武昌黃鶴樓后,很想品(pin)嘗洪(hong)(hong)(hong)山菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai),可時(shi)值寒冬(dong)(dong)而推遲(chi)抽薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai),蘇氏兄妹(mei)特意(yi)(yi)滯留武昌,直到(dao)(dao)一飽口福才愜意(yi)(yi)而去(qu)。
食用歷史
史料記(ji)載(zai),我國早在東(dong)漢(han)、三國時,紫(zi)菜(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)已(yi)是普(pu)遍食(shi)用的蔬菜(cai)。<名(ming)醫別錄>中(zhong)記(ji)載(zai):蕓薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)“乃人(ren)間所啖(dan)菜(cai)”,這里的“蕓薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)”就是紫(zi)菜(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)。據史籍記(ji)載(zai),紅菜(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)在唐代已(yi)經是著名(ming)的蔬菜(cai),歷來(lai)是湖北地方向皇帝進貢的土特產,曾被(bei)封為“金殿(dian)玉菜(cai)”,與武昌魚齊名(ming)。在《齊民(min)要術》、《唐本草》、《唐本草注》等古書(shu)中(zhong),都有(you)關(guan)于紫(zi)菜(cai)薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)的記(ji)載(zai)。明李時珍<本草綱目(mu)>言:“此菜(cai)易起薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai),須采其薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)食(shi),則分枝(zhi)必多,故名(ming)蕓薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)。九月(yue)、十月(yue)下(xia)種,葉(xie)形似白菜(cai),冬春(chun)采薹(tai)(tai)(tai)(tai)必為茹,三月(yue)則老不可(ke)食(shi)。”