Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 514 Cooking
Sheng Hong stood in front of the hall, his face glowing with health and high spirits.

The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, reflecting the barely suppressed joy in his eyes and brows. In the wine glass he held high, the amber-colored Jinhua wine swayed slightly, rippling with tiny halos of light.

He looked around at the guests, and everywhere he looked, there were smiling faces and congratulations. The surge of emotion in his chest almost burst forth.

"today!"

His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, and every word was filled with heartfelt joy and pride: "The joy in my heart is something that even the joy of my wedding night and passing the imperial examination could not compare to!"

Upon hearing this, everyone smiled, even Madam Wang in the back smiled wryly.

Sheng Hong paused slightly, letting his overflowing joy echo and ferment in the spacious hall. His gaze swept lovingly and proudly over each of the relatives and friends who came to offer their congratulations, and his voice became more and more earnest.

"Today, our humble abode is graced with the presence of our dear relatives and friends, for which I, Sheng, am deeply grateful! We will forever cherish the profound friendship and hospitality you have shown us by traveling from afar. We earnestly hope that you will enjoy yourselves to the fullest, drink to your hearts' content, and not leave until you are thoroughly drunk! If there is anything that may have been a breach of hospitality, we hope you will forgive us!"

Upon receiving the order, the steward immediately relayed the message in a loud, drawn-out voice.

The well-trained servants and maids, who had been preparing for a long time in the corridor and side rooms, immediately responded and moved into action.

Dressed in matching blue vests, they moved with light and swift steps, their skirts fluttering silently, as skillfully weaving between the brightly lit, bustling halls and the steamy, fragrant kitchens, like fish swimming in water.

Their movements were orderly and coordinated, delivering dishes, changing bone plates, and refilling drinks. Everything was carried out meticulously and without any disorder under silent command and eye contact.

In an instant, the huge, gleaming rosewood round table was magically filled with a dazzling array of items, like a vibrant and luxurious feast unfolding before the eagerly awaiting guests.

The first dishes served were several uniquely shaped, warm-toned black lacquerware boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl peony patterns.

The well-dressed and nimble maids, with polite smiles on their faces, deftly lifted the lids of the boxes, revealing four exquisite cold dishes arranged like works of art: Rouge Goose Breast, its bright red color enticing and its even thickness resembling the delicate blush of a young girl; Crystal Pork Knuckle, translucent and glistening, its skin like pure amber, its meat texture distinct, trembling and tempting; Ginger and Vinegar Conch, plump and uniform in size, its thick sauce clinging to the sides, its tangy aroma irresistible; and Cold-Tossed Ark Shell, its thick, chewy flesh complementing the bright red chili threads and emerald green cilantro, creating a vibrant and colorful display.

The vibrant colors and alluring shapes immediately drew murmurs and whispers from those at the table.

"Hmm, very good!" A senior member of the Sheng clan, with white hair and beard, smiled as he picked up a piece of rouge-colored goose breast and put it in his mouth. He squinted his eyes and chewed carefully, savoring the salty and fragrant flavor with a perfectly balanced sweet aftertaste. He nodded in praise, "This goose breast is marinated to perfection, with just the right amount of saltiness. The meat is firm but not dry at all. The cooking time is excellent, and the color is beautiful too!"

"Your culinary skills have improved more and more!"

These words immediately drew laughter from the others at the table, who also started eating and praising the food.

Immediately afterwards, one after another, hot stir-fried dishes, full of wok hei (wok aroma) and tantalizingly fragrant, were steadily served by designated personnel.

The crab meat lion's head is served in a fresh, bright green lotus leaf bowl, with a fragrant aroma. The large, round lion's head is gently sliced ​​with a silver knife, revealing the delicate meat inside mixed with golden and delicious crab meat, steaming hot.

At another table, a cheerful lady, a close friend of Madam Wang, took a small spoonful to taste. The exquisite flavor melted in her mouth instantly. She couldn't help but turn to Madam Wang, who was seated at the head of the table, and praised with a smile, "Madam Sheng, your lion's head meatballs are absolutely amazing! The meat is incredibly tender and melts in your mouth. The rich and savory crab roe flavor is just right, enhancing the taste without overpowering it. The cooking time is perfect; even the imperial chefs in the palace might not be able to do better! Did you receive guidance from some master chef?"

Madam Wang was overjoyed, her face beaming with smiles. She humbly replied, "Madam Zhang, you flatter me too much! It's just something the cook made hastily. I'm glad everyone doesn't mind. Please use as much as you like!"

Although it was a humble remark, the pride and joy in his eyes and brows were impossible to hide.

She knew perfectly well that the preparation of the lion's head meatballs, and even several other unique and outstanding dishes on the table today, were all thanks to Minglan's ingenuity and "divine touch." In fact, the Sheng family's rapidly improving culinary skills had already made them quite famous in the Bianjing official circles, and Minglan and her siblings, especially Minglan, deserved much credit for this.

After his return, Sheng Changquan began to tell his closest sister, Minglan, about the delicious food he had eaten in his previous life.

Minglan is quick-witted and insightful, and she is also very talented and patient in cooking. She often tries her hand at her younger brother's "strange and unusual" descriptions, and she actually manages to recreate many delicious dishes that are truly amazing.

