Luo Shan Organic Village, Handmade Mud Volcano Tofu

這一塊塊看起來稀鬆平常的豆腐，是羅山村聞名遐邇的手工有機豆腐。它是以四十年古法手工製造，並利用天然的泥火山水來代替一般滷水製成的。雖然看起來有些粗糙，但吃起來口感紮實、豆香濃郁，相當的好吃。因手工製作無法大量生產，且無添加任何防腐劑不能久存，想一嚐美味只能親自前來哦！

These are the famous Luo Shan village handmade organic tofu. They are made with a 40-year old traditional method. They are made with nature mud volcano water instead of the broth. Although it looks somewhat rough, it has a solid texture with a good smell. It is quite delicious. Since they are handmade, they cannot be mass produced. They are not added with any preservatives, so they can’t stay fresh for a longer time. Please do come to taste it yourself!

羅山村位於花蓮縣富里鄉，是台灣第一個有機農業村。要由化肥田轉型為不施用任何農藥的有機田，成本增加許多，而收成卻只能有原來的一半。「有機村」聽來很夢幻，除了要有得天獨厚的地理條件外，還得有辦法讓全村的村民接受有機理念，進而齊心努力打造無毒農業。但，這個看似不可能的任務，終究達成了！羅山村的村民說服了自己，也同時感動了別人。

Luo Shan village, located in Fuli Township, Hualien County, is the first organic farming village in Taiwan. Since farming has transformed using fertilizers to organic farming without adding any pesticide, the cost has increased, and can only produce one half as much as before. To build an “Organic Village” sounded like a dream. Not only a unique geographical condition was required, but also the organic concept needed to be accepted by all villagers in order to build the non-toxic farm together. However, this impossible mission was achieved. Luo Shan villagers convinced themselves, and also motivated others.

撿一個人，隨便問點什麼，羅山村的親切便會毫無掩飾的向你撲來，讓你打從心底感動。你會發現，原來，一個笑容牽動的不是只有嘴角，還有人與人之間的距離。早晨或向晚時，這裡很適合騎著單車到處轉悠。不用擔心迷了方位，任何一位村民都會很樂意的指引你方向，而且，極有可能會給你意外的收獲。

If asking anyone in the Luo Shan village, he/she would answer your questions with no hesitation, and their hospitality would touch your heart. A smile is not just shown on the face, but connects people’s distance. You can ride a bike in the early morning or late afternoon. Don’t worry if you get lost. Any villager would assist you with the direction. You may also gain a surprise.

村裡有個佔地約八百平方公尺，早期用來引水灌溉的大水塘，現在村民在水中養魚，因此被稱作「羅山大魚池」。循著步道可以步行至水塘中央的涼亭，邊歇息邊享受湖光山色。

There is an about 800 square meter irrigation reservoir in the village. Now villagers are fish farming in there and it was named “Luo Shan Big Fish Pond”. Following the trail, you can come to a pavilion located at the center of the reservoir. You can rest and enjoy the scenery there.

池子裡長滿了野生菱角，現在正是果實成熟季節，幸運的讓我們巧遇了來此採菱的村民。成熟的菱角會因負重不了而沈入水底，所以在翻開一株株的菱葉時，動作必須輕柔，以免把可採集的菱角給不小心弄落至水裡。他坐在橡皮圈上一邊仔細的在水塘裡翻找，一邊和我們聊著天，教我們一點有關菱角的知識。要不是，橡皮圈只有一個，且上下水塘不方便，不然我還真想下水去幫忙呢！

The pool is filled with wild water chestnut. Now is the ripening season. Luckily we met a villager who was picking up the water chestnut. The ripen water chestnuts are heavy which could sink to the bottom of the pond. Therefore, it needs to be careful and gentle to turn the leaves to avoid sinking the water chestnut. He sat on a rubber float and looked for the ripen water chestnuts. He chatted with us, as well as taught us some knowledge of the water chestnut. If there were more than one rubber float, I would have gone in there to help!

沿著大魚池旁的步道往前走，可以通往羅山最著名的泥火山景觀。泥火山是天然氣或火山氣體，沿著地表下板塊與板塊間裂隙，混合地下水與泥砂而成的泥漿不斷上湧，而形成特殊的地形。與想像的不同，泥火山的噴口其實很小。一個個在泥漿地上冒出的小泥泡，都含有天然氣，但因含量不夠高，所以羅山村的村民不能仰賴泥火山帶來的天然氣，而必須向往購買瓦斯來做日常使用。

Following the trail by the “Big Fish Pond” would lead to the most famous mud volcano in Luo Shan. The nature gas or volcano gas mixed with underground water and mud sediment that came out from the gaps of the plate surface to form the special terrain of mud volcano. In fact, the openings of the mud volcano are very small. The small mud bubbles contain gas. However, the gas is not strong enough. The villagers cannot rely on this mud volcano’s gas. They still need to buy gas for daily use.

