[ zuō jiā ]

writer

Don't think that becoming a writer is so easy,

People must insist on at least one thing,

It's called "find trouble for yourself at the key."

I have my strengths,

Always stay at home, procrastinate, stay up late... middle,

Find peace,

Otherwise, how can I pretend to be home?

My body is the only production machine. Every time I do zuō, I am actually doing system maintenance. I can find all kinds of reasons for procrastination, and I can also find cities thousands of miles to write. Sometimes friends can't find me, which is normal, because sometimes I wake up and ask: Who am I and where am I? (Stay up late until I faint)

is always looking forPlaces that inspire the urge to write

It's best not to have acquaintances when selecting the site for writing the manuscript. I would like to stay at home for several days and go to a strange coffee shop that is not too noisy for a day. I try my best to choose a place where the atmosphere is "more static than flowing", so that I can at least enjoy silence. But after I keep writing hard, I lose my enthusiasm and want to fly somewhere else to change my tone.

Use it as (zuō) a little way to put it: I need a place to generate inspiration.

Finally, one in a million, Chengdu is a foreign land where I can feel at peace of mind. I also chose this place for my new book launch last year. Chengdu's market and modernity are intertwined in the Taikoo Li. Off-white shines with the fashion brand and medieval luxury goods of various countries. The English name of Hongxing Road is actually called Saint Germain Avenue. The traffic light on Tianxian Road is in the shape of love. Not far away is a nail house with the facade wrapped into a "big gift."

All of this coexist with the ancient temple Daci Temple, which is so sexy!

Here, of course, I can put away my high heels, bury myself in the streets of the community, and turn myself into a potato bowing freely.

The most uncomfortable thing is that the big editor of this year's new book has come to press for the manuscript again. We were originally called sisters, but at this time she was already driven by my procrastination and sent three exclamation points in a row. A long string of voices. Seeing that it was already noon, I quickly dug myself and my eyes out of the muddy sleepiness. The day was so dazzling! I poured a large cup of coffee into my mouth and squeezed the "milk" out for her. The lost trust and gentle tone made us happy again. It was the sweet fruit of return.

I can move on again and write new ones. In addition to going to Wang Dechuan for tea, there are also many coffee shops I like here where I can take my computer and sit and write, forgetting the time.

Invisi's family is an old friend of mine. Every time I come to Chengdu, I have to come for a drink. This time, I had a long conversation with my boss about the importance of hand-brewed filter cups. The temperature, flow rate and material... Every drop of coffee with the aroma of flowers and fruits is like sunshine.

Laotata The eight-year-old coffee shop is small but comfortable. The boss bakes it himself, and it has a deep baking mark with the aroma of Northern Europe, which hits the taste of Chinese people. The barista is a bit like Hayao Miyazaki's Chihiro, in Chengdu's words: So good.

The big editor loves me, and I know that I am sometimes hateful, but I can't blame it. Procrastination, like diabetes, is a combination of reasons. When I am writing, I usually like to do "bizarre" things, such as wiping the computer screen, but I actually don't feel dirty before I work; I listen to the symphony, carefully choose the song list, and then be disturbed by the climax, so that I realize that I haven't had this kind of elegance for a long time. It was the right decision. Or use my evil taste and find a weird restaurant to eat...

My friends in Chengdu probably saw that I had to eat spicy food and began to shed my skin and grow my skin in order to adapt, so they quickly recommended a breakfast shop on the edge of Taikoo Li where Chengdu dolls had been eating for n years, a non-spicy baby noodle shop. This omelette noodle turned out to be fried by stirring two eggs. I called it "yellow and white". It has a porous surface in the middle and absorbs top-notch tomato soup. I looked sideways and saw that the table next to me was a delivery rider resting on a single trip. When I looked up, I saw all medals, as well as CCTV and Ctrip Food Forest. I am convinced!

I also have a "craze" syndrome, which is similar to my Australian friend who said that after returning to China after staying for two years, he stood excitedly at the subway station for a long time, and suddenly exclaimed: "Ah, there are so many people!" Australia is a country with much more cattle hukou than people hukou. After being immersed in the writing space for a period of time, I saw that people would also have mild such emotions. Although I couldn't say continuous and well-organized words for a while, I could actually chat enthusiastically with a table of strangers, and even "over-socialize".

