Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　The salty, sour, and sweet layers formed by saliva resemble the vibrant earth in spring. Is this the spring you wanted to express?

　Feeling the incredibly rich flavor in his mouth, Zhang Zhong suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Alice Nakiri not far away, asking her a question.

　"Yes, but that's not all."

　As she spoke, Alice Nakiri also picked up a spoon and pointed with the tip of the spoon at the Four Seasons Reconstruction Ring she had prepared for herself.

　"The true core of this part of 'spring' is 'decomposition and rebirth'."

　Sesame oils are ground to nanoscale and combined with citric acid from freeze-dried strawberries to form microcapsule structures. Upon contact with saliva, these oils are released in stages: first salty, then sour, and finally sweet—like spring snow melting into the soil, awakening the life force beneath the surface.

　As she spoke, Alice Nakiri showed the drone the reflection on her spoon, where the delicate sesame seeds were completely unrecognizable from their original form. This was an ultra-high precision that only a molecular gastronomy machine could achieve. She then explained in more detail.

　"How could such a small patch of soil contain so much meaning!?"

　"What incredible food!"

　The audience members chatted amongst themselves, their faces filled with amazement at the top-notch cuisine.

　"It's not that magical, it's all hype. Molecular gastronomy is all about creating a mystery!"

　The man who had spoken sarcastically earlier spoke again, his tone equally sarcastic.

　Although Alice Nakiri's words made sense, he had long held the preconceived notion that molecular gastronomy was a hoax, a fact he had already confirmed at the new molecular gastronomy restaurants that had opened near his home.

　No matter how grandly it's touted, something low-class is still low-class.

　Its appearance is exaggerated and bizarre, but its taste is extremely ordinary, not even delicious.

　Even if you let an apprentice from a street shop show off their skills, they could make a dish that's far more delicious than that.

　Only a few foolish, rich people are willing to try something new; otherwise, molecular gastronomy would never have a market.

　"Now, please taste the fruits that have blossomed from the soil."

　Seeing the judges' surprised expressions, Alice Nakiri showed no change in expression, as if she had known all along, while pointing the tip of her spoon at the fruit on the elderberry.

　"it is good."

　Seeing this, Zhang Zhong nodded slightly and put the green apple droplet from the elderflower into his mouth.

　The teeth break at the slightest touch, releasing a sharp burst of green malic acid and the musky honey scent of elderflower, the acidity instantly dissolving the oily film on the tongue.

　"It's slightly sweet with a hint of tannins, like spring rain washing over leaves, completely eliminating the greasiness I felt when I first tasted Wang Qing's fried food platter."

　Zhang Zhong's words revealed a hint of emotion.

　When I previously tasted Wang Qing's Four Seasons Fried Food Platter, although the platter was very well prepared, it still had a slight greasiness.

　However, Alice Nakiri's cooking skillfully handled the greasiness, even enhancing the flavor of her dishes.

　They're not even from the same group of dishes, yet they've created such an amazing synergy...

　and many more? !

　They're not from the same group of dishes, yet they've created such an amazing synergy!

　The images of Alice Nakiri's expressions and movements flashed rapidly through Zhang Zhong's mind, as if a thread was connecting them at an astonishing speed. He looked up in Wang Qing's direction and saw that he still looked relaxed. A complicated expression appeared on his face.

　The poor kid, his house is about to be robbed and he's still so happy...

　"So, because we first sampled Wang Qing's fried dishes, we used high acidity and floral notes to 'format' our taste buds, clearing the way for the subsequent dishes?"

　After tasting the first part, 'Spring'.

　Both the tall and short old men sat up straight, their previous casualness vanishing, replaced by a serious and earnest demeanor.

　The dish in front of me looks like

　It turns out that things are not as simple as they initially thought.

　At the very least, using the 'Spring' dishes from the first part to borrow the flavors of the previous contestants' dishes to make their own dishes more delicious and completely eliminate all the negative effects of their flavors is a trick that an ordinary chef would not think of or use!

　There must be a master guiding them behind the scenes.

　Thinking of this, the expression on the face of the fat and thin old men became much more serious.

　"Is the seaweed calcium film made using reverse spheroidization technology extremely thin? When you bite into it, smoky-flavored watermelon juice gushes out. The smoky phenolic substances can also absorb residual oil."

　After the tall old man finished speaking, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

　This little girl's ambition doesn't seem to be as simple as just cleaning up Wang Qing's cooking residue!

