腊八节的仪式感

齐月

“小孩小孩你別馋，过了腊八就是年。”

到了农历腊月初八，济南的年味儿就愈发得浓了。熬腊八粥、腌腊八蒜是“过腊八”的重头戏，也是不可或缺的仪式感。

关于吃腊八粥，民间有不少传说。一说释迦牟尼在腊八节这天吃了牧羊姑娘煮的粥在菩提树下得道成佛，后世信佛的人每到这天就会举行诵经活动，并煮粥供佛，施粥惠众；一说明朝朱元璋在当皇帝之前，曾将乞讨来的各色米豆混在一起熬粥食用，人们认为食用这种粥能带来好运。往年腊八节这天，千佛山兴国禅寺、崇明寺都有奉送腊八粥的传统，清晨一大早，市民便会排起长长的队伍等待舍粥，图一份节日里的吉祥如意。

腊八粥的选料和熬制都很有讲究。明水香稻、吴家堡黄河大米、龙山小米是济南人的优选，再配上糯米、紫米、红豆、绿豆、红枣、花生、葡萄干等进行浸泡。熬粥的水若是清冽甘甜的泉水则更好，先大火煮开，再文火慢慢熬制，民间曾有“千日捡柴，不够一餐腊八粥”之俗语，由此可见腊八粥熬制的时间之长。

除了熬腊八粥，腌腊八蒜也是“过腊八”的标配。人们会将剥了皮的蒜瓣洗净控干水分，依次放入无水无油的容器中，再倒入没过蒜的醋，密封放置两周左右，便能收获通体碧绿、色如翡翠的腊八蒜。腊八蒜无论是单吃还是配菜都很不错，济南人多爱用来配小年、除夕、初一的饺子，消食又解腻。

With the New Years festivities still in the air， the Chinese are gearing up for some traditional celebrations， starting with the Laba Festival. Main traditions for the festival are eating Laba porridge and making Laba garlic.

Laba porridge usually contains glutinous rice， wheat， corn， dried dates， lotus seeds， peanuts， loongan meat， red beans， peas， millet， raisins and some other ingredients. It is mostly made with eight ingredients and boiled with the spring water in Jinan. As the beans is hard to boil， its better to soak them for hours before boiling.

Making Laba garlic on the Laba Festival is a custom in Jinan. The ingredients are garlic and vinegar. After peeling the garlic and putting it in a jar and filling it with vinegar， the rest time is to wait. Almost two weeks later， the garlic will become green. People in Jinan usually eat it together with the dumplings on the Spring Festival Eve.