The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

"You want to open a restaurant?" Fernando was very surprised. He was probably the one who was most looking forward to Min Xi opening a restaurant. He particularly liked Min Xi's cooking skills, but he couldn't eat them often. Although he could buy dumplings and meat patties at Min Xi's stall, the variety was too limited and he couldn't eat enough. If he opened a restaurant, wouldn't he have more choices?

"Yes. I have been hesitating whether to open it, and I made up my mind recently. The funds are a little insufficient, so we have to borrow money from the bank. I would like to ask His Excellency the Baron to be a guarantor for us." Min Xi said.

Fernando asked: "If we open a restaurant, will we have many dishes?"

"That's for sure. There are at least dozens of dishes," said Min Xi.

"Great! Open it! I support you! How much does it cost to open a restaurant?" Fernando asked.

Min Xi said: "It will probably cost two or three hundred reais."

"It's not much, I'll lend it to you," said Fernando.

Min Xi did not expect the baron to say this, so he said, "I only lend money, not accept investment. I will calculate the interest according to the bank's interest rate."

Fernando said, "Of course. But I'll have to reserve a special table so that I can always have a seat and eat no matter when I go."

Min Xi also agreed readily: "No problem, I will reserve a special seat for you."

"Have you found a store? When can it open?" asked Fernando.

Min Xi said: "We looked at a store on King Street. The location is good and the store is spacious, but the cost is a bit high, nearly 300 reais. There is another store on Magallanes Street. The store here is a little smaller. The estimated cost is no more than 200 reais. There are more restaurants there, and the people eating there will be more concentrated."

Fernando said, "What level of restaurant do you plan to set? How much will it cost?"

Min Xi and Yun Ji have been to many restaurants during this period. Generally speaking, the most expensive dishes in the local most upscale restaurants are priced no more than 200 Swiss francs. Since the Fulanji people eat separately, the average consumption per person is around 200 Swiss francs.

Min Xi said, "It's probably mid- to high-end, with an average consumption of 30 to 100 Swiss francs per person." Since they are implementing the separate dining system, I might as well serve them the food myself. It's all cooked in the same pot, so I can just serve it separately.

Fernando said: “Why is the gap so big?”

"That's because the prices of the dishes are different," Minsik said. "I hope that the middle-income earners in Lisbon can also afford to eat in my restaurant."

The lower class earning 10 reais a year will definitely not spend money on restaurants, so these customers can give up. For middle-class people like Dr. Cafu, who earn 30-50 reais a year, it is okay to eat out once or twice a month. What Min Xi actually wants to do is to attract people with an annual income of more than 50 reais, for whom eating out becomes a normal habit.

Min Xi was still unsure of how many rich people there were in Lisbon. In order to investigate the market, he and Yun Ji spent two nights in a high-end restaurant, and the occupancy rate was at least 100%. That was why he set the price slightly lower, so that he could turn over the table twice a night, and the monthly turnover exceeded reais, which would pay for itself in three or four months.

Fernando shook his head. "100 reais is not very attractive to the upper class. It doesn't show the noble status. They may not be willing to come."

Min Xi smiled and said, "If a distinguished guest comes, we have a private menu that can fully meet the needs, but you need to make an appointment in advance, because there are many high-end dishes in Chinese cuisine that take a long time to prepare, so it is normal to prepare one or two days in advance."

Fernando's eyes lit up: "What's in the private recipe?"

Min Xi said: "The menu will be formulated according to the preferences of the guests. The prices will be much higher. There are 688 rye, 888 rye and 1088 rye grades, all per person."

Fernando clapped his hands: "This is good! I like it!"

"Your Excellency is welcome to come and support us then," Min Xi said, "Do you and your friends have any suggestions for the location of my hotel?"

Fernando said: "I think King Street is good. It's full of important people, and there will be a lot of people eating there."

The man with the Balboa beard said, "They still want to do mid-range business. I think Magallanes Street is good. People from the upper class will also go there to eat. They don't feel embarrassed to go to Magallanes Street. Ordinary people will not go to King Street to eat."

"I agree with what Lucas said," Cafu said.

Several others agreed.

Fernando spread his hands and said, "Well, what you said makes sense. Min, you decide for yourself."

Min Xi hurriedly thanked everyone: "Thank you for your advice! On the opening day, please come and support us. I will treat you all to a meal."

When everyone heard this, they became excited. Except for the Baron, no one had ever eaten Min Xi's food. But the Baron did not underestimate the time when Min Xi came to his house to cook. He praised Min Xi to the skies, which had already whetted everyone's appetite.

Before leaving, Min Xi asked the Baron for a few tomato branches, because these things can survive if they are inserted into the soil. Now is the season of spring flowers, and taking the branches back for cuttings is much faster than sowing. In less than two months, tomatoes can be eaten.

Fernando looked at the branches full of fruits and said, "They have eaten these wolf peaches. It seems that they are really edible."

Min Xi said, "Yes, sir, I think it can be used for cooking. I will plant wolfberries and cook them for you to taste."

Fernando said, "Then you might as well pick all the ripe ones."

"Did your Excellency let me pick them all?" Min Xi asked in surprise.

"Pick them, there are a lot of them now. We didn't know they were edible before, so they all rotted and became fertilizer," said Fernando.

Min Xi said, "Then I will cook a dish for His Excellency the Baron before I go back."

Fernando said, "Okay! What are you going to cook?"

"Just make it simple. Let's see if the Baron dares to eat it." Everyone present ate the tomatoes except the Baron.

Fernando said: "If you dare to make it, I dare to eat it!"

Min Xi picked all the ripe tomatoes and made two dishes for the Baron, one was scrambled eggs with tomatoes and the other was tomato and shrimp soup.

Fernando looked at the two dishes, which were colorful and fragrant, but he was a little hesitant to eat them.

Min Xi served a bowl of soup to himself and Yun Ji, and said, "Let's taste it for the Baron first."

It’s no wonder that the combination of tomatoes and fresh shrimps is extremely delicious, sour and appetizing. After drinking it, I feel relaxed all over.

Fernando asked Jody to taste it again. Seeing that Min Xi had already drunk it, Jody also drank it bravely: "Sir, it tastes great, better than any soup I have ever tasted."

Fernando then began to drink the soup and eat the eggs: "You are right, they taste very good. It seems that the wolf peach will have to change its name in the future! Min, you are really a genius. You actually discovered an edible plant."

"Thank you, Your Excellency the Baron, for the compliment." He was actually a little embarrassed, as this was not something he had discovered.

Min Xilai had a fruitful trip. Not only did he borrow money, but he also confirmed that the tomatoes were edible.

On the way back, Yun Ji said, "Ninth brother, you are really brave. You actually let them eat the wolf peaches. Fortunately, nothing happened. If something happened, you would have lost your heads."

Min Xi smiled and said, "I ate it and nothing happened, so I dared to let them eat it. Don't you think the wolf peach soup tastes pretty good?"

"Yes, it's not bad." Yun Ji had to admit that it tasted good.

Min Xi said: "Since we know it can be eaten, we can't call it wolf peach. I think it looks like our persimmon, so we should call it fan persimmon."

"First there was Fanla, and now there is Fanshizi. I think you are addicted to naming." Yun Ji said.

Min Xi chuckled: "Just tell me if my name is appropriate or not?"

Yun Ji raised his hand and flicked his forehead: "Suitable, suitable, all up to you!"