Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

During the days in Kaifeng, food became an indispensable part of their journey. At noon that day, the three of them came to a well-known Kaifeng restaurant to taste authentic Kaifeng food. As soon as they sat down, Li Xiao couldn't wait to pick up the menu and looked at the dazzling array of dishes on it. His eyes lit up: "The dishes here look so tempting. I really don't know which one to order first."

Zhang Yuedong took the menu with a smile and said, "Then we must try Kaifeng's signature dishes first, the soup dumplings and carp baked noodles."

Lin Yifei nodded in agreement: "That's right, these two are must-orders. Let's order a few other special dishes. We must have a good meal today."

Soon, the soup dumplings were served on the table. The dumplings in the steamer were small and exquisite, like small works of art. They lay quietly in the steamer, with the white skin as thin as a cicada's wing. Under the light, you can even vaguely see the tender meat filling and rich soup inside. There are more than a dozen fine folds evenly distributed on the top of the dumplings, like a blooming chrysanthemum or an exquisite skirt, which is pleasing to the eye.

Li Xiao carefully picked up a soup dumpling with chopsticks. The dumpling seemed to tremble slightly between the chopsticks, as if the skin would break if he applied a little force. He gently placed the dumpling on the spoon and smelled it. A strong aroma of meat and delicious soup came to his nose, instantly arousing his appetite.

"I can't help it, I'd better eat it first." Li Xiao said with a smile, and then gently took a small bite.

At this moment, the delicious soup gushed out like a flood. He took a sip and the rich soup spread in his mouth. The delicious taste, with the aroma of meat, spices and wheat from the dough, instantly filled his entire mouth. The taste buds jumped happily on the tip of his tongue, as if holding a grand carnival. The temperature of the soup was just right, not scalding the mouth, but allowing people to fully feel its richness and deliciousness.

"Wow, there is so much soup, so delicious!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed, with a satisfied smile on his face.

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also picked up the soup dumplings, imitating Li Xiao's way, gently biting them open and sucking the soup inside. Zhang Yuedong nodded while eating: "Well, this soup dumpling is really as good as its reputation, with thin skin and large fillings, rich soup, and the taste is really great."

Lin Yifei also praised it highly: "This is the most delicious soup dumpling I have ever eaten. Every bite is intoxicating."

The three of them shared their feelings while tasting the soup dumplings. They found that when eating soup dumplings, one should not only taste the delicious soup and tender meat filling, but also savor the paper-thin dough. When chewing the dough, it has a light wheat aroma and toughness, which perfectly blends with the soup and meat filling to form a unique taste.

After eating the soup dumplings, they were still not satisfied. At this time, the waiter brought the carp baked noodles. The carp on the plate was red in color, and its body was slightly bent, like a giant dragon about to jump out of the water, lifelike. The fish was covered with a layer of rich sweet and sour sauce, and under the light, it was shining with an attractive luster. The hair-like baked noodles, fluffy and crispy, covered the fish, like a golden veil, adding a mysterious beauty to the whole dish.

"This baked carp noodles is so beautiful, it's simply a work of art." Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "This dish is not only beautiful, but also delicious. The combination of the tenderness of the carp and the crispness of the baked noodles, plus the sweet and sour sauce, the taste is simply amazing."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of carp meat. After being fried, the fish meat was crispy on the outside, but the meat inside was tender and juicy. With a light bite, the fish meat separated from the bones and melted in the mouth. He dipped it in the sweet and sour sauce on the plate, and the sweet and sour taste instantly spread in his mouth, contrasting with the tender fish meat, complementing each other.

"The carp meat is so tender, and the sweet and sour sauce is just right, sweet but not greasy, and sour but not astringent." Lin Yifei praised it highly.

Li Xiao also picked up a piece of baked noodles with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. The baked noodles were as thin as hair. With a light bite, they spread in the mouth, making a "crackling" sound. The crispy taste was intoxicating. He dipped the baked noodles in sweet and sour sauce, which made them taste even sweeter and more delicious, with a unique flavor.

"This baked noodles is so crispy, and it tastes even better when dipped in sweet and sour sauce. Eat the dragon meat first and then the dragon whiskers. It really lives up to its reputation." Li Xiao said with a smile.

