1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 217 A Fuzzy Startup Idea (Bonus Chapter 44 for Alliance Leader Yixiaotianqing)

Zhou Yan took out the braised meat, sliced ​​it, and arranged it on a plate.

Grandma Qiu prepared a set of bowls and plates for him, a complete set of blue and white porcelain plates, including soup bowls, saucers, and fish plates, all in excellent condition, each one no less than the blue and white porcelain basin that her grandmother treasured.

The braised beef is on a separate plate, the braised pig ears and braised pig snout are on another plate, and the braised lotus root, braised dried tofu, and braised bean curd sticks are on a third plate. These are the three cold dishes for today. If there are any left over, we can add more later if needed.

Zhou Yan glanced at his watch; it was exactly twelve o'clock.

"Aunt Li, could you please serve these three cold dishes first?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Okay!" Li Lihua replied, picked up the braised dishes and took them out.

The braised beef with dried bamboo shoots and braised pork ribs were also cooked. Zhou Yan reduced the sauce a little and they were ready to serve.

Everyone was already seated at the octagonal table.

Zhou Momo and Duan Yuyan sat on one side.

After hearing that Song Wanqing was a teacher, she became very well-behaved and sat quietly without moving.

"What are you afraid of? Sister Wanqing is a teacher, but she's not your teacher," Duan Yuyan said with a smile.

“The kids said the teacher is really fierce, so we should be respectful,” Zhou Momo whispered as she leaned closer to her.

"Giggle giggle..." Duan Yuyan laughed like a goose; the little guy was so cute.

Three cold dishes were served first, attracting everyone's attention.

Song Wanqing and Song Changhe looked closely and saw that the plating was exquisite. Pig ears and pig snouts were arranged on a plate, each taking up half of the plate, and a small dish of chili powder was placed in the middle of the plate.

The braised beef was cut into coin-thick slices and arranged very neatly on the plate.

The lotus root was cut into thick slices and then cut twice more to make long strips. It was placed in a corner of the plate along with the braised tofu and braised dried bean curd sticks, making it look more harmonious.

"This is braised food made by Zhou Yan, please try some," said Grandma Qiu, picking up her chopsticks with a smile.

Zhou Yan is the chef today, so we don't have to wait for him to sit down before we start eating.

"This braised tofu skin looks delicious, let's try some." Song Wanqing picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of tofu skin first.

The golden-yellow dried bean curd sticks, stained with the bright red color of the braising liquid, have a slight sheen on their surface and a fragrant aroma.

One bite revealed the soft, tender tofu skin soaked in the braising sauce, bursting with savory flavor.

With one bite, the broth bursts between your teeth, giving you the illusion of eating meat, while the subtle bean flavor is the perfect finishing touch.

It's soft yet not mushy, with a slightly chewy texture that's absolutely exquisite.

It tastes even better than meat!
She had eaten braised pig's head and braised pig's ears that day, and she thought they were quite delicious.

But she admits that she has fallen for someone else today.

Braised tofu skin has become her favorite food!
This is too delicious!
"This braised tofu skin is absolutely delicious! It's not meat, but it's even more fragrant than meat!" Song Wanqing exclaimed.

"Isn't it delicious? The dried tofu and lotus root are also incredibly tasty!" Duan Yuyan said with a smile.

"He made all of these, and he can make so many more delicious things too," Zhou Momo said proudly.

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

Song Wanqing tasted another slice of dried tofu. The thinly sliced ​​dried tofu had an extremely delicate texture. One bite revealed its rich, braised flavor, along with a hint of smoky taste.

The braised lotus root also absorbs the braising liquid, giving it a crisp texture that is particularly refreshing and delicious.

She felt she had become a fickle woman, loving one woman after another.

How can braised vegetarian dishes be so delicious!

She quite likes braised vegetarian dishes. She used to buy braised food every week, buying braised pig's head for her father and a pound of braised lotus root and potatoes for herself as snacks.

Not far!
The braised food from Li Ji, his favorite shop, was far inferior to the braised food made by Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan is amazing!

She's only twenty years old, yet she's already able to make such delicious braised dishes.

