Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 139: Fish with too many bones is not eaten by ordinary people, and the soldiers in the barra

"Look, these fish bones are tiny and numerous. If you're not careful, they'll get stuck in your throat, which is really troublesome."

"Especially for delicate women and children, their families are worried that they might get hurt by fish bones, so they don't allow them to eat fish."

He stood up and recalled his experience eating fish. "When I was a kid, I got a fish bone stuck in my throat the first time I ate fish. I thought the fish was delicious, so I ate it too hastily. As a result, a fish bone got stuck in my throat, which was very uncomfortable."

"My father was so anxious at the time. He made me drink vinegar and urge me to eat steamed buns. It took a lot of effort to get the fish bone out. Since then, I have been much more careful when eating fish."

"However, although fish bones are troublesome, there are ways to deal with them. For example, those rough guys in the army are not so particular. If there is a fish bone stuck in their mouth, they just find a way to get it out and then continue eating."

"When they eat fish, they also slowly remove the fish meat from the bones. Although it is troublesome, it is worth it for the delicious taste."

"Also, there's a skill involved in dealing with fish bones. For example, the belly of the fish has fewer, larger bones, making it easier to remove. The back of the fish, on the other hand, has finer, denser bones, so you have to carefully pick them out with chopsticks."

"In fact, there are still many people in Chang'an who love to eat fish. The nobles have a refined way of eating fish and will ask the chef to remove all the bones, leaving only the fresh and tender fish meat."

"Ordinary people, if they have the time, will slowly pick out the fish bones and savor the delicious taste of the fish."

"After drying, the fish bones are easier to remove because the fish meat becomes firmer and can be more clearly separated from the bones."

Cheng Chumo squatted down again, pointed at the cured fish and said to Yuyu: "When these cured fish are ready, I will teach you how to pick out the fish bones. Then you can eat fish with peace of mind."

Yuyu looked at Cheng Chumo with sparkling eyes and nodded expectantly.

In the military camp, the soldiers sat around a campfire, and fish that had just been caught from a nearby river were being roasted on the fire.

The scales on the fish curled slightly under the licking of the flames, emitting bursts of burnt aroma.

These soldiers are not so particular, but they have their own way of dealing with fish bones.

A bearded veteran skillfully took a short knife and took the half-cooked fish off the rack.

He held the fish steadily in his rough hands, and with a light stroke of the short knife along the belly of the fish, the internal organs were picked out.

Then, he placed the blade of the knife against the fish bones and slowly removed the meat from one side of the fish body. Although his movements were not as delicate as those of the chefs in wealthy families, they were more efficient and swift in a different way.

The younger soldiers nearby followed suit, some using branches instead of knives. Although slower, they were still able to separate large pieces of fish from the bones.

As they were deboning the fish, they joked with each other, "Hey, your technique is not good. Look how much you've broken the fish into pieces."

"What do you know? As long as I can eat it, it's better than having a fish bone stuck in my mouth."

“Hahaha that’s right too.”

In the harsh environment of marching and fighting, fish is a rare delicacy. Even though it is troublesome to remove the fish bones, it cannot stop them from enjoying this hard-earned food.

The fish bones were thrown aside casually, and the soldiers quickly put the fish meat into their mouths with satisfied expressions as if they were eating the most precious delicacy in the world.

For them, in the busy and tiring military life, this moment of eating fish with a little bit of homely flavor is also a rare relaxation and comfort.

Moreover, through long-term practice, their speed in removing fish bones has become faster and their skills have become more sophisticated. This is also a unique skill acquired through life in the military camp.

In a small courtyard on the outskirts of Chang'an, smoke was rising.

Inside the house, a couple was busy preparing a meal. On the stove was a wooden basin with a few freshly caught fish in it. The fish occasionally wagged their tails in the water, splashing small splashes of water.

The husband hummed a little tune, his face filled with the joy of a good harvest: "Wife, we are lucky today. We caught a few fat fish. We can have a good meal tonight."

His wife frowned, looking at the fish in the basin, and said dissatisfiedly: "Look, this fish has so many bones, it's so troublesome to eat. I told you not to catch this kind of fish, but you didn't listen."

The husband scratched his head and said with a smile, "My dear, although this fish has a lot of bones, it tastes delicious. We just need to be careful when eating it."

The wife sighed helplessly: "You only care about the delicious taste. Every time you eat fish, you have to spend a lot of effort to pick out the fish bones. Last time, the child got stuck. Have you forgotten?"

The husband smiled awkwardly and said, "I'll pick out the fish bones this time and make sure the kids don't eat them."

As he said this, he began to process the fish.

He took the fish out of the basin and put it on the chopping board. The fish kept struggling on the chopping board, and its tail slapped the board, splashing some water droplets.

The husband picked up a kitchen knife and skillfully scraped off the fish scales, then cut an incision in the fish's belly and cleaned out the internal organs.

His wife was lighting a fire nearby, muttering, "You have to be careful. The bones of this fish are very thin and numerous, especially in the head, where there are many small thorns hidden."

The husband nodded, "I know, my lady. I will be careful."

He put the processed fish aside and prepared to cut it into pieces.

At this time, the child playing in the yard ran in. Seeing the fish on the chopping board, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Dad, are we having fish tonight?"

The husband smiled and said, "Yes, honey, but this fish has a lot of bones, so you have to be careful when you eat it."

The child didn't care: "I'm not afraid, I like eating fish."

The wife came over and took the child's hand: "You got a fish bone stuck in your throat last time, and it scared me. Don't be greedy this time."

After the fish was put into the pot, the house was filled with the aroma of fish.

The wife added various seasonings into the pot and stir-fried the fish pieces, while the husband helped pass things on the side, and the two worked in perfect harmony.

After a while, the fish was cooked and served in a large bowl, steaming hot.

The family sat around the table, looking at the fish in the bowl. The husband picked up his chopsticks first. He carefully picked out a piece of fish and carefully checked whether there were any fish bones.

Then he handed the fish to the child, "Baby, eat this piece, there are no bones."

The child ate happily: "Dad, it's delicious."

The wife also picked up a piece of fish and ate it slowly, still reminding the child: "Eat slowly, there is still a lot."

This meal has a touch of warmth and busyness because of the bony fish.

Although the fish bones caused some trouble, the picture of the family eating fish together was full of the flavor of life.

Such scenes were not uncommon in the lives of ordinary people in Chang'an.

Yuyu opened her eyes wide, ran over to Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao, tugged at their clothes, and said crisply, "Brother Cheng, Brother Qin, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

"We just had some glutinous rice balls. They were delicious. You guys should try some too."