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Chapter 56
With long legs, Milos walked to the counter of Feng Qianguan's stall. He stared straight at the clod of soil on the counter, with a subtle surprise in his eyes.
He has been traveling around the world throughout his youth, and he believes that he has tasted delicious food from almost every corner, and he has already tried this dish before him.But the aroma he smelled when he was queuing just now was something he had never seen before.
Very amazing.
The selection of spices and ingredients is just right, and what’s more, the control of variables—time, temperature, marinating degree, seasoning formula, and even the treatment of lotus leaves, wrapping techniques and the thickness of the mud layer, all determine the final deliciousness.
Even, the absolute hand speed after breaking the mud layer is for the delicacy to be delivered to the hands of diners in the shortest time after it comes into contact with the air.
The girl in front of her looks casual, but behind the casualness is absolute proficiency and superb skills.She has a well-thought-out plan, and she is very familiar with every dish under her hand. She knows how to heat the chicken to make the chicken the most tender and juicy, and also knows how to roast it to make the seasoning taste good while stimulating the original fragrance of the ingredients..
This kind of proficiency can only be honed by one's own exploration. No one can teach another how to treat ingredients so proficiently.
This is also the biggest difference between her and those chefs just now.
Milos pursed his lips, silently looking at the female chef in front of him.
Is this a technique that can be practiced in the twenties?
Jiang Ci didn't pay attention to the strange silence in front of her eyes, she was concentrating on handling the beggar chicken in front of her.Qi Yan put a new clod of soil in front of her, and she pointed the back of the knife at the center of the clod with her backhand, and hit hard——
The sound of the cracking of the loess is thick, reminiscent of the aftershocks of an ancient clock in the setting sun. The low, almost silent vibration hums and beats the eardrums, as if even the heart is hit.
Under the setting sun, the smoke rises from the kitchen, it is the time for hunger, and the poor conditions in the wild cannot stop human beings from pursuing delicious food.The freshly picked mountain delicacies are stuffed into fresh and plump free-range chickens, wrapped in soil, and then a pile of dead branches and leaves are raised to form a natural stove.Simple cooking combines the right time and place to create an absolutely tempting delicacy.
The existence of the chef is to capture the fleeting delicacy in this world.
When Jiang Ci removed the back of the knife, a thumb-wide crack opened on the thick yellow mud surface, exposing the gray-green lotus leaf inside.
A strong aroma came out, covering the few meters in front of the counter very aggressively.
The crowd of onlookers burst into cheers.
Chairman Zhao was stunned, and he was stunned. He looked at the female chef holding a knife and at Mr. Qi who was busy preparing paper bowls.He and the Jiang family tried their best to keep the Fengqian hall, otherwise it would definitely be a big loss.
And Milos stared at Jiang Ci with complicated eyes.
He was surprised to find that he had lost the desire to comment—the female chef in front of him moved smoothly, with a magic power that made him want to watch quietly, and the air around him was so fragrant that he had already started to swallow his saliva.
Mr. Hong took two steps forward without speaking.
The surrounding gourmets and industry insiders also watched Jiang Ci's movements restlessly.
——They waited for ten minutes!
ten minutes!
God knows that it would be torture to stand in line with such a smell for ten minutes?!
Fortunately, it was finally their turn to eat.
Standing in the center of dozens of gazes, Jiang Ci raised her head: "By the way, one piece is 40 yuan, how many pieces do you need?"
"........."
Chairman Zhao was at a loss.
President Zhao was stunned.
President Zhao reacted: "Uh, here is one serving for each person, thank you."
"Okay." Jiang Ci lowered her head again, and she quickly knocked off the remaining soil layer, and then peeled off the gray-green lotus leaves.
The golden beggar chicken is exposed. Under the perfect fire, its color is very uniform. The body of the chicken is like a fine yellow-brown jadeite, transparent and clean, and the skin is delicate under the reflection of the glass lamp.The oily shine, and the part near the chicken shank and the tip of the chicken wing, the color gradually deepens and turns into a light brown red.A reflection of light came from nowhere and reflected on it. The light rolled over the chicken body, and the beggar chicken lying in the lotus leaf seemed to emit light at this moment.
beautiful.
People are thinking in unison.
But obviously... it's just a chicken.
In order to ensure that the food still maintains the freshest aroma and sufficient heat when it is delivered to the guests, Jiang Ci quickly changed a meat cutter without hesitation.She supported the chicken body with the lotus leaf in her left hand, and skillfully cut it open with her right hand. The plump and tender golden chicken skin was cut open by a sharp knife. The next moment, the delicacies soaked in the shallow soup rolled out.
The soup gently flows to the lotus leaves, bringing out a more shocking aroma.
Jiang Ci raised her forearm, pointed the knife downward, and instinctively found the most suitable part of the chicken skeleton, and picked out chicken nuggets of suitable size.
