Cooking

"Arong!" Master Lu yelled, and Li Xiangrong, who was looking around, was shocked, and the big eco-bag full of things he lifted up with both hands almost fell to the ground.

"Master, I'll take these and put them in the car first," the panting young man begged for mercy with his fingers turned white, "I promise I'll be here in 10 minutes. Look at the fish first."

"I just brought you here to buy fish, don't be lazy," the master clapped his hands calmly. In the early spring morning, the chill was still strong, and only the egg white morning light on the horizon showed a clear outline.

"I'll just put these down first," Ah Rong wailed and tried his best to carry the big cloth bag, "I can't carry the fish even after I bought it."

"Don't be a chef if you don't have this little arm strength," the old man said lightly, "The morning market has just opened, and we are about to grab the best fish, so hurry up!"

Ah Rong had to drag the heavy bag and staggered behind the master to the other side of the market.

In the bag, the master bought some crab legs when he was talking to a familiar stall owner on the spur of the moment. Of course, they couldn't be on the table of Bu's banquet. The key point was to go to the fish market to buy some fresh food.

The working practice of buying fresh ingredients is that two people work in shifts. In fact, a fixed amount of meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruits are delivered directly to Bu’s house by long-term cooperative merchants. The chef himself goes into battle.

Generally, the whole day’s purchasing work will be completed at nine o’clock in the morning, and the fish market will open at three o’clock in the morning. The fishing boats from long voyages will send the deep-sea live creatures to the market, waiting for people to rush to buy from 5:7 to [-]:[-] , If you want good enough fish, you must come early enough.

Turning off the alarm clock, yawning and getting up from the warm bed, followed the master to the morning market in a daze. Li Xiangrong was still awake until he was brought to the fish stall with a strong smell of sea water.

The acquainted stall owner said good morning to Master Lu along the way. The master looked at the fresh fish, shrimp and crab shells in the tank, and pointed out how much to keep for each, and finally took them together.

Before dawn, even the most beautiful and lively fish under the dangling lights have black backs and pale belly. The whites of the originally bright eyes gradually darkened, and the plump cheeks sucked one by one. Arong looked like he was dying .

These fish will be sliced, chopped, boned, minced, steamed, fried, stewed, or eaten raw or hung in soup. In short, fish cannot escape the fate of being killed and eaten, and people have to wait While eating, he complained about the chef's craftsmanship.

It feels really bad.

"Arong," sensing the apprentice's absent-mindedness, the master pointed to a half-dead herring in the water basin, "That kind of fish is not good, and neither is man."

The idea of ​​bumping into a jumping fish before being killed shocked Arong.

"Master," Li Xiangrong decided to speak after struggling for a long time, "I promised my mother not to kill..."

The master looked at him, the wrinkles on his face cast shadows in the morning light.

Ah Rong bit the bullet and said, "I only cook vegetarian dishes, okay?"

"You don't want to buy with me?" I couldn't hear any emotion from the voice, but Wei Mao felt so scared...

Her calves started to cramp, and Ah Rong no longer looked at the chef's face. Indeed, any chef would want to kick him away if he was a young apprentice who was cheating and cheating.

"I'm afraid of seeing blood," Li Xiangrong said with his head down, trying to be honest, "When I see blood, I feel dizzy and weak when I smell the blood, so I dare not..."

"Your family used to run a lo-mei restaurant," the master chuckled, "Okay, I see, you go back to the car and wait for me."

Li Xiangrong climbed into the minivan alone, full of frustration and guilt.

But I can’t force myself to do things that I can’t do. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t bear the strong smell of blood at home. Maybe it’s because I want to change my ignorant self so I stick to my promise to my mother. Maybe it’s really just Making excuses for laziness, in short, I don't want to see the scene of creatures being killed anymore, it just makes my heart tremble with pain.

- all right?Xu Ji, who hadn't appeared for a long time, asked with concern in his mind.

--Um.

——Maybe it's because of me that you can't smell that bloody smell.Xu Ji said hesitantly, my existence has increased your sensitivity.

——I just think humans are cruel.Ah Rong responded silently.

