Today, besides Li Yue's family, there was also his aunt's family of three. Father Li hadn't invited any of his business friends; the guests were mainly friends of Mr. Li.
Li Yue reserved a seat for Ye Tian next to her. She seldom brought friends home, so her aunt's family was very surprised to see Ye Tian.
They saw Ye Tian wearing ordinary jeans and a hooded sweatshirt with a giant panda cartoon pattern. Her long hair was tied up in a bun, and she was thin. Her skin was fair and flawless, and her features were delicate and pretty, but not a stunning beauty.
Everyone just thought she was Li Yue's friend, but since Li Yue took her home to attend the old man's birthday party, she was definitely not an ordinary friend. It seems that this little girl must have something special.
Everyone else knew each other, and after exchanging pleasantries for a while, Mother Li asked the aunt to start serving the cold dishes, and then she went to open the red wine herself.
When Ye Tian was in the kitchen, Li's mother and Li Yue also came to help. Both mother and daughter were amazed by Ye Tian's cooking skills again and again: "You can't even cook like this! You can carve radishes like this! Are these still hands? How can they be so skillful!"
After the cold dishes, the hot dishes arrived. As each dish was presented, its exquisite presentation always captured everyone's attention. While Ye Tian herself was enjoying her meal, she also observed how everyone was eating. The overall reaction was positive, and Mr. Li's smile grew more and more pronounced.
Li Yue had been wondering what the "Bu Bu Gao Sheng" was made of since her family didn't buy bamboo. Later, when she saw it in the kitchen, she finally understood.
It turns out that Ye Tian carved cucumbers into the shape of bamboo joints, leaving a groove in the middle, and then used it to hold dishes made from shrimp, corn, carrots, and green beans. The shape is very unique.
"Old Li, the chef our family hired this time is very good. The lion's head and boiled dried bean curd are so authentic, and the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is cooked just right. I think it's better than the one at Xiyuan Restaurant. The beef balls are really tender, and the rising beef is also very creative. Which restaurant did you hire this from? Can we meet later and introduce each other? I want to invite her for my next birthday." Halfway through the meal, one of Old Li's old friends had already made this request.
"Yes, yes, I also want to meet this chef. The sea cucumber and shark fin are handled very uniquely, very well." said another old friend.
"My son and his family invited us here, so I don't know anything about it. Boss, can you please introduce it to me?" Mr. Li looked at his son and said, looking satisfied with the dishes for once.
Father Li looked at Ye Tian and finally said, "Dad, well... let Xiaoyue introduce it!"
Everyone was confused and looked at Li Yue.
Li Yue stood up and proudly extended her hand to introduce her friends. "The chef is the beautiful girl in front of you, my good friend Ye Tian. She prepared all the food today. Oh, by the way, there's one last dish that hasn't been served yet. Let's go and serve it now."
The two of them left in a hurry, and everyone at the table looked at each other, not knowing what was going on and why two people were needed to serve the dishes.
The last dish, "A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix", was served by Ye Tian herself, while Li Yue followed behind carrying a large copper stove.
The so-called "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" means that Ye Tian selects various ingredients, such as spring bamboo shoots, mushrooms, Jinhua ham, chicken, duck, scallops, etc., cut them into feather-like slices, and arrange them into small birds of various colors. In the middle, a white radish is carved into a phoenix with its wings spread out, ready to fly.
The phoenix is lifelike and lively, as if it can fly at any time. The birds surround the phoenix, with her as the center, as if quietly waiting to worship the phoenix.
Li Yue picked up the thin-mouthed copper kettle and poured the boiling broth in it according to Ye Tian's instruction. The various thin slices of ingredients were slowly cooked, as if birds spread their wings, flew up, and sang around the phoenix!
Everyone at the table stared intently at the performance, and finally burst into warm applause.
"This design is amazing!"
"It actually has two states: moving and still. It was already amazing at first, but I didn't expect that after pouring the boiling soup on it, there would be another new change."
Mr. Li was also amazed and said, "What a skill! What a skill!"
This dish not only looks good, but also tastes extraordinary. After the food is cooked, a faint fragrance comes out.
The aunt served a bowl of soup to each of them. Mr. Li couldn't wait to take a sip. The taste was so delicious that it soothed his whole being.
The broth, already simmered all day and filtered, is now fragrant and translucent. The various fresh ingredients, steeped in the broth, become incredibly delicious, each blending with the flavors of the other ingredients and the broth. It's a true feast.
This dish is named "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix", and it really lives up to its name in every aspect.
Everyone was reluctant to see the bird destroyed, but they were also attracted by the delicious food because the soup was so tasty.
"This female classmate is actually a chef. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize her just now. I hope you don't mind." said President Zheng of the provincial calligraphy association.
"I don't blame you, hahaha, even an old man like me didn't know it! There are so many talented young people nowadays!" Grandpa Li also sighed.
Then he looked at Ye Tian: "Thank you for preparing the birthday party for me today. It was such a surprise! I didn't expect my granddaughter to have such a friend. She is so lucky!"
Ye Tian said quickly, "Thank you, Grandpa Li, for the compliment. I really don't deserve it. It's my luck to have Xiaoyue as my friend."
As everyone was talking, they thought the meal was over, but they didn't expect there would be more staple food and sweet soup.
First came the exquisite birthday buns, not ordinary bread or cakes, but steamed Chinese buns, white and plump with a pink tip. In the middle of the plate sat a large birthday bun, surrounded by a circle of smaller, delicate buns.
Dad Li picked up the biggest one and gave it to his father. Grandpa Li took a big bite and said, "Hahaha, it turns out it's stuffed with shredded radish. Delicious!"
Everyone picked up a small piece to taste and found it to be quite unique and tasty.
"Dad, don't worry, there are still longevity noodles!" said Li's mother.
At this point, the eel longevity noodles were also served! Since everyone was almost full, the noodles were placed in bowls about the size of three mouthfuls, and each person got a small portion so that they would not be too full.
Unexpectedly, everyone finished the longevity noodles in just a few bites, and still felt that they were still not satisfied. Coincidentally, the sweet soup was served next.
The subtle flavor of ginseng and pear blends together, leaving a sweet aroma in the air. There's no sugar in the soup, just the natural sweetness of the pear, which is light and refreshing. A bowl of this soup is a perfect way to soothe your stomach and relieve greasiness.
After everyone had a very comfortable meal, they began to take out their gifts and give them to Mr. Li.
Ye Tian also took out the Hundred Longevity Picture she had drawn. She was not an important person, so she wanted to wait until everyone had given theirs before giving hers last.
"Lao Li, I found a Tianhuang seal for you, please appreciate it!"
"Look at this inkstone of mine. It has a history. Can you tell?"
…
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