A light shone in Song Wanqing's eyes.

pretty good.

Zhou Yan is Zhou Ming's younger brother, so he will be her brother from now on.

My brother is amazing!
Teacher Zhou, this time you can't escape!
Song Changhe felt a little regretful that he didn't see the braised pig's head meat. His gaze fell on the plate of braised beef, and he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. His eyes immediately lit up.

The texture of braised beef is firmer, but it doesn't feel dry. The braising liquid has soaked into the beef, making it full of juice that bursts in your mouth. The chewy texture brought by the tendons is also a unique feature. The beef aroma is particularly prominent and becomes more fragrant the more you chew.

It has a completely different feel from braised pig's head, but the same ultimate delicious experience.

"The braised beef is also exceptional, in no way inferior to braised pig's head. It's perfect for pairing with alcohol." Song Changhe raised his glass and clinked it with Wang Yu's, making no attempt to hide his praise.

“Great minds think alike. Besides braised beef, my favorite is Zhou Yan’s braised pig’s head. It’s fatty but not greasy, tender but not mushy. It’s more satisfying than anything else,” Wang Yu said with a smile, taking a sip of wine.

After tasting a few bites of the cold dishes, two braised dishes, braised pork ribs and braised beef with dried bamboo shoots, were served.

"It smells so good!" Song Wanqing's eyes fell on the braised pork ribs. The thick, brownish-red sauce coated the ribs, giving them a flowing amber texture. The aroma of the meat was irresistible, and she couldn't help but swallow.

This is her mother's specialty dish; the last time she ate it was more than three months ago.

Her father is a professor at Rongcheng University, and her mother is the director of the university library. They settled in Rongcheng many years ago and are usually quite busy, only having time to come back during the winter and summer vacations. She grew up with her grandparents and went to school in Jiaozhou. Her grandmother passed away when she was a junior in college, so after graduation she did not choose to stay in Rongcheng, but returned to Jiaozhou to be with her grandfather.

Song Wanqing picked up a piece of braised pork rib and put it in her mouth. The fat melted into rich oil when the tip of her tongue was gently pressed. She took a bite and the hot meat juice burst between her teeth. The lean meat was soft but not mushy and did not get stuck in her teeth. When she chewed the cartilage, it made a crisp 'crunch' sound.

smell good!
The salty and savory flavor of soy sauce meets the sweetness of rock sugar, and the rich aroma has seeped into the very bones, leaving a slightly sweet aftertaste that becomes more fragrant with each chew.

She thought eating this braised pork ribs would make her miss her mother, but because the taste was so different, she didn't think about it for a moment. Holding the empty bowl, Song Wanqing just wanted to get herself another bowl of rice.

"Miss Song, let me get you some more." Li Lihua smiled and stepped forward, taking the bowl from her hand and serving her a bowl of rice.

"Thank you, Auntie," Song Wanqing said, taking a bite of rice.

This food smells so good today!
Soft, sweet, and fluffy with a delicate texture—it was steamed perfectly!
Zhou Yan is amazing!

The braised dishes were excellent, and I never expected the stir-fried dishes to be so amazing as well.

"Hmm, this braised bamboo shoot is delicious, especially fragrant and flavorful." Song Changhe tasted the braised beef brisket with bamboo shoot.

After being soaked, the dried bamboo shoots absorb the broth from the braised beef, resulting in an extremely delicious flavor while retaining a crisp and tender texture.

The braised beef brisket is tender yet firm, with an exquisite balance of fat and lean meat that is unmatched by pure lean beef. This is why beef brisket is a favorite among chefs.

He took another bite of the braised pork ribs and nodded repeatedly, somewhat surprised, "How old is he? This dish is cooked to an exceptional level, no less than the chefs in those restaurants in Jiaozhou."

“He seems to be just twenty this year, a year younger than me.” Duan Yuyan said with a smile, “Don’t let his young age fool you. His restaurant is located in Suji Town, but he has already been on the cover and featured in an interview for Sichuan Cuisine magazine. He was also featured in the Jiaozhou Daily a couple of days ago. His level is quite high.”

"That's amazing?" Song Wanqing's mouth gaped slightly.

