《紅樓夢》誕生于18世紀中葉,它是滿漢文化、南北文化相互碰撞、吸收融合的典范,是中國明末清初時期貴族生活的真實歷史畫卷。就是在這部傲立于世界文學之林、被譽為中國封建社會“百科全書(shu)”的(de)鴻篇巨制中(zhong),曹雪芹用了將近三分之(zhi)一(yi)的(de)篇幅,描述了眾(zhong)多(duo)人物豐富多(duo)彩的(de)飲食(shi)文(wen)化活動:“就(jiu)其(qi)(qi)規模而言(yan)(yan),則有(you)大宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、小(xiao)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、盛宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan);就(jiu)其(qi)(qi)時間而言(yan)(yan),則有(you)午宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、晚宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、夜(ye)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan);就(jiu)其(qi)(qi)內容而言(yan)(yan),則有(you)生(sheng)(sheng)日宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、壽宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、真壽宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、省親宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、家宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、接(jie)風(feng)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、詩(shi)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、燈謎(mi)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、合歡宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、梅花(hua)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、海棠(tang)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、螃蟹宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan);就(jiu)其(qi)(qi)節令而言(yan)(yan),則有(you)中(zhong)秋宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、端陽宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、元宵(xiao)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan);就(jiu)其(qi)(qi)設宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)地方面言(yan)(yan),則又(you)有(you)勞園宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、太虛幻境(jing)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、大觀園宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、大廳(ting)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、小(xiao)廳(ting)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)、怡紅院夜(ye)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)等(deng)等(deng),令人聞面生(sheng)(sheng)津”。通過(guo)各種各樣的(de)宴(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)集,曹雪芹不僅為讀者(zhe)提(ti)供了一(yi)張未窮盡的(de)美(mei)食(shi)單,更重要的(de)是作者(zhe)為我(wo)們創造了一(yi)個(ge)完整的(de)紅樓飲食(shi)文(wen)化體系。
曹家居南京、揚(yang)(yang)州60多(duo)年,飲(yin)(yin)食多(duo)為(wei)(wei)淮(huai)揚(yang)(yang)風(feng)味。曹寅(yin)編纂著述頗豐,有(you)淮(huai)揚(yang)(yang)飲(yin)(yin)食詩(shi)文(wen)問世(shi)。寅(yin)母為(wei)(wei)康(kang)熙乳娘,寅(yin)幼年為(wei)(wei)康(kang)熙侍讀,過從(cong)甚密(mi)。寅(yin)在(zai)(zai)揚(yang)(yang)州多(duo)次督辦(ban)御(yu)宴,熟諳要旨。雪(xue)芹(qin)幼年隨乃祖(zu)在(zai)(zai)任(ren)上(shang),飲(yin)(yin)食之道,耳(er)濡目染皆為(wei)(wei)淮(huai)揚(yang)(yang)佳味,而《紅樓夢》創作以“聲色飲(yin)(yin)饌之幻”來演示人(ren)生哲(zhe)理(li),對淮(huai)揚(yang)(yang)烹飪文(wen)化素材駕輕就熟,信手拈來皆成雅麗,令人(ren)嘆為(wei)(wei)觀止。當代紅學俊彥馮其庸(yong)、李希凡先(xian)生推論紅樓菜當屬淮(huai)揚(yang)(yang)風(feng)味。揚(yang)(yang)州與《紅樓夢》作者(zhe)曹雪(xue)芹(qin)及其家庭(ting)有(you)深(shen)厚的歷史(shi)淵源(yuan),紅樓宴的開發(fa)責無(wu)旁貸地落在(zai)(zai)揚(yang)(yang)州烹飪文(wen)化界的肩(jian)上(shang)。
丁章(zhang)華先生運籌與推動紅(hong)樓(lou)宴(yan)研制,時(shi)歷二十春秋,組織精(jing)干(gan),梳理史(shi)料,考察(cha)論證,方家研討,磨礪(li)提精(jing),終成(cheng)大(da)器。紅(hong)樓(lou)宴(yan)的(de)設計立足于紅(hong)樓(lou)文(wen)(wen)化(hua)整體的(de)一(yi)部分進行再創造(zao),以(yi)發(fa)揚(yang)光大(da)《紅(hong)樓(lou)夢》所代(dai)表的(de)文(wen)(wen)化(hua)傳統、審美意識、文(wen)(wen)化(hua)蘊含,對餐(can)(can)廳、音樂、餐(can)(can)具、服(fu)飾、菜點(dian)、茶飲(yin)等(deng)項(xiang)進行綜合設計,使人恍如置(zhi)身于《紅(hong)樓(lou)夢》中(zhong)的(de)大(da)觀園中(zhong)。紅(hong)樓(lou)菜以(yi)其美味、豐盛、精(jing)致見(jian)長,給人以(yi)高層次飲(yin)食文(wen)(wen)化(hua)藝術的(de)享受,名(ming)揚(yang)海(hai)內外。
一品大(da)觀:有鳳來(lai)儀(yi) 花塘情(qing)趣(qu) 蝴蝶戀花
四干果:栗子(zi)(zi)青果白瓜(gua)子(zi)(zi)生(sheng)仁
四調味:酸(suan)菜薺醬 蘿卜(bu)炸(zha)兒 茄鲞
賈(jia)府冷菜:紅袍大蝦 翡翠羽衣 胭脂鵝脯(fu)酒糟鴨(ya)信佛(fo)手羅(luo)皮(pi) 美味(wei)鴨(ya)蛋(dan) 素脆素魚 龍(long)穿(chuan)鳳翅
寧榮(rong)大菜:龍袍魚翅 白雪紅(hong)梅 老(lao)蚌懷珠 生烤鹿(lu)肉 籠蒸(zheng)螃蟹 西瓜盅酒(jiu)醉雞(ji) 花(hua)籃鱖魚卷(juan) 姥姥鴿蛋 雙色刀魚 扇(shan)面(mian)蒿稈(gan) 鳳衣串珠
怡紅(hong)細點:松仁鵝油卷 螃(pang)蟹小餃 如意鎖(suo)片(pian) 太君(jun)酥(su) 海棠酥(su) 壽桃(tao)
水果:時果拼盤 白(bai)雪紅梅 龍袍(pao)魚翅(chi) 老蚌懷珠 花藍(lan)鱖(gui)魚卷
怡紅(hong)祝壽雞(ji)髓筍(sun)雪(xue)底芹芽(ya)扒駝掌雞(ji)皮(pi)蝦(xia)丸湯牛(niu)乳(ru)蒸羊羔籠(long)蒸螃蟹三鮮(xian)鹿筋雞(ji)絲蒿子桿老蚌懷珠
西瓜盅酒醉雞鳳衣串珠