——It's better to stay in Manshu Courtyard, the murder in Bu's kitchen may make you feel very uncomfortable.

——What makes me uncomfortable is that I don't know many things, and you refuse to teach me well.

Indeed, apart from teaching him how to do knife work at Manshuyuan, and cooking at Bu's home, Xu Ji, the spirit who recommended himself as a master, never taught Ah Rong anything, and often disappeared.

It can't be said to be missing, but to be in a deep sleep. He clearly knows that he is in his mind, but he doesn't appear no matter how he calls, he pretends to be dead and pretends to be thorough.

——I'm not playing dead!Xu Ji noticed the content of the brainwave and firmly denied it.

——No matter what you are doing, you are the one who wants to enter my mind, you are the one who wants to come to Bu's house, and it is you who want me to work hard to stay, you can't do nothing!

——I'm thinking about what dishes I can teach you, don't you only want to cook vegetarian dishes?

——I am most anxious about how to pass the regular exam once a month now!

Xu Ji was silent for a while, probably also felt a little embarrassed about Li Xiangrong being asked by Mrs. Fanny to make snacks last time and did not show up to help. He wanted to explain but couldn't find a good reason.

—Anyway, hurry up and teach me something real!

——The dish that does not kill with your own hands, um, let me think about it.

When the master came back slowly, he found Li Xiangrong curled up on the seat and fell asleep.

"This kid, thanks to Weishao insisting on staying, he is not motivated enough..." The old man sighed, "I hope he is a real genius, and don't just get unlucky for a while."

It was an honor to be taken to the morning market by the master, but the appearance of coming back in a dark sleep became a joke, no matter what, it was better to be laughed at than to be scrupulous.

But in the eyes of others, how could this kind of foolishness not be distorted and interpreted as a show of genius?

People who are not confident enough and always feel that they can only gain a place if they work hard, will be even more taboo...

At lunch, Tao Xingming made tempura with crab legs. The light yellow custard was wrapped in brightly colored crab legs and was fried very crispy. When dipped in soy sauce, it felt really crispy when bitten down. Li Xiangrong had no resistance to this taste , I ate a lot in a row and didn't stop.

"I said, aren't you a vegetarian, Arong?" Anton raised his eyebrows teasingly, "How can you be unambiguous about eating crab legs?"

"I didn't say I'm a vegetarian, I just don't kill animals," Arong explained indiscriminately after biting off the crispy crab legs.

This concept is really tricky.

Although no one asked again, Ah Rong himself felt a little cunning, wiped off his fingers embarrassingly, and walked away from Senior Brother Tao who was still working in front of the frying pan.

"Xiao Li!" Cold Noodle Brother He opened his golden mouth, "What kind of food do you cook?"

I ran to the stove and carefully opened the bamboo steamer to take a look. I put on my gloves and took out the large bowl inside and put it on a flat plate.

Although Bujia's kitchen is full of modern equipment, it emphasizes the inheritance of traditional cooking methods.For steaming dishes, I still choose to use special-order time-honored bamboo utensils instead of large steamers. Although those stainless steel electronic steamers can control the air pressure and temperature to the same score, they lose the inspiration to master the heat.

"I made tamales today!" Ah Rong carefully watched the white air disperse, and the semicircular meat slices were not bad in color and smelled delicious.

"Tell me how to do it," the brother continued.

"I chose pork belly, mixed it with rice noodles and soy sauce, marinated it for two hours, put cabbage leaves under it, and steamed it in a basket for an hour and a half..." Arong tremblingly finished the method, listening to the secret master's instructions. It was easy to get started when I was doing it, but it is not so easy to put it on the table and wait for everyone to judge.

It should be delicious, right?He really doesn't have that kind of confidence.

Talented chefs can perfect a new dish when they try it for the first time, and cook a unique and novel taste, but a dish with a long tradition like tamales will never satisfy everyone the first time.

Because it is too common, everyone can do it, and everyone has their own method, but they will think that others are not good enough.

It is not only a home-cooked dish, but also a classic banquet dish. Tianxi has the taste of Tianxi, and imperial cuisine has the taste of imperial cuisine. The price can be high or low, and it is more difficult to grasp.

