Cracking a classic culinary code
Food historian attempts to re-create old recipes described in Cao Xueqin's book, only to discover that there is more to the story, Xu Fan reports.
A known bibliophile, Cao Yin befriended many scholars and copied valuable texts from their collections. Among them were the culinary techniques from earlier dynasties, which he compiled into a book titled Ju Chang Yin Zhuan Lu. It preserved the ancient recipes and cooking methods for various dishes, such as porridges, rock candies, preserved meats, and fermented fish.
Beginning with the death of his grandfather and followed by that of his father, Cao Xueqin's family fell from grace. This was caused by Emperor Yongzheng, Kangxi's successor, who confiscated the family's property due to complicated reasons involving corruption and their closeness to his former political rivals.
When misfortune struck, Cao Xueqin was just 13 years old. Around seven years later, he began writing Dream of the Red Chamber.
When Lu delved into the history of the Cao family and attempted to re-create the delicacies described in the novel, he discovered an intriguing fact — the dishes cooked according to Cao Xueqin's instructions did not turn out very well, nor did they taste good.
