Is the beginning of a catastrophe? The little farm cook is raising a family with a full warehouse.

With every chew, the flavor of the fusion becomes more intense, as if the tip of your tongue is wandering freely among the mountains, streams and river shallows.

From the fresh bamboo shoots breaking through the soil in spring, to the deep waters where shrimp roe hide under the shimmering waves, your taste buds are intoxicated by this wonderful feast presented by the mountains and rivers, and you can't stop.

Old Mrs. Su is old and her teeth are not very good. The first thing she picked up her chopsticks was the shrimp roe and spring bamboo shoots. After tasting it, she could not hide the surprise in her eyes.

She had thought it was just an ordinary family feast, but she hadn't expected to find such delicious dishes. These three dishes were just appetizers, and she couldn't help but look forward to the hot dishes and soups that would follow.

The five-spice smoked eggs and spring bamboo shoots with shrimp roe were relatively easy for Li Fu and Old Lady Su to accept. They stuffed their mouths with chopsticks one after another, but when it came to the duck feet with fermented soybean oil, they became a little hesitant.

There are two main reasons why people nowadays don’t like to eat this kind of food.

One reason is that due to the limited breeding and slaughtering conditions, poultry are mostly free-range and come into contact with the dirty ground all day long, and are contaminated with countless impurities. In addition, the cleaning methods after slaughter are rough, making it difficult to completely remove the dirt, making the poultry look extremely dirty at first glance.

The second reason is that traditional dietary concepts are at work. The idea of ​​"authentic taste" is deeply rooted in people's minds. The meaty parts of poultry, such as the breast and thighs, are regarded as authentic ingredients. Chicken feet and duck feet have less meat, with only bones, tendons and skin remaining, and are not considered mainstream. People think they are cumbersome to prepare and are unwilling to take the trouble.

Therefore, except for people with limited financial resources, well-off families do not like to bother to prepare chicken and duck feet, let alone use special seasonings to cook them.

The candlelight flickered on the table, and the rich aroma of the two delicacies seemed to still linger between lips and teeth, arousing people's appetite.

Their eyes met, and in a brief hesitation, there was a hint of hesitation about the unknown taste in their eyes, but it was hard to hide their aroused appetite.

The duck feet were stacked in an irregular pattern on the plate, their shiny skin was slightly oily, and they were dotted with fine seasonings, which was very tempting.

Finally, curiosity and greed got the upper hand. Li Fu was the first to stretch out his chopsticks, and the tip of his chopsticks accurately grasped a duck paw. Old Mrs. Su followed closely behind and also picked up a duck paw.

The soft, tender and smooth meat inside can be easily separated by teeth. It is so delicate that it almost melts in the mouth. When the tip of the tongue touches it, you can feel the fine fiber texture.

The rich aroma of fermented rice oil is like a dense net, wrapping and penetrating the duck feet in all directions. The rich and mellow taste carries a unique sour aroma after fermentation, which cleverly dissolves the potential fishy smell of the duck feet and gives it a deep and long-lasting flavor. After swallowing, the mouth still retains a lingering wonderful aftertaste of elasticity, glutinousness, fragrance and freshness.

The slight grudge in their hearts disappeared in an instant, their eyes suddenly lit up, and they looked at each other with surprise and intoxication. They couldn't wait to pick up their chopsticks again, indulging in the wonderful taste of this unexpected encounter, and couldn't stop.

The three appetizers were quickly divided up by everyone. Cheng Yuntao brought out the hot dishes and soups from the kitchen one by one with a smile on her face.

There are five hot dishes, namely braised pork elbow, stewed sea cucumber, steamed mandarin fish with wine, Kung Pao chicken, and stir-fried bean sprouts.

Braised pork elbow is a true staple. After cleaning the pork elbow, blanch it in hot water to remove the fishy smell. Then, smear the skin with honey or dark soy sauce and pan-fry it in hot oil until the skin is golden and wrinkled. Add scallions, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, rock sugar, and soy sauce and braise until tender and flavorful. The pork elbow is bright red, with glutinous skin and tender meat, fatty but not greasy, and melts in your mouth. The rich, salty and sweet sauce is a perfect addition to rice.

