lovenovelstory Chapter 448 - 409: Are Kindergarten Meals Really This Luxurious Nowadays?
Chapter 448 - 409: Are Kindergarten Meals Really This Luxurious Nowadays?
"Chef Huang, thank you for saving breakfast for us especially."
When Jiang Shuihan and Lv Pengfei stepped into the kitchen, they expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Huang Jun.
"You’re welcome!"
Huang Jun looked up with a warm smile on his face, "To be able to prepare delicious food for you is my pleasure. Seeing you enjoy the food makes me feel satisfied."
Jiang Shuihan laughed and praised, "Chef Huang’s skills are impeccable. Every time I eat the food you make, I feel a sense of happiness."
Lv Pengfei nodded in agreement, "Yes indeed, Chef Huang, your breakfast gives us energy for the day. Our filming today will undoubtedly go smoother, all because of your delicious breakfast."
Listening to their compliments, Huang Jun’s smile grew even brighter.
He joked with a smile, "Alright, alright, don’t flatter me too much, you two. Aren’t you afraid my head will get too heavy to lift?"
Wow, Chef Huang, you’re quite humorous...
Jiang Shuihan, still smiling, responded, "Chef Huang, your head supports the culinary heaven of our Dorami Kindergarten, how dare we let it fall?"
Lv Pengfei also added with a smile, "Exactly, Chef Huang, your skills are our source of motivation. We must take good care of you, so your head is always held high."
Huang Jun: "..."
He waved his hand, pretending to be serious, "Alright, alright, if you keep flattering me like this, the pots and pans in my kitchen will start floating. Go and tidy up, we should start filming."
Curiously, Lv Pengfei asked, "Chef Huang, what are we filming first?"
Huang Jun casually replied, "Wenshi Tofu!"
"Ah..."
Jiang Shuihan and Lv Pengfei opened their mouths wide in shock, enough to fit an egg.
They were, of course, familiar with Wenshi Tofu.
Especially Lv Pengfei, since "A Bite of China" became popular, he has been fascinated by this dish, traveling to Yangzhou to experience its unique charm firsthand.
Due to not preparing sufficiently in advance, he ended up choosing a tourist restaurant to taste this famous dish.
After tasting it...
He regrettably found it far from the ultimate deliciousness described in the show, leaving a bit of disappointment in his heart.
Despite this, the fame and widespread acclaim of Wenshi Tofu continued to deeply attract him, convincing him that its true flavor could not be captured in that brief taste.
Ultimately, his perseverance proved him right!
When he visited Yangzhou again, he carefully picked a renowned old establishment in town for another encounter with Wenshi Tofu.
At that moment...
The delicately silky, incomparably fresh taste, combined with the melt-in-the-mouth texture, seemed to transcend time and space, letting him fully understand why countless poets and literati throughout history have been enamored by it.
Simply extraordinary!
This Wenshi Tofu is truly a taste of heaven, so exquisite it defies description!
Now hearing that Huang Jun was going to make this famous dish, he was naturally amazed and a bit incredulous.
After all, this is a kindergarten...
Lv Pengfei, with a look of astonishment, asked incredulously, "Chef Huang, the Wenshi Tofu you mentioned, could it be the famous Wenshi Tofu from Huaiyang cuisine, known for its exquisite knife skills?"
Huang Jun nodded with a smile to confirm, "That’s right!"
Still in shock, Lv Pengfei half-jokingly said, "Oh my, even kindergarten meals are reaching this level of luxury now? It’s beyond imagination!"
Jiang Shuihan humorously joined in, "Chef Huang, your skills single-handedly elevated the food standards of all kindergartens in the city to an unprecedented height."
Lv Pengfei marveled, "Exactly, it’s not just the city, it’s a new benchmark for kindergarten meals nationwide!"
But then again, can Chef Huang really handle this famous dish?
Considering Huang Jun’s culinary skills, it shouldn’t be a problem...
Huang Jun, unaware of their thoughts, began preparing to make the Wenshi Tofu.
The ingredients for Wenshi Tofu are actually simple; you can use lactone tofu from the market.
As for condiments!
Shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, Jinhua ham, and small bok choy leaves are common choices, but they are not set in stone.
Feel free to substitute them, like using carrots to add to the salty aroma of Jinhua ham, or using wood ear mushrooms instead of shiitake for fresh flavor.
More creatively, add some thinly sliced egg pancakes to give the dish a splash of yellow, adding a touch of elegance.
Beyond all this...
The soul of Wenshi Tofu lies in that pot of clear chicken soup.
Many people focus their attention on the knife skill required for the tofu, marveling at its precision.
But those who truly understand will pay more attention to that pot of clear chicken soup.
Making a pot of brightly colored, rich-flavored clear chicken soup is no less challenging than slicing tofu into thin strips.
The chicken soup Huang Jun used today was prepared by him and Qian Guoxiang yesterday, using a hen raised for more than three years. After cleaning it and removing the head, claws, wingtips, and tail, it was simmered with cold water over low heat.