從言談中可以感受到羅山村的村民對於自己投入的有機農業感到很驕傲，也對自己所生活的這片土地很有感情。他們會向遊客不斷的主動介紹村內幾個值得一探的景點，還會盡可能分享自己所知的相關資訊。這裡的村民自然純樸，對外來客都不吝展現他們的熱情與友善。如果有機會來此，千萬別害羞，主動大聲向村民們問好，甚至大膽央求幫忙農作，會有意想不到的收穫與體驗哦！

By talking to the villagers, I could feel that they are so proud of their organic farm, and they are emotionally attached to the land they are living. They would take their initiative to introduce their worthy-to-visit attractions to the visitors and share what they know. Please don’t be shy. Take your initiative to say hello to them and ask for assistance. You may gain an extra experience.

羅山村裡不少的農民運用家中閒置的空房，稍做整修後提供遊客住宿。規模都不大，房內設備也不豪華，但乾淨舒適是肯定有的，最重要的是能夠讓遊客融入傳統農家生活之中，深刻體驗農家樂。待在羅山村的期間，我投宿在林伯伯經營的「大自然體驗農家」，它是村中最高處、同時也是最偏遠的一間民宿，環境相當的清幽。

Some of the villagers renovated their homes to provide the tourists accommodations. The houses are not large. The facilities are not luxurious, but they are clean and comfortable. The most important thing is to have the tourists involved in the traditional farm living to enjoy the farm experience. While I was in the village, I stayed with Mr. Lin who owns the “Nature Experience Farm”. It is the most remote with the highest altitude home stay house. The environment is very quiet and comfortable.

「大自然體驗農家」有提供泥火山豆腐製作體驗，想當然爾，我不會錯過這樣的大好機會。 做豆腐的主要材料當然就是黃豆，不過，這黃豆可是林伯伯自己栽種的無基因改造的有機豆。用天然泉水（羅山村的村民平日使用的皆是天然泉水）浸泡數小時之後，就可以開始進行下一階段了。

The “Nature Experience Farm” provides the opportunity in making mud volcano tofu; of course, I would not miss this great opportunity. The main ingredient of the Tofu is soy beans. The soybeans are organic and were planted by Mr. Lin himself. They were soaked in the natural spring water for several hours, and then the next step would start. (The villagers in Luo Shan village are using natural spring water daily)

將黃豆與適量的水漸次倒入石磨中研磨。推磨的技巧是左推右拉，講的很輕鬆，但做起來可是相當吃力。我對石磨並不陌生，但還是頭一次親眼見到「工作中」的石磨。把黃豆放入小小的洞口，轉個兒圈就可以把黃豆完全的磨成汁，讓我這個城市鄉巴佬看得直呼神奇。 不過，如果要用石磨把所有的黃豆都研磨好，實在太花時間與氣力了。林伯伯說石磨是給遊客體驗的，而現在都是用機器磨豆啦！

The soybeans and right amount of water are to be put in the stone mill and grind. The tips of the grind are “left push and right pull”. It sounds easy; but is pretty hard in doing it. I am a bit familiar with the stone mill, but this is the first time to witness“the work in progress” stone mill. Put the soybeans into the small hole. After a several grindings, they become juice. I was amazed! Mr. Lin said that it would take too long to grind all soybeans from the stone mills. This was just showing to the tourists. They are all ground by the machine now.

把磨好的豆汁全數倒入大鍋中開始熬煮。不過在倒入前需在大鐵鍋裡煮沸些許的清水，以防豆汁黏鍋燒焦。

After they were ground, all juices were boiled in a large pot. A small amount of water needed to be boiled in the large pot first, so when we the soy juices were poured in the pot, the soy juices would not stick on the pot and get burned.

在熬煮過程必須用鍋鏟不斷的來回翻攪以防燒焦。因為豆汁裡還有豆渣容易黏鍋，若不小心燒焦了，那整鍋的豆汁就會有焦味，壞了味道。

During the boiling process, the bean juice needed to be stirred up all the time to prevent burning. There are soybean dregs in the soy juices, so if the dregs got burned, the whole juice would have burning smell.