Executive rooms in high-end hotels often have a good blocking effect in this regard, allowing me to have comfortable writing space, and my quirky tricks are limited. In addition to "dawdling" time, I can shut myself in and write to my heart's content.

Who says sleeping in a high-end hotel means sleeping in a high-end hotel?

The fashion of Taikoo Li and the Zen spirit of Daci Temple are condensed in the expo, which is suitable for a writer like me who works day and night to integrate into Chengdu life with a posture that can advance, retreat, and defend.

The entrance is a Chinese-style courtyard with a history of more than a century and was built in the Qing Dynasty-Bitie-style (ancient Manchu translator, referred to as the Yamen Mansion). Beside the main entrance and the entrance of the lobby, there are all study rooms. Boshe's English name "The Temple House" actually tells the historical story of Daci Temple. Daci Temple was built between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD and has been in existence for more than 1600 years. The exquisite bamboo frames and traditional stone-paved floors touch the historical memory of the past.

Ancient Chinese kings once lived in the temple, while Boshe was a simple house where surrounding monks and scholars lived and studied Buddhism. The most amazing thing is that Bosher is far from the big gift "nail house", the love traffic light, egg noodles, coffee shop... It was all within five minutes.

Even if looking up is a dazzling art, I know clearly that usually a good hotel cannot guarantee good dreams. Therefore, with my own procrastination constitution, I am ready to stay up late.

In the afternoon, I had a zoom meeting on creative logic with Italy. I drank a pot of white tea in the autumn dryness, so I sat down in the Mixun Tea Room and tasted the vegetarian food here. The chef's unique crispy and aloe desserts are delicious, which makes me feel that it is easy to work carefully at the same time.

There is a swimming pool and gym at Mixun Spa next door. I want to wait until I finish my article. I don't dare to go to the Boshe Well Bar just a step away at this time, otherwise my burning soul will probably burn the article. Better go back to your room and write coldly!

After swiping the 909 room card and entering the room, I realized that the surprise I met that night was not just the antique bookish spirit.

I live in the sleep healing room "Sitting Yu", which is tailor-made for me.

Room Service's voice was very sweet. I couldn't help but order Sichuan-style beef brisket noodles and Mapo tofu. Among the five good table wines in the wine cabinet, I protected myself and opened Riesling to make a spicy match.

In this way, I spread out China Daily and had a leisurely meal. I only dared to drink until I was slightly drunk and still had to save my strength to work.

After taking a break after dinner, I found that the washing and bathing were all Bamford's formula for sound sleep. With the residual warmth of the hot bath, I became dizzy after listening to the song Besame Mucho. I put on the NEIWAI Inside and Outside In Bed serious sleep series white-brown pajamas, and the almost senseless clothes smoothed out my fatigue. Add La Belle Meche's lavender and geranium-flavored essential oil candle, paired with Bamford B Silent Sleep Pillow Spray. Fresh coriander and rich amber bring clouds to your dreams. The resin flavor and deep leather aroma of rock rose are charming.

The waiter reminded me to remember to bring home the same home clothes, silk eye masks, bath towels and three-piece home square squares made by Faye Wong, the global spokesperson of NEIWAI's domestic and foreign brands, as well as a 10/10 HOPE travel set (which contains New Tasmanian pepper and lavender plant extract protective sprays, clothing wrinkle remover, blue cypress and bitter orange leaf firming laundry detergent), scented candles and sleep-aid tea bags to take home for a "sleep healing" journey at any time.

I don't want to remember anything here, but I can't bear to forget it. My eyelids are fighting... It was over, I fought hard against sleepiness all night, and finally passed out and fell asleep after half writing!

Writers who want to lose weight are either dementia, baldness, or osteoporosis!

Writers can't lose weight easily. After all, they have to make up for their tall hairline and wide headway after staying up late at night, which must be made up for. Early the next morning, I planned to go to the all-day restaurant The Temple Café for breakfast before going to write a manuscript.

Here, the beehive honey is fresh, the cheeses and hams are diverse, the sushi is rich, and the hot sauce is all available. You can have breakfast like the four great kings of Japan, Italy, France and China. There are three sets of a la carte menu. My choice of anxiety disorders combined. I had an hour of breakfast that I had expected for half an hour, but I ate it for an hour.