During the simmering process, the water must be kept at a subtle state of just about to boil, and any scum must be promptly skimmed off.
This simmering needs to continue for six to seven hours to produce a pot of clear, aromatic chicken soup.
After the chicken soup is ready, it must be carefully filtered through multiple layers of gauze to ensure each drop is pure and flawless.
Now that the chicken soup is ready, Huang Jun picks up the divine kitchen knife and begins to slice the tofu.
"Chef Huang, are you sure you want to use such a heavy knife and not a thinner one?" Qian Guoxiang’s brows reveal a hint of worry.
After all, when handling delicate ingredients like tofu, chefs tend to prefer thin, sharp slicing knives.
These knives not only have a smooth blade surface and are easy to operate, but their lightweight design allows chefs to maintain stamina and precision during prolonged work.
Therefore.
Qian Guoxiang couldn’t help but worry that if Huang Jun insisted on using this hefty knife, his wrist might quickly become fatigued under the heavy load, affecting the precision and efficiency of the cutting.
Facing Qian Guoxiang’s concerns, Huang Jun simply smiled calmly and responded, "No need, this knife will do."
Seeing Huang Jun’s confident expression, Qian Guoxiang couldn’t say much more, nodding helplessly, "Alright then!"
As soon as the words fell.
Huang Jun’s wrist gave a gentle flick, and the seemingly clumsy kitchen knife turned into a nimble snake in his hand, dancing gracefully over the tofu with a flash of cold light.
In an instant.
A whole block of tofu was precisely cut into evenly squared chunks, each two fingers thick, neatly aligned.
Immediately, a rhythmic and forceful "thud thud thud" was heard, as the ten-centimeter-long block of tofu was covered with fine knife marks, revealed only by the continuous crisp sound of the knife striking the cutting board.
In a flash...
Jiang Shuihan and Lv Pengfei were deeply captivated by this exquisite knife skill.
They both held their breath in unison, their eyes tightly locked on Huang Jun’s skillful hands, trying to capture every fleeting precise movement but finding themselves unable to keep up with the rapid pace, left only in awe of the extraordinary and miraculous craftsmanship.
Even the usually composed Qian Guoxiang couldn’t help but be astonished by this skill, his eyes betraying undisguised admiration.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment, with Huang Jun’s blade dancing swiftly amidst the intertwining light and shadow, its countless passages forgotten, leaving only the melodious and crisp sound of the knife echoing softly in the serene air, weaving a heart-stirring melody.
Finally.
Huang Jun’s knife tip touched the end of the tofu.
Just as Jiang Shuihan and Lv Pengfei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this visual feast was coming to an end, Huang Jun’s left hand gave a gentle push, and the block of tofu that was two fingers thick instantly transformed into thin slices about a finger’s width.
With this move, not only did Huang Jun sculpt the entire piece of tofu into layer upon layer of unbelievably delicate thin slices, but he also, in an incredible maneuver, allowed these slices to topple one after another like dominoes, layered beautifully under a gentle push from his left hand, forming a staggered and stunningly exquisite scene.
The crowd of onlookers, whose nerves had just slightly relaxed, tensed up again, their eyes fixated on Huang Jun’s every subtle action to come.
"Thud thud thud..."
The familiar sound echoed once more, yet it evoked an unprecedented sense of awe within everyone present, as if every cell was dancing in admiration of the skillful artistry of the knife work.
Qian Guoxiang concentrated fully, watching Huang Jun’s every movement, his gaze following the knife as it glided through the tofu.
After a while, he slowly spoke, "Chef Huang’s knife skills are very solid, reaching such a level at his age is indeed rare."
His own knife skills were also decent, but when it came to slicing Wenshi Tofu, he found it somewhat beyond his capabilities.
The sense of beyond capability wasn’t due to an inability to complete the slicing, but rather the lack of ease and comfort during the process, missing the lightness and freedom present when handling other dishes.
Not to mention using such a hefty knife to cut!
To quote a popular online phrase, "I cannot do it..."
When he finished slicing the tofu, his right hand made a gentle sweep, and the knife deftly lifted the silk-like tofu strands from the cutting board, placing them into a bowl already filled with warm water and a pinch of salt.
The combination of warm water and salt not only effectively removes the beany odor from the tofu but also adds an extra elasticity and firmness to the tofu strands, enhancing the texture to make it more delicate and pliable, offering a richer taste experience.
Then, with the back of a spoon, he leisurely traced circles on the water’s surface, gently stirring it into a dance that embraced the freshly immersed tofu strands, guiding them to gradually spread out into countless fine silver strands, languidly stretching and dancing in the water...
Even before considering the final taste of the dish, the unfolding scene of the tofu strands soaking was already a delight for the eyes, comparable to a spectacular performance, providing a visually and spiritually rewarding experience.
This scene almost transcends the realm of cooking, reaching the level of art.
As all the tofu strands completely relaxed, the entire bowl filled with silver threads that danced and soared within, interweaving with the rotating water currents to craft a breathtakingly beautiful tableau...