The Zenggao

甑糕来啦！

甑糕是陕西关中地区的传统早点食品，是以糯米和红枣制成的一种甜糕。它是由最古老的炊具“甑”演变而成的甑锅蒸制而成，所以叫做甑糕。原始的“甑”是陶器，底部有许多小孔，主要用于蒸制食品。现在用的蒸锅是用铁或铝制成的，其形状及蒸制原理与古代的基本相同。

甑糕的基本制作工艺是：将糯米用水浸泡淘洗、沥干水分。洗净红枣，用水浸泡后捞出。用专用的桶形铁锅，加半锅水，锅中放一带孔的铁箅子，先在箅上铺一层红枣，再铺一层糯米，如此层层相间，直铺至七层（三层糯米四层枣）。铺完后盖上湿布和锅盖。用旺火烧开，上气后去掉湿布，并洒上清水，如此反复三次加水，最后，再用文火焖煮5～6个小时后即可食用。

甑糕的特点是枣香浓郁，软糯黏甜。不但富含碳水化合物，而且大枣还有益气补血、养肾安神之功效，是一种滋补养身的食品。

Here is the Zenggao！

The Zenggao is a traditional snack for breakfast in Central Shaanxi．It is made from glutinous rice and dates in a steamer which was developed from an ancient cooking vessel（Zeng），hence the name Zenggao．The traditional steamer used to be a piece of pottery，which was riddled with many small holes on the bottom，and was mainly used for steaming food．The present steamers are made of iron or aluminium，but their shapes and principle for steaming are basically the same as that in the old days．

The basic skill in making of steamed jujube－cake is like this：first wash the glutinous rice and soak it in water．Then dry the rice．The red－jujubes are also treated in the same way．To steam the cake it is necessary to use a specially made bucket－like cauldron，into which water is added to about half way．Then put an iron－grid over the water in the bucket and spread a layer of red－jujubes on it and over it a layer of glutinous rice．Proceed like this until the seventh layer，i．e．a total of 3 layers of rice and 4 layers of jujubes．Cover it up with a piece of wet cloth and bring the water to the boiling point over a blazing fire．When it begins to steam，take the cloth away and sprinkle fresh water on it，repeat this three times and finally steam it over a slow fire for another 5－6 hours to bring the steamed cake to a turn．

The special features of the steamed cake are：the jujubes smell fragrant and the soft rice is sticky and sweet．It contains a rich compound of carbon dioxide and the jujubes can also help strengthen kidney function，invigorate blood－circulation and affect composure．It is a kind of food that can help keep you fit．

快乐旅途

青蛙的电话

A Call from a Frog

青蛙拨打通灵热线。电话中说：“你将遇到一位美丽的年轻女子，她将会了解你的一切。”

青蛙说：“这太棒了！我会在舞会上遇见她，还是……？”

“不，”通灵者说，“是在下个学期她的生物课上。”

A frog telephones the Psychic Hotline and is told，“You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you.”

The frog says，“This is great！Will I meet her at a party，or what？”

“No，”says the psychic.“Next semester in her biology class.”