Inviting a Friend to Supper
BY BEN JONSON
Tonight, grave sir, both my poor house, and I
Do equally desire your company;
Not that we think us worthy such a guest,
But that your worth will dignify our feast
With those that come, whose grace may make that seem
Something, which else could hope for no esteem.
It is the fair acceptance, sir, creates
The entertainment perfect, not the cates.
Yet shall you have, to rectify your palate,
An olive, capers, or some better salad
Ushering the mutton; with a short-legged hen,
If we can get her, full of eggs, and then
Lemons, and wine for sauce; to these a cony
Is not to be despaired of, for our money;
And, though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks,
The sky not falling, think we may have larks.
I’ll tell you of more, and lie, so you will come:
Of partridge, pheasant, woodcock, of which some
May yet be there, and godwit, if we can;
Knat, rail, and ruff too. Howsoe’er, my man
Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus,
Livy, or of some better book to us,
Of which we’ll speak our minds, amidst our meat;
And I’ll profess no verses to repeat.
To this, if ought appear which I not know of,
That will the pastry, not my paper, show of.
Digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be;
But that which most doth take my Muse and me,
Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine,
Which is the Mermaid’s now, but shall be mine;
Of which had Horace, or Anacreon tasted,
Their lives, as so their lines, till now had lasted.
Tobacco, nectar, or the Thespian spring,
Are all but Luther's beer to this I sing.
Of this we will sup free, but moderately,
And we will have no Pooley, or Parrot by,
Nor shall our cups make any guilty men;
But, at our parting we will be as when
We innocently met. No simple word
That shall be uttered at our mirthful board,
Shall make us sad next morning or affright
The liberty that we’ll enjoy tonight.
蒸鸡
１。 鸡一只斩块，均匀的撒上细盐，放入盘中，加姜块，葱段，料酒隔水用猛火蒸15分钟左右，直到没有血丝渗出来就可以了，最好掌握到刚刚熟，肉质嫩滑即可。
２．蒸出的汤汁倒入另一个碗里，将冰水注入盘里（足够掩盖鸡块），让蒸好的鸡肉迅速冷却，然后沥去水分，这样可以保持全鸡的原本形状。
３．起油锅，放入葱段爆香至葱段变成焦黄色，才会有很香的葱油味，转小火，将蒸鸡肉时，蒸出的汤汁，倒入锅内，加适量的盐调味，（因为要用来浸鸡肉所以可以稍微偏咸一点）转大火烧开后，关火，放凉后用滤网过滤掉杂物，倒入蒸鸡的容器里，盖上保鲜膜，放入冰箱静置１－２小时，浸得鸡肉入味，食用时，撒上葱花或者葱丝装饰即可．
从冰箱里拿出来时汤汁已差不多结成冻了，风味绝佳。吃完鸡肉还可以用冻汤汁捞面。
白斩鸭
鸭半只，用叉子在鸭皮上戳些小洞，用盐，料酒，姜，葱腌制4-5小时，冲洗干净； 7-8饭碗水加姜片，葱段，料酒，桂叶烧开，放进鸭子以中火焖煮18-20分钟，熄火继续浸泡25分钟，取出鸭子，抹上少许麻油，稍凉后斩块摆盘。
这次火候掌握的很好，鸭肉嫩滑多汁，口感像极白斩鸡，完全没有一般鸭肉的硬涩感。。。
清蒸踏板鱼
鱼摊老板介绍这种踏板鱼，非常新鲜，肚子里干干净净，带有新鲜亮丽的鱼春，买了中段，比活鱼还贵。鱼肉嫩滑，肉质细腻，味道清甜，极品！下次看到还要买。。。
材料 ： 鱼中块（洗净用少许料酒，葱，姜盐15分钟），葱丝，姜丝，芫茜。
调味料 ： 1.酱油，清水，白胡椒粉，2.滚油。
做法 ： 鱼肉厚处划几刀，盘底用葱段垫底，摆上鱼块，铺上姜片，葱段，放进蒸笼以旺火蒸10分钟，取出鱼块摆进另个干净盘里，倒进调均的调味料（1），铺上姜丝，葱丝，淋上三大匙滚油即可。
肉 - 扣肉
材料 ：方块五花肉（约５００公克），青江菜适量。
腌料 ：酱油两大匙，酒两大匙，八角两颗，蒜３－４辩，姜４－５片。
调味料 ：冰糖两大匙，太白粉水适量。
做法 ：（１）肉洗净，以腌料腌２０分钟后入油锅炸至金黄色（炸时皮朝下，油只需泡到肥肉处，瘦肉不需炸），捞起浸泡于冷水中（这个步骤叫走油）。
（２）取出肉块，切厚片，放回腌料里再腌30分钟。
（３）取一大碗，将五花肉片铺在碗内，倒入腌料，加冰糖，以保鲜膜密封，入锅以旺火蒸三十分钟，转小火继续蒸两个半小时。
（４）取出肉片摆盘，围以烫熟的青江菜，蒸肉汁撇去油后烧开，以太白粉水勾薄芡，淋于肉片上即可。
这道菜香嫩滑口但不油腻，非常好吃。
