The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

The two professors arrived at five o'clock, and the dishes were served immediately. More than ten dishes filled the table. Including the host, guests, tutors and children, there were less than ten people in total.

Roast chicken and roast goose are the main dishes today. We cooked three beggar chickens, but only one was served on the table. The other two were planned to be taken back by the two professors to be enjoyed with their families.

In order to show the two professors how to eat beggar's chicken, Min Xi smashed a clod of earth in the dining room and took out the beggar's chicken dripping with soup from the banana leaves. The two professors were stunned: there is actually such a way to eat the dish!

When the two professors tasted the dishes, they couldn't help exclaiming: They were so delicious, so tasty. It was completely beyond their imagination. It was unbelievable that the dishes could be made to taste like this!

After eating and drinking, Min Xi dug out two lumps of earth from the embers, put them in something, and gave them to the two professors respectively: "This is the beggar's chicken for you, take it back and let your family taste it. While it is still hot, go back and carefully knock open the outer lumps of earth, then cut open the leaves inside, take out the chicken and you can eat it."

This was a complete surprise. The meal was beyond their expectations, and they didn't expect to be able to take some back to taste. The two happily took the beggar's chicken, got on the carriage and left with satisfaction.

Before leaving, Professor Castro said, "If you want more banana leaves, come to the school and find me again."

Since the professor said so, Min Xi naturally would not be polite: "If I need anything, I will go to the school to find you." Don't ask for banana leaves next time, just give a few potatoes.

After seeing off the guests, the housekeeper came over and asked Min Xi, "Sir, there are still a lot of fish left from the fisherman's delivery this afternoon. The cook asked what to do with them?"

The fishermen didn't bring much fish in the afternoon, but there were more than 20 pounds. In addition to the fish and shrimp that had been eaten, there were more than 10 pounds left. Although the temperature was not high, it was still around 10 degrees. It shouldn't go bad if left overnight, but it would definitely not be so fresh.

Min Xi thought for a while and said: "Let's do it. Seventh brother, let's make fish balls with the remaining fish meat." The fish are mixed fish, there are all kinds of them, and it is not easy to handle them. It is better to just mix them all together so that we don't have to think about how to eat each type of fish.

"Okay, you tell me what to do."

"It's just like making beef meatballs. Debone and skin the fish, then chop it into a paste, beat it hard, and then make it into meatballs. I'll remove the skin and bones, and you chop the fish meat."

"Okay." Yun Ji agreed readily.

While Min Xi was busy making fish balls, the two professors came home with beggar's chicken. Professor Castro shared this strange beggar's chicken with his family, and the children ate it so hard that they kept sucking their fingers.

"Dad, today's chicken is so delicious. Can we have it tomorrow?" Raphael, the youngest son who always has a poor appetite, finished his portion and couldn't help but pick up the banana leaf to lick the soup on it.

Professor Castro thought his son's behavior was too rude, but he couldn't say anything to scold him. Rafael had been sickly since childhood and had a poor appetite. Eating was always a concern for his family. It was rare for him to like something to eat. And the chicken was really delicious, it was beyond their imagination.

The professor said, "This was made by a friend of my father and given to us. It was not bought from a restaurant. I can't make it for you if you want to eat it."

"Can you ask that friend to do it again?" Raphael's eyes were full of pleading.

The professor shook his head. “Dad doesn’t know him very well. Unless he invites me, I wouldn’t be able to go to his house and ask him to cook for us.”

Raphael's face was full of disappointment. "But I really want to eat beggar's chicken again. My birthday is next week, and I don't want any other gifts. I just want to eat a whole beggar's chicken again."

When the professor heard his son's birthday wish, he couldn't bear to see his son disappointed, so he said, "If that friend comes to see Dad again next time, Dad will definitely ask him to make beggar's chicken for you again, okay?"

When Raphael heard this, his face suddenly turned from cloudy to bright: "Really? That's great! I love you, Dad."

When the professor saw the child's smiling face, he felt a little emotional, but he was really not sure whether Min Xi would come to the school to find him again. He knew that they were traveling from Lisbon to Valencia and might only stay for a few days.

The child has always had a poor appetite and wants to eat chicken on his birthday. Should we ask Min Xi to help make beggar's chicken again?

Min Xi did not go to the school to see Professor Castro the next day. After all, it would be too obvious to go to his house to ask for potato seeds right after entertaining guests, so he planned to visit him after returning from the shipyard.

Professor Castro then approached Professor Silva and asked him indirectly about the time when Count Hernandez and Min Si left Valencia.

