Shokugeki: Start with an izakaya, making everyone cry

Warm!

Satisfy!

This was the moment after eating the colorful dumplings, Cai Bo Chaoyang felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.

As I swallowed the last bite of the dumpling, my stomach felt warm, as if a warm current was slowly flowing through my body, dispelling the winter chill and the fatigue in my heart.

On the table.

The laughter and joy of the diners had not yet completely faded away.

The joy and happiness brought by the food, along with the deliciousness of the dumplings, were deeply imprinted in Chaoyang's heart.

……

"What's going on?"

"The ingredients used in the dumplings can be bought at ordinary supermarkets, but they taste..."

Cai Bo looked at the empty plate and was stunned.

In the world of izakaya, Zhang Fan is the absolute soul of the place. Every cocktail he mixes personally is like a carefully choreographed piece of music, with attractive colors and distinct tastes, which always sprinkle sweet dew on the tired hearts of customers.

The various foods and side dishes he cooks are a perfect blend of tradition and innovation.

Every dish.

They all contain his deep understanding of ingredients.

Of course, the exquisite control of taste is also unforgettable.

however.

Zhang Fan is powerful.

It's not just his cooking and bartending skills.

More importantly, he has a broad and delicate heart.

In this small izakaya, whether you are a frustrated white-collar worker in the workplace or a lonely traveler, you can find a sense of belonging.

Zhang Fan often uses his calm and powerful words to bring warmth to every soul in need of comfort. He listens to their stories and shares the stories behind the dishes, making this place a spiritual haven for many people.

Perhaps, he did not have great ambitions, but he never backed down when facing life!

He proved with his actions that a truly strong person is not always invincible, but is able to persevere in doing one thing well and keep moving forward.

Ah!

Yes!

With his own hands and wisdom, he turned the izakaya into a place full of love and hope.

Let everyone who steps in here feel the beauty and hope of life.

……

"It seems."

"The most powerful enemy is not Saibajo Ichiro, nor is it Nakiri Erina."

"It's the owner of this izakaya!"

Finally, Cai Bo Chaoyang came back to his senses and sighed deeply.

Although up to now, Zhang Fan's actions, as well as this izakaya, and the late-night cooking forces are all independent of each other and seem to have no intersection, and do not pose any threat!

But in Chaoyang's heart, he had already begun to have an indescribable fear of Zhang Fan's "Drinking Alone Under the Moon" pub.

This fear.

It comes from Zhang Fan himself, and also from the ability to use the simplest ingredients to make colorful dumplings that warm people's hearts and heal loneliness.

Especially now, in the dead of night, he saw Zhang Fan often immersed in cooking, and saw every diner showing a happy expression because of his cooking. That warm and lively scene...

Correct!

He is scared!

He was afraid that his own cooking would pale in comparison to that pure and genuine warmth.

He was afraid that the late-night food world he had built with his own hands would not become an indispensable existence in everyone's hearts like the izakaya.

This fear.

Cai Bo looked up at the sun, at a loss.

Because he knew that no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he plundered other people's abilities.

In this life, it will be absolutely impossible for me to be like Zhang Fan, who can integrate his own emotions and those of his diners into his cooking, thus adding a touch of color to many people's lives!

……

"Shopkeeper!"

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am the leader of the late night cooks, Saiba Chaoyang."

After saying that, Cai Bo Chaoyang finally tore off the veil from his mask, revealing his true face.

at the same time.

A sense of oppression enveloped the entire place.

People looked at each other, some with fear in their eyes, as if they had seen a messenger of death from another world; others were full of curiosity and awe, eager to peek at the true face of this mysterious chef leader and the secrets behind it!

"Ok?"

"He's the one who defeated Erina?"

On the side, Senzaemon's eyes tightened and he stared blankly at Saiba Chaoyang.

"I already know your identity, so do you want to challenge me to a food battle directly like Davis did last time?"