If you don't do it well, it's vulgar, but if you do it well, it's just your duty.

There is also tamales in Bujia cuisine, and the selection of ingredients is not complicated, so it can be regarded as a mediocre dish.

The chefs usually start working at noon to prepare for the dinner. During the shared lunch, each person usually practices their craft and criticizes each other.

Li Xiangrong made steamed pork, Anton made roasted meatballs made with chicken breast, together with Tao Xingming's fried crab legs and Feng Yifan's vegetable tofu soup, it was a hearty meal.

Everyone's chopsticks caught meat, and Li Xiangrong felt his heart rise to his throat. This was the first time he participated in cooking instead of eating for free. It seemed that his existence had just been initially accepted.

Tao Xingming ate a piece of meat, smiled and said to him, "Not bad, come on." This senior is usually in charge of cold dishes and rarely talks, but suddenly he was the first to speak, which made Ah Rong a little flattered.

"It's really delicious, Ah Rong is amazing!" Anton said the second, winking and giving a thumbs up, "Is this the first time you've made this? I don't believe it!"

"Average," Feng Yifan said lightly, "the meat is not glutinous enough, and the taste of the sauce is not transparent, too salty."

Li Xiangrong took a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it carefully, and didn't speak for a while.

"Although a good dish can't be made successfully at one time, the feeling of making it for the first time is included in it. Xiao Li, I haven't tasted your excitement and joy, and you still have serious intentions. What I have tasted is that you are nervous and not confident. , Holding the idea of ​​dying or dying is not to make the taster happy, but just to say that I have tried my best, so don't criticize my mentality anymore." He Zhishan stared at him sharply, "Since it is so reluctant, give up Well, I think, even this plate of pork is probably not willing to be tossed by you."

18

18,

Indeed, it was not something made in good faith, and it was also disrespectful to the ingredients themselves. Li Xiangrong bit his lip and silently lowered his head.

"Eat those by yourself, don't waste them," Senior Brother He ordered. Although the amount of tamales is not too much, it's too scary to eat alone.

With a mournful face, Li Xiangrong pulled the plate up to him, and after taking two bites, he was disgusted by the greasy taste of the fatty meat.

"How can you serve others something you can't even eat yourself?" The cold senior brother continued to speak harshly, "Don't you feel inferior now that you eat delicious food made by others, or don't you know what self-esteem is?"

"Okay, Senior Brother He," Tao Xingming bumped his elbow and persuaded in a low voice, "It's time to eat, don't talk about it."

"Xingming, you are really a good person. You can say 'good' at this level. You haven't caught a cold recently, have you? Is there something wrong with your sense of taste?" Immediately spread the malice, not caring what the concept of "excessive" is.

Fortunately, Tao Xingming just curled his lips, and deliberately stretched out his chopsticks to pick up a piece of tamales and ate them slowly, blinking at Li Xiangrong.

"And you, Anton." He Zhishan seemed to think that no one would talk back and it was boring. He Zhishan called out his name on purpose, "I thought you worked hard, and it's useless to work hard if you are an idiot! You always only talk about others. Good words, are you really stupid or fake! If you don’t tell the truth honestly, it will make you look good!”

"Yes...Senior Brother He," Anton secretly rolled his eyes when he could only agree in a drawn-out voice.

"Oh, Zhishan shouldn't be too strict," Feng Yifan said with a smile, who always kept a certain distance. He Zhishan couldn't be too rude, and stared at his juniors for a while.

Li Xiangrong felt even more sorry for being scolded for his senior brother, and wished he could bury his face in that plate of meat—is it really so unpalatable...

——It’s really not delicious, Xu Ji quietly replied

- Then why don't you stop me

——You are the one who makes tamales!I can only tell you how to do it.

——It will be delicious if you cook it.

——I will go to your body once, and I will rest for ten days without showing up. I will do it when you can handle it.

—Cut, forget it...

There is no way, if you play chess or cards, a master just needs to tell you how to do it in your mind, but cooking is purely manual, no matter what secret recipes you have, you can't directly become a master.