The improved recipes for dishes like the crab meat lion's head, the rich and flavorful crab roe soup dumplings, and the layered flavors of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall all draw inspiration from fragments of Sheng Changquan's past life memories.

The dishes that Minglan skillfully crafted, adjusted, and finalized were often excellent in color, aroma, taste, and presentation. Especially when she personally supervised or prepared them, the dishes seemed to be infused with a soul, so delicious that people would want to swallow their tongues. The servants in the mansion even whispered among themselves that "the dishes prepared by the Sixth Miss can shine."

Over time, the Sheng family's banquets became a highly anticipated event in the official circles of Bianjing.

The stir-fried shredded lamb with scallions on the side was full of wok hei (wok aroma), the fragrance of scallions and the unique aroma of lamb intertwined, domineeringly invading everyone's sense of smell. The stir-fried shrimp were plump and crystal clear like pearls, tender and bouncy, garnished with a few bright green scallion bits, just looking at them made one's mouth water.

The subsequent main dishes further demonstrated the Sheng family's extreme importance placed on today's banquet and the extraordinary nature of this occasion.

Two efficient waiters carefully lifted a large, perfectly shaped braised mandarin fish and placed it steadily in the center of the table. The fish was perfectly preserved, drizzled with a clear, enticing amber sauce. Its eyes were full and its mouth was slightly open, symbolizing "abundance and fulfillment" and "a fish leaping over the dragon gate."

"Great! A good omen! Everyone, please pick up your chopsticks! Try this fish for good luck!" Sheng Hong raised his chopsticks with a beaming smile, warmly inviting everyone to taste the fish. His voice was loud and cheerful.

Golden, crispy, and fragrant fried quail sat alongside finely ground salt and pepper powder. The waiters were quick and attentive, serving the guests in a timely manner to their bone plates.

The grand finale, of course, was the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a dish specially ordered by Sheng Hong and simmered for a whole day by the most skilled and experienced chef in the manor, using the finest dried seafood, tendons, shiitake mushrooms, and aged Shaoxing wine.

When the heavy Shaoxing wine jar, gleaming with the patina of time, was carefully and solemnly carried up by two experienced cooks, and the lid, sealed with lotus leaves and yellow mud, was slowly lifted...
In an instant, the rich, intense, and complex aroma of meat mixed with the mellow and deep fragrance of aged wine, as if it had come to life, exploded and filled the entire hall, penetrating every nook and cranny, making one drunk before even taking a bite, causing mouths to water and mouths to water.

"Wonderful! It's truly a case of 'the aroma of meat wafting through the neighborhood when the jar is opened, even Buddha would abandon his meditation and jump over the wall to come!' We are in for a treat today! Lord Sheng's mansion is indeed a place where dragons and tigers dwell!"

A scholar who was on good terms with Sheng Hong and was well-versed in literature couldn't help but applaud and recite a famous line, which immediately drew cheers from all the guests and pushed the atmosphere of the banquet to an unprecedented climax.

At another table, the eldest daughter-in-law, Hai Chaoyun, with her dignified and proper demeanor, carefully picked up a spoon and served her mother-in-law, Madam Wang, a small bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. The soup was rich and golden, full of collagen, and filled with tender and thick sea cucumbers, plump and chewy abalone, collagen-rich tendons, and mushrooms that had absorbed all the essence. She said softly, "Mother, you have worked so hard these past few days preparing for my seventh brother's examination and today's banquet. Please try this; it is very nourishing and warming. Please have some."

Madam Wang accepted the gift with a beaming smile. Looking at her filial and well-mannered daughter-in-law, and feeling the honor and flattery of the guests, she felt that there was no greater joy in life. She smiled so broadly that she could hardly stop, and said repeatedly, "Good, good, Chaoyun, you eat too. Don't just eat for me, everyone should eat."

The final soup was a light and delicious water shield and silver fish soup. The vibrant green water shield was exceptionally tender and melted in the mouth, while the small silver fish was incredibly fresh and delicious. It was perfect for balancing the flavors of the previous rich dishes, making it refreshing and just right.

In addition to the top-quality fragrant rice with distinct grains, the main dishes include small and exquisite crab roe soup dumplings with paper-thin skins that almost reveal the flowing soup inside, as well as red bean rolls shaped like beautiful plum blossoms with extremely finely ground red bean paste filling that is sweet and not greasy.

As for beverages, a good selection of robust and flavorful Jinhua wine, which is popular with male guests, and refreshing and sweet lychee syrup, which is more popular with female guests, were provided to cater to different tastes. This thoughtful arrangement was extremely considerate.

Every dish, from the selection of ingredients and the control of cooking temperature to the final plating, was meticulously crafted. It not only conformed to the dining style and status of the top officials in Bianjing, but also maintained the warm atmosphere of a family banquet and the sincerity of the host. This drew heartfelt laughter, enthusiastic praise, and frequent clinking of glasses from the guests, creating an extremely warm and harmonious atmosphere.

……

I've recently become obsessed with mukbang videos, they always seem to make me want to eat more... But, Xu Da Sao doesn't seem to be up to anything lately, speaking of which.