Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1754

Soon, the steaming hot snail noodles were served. Every bowl of noodles was white as jade, with uniform thickness, paired with delicious snail soup, and garnished with sour bamboo shoots, fungus, peanuts, bean curd, green vegetables and other rich side dishes, which made people salivate at the sight.

Li Xiao couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks, picked up a handful of noodles, blew on it, and then put it into his mouth. The smooth rice noodles were wrapped in rich soup, and the sour, spicy, fresh and refreshing taste instantly spread in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds. "Wow, this tastes so authentic!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed, "This is the real snail noodles, better than what I've eaten in other places before."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted his own three-fresh snail noodle and nodded, saying, "It's really delicious. The soup of this three-fresh snail noodle is very delicious. The shrimp, meat and eggs in it are all very fresh and have a rich taste."

While eating his signature snail noodle, Lin Yifei said: "My portion is also good. The snail soup is very rich in flavor, and the side dishes are also very rich. I can taste different ingredients in every bite, which is very satisfying."

While eating the noodles, they talked about their love for snail noodles. Li Xiao asked curiously: "Do you know where snail noodles came from?" Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei shook their heads. So Li Xiao told them the legend of snail noodles: "Legend has it that in the Tang Dynasty, there was a farmer named Aniu in Liuzhou. While working in the fields, he found many snails. He brought the snails home and cooked a pot of snail soup. However, although the snail soup was delicious, the snail meat was very unpalatable. So Aniu put the rice noodles at home into the snail soup. Unexpectedly, the rice noodles absorbed the deliciousness of the snail soup and became particularly delicious. From then on, snail noodles were born."

After hearing the story, Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "I didn't expect that there is such an interesting legend about snail rice noodle. However, it is just a legend. The real origin of snail rice noodle may be much more complicated." Lin Yifei also said, "Yes, no matter what its origin is, as long as it tastes good, it's fine."

After eating the snail noodles, the three of them walked out of the noodle shop contentedly. They continued to stroll in the ancient town, admiring the night view of the ancient town. Yaobu ​​Ancient Town was particularly beautiful at night, with bright lights. The quaint buildings looked even more simple and elegant under the lights. On the river, the cruise ship slowly passed by, rippling the water. They strolled along the river, feeling the breeze blowing and enjoying this beautiful night.

The next day, the three of them came to Liuzhou Snail Noodle Industrial Park, wanting to learn more about the production process and culture of snail noodles. Liuzhou Snail Noodle Industrial Park is located in Luowei Industrial Park, Grape Mountain Road, Yufeng District, LZ City. The park covers an area of ​​about 50 hectares and features snail noodle culture. It includes 56 related units such as snail noodle production enterprises, snail noodle culture museums, snail noodle culture exhibition halls, snail noodle raw material research and development enterprises, and snail noodle packaging enterprises.

They first visited the River Snail Rice Noodle Cultural Museum, where the development history, production process, and cultural connotation of river snail rice noodles were displayed through various forms such as physical objects, pictures, texts, and multimedia. In the museum, they learned that the history of river snail rice noodles can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, and after years of development, it has gradually formed its unique flavor today. At the same time, they also saw the entire production process of river snail rice noodles from raw materials to finished products, as well as various utensils and packaging related to river snail rice noodles.

While looking at the exhibits, Lin Yifei exclaimed: "I didn't expect that there are so many knowledge and stories behind a small bowl of snail noodles." Li Xiao also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this is not just a bowl of food, but also a cultural heritage." Zhang Yuedong said: "Through visiting this museum, I have a deeper understanding of snail noodles, and I admire the determination and wisdom of Liuzhou people to make snail noodles bigger and stronger."

Then, they came to the snail noodle production enterprise and visited the snail noodle production workshop. In the production workshop, they saw the modern production line, from rice grinding, rice noodle making, snail soup boiling, side dish preparation, to the final packaging, every link was carried out in an orderly manner. The staff introduced the production process and quality control standards of snail noodles to them, so that they had a more intuitive understanding of the production of snail noodles.

