Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 270 Passing Three Levels

In Jishanfang, there is a public office.

There was a lot of noise outside the government office, packed with Lin'an people who wanted to see the chef's style.

Si Cheng, who was in charge of all matters concerning the chef competition, checked the credentials of Cha Xiaodao and Ding Ru, and nodded to the clerk.

Soon, the roll call was heard from the patio inside the government office to outside the venue, causing cheers.

"Ding Ru from Yangquan Restaurant in Lingnan, specializing in Cantonese cuisine, with a sweet taste, has been recorded!"

"Cha Zhao from Dengying Tower in Jizhou, specializing in Jinlu cuisine, with the taste of Konggu (salty), has been recorded!"

"It's rare to see Cantonese chefs coming from Lingnan, especially when they bring the most difficult to prepare Yun Ganlu and Su Tuo Shi. It looks like we're going to have a good show in this spiritual chef competition."

Among the onlookers there are many veteran gourmets who have been in the culinary world for decades. They can easily point out the characteristics of a chef just by listening to the clerk calling out the names.

"The guy from Jizhou is probably even more skilled. Among the five main flavors, the bone flavor is the most difficult to make. Since he dares to take it, he must have profound attainments in other aspects, such as color, fragrance, taste, and shape, or he must be extremely confident in his own skills."

Another chef whose rank was unknown made a guess, which caused a lot of discussion.

"Please, both of you. Don't forget to meet at the Imperial Winery next to Wansui Bridge in three days to participate in the competition."

Seeing the clerk carving the names of Cha and Ding on the pre-prepared Heshou boxwood plaques, and the clerk copying the official certificate into the list, the secretary nodded, took out two rice paper booklets and the wooden plaques and handed them to the two men.

【No. 626】

Quality: Normal

Category: Keepsake

Those who hold it can participate in the Lin'an Prefecture Spiritual Chef Competition, where they will need to verify their identity with their cards.

Note: It is made of Heshou boxwood, which is monopolized by Guanglu Temple and is extremely difficult to imitate by ordinary people.

"Six-two-six? Stitch?"

Cha Xiaodao flipped through the wooden sign in his hand, examined it for a while, and then put it in his arms.

"It's a pity that I'm 627, not 625."

Ding Ru didn't see what was going on. After saying something to Cha Xiaodao casually, he turned around and left the registration office with the rice paper booklet.

"Three days from now is the 15th day of the fourth month of the Grain Full Moon Festival. According to this roster, the preliminary round should be on the 15th of April, the semi-final on the 22nd of April, and the final on the 8th of May?"

Qin Huai spread out a small rice paper booklet on the dining table of a small stall very close to the government office, and analyzed the schedule line by line.

"No, no, although the time is indeed this, the competition system is not a knockout round, but a qualifying round. For the chefs in this spiritual chef competition, there are only two results: pass or fail. The government will not give a specific ranking."

Liu Gengyang was holding a bowl of cool and sticky ice jelly and savoring it carefully. When he saw Qin Huai asking the question, he put down his spoon and pointed at the onlookers not far away: "The list of spiritual chefs circulating in the streets is just a pastime compiled by the people in the martial arts world. Although it is generally correct, there are thousands of different tastes for thousands of people, and it is really difficult to care about the details."

"Spiritual Chef Ranking? Fatty, if we pass this Spiritual Chef Competition, we should be able to make the list, right?"

Cha Xiaodao asked with some anticipation.

"Based on the situation in previous years, it may not be the case. But this year, the three levels are difficult to pass, and Diana is coming. If the two brothers can be promoted smoothly, I believe they can also make a name for themselves through this event."

Liu Gengyang chuckled and glanced at the government office in the distance, his expression unable to hide his excitement.

Just when Qin Huai wanted to ask what methods this "pastry girl" had, he heard the clerk in the accounting department calling out the names of the people in a somewhat excited manner.

"Shudi Ju goes downstairs, looking for the taste of Langguan Shaohua, focusing on Sichuan cuisine, taking Jiubianwei (spicy) and Yuhuangwei (sour), already recorded!"

"East Sea Jade Dragon Palace, the pastry girl Ao Ling, specializes in Huaiyang cuisine, and the meatballs are bitter (bitter), recorded!"

"Ahem...why is Xunweilang here this time? The bureau hasn't received any news about it."

Liu Gengyang was very excited when he heard his name being called, and in panic he choked on ice jelly that went into his trachea. Fortunately, Qin Huai, who was quick-eyed and quick-handed, punched him in the chest and spit out the foreign object, so he only coughed a few times.

"Fatty, are Xunweilang and Diansuiniang really powerful?"

When Cha Xiaodao saw Qin Huai raised his eyebrows, he immediately understood what he meant. He reached out to help Liu Gengyang calm down while also asking for information.

“It’s amazing, and it will get even better.”

