Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1797

The noodles were especially impressive. The noodles are made of high-gluten flour and are carefully made through multiple processes, showing a chewy and elastic taste. In terms of soup base, Henan noodles are based on delicious mutton soup, with a variety of vegetables, tofu skin, fungus and other ingredients, making the whole noodle dish rich in taste and balanced in nutrition.

When the stewed noodles are served, the rich aroma of mutton soup hits your nose. The milky white soup seems to be made from countless essences. The noodles are uniform in thickness and distinct in strands, soaking in the delicious soup and absorbing the deliciousness of the soup. On top are fresh mutton slices, smooth kelp shreds, green coriander and chopped green onions, which makes people's appetite increase.

Li Xiao picked up a piece of noodles with chopsticks, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and felt the chewiness of the noodles and the deliciousness of the soup. He said with satisfaction: "This stewed noodles is really delicious, the noodles are chewy, the soup is delicious, and the mutton is very tender. With coriander and chili oil, the taste is simply amazing."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted it and nodded, saying, "Yes, the taste of this stewed noodle is really authentic. The mutton soup is mellow and delicious, providing a rich base flavor for the whole noodle dish; and the various ingredients make the taste more diverse, and every bite is full of surprises."

Lin Yifei took a sip of the soup and said with a smile: "I think the charm of this stewed noodle lies in its inclusiveness. Various ingredients are blended together in the soup, but each retains its unique flavor, which makes people have endless aftertaste."

The three of them ate the stewed noodles while exchanging their feelings about the food. They found that each food is not only a taste enjoyment, but also a cultural inheritance and expression. Behind these foods, there is the wisdom and emotion of the Henan people, as well as the profound historical and cultural heritage of this land.

In addition to spicy soup and stewed noodles, they were also deeply impressed by the soup dumplings. The skin of the soup dumplings is as thin as paper, but very tough. It won't break if you pinch it gently. When you bite open the soup dumpling, the delicious soup bursts in your mouth instantly. The rich meat aroma and the delicious soup blend perfectly, making people intoxicated. The meat filling is tender and juicy, and the seasoning is just right, not salty or bland. Every bite makes people feel full of happiness.

Li Xiao carefully bit open a soup dumpling, and the soup flowed out. He quickly took a sip and exclaimed: "This soup dumpling has too much soup. It tastes so delicious."

Zhang Yuedong also smiled and said, "Yes, you have to be careful when eating soup dumplings, so as not to get burned by the soup. The soup is the essence of the soup dumplings."

Lin Yifei ate the dumplings with gusto. He said, "The meat filling of the dumplings is very fresh and tastes great. I think the dumplings will taste even better with a little vinegar and shredded ginger."

The three of them also tasted sugar cakes and vegetable dumplings. The sugar cakes were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sweet and delicious. When you take a bite, the crispy outer skin makes a "crackling" sound, and the soft and glutinous sugar filling inside flows out, which is sweet but not greasy, and makes people linger. The vegetable dumplings are salty, fragrant and crispy, with a golden outer skin wrapped with fresh and tender vegetable fillings. When you take a bite, you will feel full of fragrance.

While eating the cake, Li Xiao said, "This cake is so delicious, so sweet, just like the candy I ate when I was a child."

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, this sugar cake tastes really good. The vegetable corners are also delicious, salty, fragrant and crispy, very unique."

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "I think these traditional snacks are really charming. They carry the memories of a generation and also represent the characteristics of this city."

After a stroll in the food street, the three of them were full and had full stomachs. They walked contentedly on the street, feeling the atmosphere of the city of Zhengzhou. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on them, coating their figures with a layer of golden light.

Li Xiao said with emotion: "Today's food tour is really worth it. Not only did I taste so many delicious foods, but I also felt the unique food culture of Henan."

Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, every kind of food has its own unique story and taste. These foods are like a business card of Henan, showing us the charm of this land."

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "On the rest of the journey, we will visit more places and taste more delicious food. I can't wait to know what surprises are waiting for us at the next stop."

Satisfied with the delicious food and looking forward to the next stop, the three returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for a new day of travel.