After soaking, the sea cucumber is cut into sections and put into the pot together with ham, mushrooms and other ingredients. Add broth and simmer over low heat. The sea cucumber absorbs the rich broth and becomes soft, chewy and chewy. The salty and fragrant ham, the fresh fragrance of mushrooms and the broth are perfectly blended.

Fresh mandarin fish is gutted, scored all over, drizzled with fragrant rice wine, and garnished with shredded scallions and ginger before being steamed over high heat. The wine enhances the fish's sweetness, leaving it tender and smooth. The aroma of the wine wafts through your mouth, and you savor the fish's original flavor, its freshness lingering on your tongue.

Dice the chicken, coat it with batter, and stir-fry until cooked. Heat oil in another pan and sauté peanuts, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns. Add the fried chicken and the Kung Pao sauce, made with vinegar, sugar, light soy sauce, cooking wine, and salt, and stir-fry evenly. The chicken is tender and the peanuts are crispy, creating a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors.

Wash and clean the fresh bean sprouts, stir-fry quickly over high heat to retain their original sweetness and crispness, making them fresh and green, and relieving the greasy smell of meat.

A soup, ham and cabbage soup.

Select high-quality ham slices and slowly stew them with firm cabbage hearts. The ham has a rich salty flavor and is stewed into a mellow soup base. The cabbage absorbs the delicious soup and becomes soft, sweet and refreshing. The soup is clear, fresh and fragrant, warming your heart and leaving a long aftertaste.

After the dishes were arranged, Cheng Yuntao placed two main dishes on the side so that everyone could take them.

The main courses are fried rice and shredded chicken spring rolls. Each grain of rice is distinctly crispy, stir-fried with diced ham, shrimp, eggs, and green beans, creating a vibrant and fragrant dish. Every spoonful offers a delightful surprise, filling and delicious. The shredded chicken spring rolls are wrapped in a thin dough wrapper filled with tender shredded chicken and vegetables, then deep-fried until golden and crispy. The outer skin is crispy, while the inner filling is juicy and fragrant.

Seeing that the dishes were almost ready, Chef Cheng Yuntao took off her apron and took a seat. There were also desserts in the kitchen, so it wouldn't be too late to serve them during the final stages.

In order to celebrate the housewarming today, Cheng Yuntao went out and bought a small jar of the best bayberry wine. This kind of fruit wine is not strong in alcohol and tastes particularly sweet and sour, which is appetizing. The elderly and children can also enjoy a small sip of it.

Cheng Yuntao picked up the wine glass. Seeing this, everyone put down their chopsticks and picked up the wine glasses beside them.

"First of all, I want to thank Uncle Li and Grandma Su for allowing us to settle down smoothly in Junhua City and have a stable home. Secondly, I also want to thank Jiang Yu for escorting us along the way and helping us a lot. Finally, I want to thank my family for supporting each other and warming each other."

"Now I drink this glass of wine, and wish you all a prosperous and worry-free life ahead!"

After saying that, Cheng Yuntao raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. Everyone responded one after another. The room was filled with the aroma of wine and the atmosphere was warm and friendly.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, everyone ate to their heart's content, with beads of sweat on their foreheads and flushed faces. There was constant laughter and joy throughout the meal, and satisfaction and happiness were written on everyone's face.

For dessert after the meal, Cheng Yuntao chose Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup and Red Bean Paste and Yam Cake.

The lotus seeds are cored and soaked, then stewed with rock sugar, white fungus, etc. until soft and glutinous. The syrup is clear, sweet, cool and refreshing. The steamed yam paste is wrapped with delicate bean paste and made into a cake shape. The surface is sprinkled with sugar and osmanthus flowers for garnish. The bean paste is sweet, the yam is fragrant, and the fragrance of osmanthus wafts in the air.

After finishing the dessert and chatting for a while, Li Fu stood up, bowed and said goodbye, and walked away along the cobblestone road, even his back revealing a relaxed and happy look.

Old Mrs. Su lived across the street, and Cheng Yuntao personally sent her back. Before leaving, she specifically asked for an extra bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup, saying that she planned to eat it after she had digested the food.

After seeing off all the guests, Cheng Yuntao closed the door. Silence immediately replaced the previous noise. The moonlight flooded into the courtyard like water. When the dawn broke tomorrow, life in Junhua City would officially begin.