Zhang Fan replied calmly.

In this indifference, Zhang Fan's temperament seemed to be suddenly filled with an invisible force, soaring to a height that could not be ignored.

It was a kind of light that radiated from the inside out, not relying on external decoration or deliberate expression, but coming from his profound connotation and cultivation. His eyes became even deeper, as if he could instantly see through Cai Bo Chaoyang's thoughts.

Yet, he was also very gentle, and his manners revealed an unhurried elegance.

"Correct!"

"A character like you."

"If we don't eradicate them, they will definitely become the biggest obstacle for us late-night chefs to innovate the old era in the future."

"So, I have to defeat you!"

Cai Bo looked up at the sun and replied.

"Okay, I accept your food challenge."

Some things are destined to be unavoidable, so Zhang Fan's tone was full of determination.

"Tomorrow night."

"I will come to your izakaya on time, and then..."

Cai Bo looked up at the sun and took a deep breath.

His heart beat faster, and every beat seemed to remind him that this food battle might be different from the previous ones. It would be difficult, even desperate.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, including recognition of his past growth and longing for a new era of cuisine in the future, but more importantly, a clear understanding of the need to modify this moment:

win!

Must win!

Otherwise, all the efforts of myself and other late-night cooks will be wasted.

But before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Senzaemon: "Let's set the competition venue in the Moon and Sky of Totsuki Academy."

"There is a bigger competition stage, more professional judges, and many precious ingredients, kitchen utensils, seasonings and other rich resources for you two to use."

"Between the moon and the sky?"

Cai Bo Chaoyang paused, thought about it again and again, and nodded: "Okay, that place is really good."

"I think it's okay too."

Zhang Fan shrugged and said.

"Ok!"

"Then let's fight to the death at 7 o'clock tomorrow night!"

After saying that, Cai Bo Chaoyang paid the bill and turned to leave the pub.

Every step seems so heavy, yet so firm.

He knew that taking this step forward meant giving up all hope and facing the difficulties and challenges brought by Zhang Fan.

And when he left the pub, the whole world seemed to be silent, and then quickly filled with various sounds. It was the sound of the wind, the sound of heartbeat, and the indomitable cry from the bottom of his heart!

……

night, deeper.

Caibo Chaoyang returned to the headquarters of Late Night Cooking and processed the sturgeon like a ferocious beast.

The particularly strange kitchen knife in his hand, well... it was more like a saw than a kitchen knife, was processing the sturgeon very skillfully and quickly.

Gradually, he made caviar from sturgeons.

At first glance.

Each one is plump and round, crystal clear, and even has a slight golden luster.

The traditional method of making caviar is to catch live sturgeons with a fishing net, knock the fish unconscious, and immediately remove the egg sac before slaughtering. The caviar maker sieves, grades the roe, and then salts it.

Caviar is not born with its salty, delicious taste and bursting taste. Salting is the most important step in the production process.

Finally, the pickling process is completed with the addition of salt.

Grains of extremely delicious and flawless caviar appeared before Saji's eyes.

These caviar are as fascinating as black pearls.

"It's awesome."

"These caviar are probably the best caviar in the world."

Saji fell into deep thought, already quite surprised.

Although he knew that after defeating Erina, Saiba Chaoyang's strength would definitely exceed his imagination, he never expected that the caviar he was making now would be so amazing!

……

The best way to eat caviar.

Just treat it as a decoration and put it raw on food and eat it together. This simple and easy way of eating is the most delicious.

It is well-known to put a small amount of caviar directly on seafood, salads, eggs, soups, steaks, pizza, and even on American muffins.

At the same time, the best table wine to pair with caviar is the white wine that is best paired with seafood dishes.

Then, next.

Cai Bo Chaoyang's actions, however, surprised Saji.

But I saw that he was actually frying eggs, and they were the kind of egg frying.

There is nothing special about the egg foo yung by itself, but when it is paired with caviar, it is hard to understand.

