在山西,人們壽誕生辰,聚友團(tuan)圓時,常(chang)常(chang)要吃(chi)這種面(mian),以示長(chang)壽和(he)喜慶。龍須(xu)面(mian)配料精細,制作(zuo)(zuo)講究,其制作(zuo)(zuo)方(fang)法過去曾被(bei)認(ren)為是絕招,秘而(er)不傳。龍須(xu)拉(la)面(mian)的面(mian)團(tuan)被(bei)和(he)勻后(hou),抻開(kai),卷(juan)起,再(zai)抻開(kai),再(zai)卷(juan)起,如(ru)此數(shu)扣之后(hou),師傅(fu)們將拉(la)好的面(mian)放在撒滿面(mian)粉的幾案(an)上(shang)抖開(kai),而(er)后(hou)兩(liang)手像搭毛線(xian)般地將面(mian)抻開(kai)并抖動著(zhu)。整(zheng)個景象就如(ru)瀑布嘩(hua)嘩(hua)瀉下一般,蔚為壯觀。片刻之后(hou)走(zou)上(shang)前(qian)去,看(kan)到拉(la)好的面(mian)已如(ru)絲般纖細,這已是標準的龍須(xu)面(mian)了(le)。
先(xian)用(yong)面(mian)水5∶3的比例和好面(mian),然后在上(shang)面(mian)抹點香油醒著,將(jiang)醒好的面(mian)放(fang)在案板上(shang),揉勻或(huo)搓成(cheng)長(chang)條,雙手提兩端稍(shao)晃(huang),再(zai)搓成(cheng)長(chang)條狀,搟(xian)成(cheng)片(pian)形,略(lve)醒后用(yong)刀橫切成(cheng)小(xiao)手指粗的長(chang)條,撒勻面(mian)粉或(huo)抹勻香油,逐根(gen)或(huo)幾根(gen)并拉,拉成(cheng)細條投入(ru)沸水鍋內,煮熟配上(shang)鹵即成(cheng)。
龍(long)須拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)源頭(tou)(tou)是(shi)(shi)始于唐(tang)朝的(de)(de)(de)(de)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。《新(xin)唐(tang)書(shu)·王(wang)皇后傳》記(ji)有(you)“陛(bi)下獨不念阿(a)忠(zhong)脫紫半臂易斗面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),為(wei)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯(tang)(tang)餅(bing)(bing)耶”。這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)種生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯(tang)(tang)餅(bing)(bing),已可“舉箸(zhu)食(shi)”(劉(liu)禹錫《贈進(jin)士張盥》),是(shi)(shi)和(he)軟面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)團,用刀(dao)切條(tiao),將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)條(tiao)拉(la)(la)(la)細、拉(la)(la)(la)長后落鍋(guo)煮熟食(shi)用,民間(jian)至今保留此法,稱之為(wei)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)。王(wang)皇后為(wei)李隆基做生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)湯(tang)(tang)餅(bing)(bing)的(de)(de)(de)(de)故事,發(fa)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)在(zai)李隆基作潞(lu)州(zhou)別駕的(de)(de)(de)(de)時候(hou),可見唐(tang)代(dai)至少太原、長治等山(shan)(shan)西地區已將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)作為(wei)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)日(ri)長壽面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)而制(zhi)作和(he)食(shi)用了(le)。后來,這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)一拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技(ji)(ji)藝隨著太原玄中寺的(de)(de)(de)(de)凈(jing)土宗東傳日(ri)本(ben),形成(cheng)日(ri)本(ben)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技(ji)(ji)術(shu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)基礎。到了(le)宋(song)代(dai),趙(zhao)光義鏟(chan)平晉(jin)陽西北(bei)系(xi)舟山(shan)(shan),意(yi)欲(yu)拔掉“龍(long)角”。第二(er)(er)年(nian)太原百(bai)姓將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)二(er)(er)月(yue)初的(de)(de)(de)(de)中和(he)節改為(wei)“龍(long)頭(tou)(tou)節”,并固(gu)定在(zai)二(er)(er)月(yue)初二(er)(er)以(yi)作紀念。此日(ri),百(bai)姓多吃拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),意(yi)思是(shi)(shi)你(ni)拔我(wo)“龍(long)角”,我(wo)挑你(ni)“龍(long)筋”、吃你(ni)“龍(long)須”,以(yi)示憤恨。自此,拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)又被稱為(wei)龍(long)須面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),黃(huang)庭堅曾作詩(shi)“湯(tang)(tang)餅(bing)(bing)一杯銀絲(si)亂(luan),牽絲(si)如縷玉簪(zan)橫”。元代(dai)時,馬可波羅三訪太原,將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)種拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)技(ji)(ji)術(shu)帶回意(yi)大(da)(da)利,形成(cheng)影響西方(fang)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)技(ji)(ji)術(shu)和(he)飲食(shi)文化的(de)(de)(de)(de)意(yi)大(da)(da)利通心粉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)食(shi)。