Chapter 145 Famous Dishes
"Don't worry, this is just an invitation for you to come over for dinner," Song Yushu really didn't think too much about it. He just wanted to prepare some rare and delicious dishes for Xu Chunming so that Grandpa Liu and the others could also have a taste.
"That's good. Even if Xu Chunming refuses to cooperate with you, you can find others. There's no need to put all your eggs in one basket," Old Master Liu breathed a sigh of relief and then comforted him.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Liu, I'm not a stubborn person either," Song Yushu didn't expect that this old man, who was even more stubborn than herself, would turn around and persuade her. It seems that what she did really frightened these old people.
After discussing the time with the elderly, Song Yushu went back to prepare the dishes to entertain Xu Chunming.
Although the dinner invitation was scheduled for three days later, Song Yushu had to make preparations in advance because Xu Chunming was an exceptionally skilled cook and ordinary dishes could not satisfy him.
Having seen the menu of Bichunlou, Song Yushu decided to serve Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Stewed Fatty Duck, Boiled Cabbage, Cherry Pork, and Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, all of which are famous imperial dishes that are still popular in later generations.
Because preparing the ingredients was quite troublesome, Song Yushu spent a lot of effort just to gather all the ingredients for Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. In the end, he had to remove a few of the more expensive ingredients before he could start preparing the dish.
Old Master Liu arrived at the restaurant first with his wife. He didn't need Song Yushu to entertain him or ask her to prepare the dishes. He and his wife drank tea in the courtyard, and only started chatting when Doctor Wu came over.
"What brings you here?"
“I heard that Xu Chunming is also coming today. It seems that Madam Wei is going to dig up all her secrets this time. I can’t miss this opportunity,” Doctor Wu poured himself a cup of tea and sipped it slowly.
"Xu Chunming is, after all, a descendant of the imperial chefs. It will be difficult for Madam Wei to win him over with her cooking skills."
"No matter what, we should give it a try. If Madam Wei has the guts, she'll find a suitable candidate sooner or later." Even though Doctor Wu wasn't very confident that Song Yushu could win over Xu Chunming, he didn't think that Song Yushu would end up with nothing.
The restaurant was not open for business as usual today because it was hosting guests, so Xiong Erni and Zhou Chengzhu assisted. Although Song Yushu was busy with the variety of dishes, he did not lose his composure.
When Xu Chunming arrived, he saw that Grandpa Liu and the others were there, so he assumed that they were the persuaders that Song Yushu had sent, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Unexpectedly, the old man and the others did not intend to win Song Yushu over at all; instead, they talked about dishes.
These words got Xu Chunming talking, and the group chatted about the dishes for a while before Song Yushu served the first dish.
Xu Chunming didn't have high hopes for Song Yushu's cooking, but before Song Yushu even got close, or even before the lid of the earthenware pot containing the soup was opened, he noticed a rich and mellow aroma wafting around his nose. This made him sit up straight and stare at the earthenware pot that Song Yushu had placed on the stone table.
"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting. The rest of the dishes will take a while, so let's serve this Buddha Jumps Over the Wall first to tide you over," Song Yushu said, placing a handkerchief on the lid of the earthenware pot and opening it.
Xu Chunming suddenly stood up and looked at the golden soup in the earthenware pot. The ingredients such as abalone, sea cucumber, and ham were clearly visible inside, and the aroma was even more enticing when he got closer.
"Mr. Xu, how is this soup?" Song Yushu ladled the soup into a bowl and placed it in front of Xu Chunming, and also ladled a bowl for each of the others, including Old Master Liu.
"It's fresh but not greasy, mellow but not heavy. Although there are many ingredients, the flavors are blended perfectly. It's even better than the broth in my Bichunlou restaurant. However, your cooking time is still a bit lacking. If you simmer it a little longer, the flavor will be even better!"
After drinking the bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Xu Chunming's eyes lit up and he began to share his insights with Song Yushu.
Song Yushu thought to himself, "As expected of a descendant of imperial chefs, even though I wasted too much time gathering ingredients and was in such a rush that I didn't stew it long enough, he can still tell. He truly lives up to his reputation."
Although Xu Chunming felt that the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish was a bit lacking, it was still enough to surprise him, so he wanted to have another bowl. But when he looked, he found that the broth and ingredients in the earthenware pot had already been devoured. It turned out that while he was talking, Old Master Liu and the others had already finished drinking all the soup on the table.
"Madam Wei! This soup is just what we old folks want, and we ate too much without realizing it. Please don't mind, Mr. Xu, there are other dishes to come!" Doctor Wu finished the soup in his bowl before putting it down and expressing his apologies.
Xu Chunming had no choice but to wait for the next dish.
The next dish, cherry pork, was served a while later. Xu Chunming thought it was just average and not as amazing as the previous Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but it was quite popular with Grandpa Liu and the others. The three of them finished the dish quickly without losing their appetite.
"Hmm? What kind of dish is this?" Xu Chunming looked at the jade-white plate in front of him, which contained only one thing that looked like a flower bud, and was somewhat puzzled.
"Wait a moment," Song Yushu said, bringing over a pot of soup and pouring the clear broth over it. Soon, the flower buds in the bowl began to bloom layer by layer, a sight that left everyone at the table speechless.
As the owner of Bichunlou, Xu Chunming has always been demanding when it comes to the dishes. The dishes he sets must be perfect in terms of color, aroma, and taste. This is why he has been able to stand firm despite the suppression from the Xu family. However, after seeing Song Yushu's dish today, he realized that he had indeed been somewhat narrow-minded.
What's this dish called?
"Plain cabbage in clear broth".
"This name... is not bad either, simple and elegant."
Song Yushu knew that with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and this clear broth cabbage, he was almost certain of success. All that was left was to finish with a Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix and a clear stewed fatty duck.
"Today's trip was truly worthwhile! I never imagined that I'd have the chance to enjoy such delicacies even when I'm practically in the grave. I'm really grateful to Boss Xu!"
"Ahem! I wonder if Mr. Xu has any intention of cooperating with Madam Wei? Although I run a clinic, I have some savings. Could you perhaps include me in the business?" Doctor Wu originally didn't plan to get too involved, but he was thoroughly impressed by the meal. He knew that if they cooperated, these dishes alone would bring in a constant stream of customers, not only in this small prefectural city but also in the capital.
Xu Chunming was amazed by Song Yushu's dishes today and had already made a plan in mind. When he heard that Doctor Wu also wanted to join, he looked at Song Yushu.
"Of course, there's no such thing as too many people when it comes to cooperation. Mr. Xu, you don't just plan to open a restaurant in the prefectural city, do you?" In Song Yushu's view, Doctor Wu and Old Master Liu were both his own people, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.
The group discussed the cooperation in the restaurant until the moon was high in the sky, when they finally settled all the matters.
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