Ms. Liu, a teacher in her office, is a big fan of the Sichuan Cuisine magazine. She subscribes to every issue and often cooks delicious dishes to share with them, all of which are new recipes she learned from the masters in the magazine.

It's surprising that Zhou Yan, at only twenty years old, has already been interviewed and even appeared on the cover of a magazine.

"I remember now, isn't that the young man who helped the American find his family?" Song Changhe suddenly realized, "I saw it in the newspaper a couple of days ago."

“It’s him.” Duan Yuyan nodded.

"He's quite a helpful young man," Song Changhe said with a smile.

“Zhou Yan’s character is indeed quite good.” Wang Yu nodded in deep agreement.

Zhou Momo buried herself in her rice, swinging her legs back and forth, feeling happy as she listened to them praise her husband.

As everyone ate and chatted, Aunt Li soon brought over a plate of snowflake chicken soup.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to it.

On the blue and white porcelain plate, the freshly cooked snowflake chicken soup resembles clouds, as white and soft as snowflakes, piled up in layers, with a warm, oily sheen on the surface, trembling slightly.

Deep red ham bits were sprinkled on the snow-covered summit, creating a striking contrast between the red and white.

"How beautiful! Is this snowflake chicken broth? It truly resembles snow falling from the clouds, with amber as the finishing touch!" Song Wanqing's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Try it. I saw him make this dish in the newspaper the other day, but it wasn't on the restaurant menu. I specially asked him to make one for us. It's a limited edition." Duan Yuyan said with a smile, already picking up a spoon and scooping a spoonful from the side.

It's as white as snow, looks a bit like whipped cream, and smells of sweet and savory chicken.

When you put it in your mouth, the chicken soup melts like fresh snow kissed by the sun, soft and tender, and the umami flavor of the chicken explodes silently on your tongue, exceptionally rich.

This Sichuan dish, made with chicken, has no visible chicken fibers, yet its flavor is incredibly rich and savory.

The chicken is nowhere to be seen while eating chicken; it's truly mysterious!

"This dish is really interesting." Duan Yuyan's eyes were full of joy.

She had eaten so-called molecular gastronomy in Western cuisine, but compared to this snowflake chicken soup, the taste was far inferior.

Many dishes are purely molecular in nature. An afternoon tea set costs 888, but after eating it, you have no idea what it's made of or what you've eaten.

This snowflake chicken soup would cost at least 668 if it were placed in a high-end restaurant in Hong Kong, right?
Get a few newspapers to report on it, and get a couple of food critics to write a couple of articles, and business will definitely be good.

Duan Yuyan stared at the snowflake chicken soup and fell into thought, suddenly having an immature entrepreneurial idea.

"Hmm, the texture and taste are so unique. How do you make chicken have such a wonderful texture?" Song Wanqing took a spoonful and exclaimed with admiration, "I had chicken tofu once in Chengdu, and it felt a bit similar to this. The texture is delicate and tender, and you can't see the chicken when you eat it."

Grandma Qiu put down her spoon and said, "Chicken tofu and snowflake chicken soup are similar in their preparation, but the last step is different. One becomes a soup, while the other is stir-fried. Chicken tofu is more refreshing and moist, while snowflake chicken soup is more fragrant."

These two dishes were originally made quite well by a chef named Lao Luo at Leming Restaurant. Since his passing, I haven't been able to find well-made Snowflake Chicken Noodles in Jiaozhou.

The snowflake chicken soup Zhou Yan made today was absolutely delicious, both in texture and flavor. His ability to replicate it from a recipe is truly remarkable; he's incredibly talented.

"It was copied from a recipe?!" Song Wanqing was even more shocked. She had bought many recipes, but every time she made something, it was different from the recipe description.

The old man's indescribable expression after tasting it left a deep impression on her.

Later, they all paid for her to take meals home from the cafeteria.

pretty good.

From now on, let Zhou Yan teach her more cooking. She doesn't have to learn how to make snowflake chicken soup, but she should learn a few home-style dishes.

　I'll add an extra chapter first! That way I can definitely add two more chapters tonight~~ I'm not leaving myself any way out.

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(End of this chapter)