2023年经济学人 花椒的神奇魅力

 

    Culture

    文艺版块

    World in a dish

    盘中世界

    Comfortably numb¹

    麻得很舒服

    Sichuan peppers exemplify the surprising things food can do to you.

    食物能给人惊奇的体验，花椒就是一个典型例子。

    “Polysemous” describes a word with several meanings, such as “run”, “set”, or, in the kitchen, “pepper”.

    “多义词”指的是一个词有多种含义，比如“跑”“置”，或者厨房里的pepper一词。

    That term encompasses² the entire Capsicum annuum family, from vegetal green bell peppers to searing little Thai chillies.

    pepper这个词涵盖了整个辣椒家族，从蔬菜般的绿色灯笼椒到灼烧嘴唇的泰国小辣椒。

    It includes dried, powdered Piperaceae berries, known as black and white pepper, as well as one of the strangest and most addictive³ spices in the world: Zanthoxylum simulans, more commonly known as Sichuan pepper.

    这个词也表示晒干磨成粉的胡椒浆果，即黑胡椒或白胡椒，以及世界上最奇怪、最让人上瘾的香料之一：野花椒，通常被称为“四川辣椒”。

    Whereas ordinary peppercorns grow on vines, Sichuan peppers are berries of the prickly-ash tree and part of the citrus family.

    普通的花椒长在藤条上，而花椒是花椒树的浆果，属于柑橘属。

    They come in red and green varieties; the red has an earthily floral taste, where the green is more astringent⁴.

    花椒有红花椒和青花椒这两种，红花椒有泥土味和花香味，青花椒则更为辛香。

    Their most pronounced feature, however, is not their flavour but their effect on the mouth: they contain a chemical called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which induces a tingling⁵ numbness⁶ in the lips and tongue, a bit like being subjected to a long but mild electric shock.

    然而，它们最显著的特征不是味道，而是对口腔的作用：花椒含有一种名为羟基-α-山椒素的化学物质，会让嘴唇和舌头感到刺痛麻木，有点像受到持续但温和的电击。

    As its English name suggests, the pepper is indispensable to the deliciously complex cuisine⁷ of Sichuan, a province in south-west China.

    正如其英文名称所示，花椒是复杂美味的四川菜肴中不可或缺的一部分，四川是中国西南部的省份。

    Together with dried chillies it forms the flavour profile known as mala, a term made up of the characters for “numbing” and “spicy”.

    花椒和干辣椒一起形成了一种被称为“麻辣”的味道，这个词由汉字“麻”和“辣”组成。

    Anyone who has had the eye-watering, nose-running pleasure of eating shui zhu yu—poached fish in a sea of seething⁹, peppery chilli oil—knows this sensation.

    只要是吃过水煮鱼（泡在一大碗沸腾辣椒油里的被煮熟的鱼）、被辣得眼泪鼻涕横流的人都知道麻辣是什么感觉。

    In the West, kung pao dishes, a Sichuan speciality, tend to be oversweetened and bland¹⁰; the real version sings, the zingy pepper set off by the mellow¹¹ kick of black vinegar.

    宫保之类的菜肴是四川的特色菜，在西方国家，这种菜往往被做得过于甜和淡，正宗的版本非常生动，黑醋的醇厚味道衬托出鲜亮的花椒味道。

    Less traditionally, dry-fried and then crushed with salt, Sichuan pepper can be a bracing¹² topping for popcorn¹³.

    一种不太传统的吃法是，把花椒不用油干煎一下，然后碾碎，加盐，撒在爆米花上，味道非常提神。

    Toasted and mixed with cumin and fennel seeds, dried chillies, anise, sugar and salt, it makes a spice rub that enlivens stir-fried potatoes.

    花椒烘烤后，与孜然和小茴香籽、干辣椒、八角、糖和盐混合，可以变成为炒土豆增香提味的香料。

    The lemony intensity¹⁴ pairs well with the austere¹⁵ richness of dark chocolate and the buttery blank slate¹⁶ of shortbread.

    花椒有类似柠檬的刺激味道，很适合搭配浓郁酸苦的黑巧克力，以及黄油味浓厚且味道单一的奶油酥饼。

    A few peppercorns go a long way.

    少量的花椒能产生很强烈的味道。

    Just as inexperienced barbecue cooks often ignite so much wood that they char⁸ their meat, pepper novices¹⁷ risk making diners’ heads vibrate for hours.

    就像缺乏经验的烧烤师傅经常点燃太多木头，结果把肉都烤焦了一样，新手在用花椒的时候也有让食客麻得脑袋嗡嗡响几个小时的风险。

    Yet even when used in moderation, they remain, like anchovies¹⁸ or coriander, a divisive ingredient.

    然而，就算是适度使用，花椒也仍然像凤尾鱼或香菜一样，是一种有人爱有人恨的原料。

    Detractors wonder why anyone would want to anaesthetise their mouths while eating.

    批评者想知道，为什么有人会想在吃饭的时候让自己的嘴巴麻痹。

    There is no answer, really—no disputing tastes, as the maxim¹⁹ goes.

    这个问题其实没有答案，正如格言所说，个人口味问题没什么好争论的。

    Sichuan peppercorns, however, are just one of an array of foods prized by gastronauts for the sensations they induce.