　"That's right, the idea is to use Wang Qing's cooking as a springboard to make their own cooking reach a level that no one has ever achieved before!"

　The short, elderly man spoke at the same time, his face revealing a hint of appreciation.

　Using your opponent's cooking as an element to make your own cooking more delicious is truly going to any lengths!

　"Liquid nitrogen menthol crystals bring an indescribable cooling sensation, creating a strong contrast with the previous smoky flavor."

　Zhang Zhong nodded. This part was decent, nothing particularly amazing.

　"The third part should be a dessert made with sweet potato caramel and ginkgo biloba extract, right?"

　Looking at the dishes in front of him, the short old man spoke.

　"This mirror...it's like the entire maple forest has been condensed into a piece of glass."

　The tall, elderly man couldn't help but sigh.

　The moment the dish touches the glassy surface of your tongue, you feel only a cool, smooth sensation, as if you've stepped onto a frosty lake, completely sealing away any sweetness.

　Suddenly, a bittersweet taste of caramel seeped back up from the back of my tongue, like the setting sun baking maple leaves until they were coated with syrup. It felt like lying under a huge maple tree on a leisurely afternoon, with a gentle breeze blowing, feeling relaxed and content, and experiencing a sense of comfort from the bottom of my heart.

　"Is that duck liver inside? More accurately, it should be called duck liver mousse..."

　After removing the outer layer of maple syrup, a subtle pear aroma wafts out. Breaking through this layer reveals a delicate, petite foie gras mousse.

　Take this exquisite duck liver mousse into your mouth, then gently press it between your palate and tongue. The rich, fatty flavor of the duck liver mousse, combined with the tangy tartness of the port jelly, bursts forth instantly.

　"Is this another way to cut through the greasiness? It corresponds to the greasiness of Wang Qing's fried ginkgo earlier, but this style of dish is a bit too greasy and lacks a substantial chewing texture."

　Interestingly, the metallic taste of the gold leaf actually transformed the bitterness of the ginkgo into a mineral umami flavor similar to black truffle!

　Zhang Zhong closed his eyes and savored the dish carefully, feeling the aftertaste spread in his mouth. He also thought about the dish's strengths and weaknesses. This slow and deliberate flavor made his body relax.

　"A combination of foie gras and port wine...?"

　"After the alcohol evaporates, only the smoky aftertaste of maple syrup remains in the mouth...like the lingering warmth after an autumn campfire has died down."

　The tall and short old men took turns describing the best taste left in the mouth, and then looked at the last dish.

　Unlike the previous dishes, the winter-themed dishes now exude a chilling aura.

　"This 'snow hill'... is actually emitting cold air? Wait, is there wasabi trapped inside the icicles?!"

　The drone flew high in the sky, displaying the image in the glass plate to everyone. Some people couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, because what was displayed in the glass plate was actually a piece of ice!

　Outside of it was a plate of fresh and juicy fried oysters.

　"Please try the fried oysters on the outside first. The temperature should be just right now. After you've finished them, please don't hesitate to lick the snow mound in the middle like a child licking an ice pop!"

　Just then, Alice Nakiri's voice rang out, her eyes gleaming with wisdom.

　"Gudu."

　Having eaten so many dishes with strong flavors but little texture, both Zhang Zhong and the two elderly men, Gao and Ai, were now swallowing hard and looking extremely impatient when they saw the fresh and juicy fried oysters.

　The next moment, they picked up their chopsticks and took a bite of the tender and juicy fried oysters.

　The golden, crispy outer layer encases plump oysters. With a gentle bite, the outer layer crumbles between your teeth, making a soft "crunch" sound, followed by the oyster's rich and delicious juice, making you reluctant to waste a single drop.

　Beneath the crispy exterior, the oyster meat is tender and smooth like solidified cream, carrying the unique salty freshness of the ocean, yet with an added layer of rich caramelized aroma due to the high-temperature frying. The contrast between the crispy outside and tender inside creates distinct layers of texture, neither too greasy nor monotonous due to the oyster's softness.

　Such a distinct flavor made the judges feel as if they had finally come to life.

　The flavors that had been lingering in the cavity from the previous dishes now had a place to reside, making them more palatable.

　"Now let's enjoy the sorbet; you'll have an unexpected experience."

　A mysterious smile played on Alice Nakiri's face, and the audience's anticipation grew accordingly.

　Her words completely stirred his emotions.

Volume 1: Crossing Over into Food Wars, Becoming Alice Nakiri's Master: Chapter 285 Alice Nakiri Wins, We Are the Champions

　"Surprised...?