One is the extremely noble caviar.

The other one is the more bland egg foo yung.

This……

What is he doing?

It must be said that Sagi is now unable to peek into or figure out the ideas behind Saiba Chaoyang’s cuisine.

……

Omelette.

Flower crab meat.

caviar.

Obviously, this is a dish that uses the delicate taste of omelette and crab meat to trigger the delicious taste of caviar that bursts on the tip of the tongue.

Imagine what a wonderful taste it would be when caviar meets crab meat with lotus root egg drop?

What kind of taste feast will caviar create when paired with steamed egg?

Or, imagine boldly, what kind of delicious reaction will the combination of caviar and the original flavor of free-range chicken produce?

There is no doubt that Caibo Chaoyang's sturgeon caviar has completely subverted the traditional caviar making methods in the world.

While diners around the world are still keen on eating caviar in traditional ways, Caibo Chaoyang has already been actively looking for ways to match caviar with other ingredients and dishes.

Apparently, caviar, this noble classic ingredient, is being "reborn from the ashes" in the hands of Cai Bo Chaoyang.

for a long time.

Caviar, truffles and foie gras are considered to be the world's three greatest delicacies.

Not only that, caviar is also ranked first among the three treasures.

The best caviar is soft and round in appearance, and very fresh, with black juice with a slight gray or brown tint. As for the taste, it has a light ocean flavor in the mouth, but the aftertaste is mellow and sweet, and it should not be too salty.

The delicate and fragile caviar quickly explodes in the cold tip of your tongue.

I can't help but feel that kind of light and luxurious feeling is absolutely priceless!

"Amazing."

"Caviar and egg custard, this method is really rare."

At this moment, Saji's eyes flickered as if he had realized something.

……

The reason why fish eggs can be transformed into delicious caviar is due to the meticulous and safe processing process.

More than ten procedures need to be completed within about 15 minutes. If it takes any longer, the fish eggs will not be fresh and cannot be made into top-quality caviar.

First, knock the sturgeon unconscious.

The eggs are then removed, screened, cleaned, drained, and handed over to a master appraiser.

Caviar identification masters will assess the grade based on the size, color, firmness, density, smell, etc. of the fish eggs.

The master then decides how much salt to add to the caviar. This is the most important decision in the entire process. The salt must be enough to marinate the fish eggs into caviar, but the saltiness should not cover up the delicate combination of flavor and texture. This again relies on experience.

In other words, this fourth step is the most important because it is one of the factors that determine the quality of caviar.

Then comes the fifth step. After adding salt, the fish eggs are sifted on the filter until they are of moderate consistency and then can be canned. This is a strict craftsmanship that has been passed down for hundreds of years.

Caviar still adheres to the most traditional yet complicated production process and quality.

This is the traditional way of making caviar.

……

However, it is different.

Cai Bo Chaoyang went against the trend and placed the caviar in a small container filled with ice to keep its quality and freshness.

"I see."

"The purpose of doing this is to be able to add different ingredients according to personal taste."

"The most classic and popular side dish is buttered and toasted white bread."

“But it’s obviously too cheap to do that.”

"At the same time, caviar cannot be eaten with strong-smelling ingredients, such as onions or lemons. As for drinks, vodka or champagne are both good choices for better tasting caviar."

At this moment, Sajigan thought of something and muttered a few words.

……

The way to eat caviar is actually very simple.

The authentic way to eat it is to not add any seasoning. Instead, put the chilled caviar directly into your mouth with a silver spoon, gently bite it with your teeth, and enjoy the "pop, pop" sound in your ears.

Then taste it carefully before swallowing it.

When you close your eyes, you can even hear this delicious sound.

Only when you crush the caviar with your tongue and palate can you truly understand:

It took so much effort.

It turns out it's all about the delicious feeling bursting out of this little caviar.

This authentic enjoyment depends entirely on the skilled processing techniques of caviar tasting masters.