2023年经济学人 化薯条为神奇

 

化薯条为神奇

    Culture

    文化版块

    World in a Dish

    盘中世界

    Fry And Stop Him

    化薯条为神奇

    One Man's Quest to Understand and Glorify¹ the Chip一名厨师认识并升华薯条的美味探索之旅

    It is easy to see why so many classic recipes are difficult to cook.

    许多经典菜肴烹饪起来并不简单，这是显而易见的。

    A gleaming duck paté en croute, a deeply savoury mole² poblano, a vast timballo, a perfectly³ clear consommé: they all involve long tallies⁴ of ingredients, tricksy processes and towers of specialist equipment.

    无论是油光莹润的法式酥皮鸭肉冻、味道浓郁的墨西哥巧克力辣酱，还是丰盛豪华的意大利廷巴洛烤菜、澄清爽口的法式清汤：制作这些菜肴都需要一长串食材、复杂的程序和堆叠如山的专业器具。

    The chip, by contrast, needs none of these.

    相反，做炸薯条的话，这些东西都用不着。

    It is a simple thing—a long, narrow piece of potato, fried in oil.

    很简单，只需要一个窄长的土豆，然后用油炸就行了。

    To be clear, these are the sort of thick, dependable chips that go with fish, not skinny frites or French fries, nor the kind shoved into American children’s lunch bags.

    需要说明的是，这里说的是和炸鱼配着吃的让人放心的粗薯条，不是细瘦干瘪的法式炸薯条，也不是塞进美国儿童午餐袋中的那种薯条。

    Chips are one of the “cheaply pleasant” foods with which the “underfed, harassed⁵, bored and miserable” may console themselves, wrote George Orwell in “The Road to Wigan Pier”.

    乔治·奥威尔在《通往威根码头之路》中写道，薯条是一种"让人愉快的便宜食物"，"那些吃不饱的、受骚扰的、烦闷悲苦的人"可以从中得到安慰。

    Fish and chips were thought to be so necessary to British well-being⁶ during the second world war that they were one of the few foodstuffs⁷ exempted⁸ from rationing⁹.

    二战期间，炸鱼薯条被认为是让英国人保持健康快乐的必备食品，所以它成了为数不多的不受配给量限制的食品之一。

    Everyone knows the quiet but profound joy of a good chip.

    每个人都明白一份好薯条带来的那种平静、深沉的喜悦。

    Soused in vinegar, splattered in mayonnaise or ketchup¹⁰, their straightforward¹¹ plainness is a comforting delight—even, or especially, in a post-festive season when you are meant to be abstemious¹².

    在醋中浸润、饱蘸蛋黄酱或番茄酱，它们直截了当的平淡是一种令人欣慰的愉悦——即使，或者说特别是在节日过后，当你应该节制饮食的时候。

    So it is striking that the creator of the über-chip is known for his inventiveness and complex experimentation¹³.

    因此，超级薯条的创造者以其创造性和复杂的食物实验而闻名，这一点令人震惊。

    Heston Blumenthal, a British chef, is famed for bewildering dishes such as the meat fruit—a chicken liver parfait disguised as a mandarin¹⁴.

    英国主厨赫斯顿·布鲁门撒尔以令人眼花缭乱的菜肴而闻名，比如肉果，这是一种用鸡肝做的，但伪装成柑橘的冰激凌水果冻。

    In his hands liquid nitrogen went from something to be used to freeze off warts¹⁵ to a tool for making the smoothest of ice-cream (bacon-and-egg flavoured, naturally).

    在他手中，液氮的用途从冷冻去痣，变成了制作最丝滑的冰淇淋(当然了，是培根和鸡蛋口味的冰淇淋)。

    He serves a seaside scene of edible¹⁶ sand with kelp and seafood¹⁷, eaten to an accompanying soundtrack of ocean waves and the cawing of seagulls.

    他把菜肴做成海边风景，沙子是可以吃的，上面点缀着海藻和海鲜，伴随着海浪和海鸥啼叫的背景声音供食客享用。

    He is one of the original “molecular¹⁸ gastronomists”, with their foams¹⁹ and gels that taste of the unexpected.

    他是最早的“分子美食家”之一，他们做出的泡沫和凝胶的味道出人意料。

    And yet his greatest gift to the world may be the triple-cooked chip.

    然而，他送给世界最好的礼物可能是三炸薯条。

    Mr Blumenthal became obsessed²⁰ with chips around 1992, before he had begun feeding restaurant diners snail²¹ porridge, before he even had a restaurant.

    布鲁门撒尔在1992年左右开始痴迷于薯条，那时他还没有开始给餐厅食客们煮蜗牛粥，甚至还没有自己的餐厅。

    The traditional double fry can too often end with chips that are either undercooked or soggy, a result of steam escaping from the middle and softening²² the crust.

    传统的双炸薯条往往要么让薯条没炸透，要么让薯条变得软塌塌，这是蒸汽从薯条内部逸出并软化外皮的结果。

    He wanted a “glass-like” crispy crust with a fluffy²³ centre.