Experience Zhengzhou folk customs and purchase local specialties
As night fell, the streets and alleys of Zhengzhou were lit up and bustling. After feasting on the food street, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei strolled along the street, feeling the unique charm of the city at night. As they walked, they heard a lively sound of gongs and drums. Following the sound, they saw that the square in front was full of people, and it seemed that some event was being held.

"Let's go and take a look!" Li Xiao said excitedly and walked towards the square first.

The three of them squeezed into the crowd and saw a wonderful dragon and lion dance performance going on. Two golden dragons were flying up and down in the hands of the dragon dancers, sometimes circling and sometimes soaring, with agile and smooth movements. The dragon dancers were dressed in bright costumes, with confident smiles on their faces. They cooperated tacitly, and the dragon handles in their hands made them vigorous, showing the majesty and agility of the dragons to the fullest.

"Wow, this dragon dance is so amazing!" Lin Yifei couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, his eyes fixed on the performance on the field, afraid to miss any wonderful moment.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, these dragon dancers have superb skills, and they dance out the spirit of the dragon."

Li Xiao took out his mobile phone and kept taking photos and videos to record this wonderful moment. He said as he filmed: "Such a wonderful performance must be shared with friends."

Then, let's look at the lion dance performance. Two majestic lions jumped and played in the center of the venue. Their movements were flexible and varied. Sometimes they shook their heads and tails, sometimes they soared into the air, and performed various difficult movements, which drew cheers from the audience. The lion's eyes were bright and sparkling with the rhythm of the performance, as if they were really alive. The performer of the lion head had superb skills and controlled the lion's movements with clever techniques, making it lifelike; the performer of the lion tail worked closely with the lion head to coordinate the movements, showing the lion's liveliness and bravery.

The performance reached its climax, with the dragon and lion dances cooperating with each other, the dragon soaring in the sky and the lion jumping on the ground, forming a vivid picture. The audience applauded and cheered one after another, and the atmosphere was extremely warm. The three were also infected by the lively atmosphere, cheering and applauding with the crowd, enjoying this happy moment. After the performance, the three were still not satisfied, so they walked around the square for a while and found that there were many stalls selling local specialties around. So they decided to pick some specialties and take them back to give to relatives and friends.

In front of a stall, they saw various types of Xinzheng red dates, including fresh red dates, processed dried red dates, red date slices, red date powder, etc. The stall owner was an enthusiastic uncle. Seeing that they were interested in red dates, he introduced them enthusiastically: "Our Xinzheng red dates are famous for their good quality. They are large, thick, small, sweet, and have high nutritional value. They can be eaten directly, or used to cook porridge, soup, and tea. They are delicious no matter how you eat them."

Li Xiao picked up a dried red date and looked at it carefully. He saw that the dried red date was ruddy in color, with full flesh and a faint sweet aroma. He took a bite and found that the dried red date had a soft, sweet taste. The sweetness spread in his mouth, leaving an endless aftertaste. "Well, it's delicious!" Li Xiao praised it, "This red date is really good. I'll buy some to take back."

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also tasted it and thought it tasted good. They started to pick and chat with the stall owner while picking. The stall owner told them that Xinzheng has a very long history of growing red dates. The climate and soil conditions here are very suitable for the growth of red dates, so the quality of Xinzheng red dates has always been very high.

On the recommendation of the stall owner, they bought some different varieties of Xinzheng red dates, including gray dates, chicken heart dates, etc. In addition to red dates, they also bought some other specialties, such as Shaolin Temple vegetarian cakes, Henan braised noodle seasoning packets, etc. These specialties not only have Henan characteristics, but also have beautiful packaging, which is very suitable as gifts for relatives and friends.

Carrying a lot of local specialties, the three of them returned to the hotel contentedly. They packed the local specialties and put them in their suitcases, looking forward to tomorrow's journey, wondering what kind of surprises would be waiting for them at the next stop.

Ancient Capital Kaifeng, Dreaming of the Song Dynasty
After a pleasant trip in Zhengzhou, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei set off for Kaifeng with great anticipation. Along the way, they excitedly discussed the Qingming Riverside Park they were about to visit, and their hearts were filled with yearning for this ancient capital.

