Chapter 650 Show off your skills
After the ingredients were prepared, Chef Huang Lei started cooking, while others helped out. The entire [Mushroom House] became busy.
Ever since he showed off his cooking skills on the show "Where Are We Going, Dad?", Huang Lei has established himself as a person who can cook and make delicious food.
Later, this concept was continuously reinforced to the audience through various programs, and the name "Chef Huang" gradually became popular.
Huang Lei attracted a lot of fans with this character and filmed a TV series "Midnight Diner" with a chef as the protagonist.
He even established a company and brand under the name of "Huang Xiaochu", published the book "Huang Xiaochu's Beautiful Daily Life", and co-produced with Tencent Video the weekly online food + lifestyle talk show "Huang Xiaochu's Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter".
It can be said that the character of "Chef Huang" has been utilized to the extreme.
Huang Lei is a successful businessman who is good at seizing some of his own popular points to build his own personality and thus carry out commercial transformation.
But a character is just a character after all. His cooking skills can only be said to be that of an ordinary housewife, not as amazing as he is portrayed in the show. He is good at some home-cooked dishes, but that's all.
Huang Lei's good friend Xu Zheng once said in an interview: "Actually, Huang Lei's cooking is not as good as you all say. He has his own ideas when it comes to home cooking, but many of his dishes are not up to standard."
The reason why he can establish this character is that, first of all, there are very few celebrities in the entertainment industry who can cook, and more than 90% of them can do it. In addition, everyone gives him face and support, especially the good guy He Jiong, who always provides him with emotional value. Over time, he himself thinks that he is really an excellent cook.
The entertainment industry is all about social skills. No matter whether Huang Lei’s cooking is delicious or not, everyone who comes to the show as a guest will praise him.
[Mushroom House] There are two stoves in total, one in the house and the other under the pavilion in the yard.
Huang Lei was processing the big fish he had caught, scraping their scales and removing their internal organs. Teacher He was washing bamboo shoots and other vegetables on the other side, and several other people were helping to light the two stoves.
Peng Peng is responsible for the house, Gu Wei is responsible for the yard, and the two girls are more casual. If they want to try, they can help. If they don’t want to move, they can just rest on the side.
Gu Wei first found a large ball of newspaper and stuffed it into the stove, then took some dry grass and branches that were easier to burn and spread them on top.
"Have you ever started a fire before?"
Liu Yifei looked at Gu Wei busying himself and couldn't help but feel a little skeptical. In her impression, it was impossible for a young man like Gu Wei to master such a skill.
This kind of large iron pot stove in the countryside is not a gas stove in the city. It will catch fire by turning on the switch. In fact, making a fire is a technical job. It is not easy for an inexperienced person to light it, and it is possible to get yourself covered in dirt.
"Don't underestimate me, fishing depends too much on luck and doesn't reflect my strength. Making a fire is such a simple thing, I can do it easily."
There was a pile of chopped firewood in front of Gu Wei. He took a few pieces and put them on top of the stove, then found a fan and prepared to use it later.
"I hope you're not bragging," Liu Yifei muttered softly.
After everything was put in place in the stove, Gu Wei took a lighter and lit the ball of newspaper at the bottom.
Paper is obviously very flammable and it quickly burned. The flames then set fire to the dry grass and branches above. The fire in the stove under the stove was dazzling, and a burst of heat emanated from it and hit Gu Wei and Liu Yifei behind him.
"It's burning. That should be enough, right?" Liu Yifei stared at the stove, a little hesitant to confirm.
"It's still early. We need to light the wood on top. The newspapers and dry branches will burn up quickly."
As Gu Wei spoke, he picked up a few long pieces of firewood from the ground and put them in.
Then gently shake the fan in your hand at a constant speed to keep the flame in the stove burning at a stable speed.
"Would it be better if you fanned harder? What effect will it have if you do it so slowly?"
"Don't rush when making a fire. Take your time. If the wind is too strong, the flames won't burn fully and there will be a lot of smoke."
Gu Wei's movements were leisurely, showing his unhurried nature.
It turned out that what he said was true. The newspaper ignited the dry grass and twigs, and then slowly ignited the top piece of wood. The whole process was smooth and there was not much smoke.
After the wood blocks started burning, Gu Wei added some firewood into it. In this way, the stove in the yard was officially lit.
"I didn't expect you to be so good, and it's not all just bragging."
It was rare for Liu Yifei to praise Gu Wei with a smile.
"Come on, I just had some trouble fishing. When did I ever brag to you?"
"Judging from your skillful movements, do you have any experience with this?"
"About the same. When I was a child, my grandmother lived in the countryside and they had a big stove like this.
Children love playing with fire, so whenever we cook, I always come over to help light the fire."
"No wonder."
Seeing that the fire in the stove was quite strong, Gu Wei turned around and looked around.
"What are you looking for?"
"Go inside and ask Teacher He if he has any potatoes or corn. If he does, bring some out. They should be raw and whole, unwashed."
"what are you up to?"
"Go ahead, I'll make you something delicious later," Gu Wei urged.