Even if he has the best teacher and stays in the best restaurant, the only thing he can rely on is his own diligence and understanding. Li Xiangrong still understands this truth very well.

"Do you like tamales?" Looking up, it was Master Lu approaching the dining table. The chef usually comes to the kitchen at three or four in the afternoon, and it was really early today.

"Haven't you eaten yet? Master?" He Zhishan stood up, "We've just started, shall we eat together?"

The master waved his hands and sat down, "How do you order today's dishes, teach Xiao Li."

"Master, you have brought so many crab legs, you must deal with them as soon as possible," Tao Xingming said, pointing to his work, "Next time, you must buy less, as this food is not easy to digest if you eat too much."

"I saw that there are a lot of chicken breasts, but I don't use them very much in today's menu, so I made roasted meatballs," Anton explained.

"I had a drink last night, today I'll make a light vegetable and tofu soup," Feng Yifan said casually, "Seeing how greasy they make, I didn't add fish slices."

Nodding casually, the master turned to Arong and asked, "What about you, Xiao Li, why did you come up with the idea of ​​making tamales?"

"I just want to try..." Ah Rong replied in a low voice, "I think tamales should be loved by everyone."

"How many times have you done it?" Looking around in the plate, the master chef motioned for someone to bring a pair of chopsticks.

"It's the first time I'm making it," Arong said tremblingly, "I read the recipe notes shared in the kitchen, so I'll try it first."

"Oh? First time?" The master chef exchanged glances with He Zhishan, picked up a piece with chopsticks and began to eat.

"I did it all by myself and didn't ask anyone else?"

"Well, sort of..." If Xu Ji wasn't a human being, then he was.All the dishes on the Bujia menu are written in the shared recipe notes, not some secret recipes, only very simple cooking procedures, anyone can follow and try, of course, it is not so simple to make them outstanding.

"That's not bad," the master put down his chopsticks, "I noticed some important points, I should have put my heart into it." After speaking, he took a deep look at He Zhishan.

Senior Brother He held his bowl to eat expressionlessly.

"By the way, let me tell you something." The master raised his voice slightly, "Wei Shao and I have discussed it. When preparing the banquet in the future, try to ask Lonnie to come to the kitchen to study. He is also studying hard now, so it depends on him." Arranged by myself."

"Master Lonny also wants to learn cooking skills?" He Zhishan asked on behalf of everyone, "Does he want to be in charge of cooking?"

"No, no," the chef waved his hands again and again, "It's learning, but I just came to see more. I'm old, and I rarely have to entertain guests. It's time for Lonnie to learn more."

"He's just looking for something to eat when he comes here," Tao Xingming said with a slight smile, "Should he supervise us or should we control him?"

"Lonnie is the heir of the Bu family, and he has a lot to learn," the chef said earnestly, "Everyone is an old man who has stayed in the Bu family for many years, please support the young master, he has worked harder than Wei Shao back then. The prosperity of the Bu family depends entirely on you."

"Is it because that incident hasn't passed yet..." Anton asked softly.

"It can be considered as a reason. In short, everyone should work harder!" The chef came to the conclusion and said to Arong kindly, "Also, in the future, if you only cook vegetarian dishes, think about it before cooking and ask more questions. Anyone else can do it, you have to work hard.”

He Zhishan's expression changed, "With his current level, how can he serve the main course directly? The Bu family doesn't have many vegetarian dishes, and I have always been the main one."

"It's because there are not many that Xiao Li is called to work hard, Zhishan," the chef's tone slightly increased, "You are a big brother, you have to think carefully about everything, Xiao Li is from Manshuyuan, so it is more suitable to be a vegetarian. In addition to those specialty dishes, you should try more new things."

Being locked on by the brother's frosty gaze again, Ah Rong wailed a little in his heart, I don't want to be hated by him, I don't want to be noticed by him ahhhhhh

—Come on, there is pressure to be motivated.

——He Zhishan is so scary, so scary...

——With my royal chef covering you, what are you afraid of?

——I'm afraid you won't use it ==

"Come on, everyone else, try more new dishes and learn more new things. The Bu family has nothing to live on," the chef finally concluded, "I have always appreciated that each of you is a hardworking cook, but I still ask you not only to work hard, but also to be more creative, which is also a small hope."

