Chapter 46 The Birthday Banquet Begins
Wen Zhenyi carefully arranged the dish and said with a smile, "Brother, you can treat it as real. After all, there is real ginseng in it."
"The truth is false and the false is true." Wen Yongnan had to admire him. It was almost difficult to tell the truth from the false.
As for the Golden Monkey Offering Peaches, it uses soaked Hericium erinaceus, added with broth, salt, green onion, ginger, cooking wine and other seasonings, and steamed in a steamer to make it tasty.
Most of today's dishes are steamed and stewed, mainly to ensure that they do not get cold easily when served.
Wen Zhenyi looked at the things steaming in the steamer and calculated the time: "Brother, help me peel the orange. Cut the top of the orange. I want to use a spoon to scoop out the orange flesh. I need the orange juice and its shell."
"Okay, let Dad make you some orange juice." After saying that, he went to call for help.
Wen Zhenyi took out the cabbage, which was washed whole. She cut off the upper half and left only the root of the back half.
Blanch in hot water, then rinse with cold water and set aside to drain.
Shen Hanxing just sat here and watched quietly, and found that the kitchen really had a lively atmosphere, and everyone was busy.
His eyes were always on the petite figure, and he felt that she would glow when she was in the kitchen, as if she could make everyone and food fade away.
His eyes were focused on each dish and he would not be disturbed by anyone.
“Master Shen, you are here, but it’s easy for me to find you.”
Shen Hanxing retracted his gaze and looked at the person who came: “Something happened.”
"Mr. Shen is here. The young master asked me to invite you over. It's almost time to take your place."
Shen Hanxing looked up at the sky. Has he been sitting here for so long?
"Let's go." He then glanced at the still busy kitchen.
Wen Zhenyi finished a dish and looked out of the kitchen. There was no one there. Only a teacup and a fallen leaf were left on the table.
A maid ran in from outside the courtyard gate and interrupted her sight: "Miss Wen, the young master asked me to ask when the dishes will be served. The guests are almost here."
"Let someone serve the food."
The maid bowed and walked outside.
Wen Zhenyi calmly began to do the finishing work. He cut the leaves of the bok choy into flower petals and poured the prepared orange juice on them to make the color more eye-catching.
A white plate, orange flowers, and garnished coriander leaves. This is not a dish, it's a painting.
The waitress who served the food was stunned when she saw what was on the plate, but she quickly covered the plate and walked out with the tray.
Wen Zhenyi took out the Hericium erinaceus and arranged it into the shape of a monkey's head, adding carved peaches and clean leaves, which made the dish come alive.
Mr. Cheng is celebrating his 60th birthday today. He was busy making money when he was young and got married when he was over 40. Unfortunately, his wife died of complications during childbirth when giving birth to Cheng Lesheng.
He never remarried and raised Cheng Lesheng alone.
He was in high spirits today and greeted the arriving guest: "Sir, I thought you were too busy with official business to come."
"We've known each other for years, so I had to come and join in the fun on your birthday," County Magistrate Lei said, jokingly adding, "I heard your son hired a special chef, so I had to come and try his cooking."
Master Cheng smiled and shook his head: "This bastard said he is responsible for this birthday banquet. I am worried that he will mess it up. I hope you all will bear with me when the time comes."
Mayor Meng smiled and stroked his beard: "My son is very filial, how could we blame him?"
Mr. Cheng smiled and let them sit in the seats of honor.
Shen Xiucai also sat at their table, while Shen Hanxing was pulled by Cheng Lesheng to the table for the younger generation.
Cheng Lesheng sat on a stool, holding a fan and looking at his friends: "Let me tell you, today's dishes must be something you have never eaten before."
"You're just bragging. What kind of food are we not tasting?"
"Don't be so skeptical, but don't try to compete with me. I'll get angry with anyone who tries to compete with me."
County Magistrate Lei's son, Lei Jiayang, had a look of disdain on his face. Although his father was a good official, he was a glutton and spent all his money on food.
Mr. Cheng and I are a pair of foodies. Our favorite thing to do together is to research which restaurant has the best food and which restaurant has new pastries.
So if someone said he had never eaten it in this county, he would not believe it at all.
Cheng Lesheng was a little anxious when he saw that these bad friends didn't believe him. He pulled Shen Hanxing aside and said, "If you don't believe me, ask Hanxing. You know what kind of mouth this guy has."
Lei Jiayang looked at Chen Hanxing again. If Cheng Lesheng was bragging, nine out of ten people would believe it. But if the picky Chen Hanxing said it was all good, then he was a little looking forward to it.
Chen Hanxing looked at the several pairs of eyes in the room, all looking at him: "Why are you looking at me? You'll know when the food is served."
"Are you two in collusion?" Meng Yongchun looked suspicious.
"What's the benefit of lying to you?" Cheng Lesheng looked at them.
Song Yi threw away the folding fan in his hand: "In that case, why not make a bet before the food is served."
The people at the table, except Shen Hanxing, all became interested: "What are you betting on?"
"Let's bet on whether these dishes are ones we haven't eaten before. If not, we can each treat Le Sheng to a meal. If we want to eat dishes we've already eaten, then we can only ask Master Cheng to spend the money and treat each of us to a meal."
Cheng Lesheng looked at Song Yi and said, "Your calculations are quite good."
Song Yi smiled and waved his fan: "Master Cheng, do you dare to bet?"
"Let's bet." He looked at Shen Hanxing and said, "Hanxing, you testify, and I will make you poor."
"Okay, high five as a pledge."
Cheng Lesheng suddenly said: "Wait."
"Do you want to go back on your word?" Lei Jiayang raised his eyebrows and looked at him.
"No, I want to add a condition."
"What conditions?" Everyone at the table looked at him curiously.
"If you invite me to dinner, it has to be what I want to eat."
"It's not that easy." No one cared. There were only a few things in this county town. How difficult could it be?
Cheng Lesheng smiled cunningly: What I want to eat is not so easy to buy.
Shen Hanxing saw his smile and raised her eyebrows. She probably guessed what he was going to do and looked at Lei Jiayang and the others with some sympathy.
Lei Jiayang had no idea and turned to look at him: "Han Xing, why don't you join in and eat this bastard out of money."
Before Shen Hanxing could say anything, Cheng Lesheng interrupted her: "Don't come on, Hanxing is on my side, you just have to wait to treat me to a meal."
After saying that, he casually began to count the people at the table: "Han Xing, besides you and me, there are ten people here. Can we have ten meals?"
Meng Yongchun took a sip of tea and said, "It's still uncertain who will invite whom."
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