The venue for this braised food tasting event was on the second floor of Xu's Fast Food Restaurant No. 1. All the tables on the second floor had been pieced together, and a whole red velvet tabletop was laid on the table, making these fragmented tables look like a whole.
In the center of the table was a one-meter-high tower made of apple cider vinegar, cola, Sprite, and beer. Fine droplets of water seeped from the cans, clearly indicating that these drinks had been refrigerated and frozen.
At the base of the giant beverage tower, twenty-eight plates of braised food were neatly arranged. Each plate was as big as two arms could encircle, and various kinds of braised dishes were neatly stacked on the plates. The braising liquid, which had solidified slightly due to refrigeration, was now slowly sliding down from the braised dishes, flowing down the layers of grooves.
Underneath the table were three large basins of food-grade dry ice. Just as Xu An led everyone up, Tang Wen ignited the dry ice with water. Wisps of cool smoke drifted out from the gaps in the tablecloth, creating a scene of ethereal beauty, complemented by the starry sky lights.
Many people were stunned by the dreamlike scene before them as soon as they stepped onto the second floor. They stood there dumbfounded, unwilling to move an inch, afraid that their actions would ruin the beautiful scene before them.
But the rich aroma of the braised food was simply too tempting. After only a moment of stunned silence, everyone decisively launched an attack on the braised food on the table. The most enthusiastic among them was Liu Zhaowen. He had only eaten a hamburger for lunch and hadn't eaten anything since then. He was already starving, and now that he saw the mouthwatering braised dishes, he could no longer suppress his desire. He tore open his chopsticks and devoured the food in a whirlwind.
Liu Zhaowen's frenzied eating caused many people to abandon their last shred of restraint, and they all grabbed disposable bowls and chopsticks and began to frantically snatch them.
"This spicy flavor is absolutely amazing! I feel like my skull has been opened up, it's so refreshing!"
"Everyone can try the Sichuan peppercorn flavored chicken wing tips!" It was Aunt He, who had won a spot in the event and volunteered to help out in the kitchen (and sneak some food), who was now tirelessly recommending her favorite Sichuan peppercorn flavored braised dishes to everyone.
"The five-spice flavor is more suitable for someone like me who doesn't eat spicy food. Hmm, the soy sauce flavor is also good."
"Meat dishes and spicy flavors are a perfect match! Once you take a bite, you can't stop eating them!"
“”
Since it was to be eaten with drinks, and it was after dinner, Xu An prepared a portion of one pound of braised food and two cans of drinks for each person. But now, the braised food on the table was completely devoured in less than twenty minutes, while most of the drinks were still left.
Looking at the twenty-eight empty enamel plates, everyone wore expressions of unsatisfied enjoyment. If it weren't for the presence of so many people, Xu An suspected that many would have even wanted to lick the plates clean.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, it was time to vote. Everyone held a piece of paper in one hand and a pen in the other and began to rack their brains.
Spicy duck feet are quite good, large intestines are also delicious, shiitake mushrooms are better whether they are spicy or five-spice, and Sichuan peppercorn flavor is also amazing. It seems that no matter what flavor or type of braised food, it has its own unique features. It would be too difficult to choose ten of them!
For a moment, everyone in the room looked around and scratched their heads in confusion.
Liu Zhaowen and Liu Tong are both omnivores, and they both quite enjoyed every kind of braised food at today's feast, which made filling out the forms extremely difficult.
"Why can't the boss put all these braised dishes on the menu? I love them all!" Liu Zhaowen chewed on his pen for a long time, but the card remained blank.
“Yeah, choosing ten favorites is too much to ask. Fifteen, no, twenty would be more like it,” Liu Tong chimed in.
"You mean, the boss ultimately selected the ten braised dishes to be included in the menu based on the number of votes?" Liu Zhaowen suddenly asked thoughtfully.
"I think so. Didn't they say at the event that the ten with the most votes would be chosen?"
"Then tell me," Liu Zhaowen whispered to Liu Tong, "What if there are ties? For example, what if three different braised dishes get the same number of votes for the last spot? What would the boss do?"
"You mean!" Liu Tong instantly understood Liu Zhaowen's meaning, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes!" Liu Zhaowen nodded firmly. "Why don't we give it a try? What if it works?"
"OK!"
The two hit it off immediately and split up to find targets for their persuasion. Liu Zhaowen set his sights on three college students sitting near him at the bus stop.
He quickly walked over to them and happened to see them filling out the third-to-last line. He immediately stopped them and explained his conjecture and plan. After hearing Liu Zhaowen's explanation, the three college students quickly joined his team and began persuading the others present.
Xu An stood before a solitary table, preparing to collect the cards with completed answers. Suddenly, the atmosphere became strange; many people began whispering amongst themselves, and then their eyes turned to him with calculating intent.
It must be my imagination. What's there to scheme about? Xu An shook his head slightly and looked at the time displayed on his phone. There were still three minutes until 9:40.
The strange atmosphere on the field didn't last long; everyone quickly returned to normal, burying themselves in filling out their own cards. However, as they handed in their cards, Xu An felt that the smiles on their faces were rather odd, and their eyes were brimming with gossip. But looking at the collected cards, everything seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary.
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