Yongji dumplings

"Yongji Dumplings" is the name of the restaurant, which can be found all over Shanxi. Shops are usually located in small alleys, and their fronts are usually very small. There are usually only four or five tables, chairs, and a cashier outside, and the kitchen is inside. The steaming water indicates a prosperous business. The shopkeepers are usually a couple with similar looks, the same accent, and the same smile. Customers always feel warm when they come in. The restaurant’s specialty is of course the dumplings, stuffed with beef! There are usually two types, one is the "dry food" that we usually eat with vinegar at home, and the other is the "parallel food" with soup like wontons. No matter what, the dumplings are always thin in skin and big in fillings, salty and delicious. Take a hot sip, the fragrance will linger on your lips and teeth, warm your heart and stomach, and it’s so satisfying!

For me, Yongji is both very close and very far. It is said to be very close because my mother's home is there, but she married far away. I say far away because my mother has never taken me back and seldom mentions it. Occasionally, my grandma would feel uneasy and come to visit her in the north. Only then could I hear them chatting about people and things in their hometown, and then I would know that there were a lot of relatives living there. My mother has many brothers and sisters. She is the second eldest child. She has been independent since she was a child and has an indifferent temperament. The family has long been accustomed to her being alone. In addition, the economic conditions of each family at that time were limited, so grand events such as "visiting relatives" were almost non-existent on my mother's side. When grandma comes, she always makes us dumplings several times, stuffed with beef. I won't give up until my belly is full every time. It's a pity that grandma won't stay long, only a month at most. There are more children in Yongji who need the care of the elderly. Grandma went back, and so did the delicious dumplings.

The first time I went to Yongji was within a month after I got married. I went to my mother’s house to visit relatives from all over the place. This is called “recognition of relatives” in my hometown. I finally met several aunts and uncles I had never met before. We all gathered together to talk about my mother’s childhood. Everything was as fresh as yesterday. When I look at these faces, there are always some similarities with my mother. I have never gotten along with each other, but they are no strangers. Blood relationship is really a magical thing. Neither time nor distance can block it. Similar things in the surging blood always care for each other. , depend on each other.

During those days, my husband and I took turns to eat at various restaurants. The heat was steaming, we sat up and made a lot of noise, and we had a great time changing cups. The last staple food must be Yongji dumplings, stuffed with beef! I ate until my belly was round again. It turns out that the food in our hometown is closely related to us. Behind the desire for food and drink, there is a faint call from our hometown and the concern of our relatives.

The second time I went to Yongji was yesterday, when I rushed to my uncle’s funeral. My uncle is my mother's eldest brother. He has three sisters. He is the first boy in the family, so he has been doted on since he was a child. He is given everything he needs to eat and wear, so he becomes the most beloved boy in the family. A tall and strong one. Almost all the enjoyment in his life was in his mouth. He ate in all kinds of restaurants in Yongji, and his favorite was dumplings. He often said, "Dumplings are like wine, the more you eat, the more you get." He looked happy and satisfied - this My aunt told me this. My uncle is proficient in music. He just needs to listen to any song once and he will immediately write down the score. With any kind of instrument, if he thinks about it twice, he will start playing a nice tune - this is what my aunt told me. My uncle also likes to make inventions. In the 1970s, he installed an engine on a bicycle, converted it into a motorcycle, and rode it in the streets of Yongji. It was very popular! ——This is what my cousin said. Such a person who lived a joyful life died so suddenly? Don't want to believe it, don't want to accept it.

In the future, when you eat Yongji dumplings again, there should be some wandering thoughts in your mind, right?