豆汁煮沸後，接著將裡頭的殘渣瀘掉。這就是又香又濃的豆漿了。

After the soy juice is boiled, the dregs would be filtered out. Here comes the thick and tasty soy milk.

註：剩下的有機豆渣可是大有用處，可以煎豆渣餅吃，也可以餵豬、雞、鴨、魚，還可以當有機肥料哩！

PS: the leftover organic dregs can be used to bake cookies, or to be the organic fertilizers for the pigs, chickens, ducks and fishes.

接著，林伯伯盛了一大碗豆漿給大家品嚐。大家簡直是樂壞了，因為在熬煮的過程時，陣陣豆香就讓大家受不了了。

Next, I tasted a large bowl of the soy milk. We were attracted by the smell of the soy milk and could not wait to taste one!

註：大部份的店家在做豆漿時，都是豆汁先過瀘再進行熬煮，好處是煮的時間可以縮短，而且也不用擔心豆渣會黏鍋燒焦的問題。但這樣煮出來的豆漿，就不夠香醇，少了濃濃的豆香味。

PS: Most of the shops in making soy milk, they would filter the dregs first before boiling. The advantage of it was to reduce the boiling time, and there would be no dregs to be stick on the pot. However, if the soy milk is made in this way; it will not have the fragrance of the soy bean smell.

接下來我們要進行第二階段的熬煮了。 製成豆腐的關鍵，就是這一桶水了。這是取自羅山泥火山的水，靜置一夜後，泥漿完全沈澱，而浮在上頭的鹹水就是我們製作豆腐要用的滷水。

The second phase of the boiling starts. The key to make a quality Tofu is the water. The water they used was from the mud volcano. After a bucket of water sat for one night, the mud was completely precipitated; the floating salt water was the water to make Tofu.

把豆漿再次倒入鍋中加熱，並緩緩加入適量的滷水。到時何時要加，又要加多少滷水，這可是全憑林伯伯經驗判斷的，我們這些旁觀著可是一頭霧殺殺。神奇滷水一加，豆漿就開始凝結，慢慢變身為豆花。

Heat the soy milk and add the right amount of broth water. When and how much of broth needed to be added were all decided by Mr. Lin’s based on his experience. We just watched and won’t be able to know the answer. The magic broth water was added, soy milk started to become Tofu Pudding.

將煮好的豆花再倒入紗布過瀘一次。過瀘的方式是，兩人各執紗布的二端，然後一左一右的移動，慢慢過瀘。把瀘好的豆花平均放入方型豆腐模裡。

The Tofu Pudding would be filtered in the gauze. Two persons held each side of the gauze, swam slowly from right to left, and filtered slowly. After filtering, put the Tofu Pudding into the square Tofu mold.

蓋上模板，用全身的力量使勁的下壓，把多餘的水餘排擠掉。

Cover with the mold template, and press them very hard to squeeze out extra water.

邊擠壓的同時，溫媽媽在旁邊用在幫忙將擠出來的水擦乾，以防回流節省擠壓的時間與氣力。

While pressing them, Mrs. Wen helped to wipe the extra water to prevent it from going back in.

水份排出後，要靜置數分鐘。接下來，香濃紮實的豆腐就成型了！看著林伯伯一刀一刀的將豆腐分塊，看得大家口水直流。

After water was squeezed out, Tofu needed to sit for a few minutes. Then, the solid tofu is formed. Our mouths were watery when we saw Mr. Lin sliced the Tofu.

香噴噴的豆腐上桌，大夥迫不及待的挾一塊到自己碗裡嚐鮮。配上醬油或是林媽媽特調的哇沙米醬料，好吃的讓人一口接一口。

We could not wait to have a piece in our bowls. The sauce to go with it was either the soy sauce or homemade wasabi sauce made by Mrs. Lin.

雖然羅山村在遙遠的東部，但來到這裡絕對不會失望，除了品嚐泥火山豆腐、親自體驗手工豆腐的製作，而且還可吃到好吃的有機米，及感受這裡暖暖的人情味哦！

Although Luo Shan village is on the remote east coast, you won’t be disappointed once you get there. Besides tasting the mud volcano Tofu and making your own handmade Tofu, you can also taste the organic rice and feel the hospitality of the villagers!

[大自然體驗農家] “ Nature Experience Farm”

電話 (TEL)：03-8821-352

住址 (Address)：983花蓮縣富里鄉羅山村12鄰58號 / 983 Hualien County, FuLi Township, Lou Shan Village 12, #58

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