　Upon hearing Alice Nakiri's words, the judges reluctantly shifted their gaze from the fried oysters.

　This was the first time they had ever felt incredibly satisfied with the greasy feeling.

　And this is also Alice Nakiri's goal.

　Completely eliminate the greasiness of Wang Qing's dishes, then lower the judges' excitement threshold, and finally invite them to taste her fried food.

　In this way, the flavor of fried food can be brought out to the maximum extent.

　Then it was time to enjoy the soy sauce sorbet that was already ready to be served next to the fried food.

　"A crisp icicle?"

　Looking at the reddish-brown sorbet in front of me, it seemed as if it would crumble at the slightest touch.

　Zhang Zhong hesitated for only a few seconds before reaching out with a spoon to put the sorbet into his mouth. At the same time, he closed his eyes and savored the blended flavors.

　"Is it a quantum entanglement of low temperature, oil, umami, and pain? What a strange feeling."

　The tall, elderly man was the first to speak, expressing his feelings with obvious surprise on his face.

　The moment the sorbet touches your tongue, the -5°C soy sauce sorbet sweeps across your tongue like an Arctic wind, while sharp, salty ice crystals precisely target the fried oyster, freezing and peeling away the oil residue left in your mouth.

　At the same time, the bitterness of naringin in grapefruit peel reacts enzymatically with succinic acid in oysters.

　This creates a mineral saltiness similar to sea fog, like salt frost that forms on rocks after the tide recedes, resulting in a unique flavor!

　"Soy sauce is made into sorbet, grapefruit peel is ground into fine shavings, and then placed on ice to freeze. The bitterness is reduced after freezing, leaving a light fragrance that effectively counteracts the greasiness of fried oysters."

　Savoring the flavors on his tongue, Zhang Zhong, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up to comment.

　The spectacular sorbet, after melting, surprisingly resonated with the fried oysters we had eaten earlier.

　Is this her design...?

　"Indeed, the coolness created earlier effectively relieved the greasiness of the previous four-season fried food platter, but it was a bit too much. However, the fried oysters in the 'winter' season made up for this shortcoming very well."

　The tall, elderly man's voice rang out, filled with admiration.

　The first few dishes completely eliminated any off-flavors from Wang Qing's cooking, and then the flavors of their own dishes were forcefully introduced, leaving only the taste of her cooking in their minds, and not Wang Qing's.

　"After finishing this part, try the whole dish together; you'll be pleasantly surprised."

　Seeing the judges' expressions, Alice Nakiri put her hands behind her back, a slight smile playing on her lips, and then spoke in a slightly playful tone.

　"A new surprise?"

　Zhang Zhong's voice was filled with doubt. Hadn't he just tasted it continuously? Could it be that tasting it again would make it even more delicious...?

　What exactly is this so-called new surprise?!

　Thinking of this, Zhang Zhong's face showed intense curiosity. Then he turned his gaze back to the first part of the dish and reached out with his spoon.

　He was slightly stunned as he tasted the food.

　The next moment, he dipped the spoon in his hand into the 'summer' section of the dish and put it directly into his mouth, then the autumn section, and finally the winter section!

　When the green apple popping boba of the first part, "Spring," explodes on the tongue, the high acidity is like a lightning bolt that splits the chaos of the taste buds, instantly pulling one into a pure taste space.

　Next, the "Summer" smoked watermelon and liquid nitrogen mint brought a thrilling interplay of ice and fire, as if experiencing a sudden thunderstorm, cool yet slightly stinging, making one want to shout out loud.

　As the maple syrup mirror slowly releases the deep caramel color of "Autumn," the richness of the duck liver mousse envelops the whole body like the warm autumn sun.

　Then the blizzard of "winter" suddenly descends—the salty and savory ice crystals of soy sauce sorbet and the spicy and painful sensation of wasabi, like a fierce wind in the extreme cold, completely freeze and shatter all previous taste memories!

　"Don't forget this."

　As they spoke, Alice Nakiri handed the prepared kelp tea to Zhang Zhong, who had just finished tasting it; this was the final step in preparing her dish.

　"Thank you."

　Zhang Zhong accepted the kelp tea offered by Alice Nakiri, nodded slightly, and thanked her.

　He was feeling thirsty after finishing the meal, and having a sip of hot tea was like finding water in the scorching desert.

　When the hot tea enters the mouth, a subtle woody aroma slowly emerges, and the last trace of freshness lingers in the mouth intertwines with the woody fragrance of cedar.