The Spirit of Gourmet

Chapter 3 A Wrong Smell
"Tsk! You kid..."

Just as Cao Dongdong was about to say something, Qin Lang decisively pressed the hang-up button.

Looking at the list of food recommenders displayed on his phone, Qin Lang's gaze finally fell on the portrait of a gaunt and serious old man.

First-level food recommender, Zhou Qing.

This is the most senior of the seven first-level food recommenders in Dongxia City. The comments about him found on the Internet are all old-fashioned and strict.

It is said that he is the most difficult food recommender to be recognized in Dongxia City.

But the more such a person is, the less likely he is to go along with a guy like Pang Long.

Maybe this would be a good choice.

After glancing at the time, Qin Lang turned off his phone, stood up, and walked towards the kitchen.

It's time to prepare lunch.

He found a piece of good quality beef at the market that morning and planned to make a simple beef stew with potatoes and some lettuce with oyster sauce.

One meat and one vegetable, balanced nutrition.

After washing the rice and cooking it, Qin Lang took out the beef and placed it on the chopping board, then cut it into pieces in just a few seconds.

Fresh beef is much harder to cut than frozen meat, but under Qin Lang's knife, every piece of beef is square, with the length and width exactly the same.

A good chef will have some obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Put the chopped beef into a pot with cold water, add onion, ginger and cooking wine, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Qin Lang was not idle during the short few minutes of waiting for the water to boil. He peeled and cut the potatoes into pieces and prepared spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, etc.

By the time these preparations were finished, a pure aroma of beef wafted out of the pot.

The beef rolling in the boiling water had unknowingly changed its surface from bright red to gray with a hint of red.

Sniffing, Qin Lang nodded with satisfaction, took out a large spoon and began to skim off the foam skillfully, then took out the beef and put the blanched beef soup in a large bowl for later use.

Heat oil in a pan, add the prepared spices and blanched beef, and stir-fry until the surface of the beef is covered with a nice light brown layer. The intensification of the Maillard reaction and the addition of spices, activated by high heat, allow the flavor of the beef to emerge faster and fill the small kitchen.

"The range hood is just average."

Qin Lang glanced at the range hood working hard above the stove, then poured the blanched beef soup back into the pot, added scallion segments, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and yellow rock sugar, brought to a boil over high heat and then reduced to low heat.

Add the potatoes and continue simmering for 45 minutes.

Qin Lang glanced at the other stove next to him.

By the time the beef with potatoes is cooked, the second dish should be ready as well.
-
Meanwhile, in Room 502.

"Old Zhao, it's time to eat!"

Zhao Chuan's wife Liu Suyun brought out the carefully cooked dishes, placed them on the dining table, set the table, and shouted towards the room.

"I'm coming!"

Zhao Chuan walked out of the room with a smile on his face. His eyes immediately locked onto the beef soup in the center of the table, sprinkled with chopped green onions. "The dish hasn't even come out of the pot yet, but I can already smell the rich aroma of the beef. I've been craving it for a long time."

Zhao Chuan loves eating beef, but people’s chewing ability declines as they get older.

The beef soup made by Liu Suyun has been stewed for several hours. The chewy beef has become melt-in-the-mouth, and the essence inside is completely integrated into the soup, so Zhao Chuan loves this dish even more.

"You have a keen nose." Liu Suyun scolded with a smile, pointing to the bowls and chopsticks on the table, "Serve yourself."

"Okay." Zhao Chuan said as he started working, "I just saw Xiao Qin. He asked me if he could extend his rent by a month."

"Ah!" Liu Suyun looked worried. "Then what do you say?"

"Of course I agreed." Zhao Chuan said quickly, "I even invited that kid to our house for dinner, but it's a pity he didn't come."

"Xiao Qin is learning to cook, so of course he wants to do it himself." Liu Suyun nodded in understanding, "That's normal."

"But his cooking skills..." Zhao Chuan hesitated. "Isn't it always this way?" Liu Suyun smiled. "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Come and try the soup I made today."

"I feel like my cooking skills have improved again!"

"I think so too." Zhao Chuan nodded in agreement and sniffed hard. "The rich aroma of beef is even more fragrant than I've smelled before, and it also has a hint of potato."

Ok?
Liu Suyun was stunned for a moment, "Wait a minute!"

“I didn’t make potatoes today?”

"No potatoes? How is that possible!" Zhao Chuan looked unconvinced and sniffed the air again, "There must be potatoes!"

"Let me try it!"

As he spoke, he picked up the prepared beef soup, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it a few times, and then put it into his mouth.

The next moment, Zhao Chuan's movements paused.

"What do you think? I told you I didn't cook potatoes!" Liu Suyun looked at Zhao Chuan with amusement, "I just praised your nose, how come you smell potatoes now?"

Zhao Chuan didn't say anything, but just silently scooped up the second spoonful and put it into his mouth.

Something's wrong...

Something is very wrong!

The taste of the bowl of beef soup in his hand was completely different from the amazing beef aroma he had just smelled!
He sniffed hard, smelling the fragrance coming from somewhere, and suddenly felt that the bowl of his favorite beef soup in his hand was not so fragrant.

"Suyun, don't you smell anything?"

"I had a cold yesterday." Liu Suyun glanced at Zhao Chuan, "What the hell is going on with you?"

Zhao Chuan didn't say anything. He put down the bowl and stood up, with his hands behind his back. He sniffed hard from time to time and followed the special fragrance.

Soon, Zhao Chuan walked into the kitchen and looked at the open kitchen window.

this smell...

It came from outside the window!
Unconsciously, the smell has become stronger and stronger. Standing by the window, Zhao Chuan even has the illusion of being in a sea of ​​fragrance.

He took a deep breath, grabbed the window with both hands, and tremblingly stuck his head out of the window, his eyes quickly locked on another window next to it.

That is…

The kitchen in room 501!
"Old Zhao!!!"

A scream rang out, and then Zhao Chuan felt a pair of hands hugging his waist, pulling hard and pulling him down from the window.

Liu Suyun stared at Zhao Chuan with a dark face.

"You're old, why are you climbing through the window?"

Zhao Chuan, who was pulled down, touched his chin, ignoring his wife's roar. Thinking of his just discovery, he smacked his lips.

that smell...

Is it coming from Qin Lang’s kitchen?
How is this possible?
Forget it, whether it is possible or not, just go and see for yourself.

"Suyun, I'm going out for a while." Zhao Chuan waved to Liu Suyun and turned to walk out the door.

Liu Suyun: “…”

She picked up the broom beside her with a fake smile, a fierce gleam in her eyes, "I worked hard to prepare a meal for you, and you want to go out?"

"Old man, I think you're itching for a fight!"

"Ah? Ah! Suyun, I was wrong!"

(End of this chapter)