The chicken nuggets were packed into paper bowls, paired with delicacies taken out of the inner cavity, and delivered to the reviewers.
Jiang Ci quickly divided enough beggar chickens, then retracted the kitchen knife, and wiped off the gravy on the knife with a clean rag.The rag was also soaked in incense.
He Mingcan gathered among the diners and skillfully distributed the gloves.
Whether it is eating chicken wings or chicken legs, of course, it is most enjoyable to grab and bite down with your hands.
Milos slipped the gloves on and tried them a few times to get them right on his fingers, realizing that his heart was beating impossibly fast.
He had a hunch that this was his year, no, this was a rare delicacy he had seen for so many years.
What he was allocated was a part with a chicken wing, and the root of the chicken wing was connected with a part of the chicken breast and skeleton.
Milos grabbed the tip of the chicken wing, and was still struggling with how to remove the chicken wing, but with a little force, the chicken bone was stretched and elongated—without any effort, he tore off the chicken wing, and the fingertipsThe tactile sensation from it indicated how soft and tender the chicken in front of him would be.In the cold winter, the white steam steams from the torn parts of the chicken.The inside of the beggar chicken is still hot, which becomes another layer of temptation in winter.
No one can resist this temptation.
Milos narrowed his eyes and put the torn chicken into his mouth.
Tenderness and juiciness are his first feelings.The chicken is wrapped in thick mud and roasted, and almost all the water is not lost. Even the water in the outer lotus leaf and the mountain delicacies in the inner cavity is steamed and fully absorbed by the chicken.The skin is smooth with a gelatinous texture, and the chicken is incredibly tender.
The taste is the first to bring shock, followed by the complex and changeable, but distinct aroma - the mellow and delicious chicken itself, the unique salty flavor of ham, the rich fragrance of fresh mushrooms, and the afterThe well-brewed soy sauce and light soy sauce are like a multi-part symphony, each part has its own unique melody, but when combined together, a miracle occurs.
And the other side.
Liu Yuanmao also took the paper bowl from the handsome man in front of the counter. He vaguely felt that the man looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before.
However, it didn't matter - the Beggar Chicken finally came into his hands.
Liu Yuanmao cherished the bite of the chicken, and the next moment, he suddenly felt a brief pause in his thoughts, the shock brought by the delicious food was too shocking, he blinked, and suddenly felt a surge of heat in his eye sockets.
Last, the last time ate this kind of deliciousness... It was the time in Panjialou a few weeks ago.
Liu Yuanmao was suddenly a little messy in the wind, and he encountered dishes that were rare in decades, and he encountered them one after another within two months.Now, are there so many MasterChefs now?!
Liu Yuanmao ate in a daze. He was a writer, and he was usually emotional. At this time, he was thinking about the decline of the culinary family and the rise of the chef in the new era. He felt a lot of emotion for a while.
When he tasted a strange sour and salty taste in his mouth, Liu Yuanmao felt a kind of embarrassment belatedly, and he silently took a step back.
As a result, my back bumped into something, and my feet stepped on... probably someone's leather shoes.
Liu Yuanmao turned his head and saw Milos holding a bowl and looking down at him.
Liu Yuanmao was taken aback: "Hold, I'm sorry..."
Milos stared at the old man in front of him, and was startled suddenly.He and Liu Yuanmao grew up in different times and environments, and had very different personalities, but at this moment, he knew that their feelings were the same.
Milos was silent for a while, and took out a handkerchief from his pocket with clean hands.
"You can wipe it off." He said unskillfully.
Liu Yuanmao was also polite, took his handkerchief and blew his nose.
Milos: "..."
The shock was not limited to this corner.
On the other side, Mr. Hong ate a whole serving of Beggar's Chicken in a rare way.When a person is old, even if he pursues delicious food, his appetite will gradually decrease.The small portion of chicken in this paper bowl is almost his usual meal, and he has already eaten several bites today.
Different from other people's manner of eating, Mr. Hong's manner of eating is calm, he carefully chews every piece of chicken, every piece of condiment, he is calm and gentle, but his eyes are involuntarily empty.
As a food reviewer, he is used to trying food with a critical attitude, and he will always withdraw. While tasting, he will think about the culture and heritage behind the food, and he will also ponder the method of making this kind of food.
However, once this way of thinking is fixed, it will be difficult for him to feel the joy of eating purely.
In fact, to experience the delicacy of a food, you don't need to understand the culture behind it, and you don't need to accumulate any experience.Taste buds are naturally endowed to human beings by nature. From the moment of birth, babies can taste sweetness and know what taste they like.
When he came back to his senses, Mr. Hong realized that it had been a long, long time since he had experienced such a delicious meal wholeheartedly.
There is not much Beggar Chicken in each paper bowl, and soon, the people present emptied the bowls one after another.
