The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

This afternoon, Min Xi was in the kitchen making soup stock for the hot pot. In order to make the soup base more delicious and rich, in addition to chicken and duck, lamb bones, dried scallops and dried mushrooms were added to the soup.

Recently, because of eating hotpot, Min Xi's workload has been greatly reduced, because many customers do not order stir-fried dishes, but eat hotpot directly, and they only need to cut the dishes.

At this time, a carriage stopped at the door of the store, and Lord Melo got off the carriage and entered the store. It was not yet time for dinner, and there was no one in the store at this time. The snack shop was busy at this time, and Yun Ji went there to help.

Lord Melo went straight into the kitchen. Greta, who was washing vegetables, saw someone enter the kitchen. She looked up and was startled: "Master, there are guests."

Min Xi looked back and said in surprise, "My Lord, what's the matter?"

Lord Melo said, "I'm going to book a private room tonight. My father and mother are coming over for dinner."

"Your Excellency the Marquis is coming to dine?" Min Xi was very surprised. Many nobles had come to their restaurant, but they had never had a distinguished guest like the Marquis.

Lord Melo said, "Yes, he heard that your restaurant has hot pot that can be eaten immediately after being boiled, and he wants to try it. We will come over to eat hot pot tonight."

Min Xi said, "You can just send a servant to tell us to book a room, why did you come here in person?"

Lord Mello said, "I want to come here in person."

"Don't worry, Your Excellency. I will prepare it well. By the way, what do Your Excellency the Marquis and his wife like to eat?" Min Xi asked.

Lord Mello said, "When they come, let them order their own food."

"Okay, I'll try to prepare more dishes so they have more choices." Min Xi said, "Are there any other dishes you need to prepare?"

Lord Mellor said, "My mother loves sweets. Can you arrange some dessert for her?"

Min Xi thought for a moment and said, "No problem. I'll do it myself."

"Then I'll leave it to you." Lord Mello said with a smile, "I'll go back first and come over with my father and mother later."

"Go ahead, I need to get ready too."

After Lord Melo left, Min Si called Gail and said, "Take a small bucket and go to the pastry shop to ask how much milk is left. Ask for a bucket for me. Be careful not to spill it."

Gail nodded: "Okay." He went as he was told.

The dim sum shop's business is getting better day by day. Diego is a little too busy in the kitchen alone, so Yunji will go over to help when he is free, and he will also help make dim sum.

Not long after, Gail and Yunji came back, and there was only about half a bucket of milk in it: "Boss, this is all the milk left, is it enough?"

Min Xi took a look and said, "That's enough. Let's put it aside for now."

Yun Ji asked: "What do you want the milk for? If you need any dessert, they can make it in the store."

Min Xi explained: "The Marquis of Merlot and his family are coming to dinner tonight and asked for some desserts. I thought about it and decided to make some myself, double skin milk."

"What is double skin milk?" Yun Ji was puzzled.

Min Xi said, "A kind of dessert. If there is any extra, I will give it to you to try. Unfortunately, there is only half a bucket of milk, which is probably just enough for the Marquis' family. If there is no extra, I will make it for you tomorrow."

Yun Ji smiled and said, "I don't have to eat it."

Min Xi said: "Everyone should try the food in my restaurant, otherwise how can I recommend it to customers?"

Yun Ji nodded: "You are right. Then make it for me tomorrow."

In the evening, the Melo family arrived as expected. Although there were only three people in their family, they still sat in the private room upstairs. After all, their status was there.

It was getting dark and all the lights in the store had been turned on. The flickering candlelight made the store very bright, and the warm yellow light added a sense of warmth to this winter night.

It was the first time for Marquis Merlot and his wife to visit a Chinese restaurant. They were surprised to see the furnishings inside. They did not expect that these two Chinese people were quite good at doing business. The restaurant was decorated very elegantly. No wonder the business was so popular.

When they came in, the hall on the first floor was almost full, and on almost every table there was a shiny, steaming copper pot, which felt warm just by looking at it.

Yun Ji personally led the Marquis to the Lan Hall on the second floor. The Lan Hall was a private room near the front window, with Magellan Street outside the window, providing a good view.

After entering, Lord Mellor personally pulled out a chair for his mother and asked her to sit down. The Marchioness said, "The window doesn't seem to be closed tightly, there is still a little gap."

Lord Melo said with great experience: "That was left there on purpose. The owner said that charcoal fire is needed to eat hot pot. If the air is not circulated, people will be easily poisoned."

"Is there such a thing?" The Marquise was skeptical.

Marquis Merlot said, "Never mind that, let's order first. What can we eat?"

Yun Ji handed over the menu: "Please order, sir."

The menu is a piece of paper with each dish numbered. The waiter writes down the number and the customer writes down the number of what he wants.

Marquis Melo took a look and handed it to his son: "You should come. You eat it often and you know what your mother and I like to eat."

Marquis Merlot smiled and said, "Then I'll do it." He ordered more than a dozen dishes in one breath, almost all of them, and even ordered two servings of some of the dishes he thought were delicious.

Yun Ji looked at so many dishes and wondered if the three of them could finish them. After thinking about it, he decided not to persuade them, since it wasn't his own money anyway.

After ordering the dishes, Yun Ji said to Min Xi, "The Marquis Melo and his family have arrived."

After hearing this, Min Xi said, "Have you ordered the dishes?"

"It's ready."

"Okay, then let's serve the food directly." Min Xi asked everyone to bring the copper pots, soup base and various dishes, while he himself brought three bowls of double skin milk.

Since the Marquis came in person, I had to go up and say hello, after all, he was an old customer of mine.

Min Xi entered the private room, put down the plate in his hand, and saluted enthusiastically: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Marquis and his wife! Your presence really makes our shop glorious. This is the dessert I just made, please enjoy it, Your Excellency the Marquis and his wife."

The Marchioness looked at the small bowl placed in front of her and asked, "Is this milk?"

Min Xi said, "It's a dessert made with milk. Today is the first time I'm making it. Please taste it and see if it suits your taste."

The Marquise picked up a spoon and scooped it up, only to find that it was solidified. She said in surprise, "I thought it was boiled milk. It's a bit like yogurt."

Min Xi said: "It's not yogurt, it's boiled milk, but with something else added, it's called double skin milk."

The Marquise ate a small spoonful and said, "Hmm, it tastes good, fragrant and sweet, with a good texture."

Lord Mello quickly tasted it upon hearing this. It had a sweet and smooth taste that melted in the mouth and was very delicious. "I've never eaten it before. Is this the first time you make it?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "Yes, this is the first time I made it. Because there is not much milk, I just made three bowls. If you want to eat it, you have to wait until next time."

Lord Mello was very pleased that they were the first to taste this dessert: "That's really our luck. Father, Mother, is it delicious?"

Marquis Mello nodded: "Not bad."

The Marchioness said, “I love this dessert.”

"I'm glad you like it." Min Xi saw that all the dishes on the table had been served one after another, so he said, "The dishes have been served. We can serve them after the soup boils. Please enjoy your meal, Your Excellency and Madam."

Lord Mello was a frequent visitor here and had eaten hotpot several times, so Min Xi did not keep anyone to serve them, but let their family explore.

In fact, the Marquis and his family were very satisfied and happy with the meal. Hot pot is actually a kind of buffet, where you cook the food yourself and eat it yourself. For the Marquis and his wife, who lived a life of luxury, this was an extremely fresh experience, fun and delicious.

When they left, Lord Melo went to pay the bill, which was 1020 reais. Lord Melo gave 2 reais and said, "No need to change. My father and mother enjoyed the meal very much. Thank you Min for the double skin milk."