After visiting the production workshop, they also experienced the fun of DIY snail noodles. Under the guidance of the staff, they personally selected ingredients, prepared snail soup, and made their own snail noodles. Although the production process was a bit cumbersome, when they tasted the snail noodles they made by themselves, they were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

After leaving the snail rice noodle industrial park, the three came to the Wuxing Commercial Pedestrian Street, which is one of the most prosperous commercial centers in Liuzhou, gathering various brand stores, restaurants, cinemas, etc. They strolled here for a while and bought some Liuzhou specialties, such as bagged snail rice noodles and Liuzhou strange stones.

In the evening, they came to a restaurant and tasted other special foods of Liuzhou, such as stewed snails and duck feet, stir-fried beef with sour bamboo shoots, and Liuzhou grilled fish, etc. These foods have their own characteristics and they were very satisfied.

During the few days in Liuzhou, the three not only tasted delicious snail rice noodle and other specialties, but also gained an in-depth understanding of Liuzhou's history, culture and industrial development. They felt the unique charm of this city and left many good memories.

After spending a fulfilling and enjoyable time in Liuzhou, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei set their sights on Yangshuo, Guilin, which is full of poetry and romance. They have long been fascinated by the beautiful scenery there and can't wait to start a new journey. The three of them took the high-speed rail from Liuzhou to Guilin. Along the way, they were extremely excited, and the carriage was full of their expectations and discussions about Yangshuo. "I heard that the Li River and Yulong River in Yangshuo are beautiful, just like in a painting." Li Xiao said excitedly, with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. Zhang Yuedong smiled and responded: "Yes, this time we must feel the picturesque scenery and experience the feeling of 'swimming in a painting'." Lin Yifei also nodded and agreed: "There are also Yangshuo's delicacies, beer fish, Guilin rice noodles, just thinking about it makes people salivate."

After arriving in Guilin, they took a short rest and then set off for Yangshuo. Along the way, the scenery outside the window was picturesque, with rolling mountains and lush green fields, like a beautiful pastoral painting. They chose to take a Li River cruise, departing from the Guilin wharf and sailing down the Li River to Yangshuo. This was an intoxicating water journey, and they could enjoy the magnificent scenery on both sides of the Li River.

The boat moved slowly forward, the clear river water rippled, and the breeze blew on the face, bringing a hint of coolness. The peaks on both sides of the river have different shapes, some like camels, some like fairies, and some like swords, which makes people sigh at the uncanny workmanship of nature. Among them, the Elephant Trunk Hill is the most peculiar. It is like a giant elephant stretching its trunk into the river and drinking water leisurely. Its realistic shape attracts tourists to take pictures. Li Xiao pointed to the Elephant Trunk Hill excitedly and said, "Look, that's the Elephant Trunk Hill, it's amazing!" Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei were also attracted by the beautiful scenery in front of them, and took out their mobile phones to record this beautiful moment.

As the cruise ship continued to move forward, the Nine Horses Painting Mountain came into view. This is a huge rock cliff, on which the texture and color changes formed a pattern of nine horses, which are either galloping, or standing, or neighing, vivid and lifelike. It is said that when Premier Zhou Enlai came to inspect the Li River, he counted nine horses, and it is difficult for ordinary people to count them all. The three of them also began to count the horses curiously. Li Xiao frowned and counted seriously: "One, two, three... How come I can only count five?" Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "Don't worry, take your time. It is said that people who can see nine horses can get promoted and make a fortune." Lin Yifei joked on the side: "Then I have to look carefully, maybe I can get some good luck."

The reflection of the yellow cloth is as beautiful as an ink painting. The river water is so clear that the sand and water plants at the bottom of the river are clearly visible. The reflections of the green mountains and bamboos on both sides of the river are swaying in the water, which is beautiful. The scenery here was once printed on the back of the 20-yuan banknote, making the reputation of Guilin's landscape spread all over the country. The three of them took the 20-yuan banknote and compared it with the scenery in front of them, marveling at the similarity between the two. "It really looks like it. I didn't expect to see the scenery on the RMB with my own eyes." Li Xiao said with emotion. Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this is really a masterpiece of nature. It's so beautiful."

After about four and a half hours of sailing, the cruise ship finally arrived in Yangshuo. The three of them set foot on this charming land with excitement, and they felt the unique landscape and rich cultural atmosphere of Yangshuo.

