A Little Sunshine, A well of Sunshine

Chanterelle & potato soup

  • Words & Photography / Jo

最近起床,偶爾會發現一小片陽光照被窩上,一片橢圓形的金黃光線,半個手掌大小,成為睡房裡暗黑中的唯一一點光,份外耀眼。窗簾閉緊,我找不着光從哪裡照進來。早上若遇上這道光,心裡總會樂上好一會。為了把光留着,我繼續讓窗簾緊閉,直至光消失。那天早起,多花時間做早餐,我從雪櫃拿出昨日買的新鮮雞油菌,金黃色一朵,好像剛落下的銀杏黄葉。我用乾刷子掃走去頂部和褶與褶之間的泥濘,小小一顆薯仔切粒,不過15分鐘,便煮好一杯溫潤的濃湯。我雙手捧着杯,喝着樸實的溫暖。回到睡房,剛好看見光消失的一刻。有時,梳洗後,那小片陽光便不見了;有時,它會移到枕頭上,或是床邊小櫃上那些讀完和未讀完堆疊着的書本上。

好久沒感受到這種純粹的快樂。

純粹的快樂,感覺就如陽光從心底裡照耀了心房,慢慢地把人浸透在溫暖的金光之中。那一刻,感恩自己擁有的一切,以及沒有的一切,再也別無所求。我看着那點光,落在床上彷如成了一口井、一個無底洞,我以指尖摸了摸,想着如果探頭進去窺看,可能會看見一切美好的事物吧。

生活裡難過的事不少,在心裡留下一個又一個的洞,俚語說 “fill the void”,我看着那光洞,想到與其找來事物將心裡的破洞硬生生填滿、縫補,不如由它自然待着,某天總可接收不知從哪裡來的光、愛和快樂,將之填滿。那些早已存在卻未及出現的美好,始終一天會來臨,只要靜待讓宇宙安排。

光洞縱然微小而且稍縱即逝,那也是我所擁有的浩瀚宇宙。

Recently, I sometimes found a spot of sunlight on my bedding when I woke up. An oval shape of golden spot of light not larger than half of my palm, so shiny, it was the only light in the dark bedroom. The curtains were close tight, so I couldn’t see where it came from. Yet, this light brought me joy in the mornings with its presence. To let it stay, I kept the curtains as it was at night until the light disappeared. One morning I woke early and decided to spend more time on making breakfast. I took the fresh chanterelles I bought yesterday out from the fridge. In golden colour, the wild mushrooms resembled yellow gingko leaves just fallen on the ground. I took a dry brush to cleaned the soil on the mushroom top and cut a small potato into tiny cubes. A creamy, heartwarming soup in just 15 minutes. I held the cup in my hands, drinking the warmth of the unadorned. Returning to my bedroom, I caught the second when the light faded away. Sometimes, the spot of light disappeared after I got washed and dressed. Sometimes, it fell on the pillow or the pile of books that I had finished or not yet finished on the bedside cabinet.

It’s been a long time since I last felt some pure joy

Pure joy felt like sunshine beaming from the bottom of my heart and then immersing me in that warm golden light. At that moment, I felt grateful for everything I had and everything I didn’t have. I wanted nothing. I looked at that spot of sunshine fallen on my bed, it looked like a well, a deep well without a bottom. Gently felt the light with my fingertips, I thought, if I popped into the hole and peeked, I might see a world of beauty.

Life is often fraught with sorrow, leaving hearts with holes. “Fill the void”, people often say, yet looking at the well of light, I thought, instead of filling the voids in one’s heart with whatever he or she finds, perhaps we can also just let them be and wait till the day when the light out of nowhere, love and happiness come for the voids to receive and fill up. The goodness that is long been out there will come at last, as long as we wait and let the universe do the job.

The well of light is small and fleeting, but my universe within is vast.

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雞油菌薯仔濃湯

材料 (1人份)
新鮮法國雞油菌 50克
北海道男爵薯仔 85克
米糠油 2 湯匙
無鹽牛油 ½ 茶匙
滾水1 1/3 杯
海鹽及黑胡椒 適量

步驟:

  1. 以乾刷子或乾布掃去雞油菌上的泥土。不要浸泡新鮮菇菌。
  2. 切去雞油菌莖的底部,打直撕成小塊。
  3. 薯仔去皮切成小粒。
  4. 在小鍋裡加油,油沸後以中高火煎香雞油菌。不要翻動,直至雞油菌釋放香氣,底部煎成金黃。盛起備用。
  5. 以同一個鍋裡加入牛油、薯仔粒及調味料,略炒薯仔粒至金黃。
  6. 留起幾片雞油菌作伴碟,把餘下的雞油菌加在鍋裡,然後加水。
  7. 小火煮10 分鐘或直至薯仔變軟爛,然後把湯倒入攪拌機內打成幼滑。把湯倒入杯內,放上雞油菌即可。

Chanterelle and Potato Soup

Ingredients (for 1):

Fresh French chanterelle 50g
Hokkaido danshaku potato 85g
Rice bran oil 2 tablespoon
Unsalted butter ½ teaspoon
Boiling water 1 1/3 cup
Salt and black pepper To taste

Steps:

  1. Brush away the soil on the chanterelle with a dry brush or kitchen towel. Do not soak the fresh mushrooms.
  2. Cut away the bottom part of the mushroom stems. Tear them lengthwise into bite-size.
  3. Peel and cut the potato into small cubes.
  4. Add the oil to a small pot. After the oil turns hot, sear the chanterelles over medium-high heat. Do not stir or flip the mushrooms. Flip when you smell the fragrance, and the bottom sides of the mushrooms turn golden brown. Take the chanterelles out and set aside.
  5. Using the same pot with chanterelle oil, add butter, potato and seasonings. Stir fry until the potato cubes turn golden.
  6. Keep a few pieces of the chanterelle for garnish, add the rest to the pot, and then add water.
  7. Boil for 10 minutes or until the potato cubes turn mushy, and then pour the soup into a blender. Blend till smooth and creamy, pour it into a cup and add the chanterelle pieces on top. Ready to serve.

Jo Liu

It’s raining outside, crisp and bleak. Three chubby sparrows took shelter on my balcony and I gave them the baguette bits left on my breakfast plate but they flew away. I stayed in, played Damien Rice on vinyl and made apple crumble. Repeat.

Instagram: foodialoguehk

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