临近中国传统新年,周小茵特意制作了一些传统茶点。 周小茵 摄
56岁周小茵是当地出了名的美食“达人”,每年都会根据时令节气,制作各类民间美食,在陶冶情操、丰富生活的同时,传承着中华民族传统美食文化。
新疆为数不多的唐菓子制作“艺人”
右手拿着三角棒,左手托着豆沙团,一推一压一挑间,一枚唐菓子现雏形。“制作一枚高颜值的唐菓子,需要全神投入,手的力道要准,并且有一气呵成的能力。”日前,周小茵如是说。
以豆沙为馅、外包“透花糍”的唐菓子是茶宴中佐茶而食的糕点,又称为茶菓、菓子等。 周小茵 摄临近中国传统新年,周小茵特意制作了一些传统茶点——唐菓子,树叶、花朵、贝壳……记者注意到,这些茶点造型各异、色彩艳丽,空气中还能嗅到清甜的味。
以豆沙为馅、外包“透花糍”的唐菓子是茶宴中佐茶而食的糕点,又称为茶菓、菓子等。其玲珑小巧,颜色艳丽,多以花鸟造型雕刻。
据《中国面点史》记载,于饮茶之风普及全国的唐代开始,出现了一边饮茶一边吃茶点(面点)的习俗,已有上千年的历史。
唐菓子玲珑小巧,颜色艳丽,多以花鸟造型雕刻。 周小茵 摄作为一种源自中国的古老美食,唐菓子制作近年来在中国复兴。热衷于制作美食的周小茵,深深地被唐菓子的历史文化所吸引,自学唐菓子的制作工艺,成为新疆伊犁区域为数不多的唐菓子制作“艺人”。
周小茵介绍,这款唐菓子选用上好的白云豆浸泡24小时,人工去皮煮制软烂、过滤,再加上少许糯米粉、砂糖进行炒制后,添加少许植物色粉造型而成。
周小茵把日子过成了诗。 周小茵 摄“遗传”祖辈中学时得“真传”
周小茵年轻时是七十一团的文艺骨干。对传统美食的热爱,源于从小受外祖父和母亲的影响。外祖父曾是乡里的乡厨,街坊邻里婚丧嫁娶都会请他掌勺。而母亲自幼跟随外祖父学习厨艺,长大后成当地出了名的“巧手”。
在物资匮乏的20世纪六七十年代,周小茵母亲手工制作各种民间“小零食”,给孩子们解馋。
塔式年馍。 周小茵 摄看着母亲将一个个普通食材变成好看又美味的“小零食”,幼时的周小茵被深深吸引,对制作美食产生浓厚兴趣。
中学时,周小茵得母亲“真传”,刺猬馍、枣馍、花馍……只要练上几遍,便能得心应手;南北菜式虽不说样样精通,但也做得有模有样。
“我学做传统民间美食有40多年。工作后因忙碌,做美食没有小时候那么频繁,但是逢年过节还是会做一些糕点。”周小茵说,每年的除夕年夜饭绝不能马虎,每道菜寓意美好、家人团圆,“咱中国人的传统,不能丢。”
2017年,周小茵迷上非遗唐菓子,她上网络视频学习,请教懂面食的行家,并将自己的创意融入其中。
彩色水饺。 周小茵 摄久而久之,周小茵练就了一双巧手,成为伊犁区域为数不多的年馍、花馍、唐菓子制作“艺人”。
近年来,她制作传统民间美食的消息经当地新媒体推送后,引发网友们的热评。
“在微信朋友圈看到小茵做的唐菓子,真精致!”可克达拉市民杨萍英说,以前见过这类糕点,但不知道叫什么。
“她制作的唐菓子味道好,让人舍不得下口。她家院子就像‘家庭公园’,花草满园、鱼鸟相伴。”好友李沛立说,周小茵身上那种对传统美食的执着和对生活的热爱,令人佩服。
冀望成为一名非遗传承人
周小茵退休后,属于自己的时间多了起来。2019年起,她专注于传统美食制作。
周小茵退休后,专注于传统美食制作。 周小茵 摄“每年我会根据年份制作生肖年馍。前年蒸的是牛馍,去年蒸的是虎馍,冬奥会期间我还做了汤圆版的冰墩墩,今年春节会蒸兔馍。”周小茵介绍,年馍以山西霍州最为出名,花馍以陕西为主。
近年来,新疆兵团对区域内非遗资源的种类、数量、分布状况进行全面普查、整理、归档与申报。调查发现,新疆兵团非遗线索涉及民间艺术、传统技艺、红色文化等,主要集中在剪纸、刺绣等传统手工技艺,美食类尚少。
“我会不断提高唐菓子的制作技艺,如果可能,希望能成为一名非遗传承人。”周小茵说,唐菓子是唐文化和艺术的代表作,需要我们这一代去传承、发扬。(完)
中新网评:美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾****** 中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后,美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕,众议院共和党领袖凯文•麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录,将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。 资料图:美国众议院共和党领袖麦卡锡。中新社记者 沙晗汀 摄由于两党对立加剧、党派内斗、利益分配不均等因素,众议长选举陷入一场拉锯战。在此次众议长竞选中,美国民主党议员继续抱团,多轮投票中,一票不投麦卡锡,共和党右翼“强硬派”领头的约20人小团体也拒绝投票麦卡锡。 麦卡锡的当选之路一波三折,除了本人的“政治投机派”角色在国会不受欢迎外,与共和党内部政治分歧关系密切。 一方面,共和党党内反对者认为,麦卡锡对民主党态度过于软弱,无力对抗民主党控制的参议院和拜登政府,另一方面,因为共和党的多数优势微弱,党内一些影响力较小的派系的政治力量则被放大,有利于他们巩固自己的选票。 此外,党内反对者也认为,自己的选票没有换取更多利益,希望以此作为筹码换取麦卡锡更大的让步,比如让他们获得众议院重要委员会中的职务。 作为仅次于美国总统、副总统的政坛三号人物,众议院议长通常由众议院多数党领袖担任,选举几乎没有悬念。然而,麦卡锡此次为当选,不得不做出多个关键让步,其中可能包括恢复一项罢黜议长动议机制,使得众议长的权力被削弱,难以掌控众议院。 美国有线电视新闻网CNN称,麦卡锡在这场不合时宜的政治勒索中作出让步,这种绥靖政策只会让极端主义势力更加强大。 这场引发全世界围观的尴尬选举暴露出美国政治存在严重的对立和分化。在权力博弈思维的裹挟下,党派利益凌驾于国家和人民利益之上,美国两党相互拆台,陷入“为反对而反对”的无脑对垒。而即便是一党内,也会因为利益分配问题产生不同的小派系,相互对抗,选票变成了谋利益的工具。 从国会山骚乱到打破记历史记录的15轮众议长选举,“对抗式民主”让美国政治陷入瓶颈,长期对抗势必会让政客们丧失客观公正的判断能力,其政治阶层是否有能力治理国家也会引发质疑。 两党之争和党派内斗进一步放大了美国政治体制弊病,美国所谓的“民主”形象,让全世界大跌眼镜。鼓吹以选民利益为先的美式选举,变成了政客们利益置换的游戏,进一步彰显出美国“民主政治”日渐失能,不断极化的党争已使美国政治制度陷入死循环。 