In Yangshuo, they first came to Yulong River to experience a peaceful and pleasant bamboo rafting. Yulong River is the longest tributary of Li River in Yangshuo, known as the "Little Li River". The water here is clear and slow, with mountains on both sides of the river in various shapes, green bamboos on the riverside, and fields full of vitality, full of poetic and picturesque beauty.

The three of them boarded the bamboo raft, which slowly moved forward under the propulsion of the boatman. The river water was so clear that you could see the fish swimming freely in the water. Reaching out to touch the cool river water, it seemed as if you were one with nature. Lin Yifei excitedly put his feet into the water, feeling the gentle caress of the water, and said, "This water is so comfortable, it feels like all the fatigue has been washed away." Li Xiao also smiled and said, "Yes, here, time seems to slow down, making people feel particularly relaxed."

Along the way, they admired the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river. The ancient Fuli Bridge spans the Yulong River. It has a history of more than 600 years. The span of the bridge arch is roughly equal to the height of the bridge. From a distance, the arch bridge and its reflection are connected, resembling a full moon, full of quaint charm. Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "This bridge is so beautiful, like a witness of history, witnessing the changes of the Yulong River over the years." Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, it is not only a bridge, but also a symbol of culture."

The raft continued to move forward, and they also passed many beautiful scenic spots, such as Moon Hill and the Big Banyan Tree. There is a natural big hole on the top of Moon Hill. From different angles, the shape of the hole will change, just like the waxing and waning of the moon, which is very magical. The Big Banyan Tree is lush and leafy. It is said to have a history of more than 1400 years. It has witnessed countless stories and legends, adding a mysterious color to this land.

After drifting on the Yulong River for about two hours, the three of them ended this wonderful experience with great reluctance. They came to Yangshuo's West Street, which is the most prosperous street in Yangshuo and full of exotic atmosphere. There are various specialty shops, bars and restaurants on both sides of the street, and the dazzling array of handicrafts, special clothing and souvenirs are dazzling.

The three of them strolled along West Street, feeling the lively atmosphere. They walked into a handicraft shop filled with all kinds of exquisite Yangshuo painted fans. These painted fans are themed on the landscape of Guilin, integrating poetry, calligraphy, painting and printing. They are made with exquisite craftsmanship and have great collection value. Li Xiao picked a painted fan with the beautiful scenery of the Li River painted on it. He couldn't put it down and said, "This painted fan is so beautiful. I want to take it back as a souvenir of this trip." Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also picked some handicrafts they liked and prepared to give them to relatives and friends.

After walking around for a while, the three people's stomachs started to growl. They decided to try Yangshuo's specialty food - beer fish. They heard that Sister Xie's beer fish is one of the most famous beer fish restaurants in Yangshuo, so they came to this restaurant. The restaurant was full of diners, and everyone was tasting the beer fish with relish, and the air was filled with rich aroma.

The three of them found an empty seat and sat down. The waiter came over enthusiastically and handed them the menu. Li Xiao looked at the menu and said without hesitation: "Let's order a beer fish and a few special side dishes." Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also agreed. After a while, the steaming beer fish was served. The fish was fried until golden brown, paired with green peppers, tomatoes and other seasonings, the color was tempting. Li Xiao couldn't wait to pick up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. The tender fish melted in his mouth. The aroma of beer and the deliciousness of the fish were perfectly blended, leaving people with endless aftertaste. "Wow, this beer fish is so delicious, it really deserves to be a specialty of Yangshuo." Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed. Zhang Yuedong also nodded and said: "It's really delicious, the fish has no fishy smell, and the taste of beer is just right, crispy and tender, making people can't stop." Lin Yifei said while eating: "This trip to Yangshuo, this beer fish alone is worth the price of the ticket."

In addition to beer fish, they also tasted Guilin rice noodles, Yangshuo stuffed snails, Lipu taro braised pork and other delicacies. Guilin rice noodles are delicate and smooth, paired with delicious brine and rich ingredients, which makes people satisfied; Yangshuo stuffed snails are cooked by stuffing minced pork and other seasonings into the snail shell, the meat is delicious and rich in layers, and every bite can feel the unique flavor of Yangshuo; Lipu taro braised pork is alternately stacked with pork belly and Lipu taro, the taro is soft and sweet, and the pork belly is fat but not greasy. The two are matched with each other, melt in the mouth, and have a rich taste. It is a delicacy in Guilin's traditional banquets.