"I heard that the Qingming Riverside Park was built according to a 1:1 restoration of 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival'. The buildings, characters, and customs inside are exactly the same as those in the Northern Song Dynasty. I really want to go and see it soon." Li Xiao's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Zhang Yuedong nodded and said, "Yes, this time we must experience the feeling of traveling back to the Northern Song Dynasty. Maybe we can even meet Wu Dalang who sells pancakes."

Lin Yifei smiled and joked: "Then you better be careful not to be noticed by Pan Jinlian."

The three chatted and laughed until they arrived in Kaifeng. After dropping off their luggage at the hotel, they headed straight to the Qingming Riverside Park.

As soon as you walk to the entrance of Qingming Riverside Park, you will see a magnificent Song Dynasty-style gate. The plaque on the gate reads "Qingming Riverside Park" in five large, vigorous characters. The staff at the gate are dressed in Song Dynasty costumes and warmly welcome every visitor, as if they were really bringing them into the prosperous Northern Song Dynasty.

Walking into the park, the scene in front of them made them feel as if they were in a vivid historical painting. The antique buildings were scattered throughout the park, with blue bricks and black tiles, flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted buildings. Every detail showed the unique charm of Song Dynasty architecture. There were a variety of shops on both sides of the street, selling various handicrafts, special snacks, teahouses, restaurants, pawnshops, etc., which were dazzling.

Li Xiao looked around excitedly and exclaimed: "Wow, this place really feels like I have traveled back to the Northern Song Dynasty. Everything is exactly as I imagined."

Zhang Yuedong couldn't help but admire: "This building is so beautiful, it feels like it came out of a painting."

Lin Yifei looked around curiously at the people wearing Song Dynasty costumes and said with a smile: "Look, these people are dressed like real Song people. I almost thought I was an ancient person too."

They strolled along the path in the park and first came to the Rainbow Bridge. This Rainbow Bridge spans over the Bian River and has a unique shape, like a flying rainbow. The bridge has no pillars and is supported entirely by the clever construction of wood, showing the superb skills of ancient craftsmen. Standing on the Rainbow Bridge, they can overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire Bian River. Boats shuttle back and forth on the river. Some people on the boats are busy loading and unloading goods, while others are leisurely enjoying the scenery on both sides of the river.

"This Rainbow Bridge is really spectacular. In ancient times, it must have been one of the most lively places on the Bian River." Li Xiao said with emotion, holding the bridge railing.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, from here we can imagine the busy scene of the Bianhe River during the Northern Song Dynasty. It is worthy of being the iconic building in the Qingming Festival Riverside Scene."

Lin Yifei took out his mobile phone and kept taking pictures. He said: "Such a beautiful scenery, I must take more pictures and show them to my friends when I get back."

Then, they came to Shangshan Gate. Shangshan Gate is one of the landmark buildings of Qingming Shanghe Park and an important city gate of Kaifeng City in the Northern Song Dynasty. It is tall and majestic, solemn and majestic, and the towers on the gate are towering and magnificent. Walking into Shangshan Gate is like traveling through a tunnel of time and space and entering the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.

"A gate separates the city and the countryside, and you can see the whole city from the top of the tower. Standing on the Shangshan Gate, you can really feel the prosperity and bustle of Kaifeng City in the past." Li Xiao looked at the park in the distance, his heart full of emotion.

Zhang Yuedong also said: "This gate is not only a masterpiece of architecture, but also a witness to history. It witnessed the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Northern Song Dynasty."

Lin Yifei curiously walked around the gate, observing the carvings and decorations on it. He said: "Look at these carvings, they are lifelike, and every detail reflects the artistic style of the Song Dynasty."

After leaving Shangshan Gate, they continued to play in the park. Along the way, they saw many interesting performances and activities. There were acrobatic performances by folk artists. They were agile and skilled, performing programs such as balancing bowls, judo, and playing with swords, which won the applause of the audience; there were folk performances of the Song Dynasty, such as dragon and lion dances, land boat rowing, and stilt walking. The actors were dressed in bright costumes and had cheerful smiles on their faces, showing the folk customs of the Song Dynasty vividly; there were also some interactive experience activities, such as throwing pots, archery, movable type printing, etc., which allowed them to personally experience the culture and life of the Song Dynasty.