After breakfast, I was full of energy. I wrote hard for an hour. Seeing that it was lunch time, I would go out for a walk for five minutes.

Boshe was designed by the famous British designer firm MAKE Architects. Even the escalator has the imprint of Chengdu's traditional brocade craftsmanship, and looks like wings from the side. Down the stairs is the Italian restaurant Tivano.

Italian food means carbs to me. Without enough sugar, writers will not understand what "smooth writing" means, and will be "blocked" by oxygen deficiency. There are more than 400 kinds of cheese in Italy, which just meets my calcium supplement needs for staying away from the sun!

Black Pearl Restaurant Guide One Diamond Restaurant Tivano is Boscher's Italian restaurant. When ordinary diners first met Western Chef Jerome Merlo, they couldn't help but read the words "A good chef cooks with flavors of love." Eating his food is like traveling around Sicily and looking around Paris and Chengdu!

The pre-meal bread (Sourdough bread, Foccaccia, Crispy Lavosh) is not dipped in butter, but is made with Ricotta cheese mixed with spinach puree, filled with dense bubbles, topped with Parmesan cheese slices to add layers. The plate looked ordinary, traditional Italian vinaigrette was also mixed with a complex spicy flavor.

The "cake" is actually a Tatar suitable for Chinese taste. The chef cooks it in an Italian way. Cut the slow-boiled pork into minced meat, and then eat it with a spoonful of mushrooms, broad beans, cheese, and cream sauce. It is very satisfying!

For the famous Italian buffalo cheese and tomato salad, Jerome uses his favorite compound fruit acid seasonings from his childhood memory, beef heart tomatoes, blueberry tomatoes, paired with tree ketchup, basil sauce and balsamic vinegar, which is as sour and beautiful as layers of forest.

This M7 raw beef fillet is my favorite. Jerome uses M7 whole blood and beef instead of traditional veal, and then uses a siphon to drop tuna fish juice to bring the beef a fuller and softer flavor texture.

Finally, he brushed lemon oil and fresh black pepper, and paired it with kimchi and parsley. It looked raw, but it was actually very fresh! I prefer to dip this dish and eat it before meals.

I scooped up the bone marrow from the cow's knee with a spoon, placed it on the thin crispy, and held it in my mouth, and the person melted. Jerome replaced the Italian rice in traditional Italian risotto with Orzo (rice-shaped pasta), using Milan-made saffron, orange peel, lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme to season.

"Tournedos Rossini" is a household name in Italy. Gioacchino Rossini is a famous Italian composer and celebrity chef. He once wrote tunes for the king and fried steaks. The Jerome version of Rossini steak is different from the original version. It is traditionally boiled with red wine, port wine, and black truffle into a sauce, and a fat foie gras is placed under the tender filet. The chef uses Maderia and port wine to create a special sweetness.

Jerome's pizza is extremely popular. It's not just as simple as having an Italian pizza stove in the restaurant. He can make a Sichuan-style seafood pizza have the taste of heaven and earth, and secretly it's Sichuan local spicy sausage.

Black and white pizza is actually a masterpiece of white truffle sauce and black truffle sauce that impact the taste nerves. The bottom of the cake is made of cuttlefish juice, which has a strong taste impact.

Strozzapreti, a delicious pasta, is very famous in Italy. It is a representative pasta in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and one of the earliest pasta to appear.

Jerome adds chopped chicken breast to his Strozzapreti pasta, a traditional white sauce as a base, and an excellent combination of rich green tomatoes and cream. The aroma comes from sage, creating this seemingly simple pasta with a unique aroma on the entrance.

Jerome drew cooking inspiration from the breeze blowing across Lake Como at 6:00 a.m., named Tivano, and looked at Italy's long coastline. "Silver cod" is just the name of the dish. Jerome said that the ingredients used in this grilled silver cod are really called Tooth fish, or Chilean Sea Bass, or Patagonian tooth in South America. It is a fish somewhere between sea bass and cod. It lives in very deep waters of the sea, is rich in oil, and is one of the most delicious fish in the world. This dish is paired with a unique flavor of veal sauce, which increases the density of the dish in terms of taste and texture. The smoky flavor of cabbage and the earthy flavor of mushrooms balance each other, making it taste rich! But Jerome also expressed concern that the fish were becoming scarce.