Liu Yifei looked at Gu Wei with suspicion. She probably guessed what he would do. Although she didn't quite believe it, she still got up and went into the house. After a while, she came out with some potatoes.
"This is all I have. I was planning to make pork ribs stew with beans and potatoes, so I took out a few."
Gu Wei took it.
“A little less, but that’s fine.”
He looked at the fire in the stove, put in a few more pieces of firewood, then got up, found a broken basin, and dug some soil at the edge of the yard.
Then pour some water into the basin and mix it into mud.
"You're so old, and you're still playing in the mud?" Liu Yifei blinked her big eyes and watched Gu Wei's operation.
"What are you talking about playing in the mud? Have you heard of beggar's chicken? I'm beggar's potato, just hold it up."
Gu Wei said as he spread the mixed paste evenly on several potatoes, wrapping them up.
Then he found a pair of long-handled fire tongs and placed the potatoes that had turned into mud eggs one by one into the fire in the stove, and added some firewood to ensure the flames were strong.
"alright."
"Are you sure it will taste good this way?"
"You'll know in a moment."
The two were chatting when Zhang Zifeng came out of the house.
"Brother Wei, have you made a fire?"
“Easy to do~
Aren't you in the house with Pumbaa?"
"I don't know how to do it either, I just watched him make a fire and it seemed like he was quite skilled."
"Peng Peng has recorded so many episodes, so he must have experience," Gu Wei was not surprised at all.
"Teacher Huang has already started cooking in the big pot in the room. I just drew a picture of Peng Peng making a fire when I had nothing to do." Zhang Zifeng handed the notebook in his hand to Gu Wei and Liu Yifei.
The two took it and looked at it. It was a pencil sketch. In it, there was a person squatting there, looking blankly at the front, and the whole thing looked like a giant monkey.
Liu Yifei burst out laughing.
"Zifeng, your painting skills need to be improved." Gu Wei scratched his head.
"What? I have been learning sketching. My other paintings are all good. Just look at the previous ones." Zhang Zifeng argued.
Gu Wei turned a few pages as she said, and sure enough, there were other pencil sketches, also of people, both men and women, young and old, and they did look quite good.
"Not bad, the painting is very good~" Liu Yifei praised.
"Hehe." Zhang Zifeng was as happy as a child who was praised by his teacher.
"The previous drawings were so good, why did you draw Pumbaa like this?"
"It's not my fault. It's mainly because his aura when he was squatting there was so striking that I couldn't help but draw him so vividly."
"Did you show it to Pumbaa?"
“I saw it, that’s why I came out~”
“.”
After Zhang Zifeng came out, he sat next to Liu Yifei and chatted with them.
After about half an hour, Gu Wei used tongs to take a few potatoes out of the oven.
"What are you doing with a few stones?"
The potatoes on the ground were now pitch black, like burnt stones. Zhang Zifeng looked at Gu Wei's actions with some confusion.
"Your brother Wei is preparing his own delicious food and told me to wait and taste it," Liu Yifei explained with a smile, apparently waiting to see Gu Wei make a fool of himself.
"Are these burnt black stones delicacies?" Zhang Zifeng was full of questions.
Gu Wei listened to the conversation between the two without explaining much.
Baking over high heat for more than half an hour makes the mud around the potatoes as hard as stone, which is the same principle as firing pottery.
It is also very hot and cannot be touched with bare hands.
Gu Wei brought some water and poured it directly on a few potatoes, and immediately a white mist rose.
After the temperature dropped, Gu Wei carefully picked one up.
"Wow! It's still hot~"
He shook his left and right hands back and forth, then bit by bit peeled off the hardened mud on the surface.
Suddenly, the aroma of potatoes came, and the skin faded away along with the outer mud shell, revealing cooked potato flesh inside, steaming hot, golden and tempting.
Gu Wei blew on it, took a bite, and the sweet taste instantly spread from his mouth.
"Yes, it still tastes the same!"
Liu Yifei and Zhang Zifeng were watching from the side. They could also smell the aroma of potatoes. Zhang Zifeng couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
They were actually a little hungry.
After settling down at the [Mushroom House] in the morning, we went out to work separately. After coming back, we were waiting for dinner.
Given Huang Lei's cooking efficiency, everyone would not be able to eat until at least dark, so both of them were now hungry.
"There are two ladies next to you. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to watch you eat?" Liu Yifei spoke first.
"Sorry, I haven't made it for a long time. After I succeeded, I couldn't help but try it first."
As Gu Wei spoke, he put aside the potato he had bitten twice, and followed the same method to peel off two more potatoes and handed them to Liu Yifei and Zhang Zifeng respectively.
"Wow! It's so delicious. This is the most delicious baked potato I have ever eaten!" Zhang Zifeng took it and ate it in small bites, with a look of satisfaction on his face.
“It’s really good, fragrant and sweet, with a smoky wood flavor, very unique.
I didn’t realize you had these two tricks.”
Liu Yifei looked at Gu Wei with her beautiful eyes and couldn't help but praise him.