Liu Gengyang took the water from Ding Ru and continued after he calmed down, "Let's start with the authentic flavors that these two have chosen. The Nine Changes Flavors that Xunwei Langguan chose first can combine the four qi and the four flavors. Its nature is diverse and changeable. Although it is easy to make it stand out in dishes, there are many ways to achieve the same effect. If you want to get it right, hard work is secondary. The most important thing is that little bit of inspiration. Xunwei Lang, who is assisted by [Jade Food Fairy], is not short of this unrestrained inspiration to turn decay into magic."

"What about the bitter taste? It's rare to find bitter dishes in Huaiyang cuisine."

Ding Ru is from Guangdong and has some knowledge of southern cuisine. He knows that Huaiyang cuisine is characterized by its freshness, purity and lightness, and has nothing to do with bitterness.

"Bitterness breeds heart, and heart breeds blood. Maybe this pastry girl is preparing a medicinal meal."

Liu Gengyang laughed strangely, looked up to estimate the time, and waved to Qin Huai and the other two.

"There are distinguished guests at the Wild Hunting Bureau at noon. I have to go and entertain them, so I won't eat with you. Huzi, can you take the two brothers to taste the Lin'an cuisine?"

"Leave it to me. Take care."

Qin Huai nodded, watched Liu Gengyang go away, then threw down a dozen copper coins to ask the stall owner to settle the bill.

"Mr. Qin, where are we going next?"

Ding Ru finished the ice jelly in his hand and stood up.

"Let's find a place to eat and discuss what we should do next."

Qin Huai folded the event schedule back into a small rice paper booklet, and said something inexplicable: "After all, these three levels are not easy to pass."

"What are you afraid of? If an enemy comes, we will fight him. If a flood comes, we will block it. With a great master like you helping us, how can we get into trouble?"

Cha Xiaodao raised his chin confidently.

Ding Ru also nodded in agreement and echoed, "What Xiaodao said makes sense. As long as we have the right ingredients, it won't be difficult to pass these three levels with our cooking skills."

"That's great. Let's go and find a restaurant to stay in first."

Qin Huai nodded and said nothing more.
-
North Winery, Chunfeng Tower.

"Shopkeeper, another plate of [Gold Inlaid Jade]!"

Hearing the diners' call, the proprietress, who was dressed in a blue and white dress and a jade hairpin on her head, simply turned around and smiled faintly, then went back to busying herself at the stove without any unnecessary movements.

"Brother, you are from another place, right? Chunfenglou's [Gold Inlaid Jade] only allows one plate per table. This is the rule set more than ten years ago when Sima Laozhang was still alive. If you feel that this [Gold Inlaid Jade] is not enough today, you can come back early tomorrow. If you are late, it will be gone."

A local customer who often comes to Chunfenglou spoke up to explain to the charming and beautiful owner. "Since it's the shop's rule, that's fine. But this wine is delicious, bring two more jars!"

The guest, who was tall and strong with a dark complexion, was obviously from Yongliang. He ordered two more jars of wine before sitting down with a sullen look on his face.

"Sir, your food and drinks are here."

"Just let it go."

Qin Huai turned his attention back from the table of guests from Yongliang and took the tray from the waiter.

"Sir, this jar of [Jade Hammer] is newly brewed and is perfect for pairing with our [Gold Inlaid Jade]. You three may not be familiar with it, but I want to teach you that if this dish is left cold, the taste will be completely different, so you should eat it quickly."

"Thank you. Please hurry up with the rest of the dishes."

Ding Ru nodded, took the jar of wine, and poured three full bowls.

"This preliminary round of the Spirit Chef Competition requires the contestants to demonstrate their ability to control one of the five flavors. Daozi chose the Konggu flavor, and Lao Ding chose the Sutuo flavor. One salty and one sweet, there are many dishes to choose from. What are you two going to cook?"

Qin Huai held the rice paper booklet and looked at the two of them.

"I plan to make the unique red steak in Tianjin cuisine, but I am still hesitating between beef ribs and pork belly."

Cha Xiaodao put down the wine bowl, looking a little conflicted.

"It's no problem. It's just the effort of hunting one more wild boar."

Qin Huai picked up a piece of [Gold Inlaid Jade] and looked up at Ding Ru: "What about you?"

"For the coconut soup with sea king, the base can be the [Wenxiang Coconut] I got before, but I'll have to trouble Mr. Qin to keep an eye out for the fish, shrimp, squid, and shellfish required as the main ingredients. In the next few days, I will also go along the Qiantang River to the East China Sea to catch seafood and search for as many ingredients as possible."

Ding Ru had a guilty look on his face, as if he felt bad for troubling Qin Huai.

"Don't go to the East Sea. Time is tight. You should go to the Wild Hunting Bureau. There are all the ingredients from Kyushu gathered there. Maybe they can find what you need."

Qin Huai shook his head and gave the two of them a final confirmation.

"Pigs, cattle, fish, shrimp, squid, and scallops, right? I will go back to the Mountain and Sea Realm tonight and try to hunt down some high-quality ingredients."