    然而，因为给人带来某种感觉而被美食家所珍视的食物有很多，花椒只是其中一种。

    The appeal of foie gras is partly its lush richness.

    法国菜肴肥肝的吸引力部分在于其味道之浓郁富丽。

    Unripe²⁰ guava, which often shows up on Thai tables, has a tannic, mouth-drying quality that balances fiery²¹ foods perfectly²².

    生的番石榴经常出现在泰国的餐桌上，它那单宁般的让人嘴巴发干的口感，完美地平衡了食物的辛辣。

    Some cannot get enough of the jolting²³ burn chillies produce; for others, the pain outweighs²⁴ any pleasure.

    有些人吃不够辣椒的激爽辣味，对另一些人来说，这却是任何愉悦都无法盖过的痛苦体验。

    In “Love in the Time of Cholera”, one of Gabriel García Márquez’s characters munches²⁵ asparagus for the resulting aroma²⁶ of his urine.

    在《霍乱时期的爱情》中，马尔克斯笔下的一个角色大嚼芦笋，目的是让他的尿液产生香气。

    To sample any of these items is to expand your understanding of what food can do to you.

    品尝这些食物中的任何一种，都能扩大你的认知，让你明白食物能给你带来什么体验。

    They add more dimensions to the concept of taste.

    这些食物为味觉的概念增加了更多维度。

    Inevitably²⁷, some prefer the familiar. Their loss.

    但不可避免的情况是，一些人更喜欢熟悉的东西。这就是他们的损失了。

1 numb   

adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木

参考例句：

• His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
• Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵，催着疲惫的马继续往前走。

2 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

3 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

4 astringent   

adj.止血的，收缩的，涩的；n.收缩剂，止血剂

参考例句：

• It has an astringent effect.这个有止血的作用。
• Green persimmons are strongly astringent.绿柿子非常涩。

5 tingling   

v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• My ears are tingling [humming; ringing; singing]. 我耳鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My tongue is tingling. 舌头发麻。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 numbness   

n.无感觉，麻木，惊呆

参考例句：

• She was fighting off the numbness of frostbite. 她在竭力摆脱冻僵的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Sometimes they stay dead, causing' only numbness. 有时，它们没有任何反应，只会造成麻木。 来自时文部分

7 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

8 char   

v.烧焦；使...燃烧成焦炭

参考例句：

• Without a drenching rain,the forest fire will char everything.如果没有一场透地雨，森林大火将烧尽一切。
• The immediate batch will require deodorization to char the protein material to facilitate removal in bleaching.脱臭烧焦的蛋白质原料易在脱色中去除。

9 seething   

沸腾的，火热的

参考例句：

• The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。
• The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。

10 bland   

adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的

参考例句：

• He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
• This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。

11 mellow   

adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟

参考例句：

• These apples are mellow at this time of year.每年这时节，苹果就熟透了。
• The colours become mellow as the sun went down.当太阳落山时，色彩变得柔和了。

12 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

13 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

14 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

15 austere   

adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的

参考例句：

• His way of life is rather austere.他的生活方式相当简朴。
• The room was furnished in austere style.这间屋子的陈设都很简单朴素。

16 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

17 novices   

n.新手( novice的名词复数 )；初学修士（或修女）；（修会等的）初学生；尚未赢过大赛的赛马

参考例句：

• The Russians are such novices in Africa. 在非洲的俄国人简直都是些毫无经验的生手。 来自辞典例句
• Where the primary track all novices, screams everywhere, ha ha good terror. 那里的初级道上全是生手，到处都是尖叫声，哈哈好恐怖的。 来自互联网

18 anchovies   

n. 鯷鱼，凤尾鱼

参考例句：

• a pizza topped with cheese and anchovies 奶酪鳀鱼比萨饼
• Pesto, mozzarella, parma ham, sun dried tomatoes, egg, anchovies. 核桃香蒜，马苏里拉，巴马火腿，干番茄，鸡蛋，咸鱼。

19 maxim   

n.格言，箴言

参考例句：

• Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
• "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。

20 unripe   

adj.未成熟的；n.未成熟

参考例句：

• I was only ill once and that came of eating an unripe pear.我唯一一次生病是因为吃了未熟的梨。
• Half of the apples are unripe.一半的苹果不熟。

21 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

22 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

23 jolting   

adj.令人震惊的

参考例句：

• 'she should be all right from the plane's jolting by now. “飞机震荡应该过了。
• This is perhaps the most jolting comment of all. 这恐怕是最令人震惊的评论。

24 outweighs   

v.在重量上超过( outweigh的第三人称单数 )；在重要性或价值方面超过

参考例句：

• Her need to save money outweighs her desire to spend it on fun. 她省钱的需要比她花钱娱乐的愿望更重要。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Its clarity in algebraic and analytical operations far outweighs any drawbacks. 文化代数和解析运算中的清晰性远远胜过任何缺点。 来自辞典例句

25 munches   

v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He tried to talk between munches on the sandwich. 他试图在吃三明治的当间儿讲话。 来自互联网
• A flying squirrel munches a meal on terra firma. 一只鼯鼠在地上贪婪的咀嚼着它的食物。 来自互联网

26 aroma   

n.香气，芬芳，芳香

参考例句：

• The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
• The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。

27 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。