The Origins of Baiyun Trotters 白云猪手的来历

“白云猪手”是广东的一道历史名菜。相传古时，白云山上有一座寺院。一天，主持该院的长老下山化缘去了，寺中的一个小和尚乘机弄来一只猪手，想尝尝它的滋味。在山门外，他找了一个瓦坛子，便就地垒灶烧煮，猪手刚熟，没想到长老已化缘归来。小和尚怕被长老看见，触犯佛戒，就慌忙将猪手丢在山下的溪水中。第二天，有个樵夫上山打柴，路过山溪，发现了这只猪手，就将其捡回家中，用糖、盐、醋等调味后食用，其皮脆肉爽、酸甜适口。不久，炮制猪手之法便在当地流传开来。因它起源于白云山麓，所以后人称它为“白云猪手”。
“Baiyun trotters” are a traditional famous dish from Guangdong province. According to the legend, there was a temple in Baiyun Mountain in the ancient times. One day, the abbot went downhill to beg for alms. A little monk in the temple seized the opportunity to find a trotter with the hope of tasting its flavor. Outside of the gate of the temple he found a jar and made a stove to cook. As soon as the trotter was cooked through, the abbot returned. The little monk was afraid of his break of monk’s vows being discovered by the abbot, so he hurriedly threw the trotter into the stream under the mountain. The next day when a woodcutter went up the mountain to cut wood, he found the trotter in the stream as he was passing by. He took the trotter home and seasoned it with sugar, salt and vinegar etc. The skin of the trotter became crisp and the pork became refreshing and tasty with a sour and sweet flavor. Before long, this way of cooking trotter spread. It is called “Baiyun trotter” as it originates from Baiyun Mountain.
现在广州的“白云猪手”，制作较精细，已将原来的土法烹制改为烧刮、水煮、泡浸、腌渍等五道工序制作。最考究的“白云猪手”，是用白云山上的九龙泉水泡浸的。九龙泉水含有丰富的矿物质，晶莹澄澈、清醇甘滑、用它浸泡肥腻猪手，能解油腻。据说广州郊沙河饭店出售的“白云猪手”，仍用白云泉水泡浸，其色、香、味、形俱佳。
Baiyun trotters are cooked more finely in Guangzhou these days. The original indigenous method of cooking has become five cooking procedures including burning and plucking out the hair, boiling in water, dunking and pickling. The most exquisite “Baiyun trotter” is dunked in the Jiulong spring water in Baiyun Mountain. The Jiulong spring water is rich in minerals; it is clear and clean, fresh and sweet. The dipping of the trotter in Jiulong spring’s water is believed to remove lard oil from the trotter. It is said that the “Baiyun trotter” sold in the Jiaoshahe Restaurant in Guangzhou is still dunked in spring water from Baiyun Mountain: therefore, the color, fragrance, taste and shape of the trotters there are great.