"The schedule of the Lin'an Prefecture Spiritual Chef Competition is also interesting. The difficulty of most competition systems should be gradual. But this one is better. It first asks us to make a [Court Feast], then a table of [Ordinary], and finally a [True Taste]. Excellent, ordinary, rare, wow."

Cha Xiaodao held a cigarette in his hand, took a sip of wine and didn't forget to complain about the competition system.

"Color, aroma, taste and shape are the basic skills of a chef. I guess the three levels are the five flavors, recipes and inspiration."

Ding Ru took a sip of wine, pushed his non-existent glasses, and slowly said what he understood: "Taste is the basis of dishes and the most important criterion for judging. [Court Feast], or dishes of excellent quality, have special effects recognized by heaven and earth, and are the most common dishes made by chefs at the spiritual chef level. I think the four departments and six bureaus put the control of the five flavors at the first stage, in order to screen out those chefs who are not yet skilled enough to the greatest extent possible and streamline the staff."

"If you say so, then the second-level banquet should not be as simple as just preparing a table of [ordinary] dishes."

Cha Xiaodao pointed at the second item in the booklet with his finger, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"How to pass these three levels, taste, feast, and truth, you can figure it out when you get back. But if you don't try this [Gold Inlaid Jade], the skin will not be crispy anymore."

The [Jade Hammer] and [Gold Inlaid Jade] of Chunfeng Tower are both of excellent quality and very expensive. The [Jade Hammer] is more expensive, costing two taels of silver, while the [Gold Inlaid Jade] is cheaper, but still requires one tael of silver.

It can be said that these two things alone have used up all the hunting silver that Qin Huai exchanged for the rabbit string this morning.

But you get what you pay for, and these dishes and wine naturally have considerable benefits.

[Jade Training Hammer]: After drinking it, the speed of gathering the power of the stars will be slightly accelerated, and it has the effect of relaxing muscles and tendons, and unblocking tendons and bones.

[Gold inlaid with jade]: Eat within five minutes of cooking. It can satisfy hunger, restore energy and physical strength, and reduce the consumption of energy and physical strength in a day. (Including labor, fighting and other activities)

"Salt, white pepper, egg white, and onion and ginger water. The seasonings used in Chunfenglou are somewhat unexpected."

Cha Xiaodao grabbed the chopsticks, picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. After a quick taste, he could taste the seasoning used by the proprietress.

"Sure, Knife, God's Tongue."

Qin Huai looked at Cha Xiaodao in surprise. With his taste buds, he could taste the other seasonings, but the egg white was hidden under the egg skin and its flavor was not obvious. This made him hesitate for a moment between it and the water starch.

"That lady's cooking skills are very good, she must be a talented chef."

Ding Ru also picked up a piece, tasted it carefully and swallowed it, then motioned for the two of them to go and see Madam Sima who was cooking on the street.

The beauty who was pounding the meat filling with her sleeves rolled up seemed to sense the gazes of the three men. She turned around and smiled at them, then went back to sift the filling that had turned into meat paste through a sieve.

"Old Qin, if we look at it this way, does it count as stealing someone's skills?"

Cha Xiaodao scratched his scalp, feeling a little uneasy.

"Since she is willing to come out, it is obvious that she wants you to see her. Perhaps this Sima lady also understands the principle of beauty and transparent kitchen."

The three of them were whispering, but Madam Sima beside the stove had already started beating eggs to make egg liquid.

I saw her mix the eggs, salt and starch water evenly, then moisten the iron pan slightly, and then pour the egg liquid into it, blending with the remaining layer of cold oil and spreading evenly and slowly around.

Holding the wooden handle with her bare hands, she removed the pot from the heat. The egg liquid adhered to the surface of the pot and gradually solidified. Madam Sima thought about the heat and put the iron pot back on the stove to heat it slightly. After repeating this twice, a golden and tempting egg skin appeared in everyone's sight.

Put the newly picked lotus root cubes mixed with meat paste on the egg skin and roll it up. Then make cuts on one side of the egg and meat roll and fry it in a hot pan with oil at just the right temperature.

Soon, a golden egg meat roll shaped like a Buddha's hand came out of the oven and was transformed into a plate of [Gold inlaid with Jade] under the knife of the beautiful chef.

"I was wondering why this [Gold Inlaid with Jade] tastes so familiar, it turns out it has the same origin as [Buddha's Hand Roll]."

Cha Xiaodao slapped his forehead and remembered this famous dish from the Qing Dynasty.

"There are even dishes from later generations. It seems that the wonder of this fruit cannot be judged by common sense."

Qin Huai understood and turned to face the two of them.

"This Chunfeng Tower is not far from the Imperial Wine Storehouse, and there are still a few upper rooms left. In my opinion, you two should stay here for a few days, so I don't have to look for another place."

"Right on my mind."

Ding Ru nodded and looked at Cha Xiaodao.

"That's okay with me too."

"That's good. You two stay here and I'll go to the Mountain and Sea Realm first."

Qin Huai nodded, glanced at the countdown in the status bar that was just over 100, then stood up and left Chunfeng Tower.

(End of this chapter)