小(xiao)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)何時發(fa)展成(cheng)大(da)(da)把拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),暫不可考,但明人宋(song)詡《宋(song)氏養生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)部》記(ji)載:“用少鹽入水和(he)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian),一斤為(wei)率。既勻,沃香油少許……漸以(yi)兩手(shou)纏絡于直(zhi)指(zhi)(zhi)、將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)指(zhi)(zhi)、無名指(zhi)(zhi)之間(jian),為(wei)細條(tiao),先作沸湯(tang)(tang),隨拉(la)(la)(la)隨煮。”可見山(shan)(shan)西明代(dai)時已有(you)大(da)(da)拉(la)(la)(la)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)制(zhi)作技(ji)(ji)術(shu)。清道(dao)光年(nian)間(jian),山(shan)(shan)西稷山(shan)(shan)縣馬金定兄弟,千(qian)里迢(tiao)迢(tiao)去陜西岐山(shan)(shan)做掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)意(yi),字號(hao)“順(shun)天(tian)成(cheng)”,直(zhi)到今天(tian),岐山(shan)(shan)掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)還沿(yan)用這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)個老字號(hao)。這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)種掛面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)起初就是(shi)(shi)將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)拉(la)(la)(la)好后,掛在(zai)線上曬干銷售,是(shi)(shi)面(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)(mian)作為(wei)半成(cheng)品銷售的(de)(de)(de)(de)典范。
清(qing)朝末年,拉面(mian)(mian)已成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)山(shan)、陜(shan)面(mian)(mian)食制作(zuo)的(de)成(cheng)熟技術(shu)。清(qing)末薛寶辰著的(de)《素食說(shuo)略》中(zhong)說(shuo),在山(shan)、陜(shan)流行一種“楨條(tiao)面(mian)(mian)”:“以水和面(mian)(mian),入(ru)鹽、清(qing)油揉勻(yun),覆以濕布,俟(si)其軟和,扯開細煮之(zhi),名為(wei)(wei)楨條(tiao)面(mian)(mian)。做法以山(shan)西(xi)(xi)太原(yuan)、平定州、陜(shan)西(xi)(xi)朝邑、同(tong)州為(wei)(wei)最。”這種楨條(tiao)面(mian)(mian),即(ji)山(shan)西(xi)(xi)拉面(mian)(mian),也稱龍須面(mian)(mian),在清(qing)代還進入(ru)宮廷(ting)。《清(qing)稗類鈔》、《中(zhong)國歷代御膳(shan)大(da)觀》中(zhong)記,內廷(ting)大(da)宴(yan)之(zhi)一、清(qing)朝帝王的(de)壽誕宴(yan)——萬壽宴(yan),以及滿漢(han)全席第一宴(yan)的(de)蒙古親藩(fan)宴(yan),都以龍須面(mian)(mian)作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)御宴(yan)的(de)重要膳(shan)食。
“千招(zhao)易學,一竅難得(de)(de)”。拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)制作技術(shu)解放前曾(ceng)被認為(wei)(wei)(wei)是“絕招(zhao)”,秘而不(bu)傳。解放后,逐(zhu)漸在(zai)(zai)社會(hui)上(shang)得(de)(de)以公開,成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)(wei)山西面(mian)(mian)(mian)案的(de)基本功,受(shou)到山西飲食界的(de)重(zhong)視,并不(bu)斷在(zai)(zai)實踐探索中細分為(wei)(wei)(wei)小拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(一根(gen)(gen)面(mian)(mian)(mian))、大拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(6至(zhi)(zhi)8扣(kou))、龍(long)須拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)(10扣(kou)以上(shang)),空心(xin)拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)等。現在(zai)(zai),龍(long)須拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)除食用(yong)之外,還作為(wei)(wei)(wei)一種表(biao)演藝術(shu),拉至(zhi)(zhi)14扣(kou)時(shi),共計28924根(gen)(gen),相連長達(da)25公里。全晉(jin)(jin)會(hui)館的(de)蒙眼拉面(mian)(mian)(mian),還曾(ceng)獲(huo)得(de)(de)全國(guo)(guo)廚藝絕技超(chao)群獎(jiang),多次應邀赴日本、新加坡、臺(tai)灣(wan)等國(guo)(guo)家(jia)和(he)地(di)區表(biao)演。2008年初,全晉(jin)(jin)會(hui)館作為(wei)(wei)(wei)傳承單位的(de)龍(long)須拉面(mian)(mian)(mian),被列入第(di)二批國(guo)(guo)家(jia)級非(fei)物質文(wen)化遺產保護名錄,受(shou)到了(le)國(guo)(guo)家(jia)的(de)高度重(zhong)視。龍(long)須拉面(mian)(mian)(mian)制作,這一山西面(mian)(mian)(mian)食中技術(shu)性強的(de)特色手工(gong)技藝和(he)表(biao)演藝術(shu),將在(zai)(zai)新時(shi)代煥(huan)發出傳承文(wen)脈(mo)、走(zou)向(xiang)和(he)諧、造福社會(hui)的(de)無比(bi)絢麗奪目的(de)光彩。