Summary: [Main text completed, extras updating] Wen Fan, a female food official of the Great Xia Dynasty, died. In the eerie palace, even though her culinary skills were heaven-defying, she did not...
Chapter 96 Clear Chicken Soup [First Update]
Yu Fangfang, the hope of the whole class, quickly adapted to the rhythm of Wenji's cooking and would occasionally bring a few sesame seed cakes for her classmates in the morning. Over time, Yu Fangfang became much more popular in the class.
After school that day, Wen's mother asked her if she was free on the weekend.
Yu Fangfang thought she had to work overtime, so she quickly said she was free. Because her home was far away, Yu Fangfang only went home once a month, and spent the rest of the weekends in her dormitory at school.
"Do you need me to come over this weekend? I'm available anytime!"
Mrs. Wen quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need to come to the shop. The shop is closed this weekend."
Closed down again?
Ever since Mrs. Wen put up a sign in the shop saying it was closed on weekends, some customers have felt particularly helpless.
I'm already exhausted from working during the week, and it's hard to even get takeout. But when the weekend finally arrives, the shops always seem to close unexpectedly.
So what if you're good at cooking?
Waaaaah, I was just kidding, please don't close down again...
Wen's mother explained to Yu Fangfang that the shop would be going to a certain kindergarten on the weekend, and if Yu Fangfang was willing to go, she would be paid 200 yuan a day for part-time work.
"By the way, are you sixteen yet?"
Yu Fangfang nodded. She started school a little later; she turned sixteen before the start of her first year of high school.
"That's good. I'll get you a health certificate tomorrow."
Since it's for kindergarten, it's better to have all the necessary documents.
After finalizing the deal with Yu Fangfang, Wen's mother went off to get busy again, all the while thinking about the weekend's trip to the kindergarten.
If the previous ventures were just small-scale operations in the shop, this was the first time Wen's mother had faced the challenge of serving hundreds of customers. Wen's father started buying things several days in advance, and Wen Fan would come to the shop after school to tinker with things, then give his father a bill to buy more.
Principal Xie Qingxi was a straightforward person. She paid half the payment in advance, finalized the contract details, and had both parties sign the contract. Then she really washed her hands of the matter.
Wen's mother was terrified, fearing she wouldn't be able to handle everything on Sunday.
Wen Fan wasn't scared at all. She even had the idea of asking her father to buy some butter and cheese pasta, saying that she heard there were foreign parents at the kindergarten and that she would cook some fusion dishes for them.
With more ingredients, Wen Fan started using his lunches and dinners as tasting sessions every day.
The day before yesterday I made butter wasabi shrimp, yesterday I made pork chop baked rice, and today I made curry beef brisket...
The old man next door was eating and his voice was getting louder and louder. Mr. Qu's rice wasn't enough, so he had to come and get more rice every now and then.
Wen Fan stared at the fire in the pot, which contained chicken soup that she had been simmering for almost a day.
Chicken soup can be divided into clear broth and rich broth.
To make clear broth, first skim off the skin and fat from the chicken, blanch it clean, and then simmer it in water. To make the chicken soup taste even better, add a chicken carcass, a little ham, and a leg bone.
After bringing it to a boil over high heat, simmer it over low heat. You need to keep an eye on the heat while simmering, as the soup will easily become cloudy if the heat is too high. Generally, simmer for seven or eight hours to make the chicken soup thick and flavorful.
The top broth is made by mincing chicken and putting it into the broth to absorb the oil, which is done three times in a row. After that, there are no impurities on the surface of the chicken broth. Then, the broth is strained through cheesecloth again, making it so clear and bright that you can see the bottom of the pot.
The preparation of superior stock is complex, but once it is made, whether stir-frying or simmering, just one spoonful will double the freshness and flavor.
Wen Fan had never shown this skill in his own shop before, but this time he did it so well that his father was dazzled.
Wen Fan made three different soup bases.
Besides the top broth, there are also thick broth and rich broth.
Three large pots of soup were placed together. Wen Fan clapped his hands, feeling that the preparations were almost complete.
Bring a bucket of the shop's braising broth; everything else can be prepared on the same day.
Sunday has arrived in the blink of an eye.
The family set off at six o'clock on Sunday morning. Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Wen had already sent some supplies to the kindergarten and bought some vegetables in advance. Therefore, there weren't many things in the car, only a few insulated containers that Mrs. Wen cherished like precious treasures.
Isn't it a precious treasure? Each pot of soup takes at least ten hours to simmer. Just watching the tedious process makes Wen's mother feel tired.
Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Mr. and Mrs. Wen carefully carried the soup bucket downstairs.