Before dinner, Bronnie came over wearing a white chef's uniform. Although he usually came to the kitchen to mess around, today's momentum has changed obviously. According to Ah Rong's description, he is more focused and indifferent.

Strictly inspecting the preparation of each dish, and asking questions about things I don't understand in time when I have free time, everyone's nerves are tense.

After getting along for a long time, I naturally understand that Buroni is a person with a serious personality, and maybe he has the rigidity and excess energy inherited from Europeans. He also accurately changes his role, and plays the role of a serious heir in his demeanor. .

Facing the heir, all chefs are no longer just his teachers and friends, but his employees and subordinates.

After a few days, in the chef's mind, Buroni's image has surpassed that of his father, who only works at banquets.

The vegetarian dishes made by Li Xiangrong were not served at the banquet. Every time He Zhishan tasted a bite, he asked him to take it away, saying that the quality was too poor.

Master Lu had already handed over part of the chef's power to test and order dishes to He Zhishan. If he disagreed, it would be for nothing.

Not only is the work denied, He Zhishan will also send a heavier mockery.

Li Xiangrong had to spend more time reading recipes. Being ridiculed for his low culture, he could only endure tears and go to the library to learn more about history, folk customs, and social sciences.

In the morning, no matter which chef is scheduled to go to the morning market to buy, he will be a cheeky follower. Whenever he has the opportunity, he will secretly try to cook. He must not be lazy in the work of cutting and washing dishes, and endure daily negation and ridicule. .

Although the ridicule only came from He Zhishan, no one else would stop him, including Bronney.

In fact, compared to ridicule, what is more unbearable is everyone's indifference. Perhaps this kind of making things difficult is the only way for everyone, and cheap sympathy is meaningless at all.

Just bear with it and get used to it. Ah Rong usually fights with Xu Ji in his head to relieve the pressure. The advice Xu Ji gave him still needs enough practice to show progress, but no matter how stupid a person is, he can work hard like this Will get some gains.

Gradually, Ah Rong no longer wanted to take He Zhishan's ridicule to heart, and real progress was more convincing than any verbal dispute.

From easy to difficult, Li Xiangrong kept trying to make all kinds of vegetarian dishes that he remembered in Manshuyuan. The materials and craftsmanship were repeatedly demonstrated in the silent communication with Xu Ji. The increase in strength naturally led to the growth of self-confidence.

A month passed so quickly.

Li Xiangrong hasn't served a single dish to the tables of the guests of the Bu family.

There is no need to doubt that the current He Zhishan simply refuses his food unconditionally. No matter what method he uses, it is impossible for the other party to say affirmative words. Ah Rong feels that this is not his own problem.

To break this situation, the only way to stand out in the interim exam once a month, if Master Lu and Patriarch Bu Wei give good reviews, He Zhishan can't stop him of course.

The idea is good, but three months have passed, and in the three exams, Li Xiangrong's dishes were not recognized.

From the beginning of spring to the current midsummer, Li Xiangrong has stayed at the Bu family for nearly five months, but he still cannot be regarded as the chef of the Bu family.

After the turbot incident, the Department of Health issued a series of documents to improve the management system of the catering industry. The number of inspections and random inspections was several times higher than before. The Bu family carefully dealt with the monitoring of the government and the media, and desperately tried to make a public image. While constantly making new dishes full of sincerity and innovation to win back the hearts of old diners, it also makes high-profile attacks on social charity to strengthen the presence of Bujia.

Many things were manipulated by Bu Langni. He once said to his father that he didn't want the guests of Bu's family to stay in a few circles that thought they were elegant and high-class, and that no one could come here just because they were rich.

The customers decide the standard of the restaurant, and the restaurant is also responsible for the taste of the customers.

The guests of the Bu family must have connotations, a positive attitude and enough affinity. No matter who they are, they should be honored to be able to eat at the Bu family.

This is the goal of Buroni.

The author has something to say: I am guilty...

Throw it into the manuscript box, but the time has not been changed 囧里格囧.

This chapter should be from yesterday--

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