Then, everyone started to… unbearably remember the deliciousness just now.
Others smacked their lips, trying to savor the last mellow aftertaste of the chicken.
The scene fell into an eerie silence.
Jiang Ci looked blankly... A group of people stopped in front of her counter, neither spoke nor moved, blocking the diners behind, and even... haven't paid any money yet!
Jiang Ci pursed her lips and tapped the table with her knuckles.
"?"
Those who heard the voice looked up at her.
Jiang Ci: "Hmm..."
Jiang Ci: "40 yuan per person, a total of 28 copies just now."
Jiang Ci: "Which one will come out, or should everyone come out by themselves?"
"..."
Chairman Zhao was so shocked that he couldn't complain, he slowed down: "I'll do it."
Chairman Zhao took out his mobile phone and was about to scan a QR code, but the person next to him pressed his hand all of a sudden.
"I'll come, I'll come, Boss Jiang, I want four more. You don't need to split it, just give me a whole chicken."
"I want eight copies, just give me two clods."
Everyone was scrambling to pay. Originally, if they didn't want the money, they would be too embarrassed to ask for more, but if they want money, it's easy to say, and they bought it immediately!
However, a pair of hands blocked the QR code on the counter in horror.
He Mingcan pressed the sign displaying the QR code, and motioned everyone to look at the small blackboard next to him: "Sorry, each person can only buy two copies today. Everyone came to the food festival with great difficulty.Save a little."
Only then did everyone realize how heartbreaking words were written on the small blackboard next to them.
After confirming that the people in front of him understood the situation, He Mingcan set up the QR code again.
On the other side, Milos was still in a long silence.
Seeing this, Wang Jianian raised his eyebrows rather proudly: "Milos, what do you think?"
Milos came back to his senses and gave him a complicated look.He has always been puzzled why the chef in front of him rejected such a generous offer from him—impossible, he is confident that Wang Jianian is already attracted to his offer.
But after tasting the Beggar Chicken, Milos had a new idea.
He glanced at Wang Jianian and admitted: "Indeed...you are not as stupid as I imagined, and you have not lost your ambition. I admit that such a chef can attract people to follow."
Wang Jianian: "..." Can you stop saying the previous sentence?
When Wang Jianian was free, he couldn't help asking: "Is the pickled fish I just made really not very good?" This thought swirled in his mind, and he almost suffocated.
Milos said in a rare way: "It's not that the pickled fish is bad, but you are not qualified. To be honest, how long have you been preparing this dish? You don't have her talent, and you want to make it in a few years, right?Possibly, it takes time and experience to understand the ingredients. Do you remember how much thought you put into making the lamb chops?"
Wang Jianian was silent for two seconds: "I still want to make a good family heirloom."
Wang Jianian looked at Milos: "You have tasted her dishes, do you understand my thoughts now? You won't send assistants over in the future, right?"
Milos shook his head, as if letting go of his obsession: "No more. I respect your choice."
Wang Jianian was about to breathe a sigh of relief, and the next moment he saw...Milos raised his eyes, staring at his boss eagerly and shiningly.
As if looking at a new target.
Wang Jianian: "..." Isn't it?!
...
The commenting team headed by Mr. Hong and Milos stayed in Feng Qianguan in District A for a full 20 minutes—queued for 10 minutes, tasted the meat for 5 minutes, and stood dryly in front of the counter for another 5 minutes, trying toBreak through Boss Jiang's defense by various means, ignoring the rules on the small blackboard.
Jiang Ci was a little annoyed, mainly because this group of people waited too long in front of the counter, just now because the next batch of beggar chickens hadn't been baked, she let them delay, but now the oven has been turned on, and the diners behind are also anxiouswaiting.
Jiang Ci: "I'm sorry, if everyone finishes eating, please let the diners behind come forward."
This sentence is like a signal.
President Zhao wanted to say something, but the diners behind had already rushed forward, and the expressions on their faces made President Zhao dare not compete with them at all.He was pushed aside, only to find out when he regained consciousness - most of the people who commented on the team had been squeezed out.
Mr. Hong was escorted out by the gourmet next to him, and Wang Jianian also pulled Milos out.
A group of people could only watch with greedy eyes... Boss Xiao Jiang continued to beat the chicken.
"I think our tasting event can be longer. There are so many stores in the grand ceremony, and we can't finish tasting in one day." Someone suggested.
"Yes, yes, let's come back tomorrow and try the new dishes of each store. You can still go shopping in District A." Someone immediately echoed.
Seeing the satisfied expressions on the faces of everyone present, Zhao Hui felt relieved for a long time—even those media reporters were full of praise, and their reports this time will definitely be particularly good!
It's best to find someone with a good pen and describe Boss Jiang's delicacy viciously, so that more people can't help but come to their grand ceremony.
Chairman Zhao thought silently.