This was the first time I had the honor to experience Sichuan Zanthoxylum bungeanum ice cream paired with pineapple. This dessert uses extremely sweet pineapple, slightly marinated with syrup containing pepper and other spices, and sprinkled with five-spice powder. The "spicy" fragrance that brings the finishing touch to the local flavor is not exciting, but Erjing Tiao. When I eat it, I add a little mascarone cream made with caramel and various flavors, and I can't help but say Trump: Bashi!

Frozen "souffle" is actually a mousse souffle created by the chef, which is also different from Semifreddo (Italian sorbet). When it melts, the chocolate flavor is more silky and mesmerizing. On the left is Earl Grey gel, and on the right is crisp nut cream sauce, making people linger on the plate.

Tivano's Tiramisuri is added with chocolate shortcake beads. It has the soul of Sichuan Mitong, and its aroma is popular in Italy and Chengdu. Jerome continues to improve the formula of tiramisu. In the current version, he uses egg yolks to make sabayon. He thinks this is his ideal version, with a smooth and dense milk aroma.

Jerome doesn't like to make dishes too refined, saying that's the spirit of Italian food. Tivano's Italian restaurant has always maintained the concept of sharing. New ideas and techniques will make the cuisine more outstanding, but he said that Italians generally don't like too modern cooking methods. A simple yet meticulous feeling is what he pursues.

In Tivano, you can really order interesting wines from many countries, and the Pinot Gris and Malbeck serving the day are relatively niche. In October 2020, at the 8th China Wine List Awards 2020, Tivano Italian restaurant had prominent names on the Hall of Fame, Three Time Specialist Award Winners, Best Wine List Western China 2017, 2018, 2019, and Best Wine List-Western Chine.

The chef's surname Merlo is very similar to Merlot, but he said it has nothing to do with wine. It is an Italian, Spanish, and a little French surname. I joked that he is very popular in all three countries. If you add China, then all four countries will take it all.

Speaking of the similarities between Italian food and Chinese food, Jerome said it means pasta, pasta and bread, which was also the delicious connection between Italy and China established by Marco Polo.

He believes that it is necessary to integrate local flavors and that food has no boundaries, just as Sichuan and Hangzhou can also share "Dongpo Pork". Whether the food tastes good or not is a very personal matter.

"But if you find it interesting, you'll try it and maybe do it at home. Food also travels and has no absolute boundaries." Jerome said.

Every time I chatted with the chef, I couldn't help but ask them what they thought of the Michelin and Black Pearl lists. Jerome seemed very calm: "Black Pearl, which is slightly different from Michelin's standards, is more Chinese and more Oriental, and the restaurant needs to improve itself., to achieve a certain score in order to be nominated. This is a good way to improve the restaurant. The chef must not only be recognized by professional foodies, but also be welcomed by the public. Michelin is the dream of young chefs who want to become superstars. Michelin's international selection standards are very strict, but the recommended list also needs to adjust their standards, because regional delicacies, such as Chinese food and Indian food, have very subdivided standards. Black Pearl already has a list in Chengdu. Rumor has it that Michelin is going to Chengdu. That's great news."

"In recent years, chefs have become more active in the media and TV shows. For all chefs, they want to be recognized for their hard work. But it's actually a balance between 'who I am' and 'who I can be'."

Six or seven years of experience in Chengdu have sharpened Jerome's cooking skills. He said modestly that it was actually because people are more receptive to new things now. This progress is very meaningful to the Chinese catering market. People are not used to it at first, but only have the opportunity to fall in love after trying. This is the cultivated relationship of "habit" and "like".

Jerome feels that now he no longer wants to be the best, but wants to connect with others. "This is a magical industry. Food is your language. Food means too many things. You can touch people's hearts through food and bring people back to childhood memories or beautiful emotional experiences. This is a huge challenge."

I found that a good chef is also a cook. Losing weight is not important, it is important to be in a good state to express it. My heart suddenly balanced and planned to continue to slow down my work, digest it before starting writing.

The goddess asked

Do you make (zuō)?

"Once we start calculating costs,

Costs have already begun."

--Thoreau

Food Bless You!

Consultant for China International Food Expo

Producer of "God's Table"