Professor Silva said he didn't know either: "Why do you ask this? Is there something wrong?"

Professor Castro said: "It's nothing special. They gave us gifts yesterday and my family liked them very much, so I wanted to treat them to a meal."

Professor Silva said: "The chicken yesterday was really delicious. My family also liked it very much."

"Isn't it? It's really well cooked. It's rare that all the children like it. And to be honest, my youngest son has always had a poor appetite, but he especially liked the beggar's chicken yesterday. He made a birthday wish to me, saying that he hopes to eat beggar's chicken again on his birthday." Professor Castro looked worried.

Professor Silva laughed: "The little guy has good taste! Why don't you go find Mr. Min and ask him to help make beggar's chicken again, otherwise they might leave in a few days."

Professor Castro said somewhat embarrassedly: "Is this okay? Wouldn't it be too much trouble for others? It would be better if I could buy it with money."

"He doesn't run a restaurant, so it's definitely not something you can buy with money. But I think Mr. Min is a good person to talk to. If you dare to speak up, I think this won't be difficult." Professor Silva encouraged him.

"I'll think about it." Professor Castro waved his hand and turned to leave.

Professor Silva reminded him: "You have to do it early, otherwise he might be gone."

"I know." Castro's muffled voice came.

Min Xi and Yun Ji worked until very late last night to make fish balls. In the morning, they made fish ball noodles and ate all the fish balls they made yesterday.

The Earl and his family also had breakfast together and ate the chewy fish balls, which was a taste they had never had before. They were very curious about how the fish meat achieved such a texture.

Min Xi gave a brief explanation. When the Earl heard the complicated method, he couldn't help but be amazed. It turned out that all delicious food takes time to be made.

After breakfast, the Earl said to Min Xi and Yun Ji, "I plan to go to the shipyard today. Do you want to come with me?"

"Okay!" Min Xi agreed readily.

They took the count's carriage to the shipyard to see how ships were built.

The shipyard has special requirements for its location because it needs to facilitate the entry of ships into the water, and it is a little distance away from the city of Valencia.

On the way, Min Xi asked: "Mr. Earl, how much does it cost for you to buy a ship?"

The count said: "It will cost about four hundred thousand reais."

Min Xi was shocked: "So expensive! Does it include the cannon?"

"Yes, including all the expenses for guns, ammunition, etc." said the count.

This price is not cheap at all. Converted into Portuguese currency, it is more than 200,000 reais, which is at least 70,000 to 80,000 reais more expensive than the Portuguese ship. However, Portugal and Spain are in a competitive relationship, and they should not help their competitors build ships. I don't know if I can buy a ship in Portugal.

Min Xi asked again: "How long does it take to build a ship?"

The Earl said, "That depends on the size of the ship. For the largest ship like the one we bought, it would take at least 24 months, and that's without waiting."

From this point of view, it is much shorter than expected, but this is the level of Spanish shipyards, and I don’t know about Portugal.

It took them about an hour to reach the shipyard. The shipyard was very remote, with no other buildings around it, and it was heavily guarded. If they hadn't followed the count, they would definitely not have been able to get in.

After all, this shipyard is equivalent to a military factory, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. Before entering the factory, they were routinely checked to ensure that they did not carry any flammable items. The shipyard is full of flammable items. If someone went in and deliberately set a fire, the loss would be terrible.

The Earl himself showed his pockets to the guards, and Min Xi and Yun Ji also cooperated. The guards saw the dagger Yun Ji took out and picked it up for inspection. It was a gift from Colonel Ed on the day the Chinese Hotel opened. Yun Ji always carried it with him for self-defense. The guards said, "You can't bring the knife in. Put it here first and return it to you when you come out."

Yun Ji nodded: "Okay."

He saw the fire starter that Min Xi had taken out and said, "You can't take this in either. Leave it here as well."

Min Xi had no objection: "Okay." He was a cook, and he would not carry anything else with him, so he must bring a fire starter. How could he cook without fire?

After the inspection, I was finally allowed in. As soon as I entered the gate, I saw a mountain of thick wood, all of which were used for shipbuilding. Some of the barks were not peeled off, and they should be waiting here to dry.

Going further in, you can see workers cutting wood. They break down the thick tree trunks into planks, which are then processed into bottom plates, cabin boards, decks, etc. Different types of wood have different uses.

The Earl personally introduced everything to them along the way, until they arrived at a dock, where someone came out to greet the Earl. The Earl's ship was inside.