    他想要薯条有“玻璃般的”酥脆外皮和松软的内芯。

    An elaborate multi-stage process—involving boiling, freezing and frying—was his characteristically detailed²⁴ solution.

    一个精心设计的多步骤过程——包括水煮、冷冻和油炸——就是他特有的详细解决方案。

    Since becoming one of its doyens, Mr Blumenthal has expressed his frustration²⁵ with the term molecular gastronomy²⁶.

    自从成为分子美食的元老级人物以来，布鲁门撒尔就表达了他对"分子美食"这个术语的不满。

    This, he has pointed²⁷ out, is “simply the science of cooking”.

    他指出，这“不过就是烹饪的科学”。

    Like science, preparing food is a form of puzzle-solving.

    和科学一样，烹制食物也是一种破解谜题的活动。

    Why did your cake rise to a dome²⁸ in the centre?

    为什么你的蛋糕中间有个圆顶鼓起来？

    Why won’t my onions caramelise?

    为什么我的洋葱不会变焦变甜？

    High-end chefs like Mr Blumenthal must grasp the intricacies of transforming ingredients into ever more delicious things to eat.

    像布鲁门撒尔这样的高端厨师必须掌握将食材转化为美食的复杂精巧之处。

    But as he has demonstrated, cooking is also an art.

    但正如他所展示的那样，烹饪也是一门艺术。

    And like artworks, dishes must be judged according to their ambitions.

    正如艺术品一样，菜肴必须根据其野心来进行评判。

    A pop song can be as great in its way as a symphony—and a chip as miraculous²⁹ as a viridescent spherified pea.

    一首流行歌曲可以以其自己的方式变得像交响乐一样伟大，同样，一份薯条也可以像豆青圆珠豌豆一样变得不可思议。

1 glorify   

vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化

参考例句：

• Politicians have complained that the media glorify drugs.政治家们抱怨媒体美化毒品。
• We are all committed to serving the Lord and glorifying His name in the best way we know.我们全心全意敬奉上帝，竭尽所能颂扬他的美名。

2 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

3 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。

4 tallies   

n.账( tally的名词复数 )；符合；（计数的）签；标签v.计算，清点( tally的第三人称单数 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

6 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

7 foodstuffs   

食物，食品( foodstuff的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Imports of foodstuffs accounted for a small proportion of total imports. 食物进口仅占总进口额的一小部份。
• Many basic foodstuffs, such as bread and milk, are tax-free. 许多基本食物如牛奶和面包是免税的。

8 exempted   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
• Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。

9 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。

10 ketchup   

n.蕃茄酱，蕃茄沙司

参考例句：

• There's a spot of ketchup on the tablecloth.桌布上有一点番茄酱的渍斑。
• Could I have some ketchup and napkins,please?请给我一些番茄酱和纸手巾？

11 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

12 abstemious   

adj.有节制的，节俭的

参考例句：

• He is abstemious in eating and drinking.他在饮食方面是很有节制的。
• Mr.Hall was naturally an abstemious man indifferent to luxury.霍尔先生天生是个饮食有度，不爱奢侈的人。

13 experimentation   

n.实验，试验，实验法

参考例句：

• Many people object to experimentation on animals.许多人反对用动物做实验。
• Study and analysis are likely to be far cheaper than experimentation.研究和分析的费用可能要比实验少得多。

14 Mandarin   

n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的

参考例句：

• Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
• Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。

15 warts   

n.疣( wart的名词复数 )；肉赘；树瘤；缺点

参考例句：

• You agreed to marry me, warts and all! 是你同意和我结婚的，我又没掩饰缺陷。 来自辞典例句
• Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame fool way as that! 用那样糊涂蛋的方法还谈什么仙水治疣子！ 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

16 edible   

n.食品，食物；adj.可食用的

参考例句：

• Edible wild herbs kept us from dying of starvation.我们靠着野菜才没被饿死。
• This kind of mushroom is edible,but that kind is not.这种蘑菇吃得，那种吃不得。

17 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

18 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

19 foams   

n.泡沫，泡沫材料( foam的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sea water foams under the bow. 海水在船首下面泛起浪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The meter handles gases, liquids, foams, and slurries. 这流量计可以处理气体，液体，泡沫状物和稀浆等。 来自辞典例句

20 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

21 snail   

n.蜗牛

参考例句：

• Snail is a small plant-eating creature with a soft body.蜗牛是一种软体草食动物。
• Time moved at a snail's pace before the holidays.放假前的时间过得很慢。

22 softening   

变软，软化

参考例句：

• Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的，已经成了个软心肠的人了。

23 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

24 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

25 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

26 gastronomy   

n.美食法；美食学

参考例句：

• He studied gastronomy but cannot make a living as a cook.他学习了烹饪但却无法靠厨艺过活。
• Burgundy has always been considered a major centre of gastronomy.勃艮第大区一向被视为重要的美食中心。

27 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

28 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

29 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。