The three of them were tasting the baked carp noodles while discussing the cooking process of this dish. They knew that the cooking process of this dish was very complicated and required the chef to have superb skills and rich experience. From the selection and processing of the carp to frying and pouring sauce, every link needed to be carefully controlled. And the baked noodles, which were as thin as hair, required the chef to knead and stretch them repeatedly to make them. The difficulty of making them can be imagined.

In addition to soup dumplings and carp baked noodles, they also ordered Kaifeng specialties such as fried jelly, almond tea, and Bianjing roast duck. Fried jelly tastes smooth, spicy and delicious, and every bite is full of rich fragrance. Almond tea tastes delicate, sweet and delicious, and a sip makes people feel comfortable physically and mentally. Bianjing roast duck has crispy skin and tender meat, and its color is persimmon red. Every bite makes people intoxicated.

While tasting the food, they also chatted with the diners at the next table. The diners at the next table were a local from Kaifeng. He enthusiastically introduced the history and cultural background of these delicacies to them, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of Kaifeng's delicacies. He told them that soup dumplings are a traditional delicacy in Kaifeng with a history of hundreds of years. Its unique production process and careful selection of ingredients make it one of the representatives of Kaifeng's delicacies. Carp baked noodles are a famous palace dish with a long history. It was once praised by Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi and was hailed as "the best delicacy in the ancient capital."

As the three listened, they marveled at the breadth and depth of Kaifeng cuisine. They felt that each dish was not only a taste enjoyment, but also a cultural inheritance and expression. Behind these delicacies, there is the wisdom and emotion of the Kaifeng people, as well as the city's profound historical and cultural heritage.

After the meal, the three of them were full and had full stomachs. They walked out of the restaurant contentedly and strolled on the streets of Kaifeng, feeling the atmosphere of the city. The sun shone on them, warm and comfortable. Their faces were filled with happy smiles, and their hearts were filled with love and attachment to the city of Kaifeng.

Li Xiao said with emotion: "This trip to Kaifeng really gave me a feast for my appetite. The food here is not only delicious, but also rich in cultural connotations, which gave me a deeper understanding of Henan's food culture." Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, every dish is like a story, telling the history and culture of Kaifeng. These foods are the treasures of Kaifeng and the precious wealth of our Chinese nation."

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "Next time we have the chance, we will come to Kaifeng again to taste more food and feel the unique charm of this city."

The three of them continued their journey in Henan with full gains and wonderful memories, looking forward to more surprises waiting for them at the next stop.

Kaifeng Specialties and Folk Customs
On the last day in Kaifeng, the three of them came to the local specialty market to pick out some souvenirs with Kaifeng characteristics. As soon as they entered the market, a wide variety of goods came into view, including all kinds of special snacks, handicrafts, and traditional souvenirs, which made people dazzled. The air was filled with the aroma of various delicacies, including the sweetness of peanut cakes, the richness of almond tea, and the freshness of soup dumplings, which mixed together to form a unique Kaifeng flavor.

Li Xiao looked around excitedly, with curiosity glittering in his eyes: "There are so many things here, and each one seems very unique. I really don't know which one to choose."

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Then take your time to choose. It's still early, so we must choose the most representative specialty."

Lin Yifei walked straight to a stall selling Bian embroidery and was attracted by a beautiful Bian embroidery work. It was a Bian embroidery based on the painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. The embroidery was exquisite and delicate, and every character and every building was lifelike, as if re-presenting the prosperous market life in the Northern Song Dynasty. The silk thread shone with a soft luster in the sun, the color combination was harmonious and natural, and the transition was delicate, which made people sigh at the superb skills of the embroidery.

"Come and see, this Bian embroidery is so exquisite!" Lin Yifei couldn't help but exclaimed.

Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong hurried over and were deeply shocked when they saw the Bian embroidery. Li Xiao gently stroked the embroidery and said with emotion: "This craftsmanship is really amazing. Every stitch is full of the craftsman's hard work."

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, Bian embroidery is indeed a traditional treasure of Kaifeng. The delicate needlework and lifelike pictures are even more vivid than the original."