"When I was little, I would go to the countryside every summer vacation, go up the mountains and down the river, catch fish and shrimp, and I was good at a lot of things. This is just a small part of it.
I haven’t made this in many years, and the taste brings back some nostalgia, the taste of childhood.”
Gu Wei picked up the one he had started to peel and continued eating it.
"Not only potatoes, but also sweet potatoes, corn, and loaches caught from the river can all be made into delicious dishes using traditional methods."
"Next time, make something else for me to try." Liu Yifei arranged bluntly.
Gu Wei didn't think there was anything wrong and waved his hand.
"no problem!"
Zhang Zifeng, who was eating baked potatoes, looked at Gu Wei and then at Liu Yifei, grinning, not knowing what he was thinking.
“Actually, there’s something that tastes really good when grilled.”
"What?" Liu Yifei asked.
"Locusts, also called grasshoppers.
When I was little, I would catch them with the kids in the village and roast them, and they were delicious! "
"Hey
I can’t enjoy this. Eating insects is a bit disgusting!”
"Grasshoppers are high-protein, low-calorie food, rich in nutrients and delicious. I suggest you try it." Gu Wei smiled and promoted the delicacy he was talking about.
"Forget it, I can't accept it," Liu Yifei refused firmly.
"Where's Zifeng?"
"I can't, I can't." Zhang Zifeng's little head was like a rattle.
"Yo! You all ate it!"
The three of them were chatting, and Huang Lei took out some vegetables and wanted to cook them on the stove outside.
"Brother Wei made these baked potatoes, they're really delicious."
Zhang Zifeng stood up and showed the food in his hand to Huang Lei as if he was presenting a treasure.
"It smells so good and looks delicious. Leave one for me to try."
After all the dishes were cooked, it was indeed getting dark, and everyone gathered at the table under the pavilion in the yard and began to enjoy dinner.
There are not many dishes, but they are quite a lot, including braised carp, crucian carp soup, stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots, stewed pork ribs with beans and potatoes, and smashed cucumber.
Everyone gathered together to eat and chat, some praised the food as delicious, others said it was tasty, and the main focus was on social skills.
But then again, after a day of hunger, everyone got fresh ingredients through their own labor. Even if the taste of these dishes was just average, they would still taste extra delicious when eaten.
"Gu Wei also cooked a dish today, but it was too little and we ate it all. You didn't get to enjoy it." Huang Lei picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, and suddenly picked up the baked potato he was eating.
"How come I don't know that Gu Wei cooks?" Teacher He looked confused.
"Yifei came into the house looking for something before, and you gave her the potatoes." Huang Lei reminded.
"Oh, right. I didn't ask you at the time. What did you do with those potatoes?"
"Brother Wei made a dish called 'Beggar Potatoes', it's really delicious!
I ate one!" Zhang Zifeng, who was eating silently with his bowl in hand, raised his little hand.
"Beggar potatoes?
What kind of high-end dish is this?”
"Teacher He, don't listen to Zifeng, I was just saying it casually.
It's just wrapping potatoes in mud and roasting them over a fire," Gu Wei explained with a smile.
"There weren't many in total. After they were roasted, we each ate one and ate them all."
“Even Mr. Huang, the great chef, praised it, so it must be right.
I didn’t expect that you, Gu Wei, had this skill. If I had known earlier, you should have shown it off and cooked two dishes for us.”
Gu Wei picked up a string bean, took a bite, and joked.
"The production team asked me to come here to order food. If I were to be a chef, the price would be different."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone at the table laughed.
When the meal was almost over, Henry Liu picked up the guitar he brought with him and started playing music to entertain everyone.
His original profession was a singer. He debuted in South Korea and was an idol artist under SM Entertainment. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music in the United States and had extraordinary attainments in music.
He is an alumnus of the school including Wang Lihong, Yu Wenwen, Wang Yuan and others.
When recording "A Longing for Life", Henry Lau also brought his own musical instruments, guitar and violin, and he could perform for everyone when he was free, livening up the atmosphere while showing himself.
Peng Peng took out the package he received today, which was a karaoke machine.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they started singing K in the small courtyard.
"We sang together without accompaniment before, but later we bought this thing online. Now it is much more convenient to sing in the future," He Jiong said to Gu Wei and others after taking a sip of water.
Everyone was having a great time and everyone was requesting songs and singing.
After Gu Wei and Liu Yifei sang their solos, everyone urged them to sing a chorus of "Dimples".
The two of them had nothing to be embarrassed about and sang confidently. Liu Yifei had released an album before and her singing voice was pretty nice, not to mention Gu Wei, who was at the top professional level.
"Brother Wei and his partner are such a perfect match." Zhang Zifeng sat in the back watching the two singing and started to ship them as a couple.
Peng Peng next to him nodded unconsciously.
After the song was finished, everyone applauded loudly.
"We sang so many songs, they probably can't be broadcast. Does the program team have the copyright?" Gu Wei handed the microphone in his hand to Zhang Zifeng and asked He Jiong.
"That's not something we can control. The production team will take care of it. Those without copyright won't be broadcast."
(End of this chapter)
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