House speaker election reveals deep-rooted problems in U.S. democracy (ECNS) -- The Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 55th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after 15 ballots. As the most grueling House speaker election in the past 164 years, the election has highlighted the defects of the country’s "confrontational democracy". The election once reached a stalemate due to intense partisan strife, inner-party struggle among the Republicans, uneven distribution of interests, and more. Democratic Party members forged a close alliance, refusing to vote for McCarthy, while about 20 Republicans also declined to cast ballots for the GOP leader. Except for his unpopular role as a "political speculator" in Congress, McCarthy’s hard-won election can be attributed to turmoil within the Republican Party. On the one hand, opponents in the Republican Party believe that the GOP leader's attitude toward the Democrats is too weak to confront the Senate controlled by Democrats and the Biden administration. On the other hand, the political power of some less influential factions in the Republican Party has been amplified due to the Party’s weak majority advantage in the House of Representatives, which is conducive to consolidating their ticket warehouses. Meanwhile, these opponents believe that their votes failed to win them more benefits, hoping to use this as a bargaining chip for McCarthy's further concessions, such as getting them positions in important House Committees. As the third political figure after the President and Vice President of the U.S., the speaker, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives. But McCarthy has made many concessions in order to bring the ultra conservatives along, involving what’s known as the “motion to vacate,” a mechanism by which members can force a vote to depose the speaker. The reported concessions will empower individual members at the expense of McCarthy’s sway as speaker. CNN thought the concessions he made during this unseemly political shakedown would only make the extremist faction more powerful. This embarrassing election, which has drawn global attention, exposed the serious opposition and polarization in American politics. Both Democrats and Republicans put their interests before that of the country and its people, attacking and opposing each other irrationally. Besides, different factions arise within a single party and confront each other because of the distribution of interests. Votes have become a tool to win more benefits. From Capitol riots to the House Speaker election with record-breaking ballots, "confrontational democracy" has become a bottleneck of American politics. Long-term confrontation will surely impede politicians to think objectively and fairly while their capacity of governing the country will also raise doubts among the public. Both parties’ struggle and infighting among the Republicans have further amplified the defects of the American political system, with its "democratic" image shocking the world. The U.S.-style election, which advocates putting voters' interests first, has become a game of interest exchange among politicians. In addition, it further demonstrates the malfunction of American "democratic politics" and the constantly polarized party struggle that has trapped the American political system into an infinite cycle.
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