Feng Xiaoyun then remembered that there was no such character as Xi Shi here, so he had to make up the story of Goujian and Xi Shi for everyone, and only said that he saw the legend in an ancient book.
"Hahaha! Xiaohao, go and get my bottle of good wine. Just based on this Xishi tongue, it's worth it for my brother Xiaoyun and I to have a drink today!" The old master was laughing so hard that his eyebrows were not visible.
The address also changed from Mr. Feng to Xiaoyun and then to Brother Xiaoyun.
However, Yan Zi and Ma Ke'er did not expect that such a dish could have such a tragic love story. Looking at the sand clams on the plate that looked like human tongues, they were a little afraid to eat them.
Zhang Li was also convinced at this time. An ordinary dish, coupled with the story behind it, suddenly seemed to taste a little different. Isn't this the essence of Chinese food culture?
The old master opened a wine flask that Xiaohao handed over and poured a glass for himself and Feng Xiaoyun. He had originally closed the lid, but after thinking about it, he opened it again and asked Yan Zi, who was sitting next to Feng Xiaoyun, "Would this lady like to drink something?"
He asked this question because Feng Xiaoyun had to let the other person eat whatever he wanted before he ate, which left a deep impression on him.
Seeing Yan Zi shook his head, he breathed a sigh of relief and covered the wine flask. Then he explained to Feng Xiaoyun, "Cooks really can't drink too much, but I like it. Now that I'm older, I drink more."
He half-closed his eyes, took a sip, and drank the wine with enjoyment. Then he pointed at the third dish and said, "Brother Xiaoyun, try this!"
This is a bowl of soup with some meatballs, seaweed and dried shrimps in it. It looks like a very ordinary bowl of fish ball soup.
Feng Xiaoyun scooped a meatball into Yan Zi's bowl first, which made Yan Zi feel a little embarrassed.
Then he ate another one, savored it carefully, and frowned slightly.
Seeing Feng Xiaoyun frown, the old chef quickly asked, "What's wrong? Is this dish not to your taste?"
Now he regards Feng Xiaoyun as his confidant, and this dish is actually the one he put the most effort into.
"No, no, no, of course not," Feng Xiaoyun explained. "If I'm not mistaken, this should be Spanish mackerel meatball soup, right? But the texture is different from what I usually eat. The meatballs are so springy, they can even be used to play table tennis."
"Can this be used to play table tennis?" Wilson was severely bullied by an old man in the neighborhood a few days ago. When he heard that this meatball could be used to play table tennis, he couldn't help but scoop one out and knock it around in the bowl with a spoon. It really felt chewy.
Feng Xiaoyun ignored him and continued, "Did the chef not add egg white and starch to these meatballs? But if he didn't add these two things, I really don't know how he made the fish balls so chewy, so firm, and so tender that they don't fall apart in the pot, and the soup doesn't muddy. One bite of them is so delicious that it's enough to make your eyebrows drop."
"Oh, of course our master chef has his own secret recipe!" Xiao Hao said proudly.
"Brother Xiaoyun, your tongue is like this too!" The old master gave a thumbs up: "You are the first one to tell that there is no egg white or starch in the old man's fish balls after eating them for the first time."
"As for a secret recipe, that's not really it. It's just that when I chop the fish, I add pork belly to the mix. The meat must be chopped very finely. Finally, I beat it over a hundred times to make the meatballs firm and elastic."
Feng Xiaoyun tasted it carefully again and found that there was indeed a hint of meaty aroma in it. It seemed that the meaty aroma diluted the fishy smell of the mackerel, and the fat from the pork served to bind the entire fish ball together.
Of course, the actual operation may not be as simple as the master said, but it is not easy for him to tell you this secret method.
"Next dish, next dish!" The old chef was a little impatient. He didn't care about others and turned the table slightly, and the fourth dish was placed in front of Feng Xiaoyun.
This is a plate of eel, and it has the aroma of black bean sauce when you smell it slightly.
Feng Xiaoyun smiled and said, "This dish is Braised Dragon with Black Bean Sauce, right? I haven't had it for a long time. I have to try it."
The old master just smiled without saying anything, and stretched out his hand to make a gesture of invitation.
Feng Xiaoyun was about to start eating when Yan Zi reached out and picked up a piece and put it in his bowl. Feng Xiaoyun gave Yan Zi a bright smile, then picked up the eel piece and put it in his mouth.
After eating one piece, he picked up another one, savored it carefully, and put down his chopsticks.
After thinking for a while, he said, "This shouldn't be made by the master, right?"
"Oh? Why do you think so?" the old master asked with his eyes lighting up.
"The first and second pieces I ate just now had different textures. The first was a little raw, and the second was a little overcooked. I think there was a problem with the cutting technique. This black bean sauce panlong dish is very important in terms of cutting technique and cooking time. Whether it's a little thicker or thinner, the taste is different."
“Hahaha, Brother Xiaoyun, if you still praise me for this dish like before, then we can’t be close friends, but your tongue is amazing!”
After saying that, the master chef looked at Xiao Hao with a fierce face: "Well? What did I say? Don't you think your knife skills are already up to par? Now you know, right? Why do we chefs have to flatter ourselves by adding the word "master" to our faces? Think about it carefully. Someone like you will always be just a cook!"
Xiao Hao didn't expect that today's customer was so good. He could taste every dish. You know, even the people from the Dongji City Food Association who came to the restaurant to eat were not as good at speaking as him, but he was still convinced in his heart.
As for this dish of black bean sauce panlong, he did notice some flaws in the knife work after cutting it, but after thinking about it, who among the ordinary people could tell? So he didn't care.
"Brother Xiaoyun, isn't your program going to trace the origins of Chinese cuisine? I have an old friend who's also a fisherman on Dongji Island!" The old master shook his thumb and said, "If you're not afraid of hard work, you can go out to sea with him."
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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