The stall owner was a kind and amiable middle-aged woman. Seeing that they were so interested in Bian embroidery, she introduced it enthusiastically: "This Bian embroidery is the pride of our Kaifeng, with a long history and known as the 'national treasure'. It inherits the themes and craftsmanship of Song embroidery, draws on the strengths of sister embroidery arts such as Su embroidery and Xiang embroidery, and absorbs the local flavor of our Henan folk embroidery. On this basis, a large number of needlework techniques have been innovated, so the embroidered works are exquisitely crafted, the needlework is fine, the patterns are rigorous, the style is elegant, and the colors are beautiful, which are deeply loved by everyone."

The three listened with great interest and gained a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Bian embroidery. They carefully admired each piece of Bian embroidery on the stalls. Some were themed on flowers, birds, fish and insects, with bright feathers of birds and lively fish; some were based on landscapes, with green mountains and clear waters, and clouds and mist, as if making people feel the tranquility and magnificence of nature; and some were based on stories, with vivid characters and rich expressions, as if telling touching stories.

Li Xiao chose a piece of Bian embroidery with peonies. The peonies were large, with layers of petals and bright colors, as if they were in full bloom, exuding a strong fragrance. He smiled and said, "This peony is so beautifully embroidered, and it has a good meaning, wealth and good fortune. It will be great to take it home and hang it up at home."

Zhang Yuedong chose a Bian embroidery with the theme of Song Dynasty ladies. The ladies are dressed in gorgeous clothes, with elegant postures, beautiful faces, and gentle temperament in their eyes. He said: "This embroidery shows the charm of Song Dynasty ladies, and it is very collectible."

Lin Yifei finally bought the Bian embroidery of Along the River During the Qingming Festival. He said excitedly: "This embroidery is so stunning. Taking it back will allow more people to understand the history and culture of the Northern Song Dynasty."

In addition to Bian embroidery, they also bought some Zhuxian Town woodblock New Year pictures. Zhuxian Town woodblock New Year pictures are one of China's ancient traditional handicrafts with a unique artistic style. The New Year pictures are brightly colored, with bold lines and exaggerated and vivid characters, full of a strong flavor of folk life. Each New Year picture contains rich meanings, some of which express people's yearning for a better life, while others convey good wishes for good luck, exorcism and disaster avoidance.

While selecting New Year pictures, they met a master who was making New Year pictures on site. The master enthusiastically showed them the production process of woodblock New Year pictures, from engraving, printing to coloring, each step is full of skills and artistic sense. The master told them that the production process of Zhuxian Town woodblock New Year pictures is very complicated and requires multiple processes to complete, and each process requires the craftsmen to have superb skills and rich experience.

The three carefully watched the production process of the master and gained a deeper understanding of the production process of Zhuxian Town woodblock New Year pictures. They selected several New Year pictures they liked, including "Door God", "God of Wealth", "Qilin Delivering a Child", etc., and prepared to take them back to give to relatives and friends.

After leaving the specialty market, they came to the old street of Kaifeng and felt the ancient charm of the city. Most of the buildings on both sides of the old street maintained the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with blue bricks and black tiles, flying eaves and brackets, and antique style. Pedestrians came and went on the street, some were strolling leisurely, and some were selecting goods in the shops on the street, full of the breath of life.

They passed by a teahouse and walked in, ready to take a break and taste a cup of authentic Kaifeng chrysanthemum tea. The teahouse was filled with a faint tea fragrance, which made people feel relaxed and happy. They found a seat by the window and ordered a pot of chrysanthemum tea. After a while, the steaming chrysanthemum tea was served on the table. The light yellow tea soup was clear and transparent, and the chrysanthemums stretched their petals in the water, as if they were blooming. Take a sip gently, and the fragrance of the chrysanthemum spreads in your mouth, with a hint of light sweetness, which makes people have endless aftertaste.

Li Xiao put down the teacup and said with emotion: "It is really a pleasure to sit in a teahouse on such an old street, drink chrysanthemum tea, and feel the history and culture of this city."

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the city of Kaifeng is full of charm, and every corner has its own unique charm." (End of this chapter)