Wen Fan went into the kitchen, looked around inside and out, and was very satisfied. For a small kindergarten, the kitchen had almost everything it needed, and the stoves were of high standard, showing that care had been put into it.
Xie Qingxi arrived early today and introduced the kitchen staff to Wen Fan.
"This is Lao Li. He has always been in charge of the kitchen and catering for the entire park."
Xie Qingxi left in a hurry after the introduction, as there were too many things to do at the kindergarten, and the parents had to arrive at nine o'clock in the morning.
Old Li had a square face, and he was only polite to Wen Fan, showing neither warmth nor disdain.
For him, it was certainly good that he didn't have to worry about it, but the principal had found such an unbelievably young girl to direct such a big event today...
Old Li also felt a slight dissatisfaction.
These days, nothing seems to compare to the word "internet celebrity." I've worked in the kitchen for years, and even if I didn't come from a prestigious background, I still came from a big restaurant like Jin Yu Lou.
He didn't learn the street-side craftsmanship; he always adhered to the style of a grand restaurant. Otherwise, he wouldn't have applied directly to Xingyun Kindergarten after resigning from his position as the third chef at Jinyulou.
While introducing the kitchen staff to Wen Fan, Old Li secretly observed the family.
Mr. Wen, who looked like a small restaurant owner, lagged behind, while Mrs. Wen and two helpers, one big and one small, were setting up soup buckets.
But this little girl was recognizing people with her hands behind her back.
He started giving instructions less than two minutes after he finished recognizing the person.
If Lao Li was a little uncomfortable earlier because he felt Xie Qingxi had chosen such a trendy street-side shop, now that he was being directed by a young girl, he was really starting to feel embarrassed.
He thought Wen Fan was just being polite when she said she would hire him, but who knew she was genuinely outgoing and immediately pointed to Xiao Peng, who was in charge of making bread, to knead the dough.
Xiao Peng glanced at Lao Li, who closed his eyes and nodded slightly.
It's pointless to say anything now. Since Xie Qingxi doesn't think much of their kitchen skills, let her be.
Just do as the little girl wants. If the parents are not satisfied, it's not our fault.
"Master Li, could you clean this fish for me?"
Old Li looked at the jumping grass carp and felt a surge of anger.
"Call me when you're done cleaning this fish. And you, the one chopping vegetables, don't rush this, clean up that pile of crabs in the back..."
Old Li watched as the dozen or so people in the kitchen were quickly put to work by Wen Fan.
She wasn't just ordering others around. After arranging everyone's tasks, Old Li watched as Wen Fan put on an apron, her knife flashed, and she began to work with a series of clattering sounds.
Xiao Peng kneaded the dough with a stiff face. Taking a moment to look up, he saw Xiao Lü, who was also kneading dough, staring blankly at the person next to him.
Following Xiao Lü's gaze, Xiao Peng's rolling pin fell to the ground with a snap, hit the cutting board, bounced up, and hit Xiao Peng's foot.
Ouch!
Xiao Peng didn't even bother to pick up the rolling pin; he was completely dumbfounded.
Wen Fan moved with both hands, his movements light and quick, as if he were performing some kind of dance.
On one side was a pot of boiling water, and on the other side were plates for cold dishes. Wen Fan could handle several things at once, and his knife skills were so good that even the people chopping vegetables next to him were impressed.
Old Li, with his hand gripping the fish's mouth and wearing a leather apron specifically for cleaning fish, stood there, holding a knife in one hand and a fish in the other, completely mesmerized.
Wen Fan finished his work efficiently, then slammed the cleaver into the cutting board with a loud crack.
"Stop looking and get moving! Hey you, those crabs are about to escape! And Xiao Peng, your dough's stuck to your hands, hurry up and knead it..."
As soon as Wen Fan gave the shout, the people around him immediately sprang into action, becoming much more obedient than before.
Old Li silently bent down and put the fish he had just cleaned back into the water to clean it again.
Okay, I'm speechless.
In this line of work, age doesn't matter; whoever has the best skills is the boss.
Xiao Peng and Xiao Lü exchanged a glance, feeling a sense of sympathy between them.
Kneading dough is something I do willingly.
...
Wen's mother and father were not far away, and seeing this scene, Wen's mother was bursting with pride.
This is her daughter, she's amazing!
The kitchen was so busy that there was no set time. Around 10 o'clock, Xie Qingxi sent someone to urge them, saying that the parents' activities would be over in about an hour and asking how the food preparation was going.
Wen Fan glanced at his watch and indicated that there was no problem.
"Everything will be ready by 11:20."
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Author's Note: This is a little less, the next one will be more.