The amazing delicacy of Feng Qianguan quickly spread to different places through the eyes and ears of the venue.
In the corner, Jiang Deyong was sitting by the side of the booth, and he didn't dare to curse loudly, so he could only light Jiang Zhe with his crutches, and said in a weak tone, "You did a good job! You don't have enough family heirlooms to be a shitty crispy duck."Did you find it? If you don’t make a good inheritance and brand name, you’re going astray! It’s embarrassing!”
After he finished ordering Jiang Zhe, he went to order the fat chef next to him: "You too, the time you have been with me is older than him! You just let him make trouble!"
Jiang Zhe turned blue and stood silently.A moment ago, the person in front of him praised him for making a good decision.But he didn't have any desire to refute, but his heart was cold and he was extremely frustrated.
Master Tian also stood aside depressed.
After the commenting team left, some diners from Jixiang Building followed to watch the fun. The crowd around their restaurant was not as shocking as before.
The employees did not dare to approach the corner where the Jiang family was, and the expressions on their faces were rather complicated.Only Mi Ting worked calmly as usual to ensure that the delicious dishes can be served to the diners queuing outside.
"Fortunately, Master Mi is here."
"Why didn't you serve Master Mi's tofu just now? It has become a signature in our branch."
"It's like this every time. The last time I heard it, in fact, five years ago, Master Mi was enough to be promoted to head chef."
Two small workers stood in the corner cutting vegetables, whispering in a low voice.
Suddenly, there was a light cough from behind them, followed by a blow to the back of the head.
"What do you wander off at work?"
Xiaogong's back tensed instantly, and he turned his head and looked nervously at the person in front of him. Mi Ting was already in her thirties, usually serious and thin, with an aura honed over ten years.
Xiaogong apologized in a panic.
A few minutes later, Jiang Deyong left, and Jiang Zhe also walked out of the booth.Master Tian washed his hands, wiped his big face, and then exhaled quietly.
Jiang Ci, heh.He just listened to Jiang Zhe and Jiang Deyong's words, but he didn't take it seriously in his heart.When he saw the little girl, she was no higher than his waist and couldn't even hold a kitchen knife tightly.
Master Tian wanted to go to the side and sit down, but was suddenly stopped by a voice behind him. He turned around and saw Mi Ting staring straight at him.
"You knew yesterday that Mr. Hong would come." Mi Ting frowned.
"Well, I know." Master Tian raised his eyebrows, "What do you want to ask? Is it because of him that I came here to take your place, and why I don't serve your food, is it?"
Mi Ting was silent.
Master Tian smiled: "Mi Ting, self-confidence is a good thing, you are indeed very capable. But today, even with your mapo tofu, can you satisfy them? Mr. Hong is picky, you are notI don’t know. At least he praised me today.”
"You, don't worry about it, just take care of the work at hand." Master Tian glanced at the woman in front of him, who was twenty years younger than him.
Master Tian turned and left, and Mi Ting stood there silently.
She just heard it.
They are saying, Jiang Ci?
...
The review team for the food festival arrived in the afternoon, and it took some time to get from Area B to Area A.Not long after Jiang Ci sent away this difficult group of diners, the prepared beggar's chicken happened to be sold out.
She raised her voice to apologize, and politely persuaded the guests who were reluctant to leave. It took at least a quarter of an hour before the flow of people in front of Feng Qianguan gradually dispersed.
Jiang Ci exhaled and began to pack his things.
At this moment, Wang Jianian walked back with a dazed expression on his face.He stood in front of Feng Qianguan's stall, silent in a decadent manner.
Jiang Ci didn't notice his little expression, but He Mingcan saw it and asked, "What's the matter, brother Nian? Why are you so upset?"
Wang Jianian was shocked, and his face was stinky: "People tasted half of it at my booth, and they were attracted by your fragrance. Don't you allow me to be depressed."
This is actually not the point, the point is... just after he left, he coaxed Mr. Hong to give his opinion on his pickled fish, so Mr. Hong suggested one, two, three, four, five, six, and when he asked about the beggar chicken, HongThe old man hesitated and closed his mouth.
Milos looked at him with a "what are you thinking?" expression.
What a shame...
Wang Jianian gritted his teeth.
Wang Jianian was thinking about it when he was patted on the shoulder suddenly.
"Why is it embarrassing?" He Mingcan comforted, "It's not embarrassing to lose to your boss."
Wang Jianian realized that he accidentally said what he was thinking, even Jiang Ci and Qi Yan raised their heads to look at him.
Wang Jianian: "..."
He Mingcan tried to straighten out the logic for him: "You said, if Boss Jiang is better than you, wouldn't it be more embarrassing for you to work in Feng Qianguan?"
He Mingcan: "You have at least one good eye and skill."
Wang Jianian: "?"
Wang Jianian: "..."
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