novelslam Chapter 70 Cooperation Achieved
Chapter 70 Cooperation Achieved
The first few hot dishes were served very quickly.
Some people like to eat something warm before drinking alcohol.
The first hot dish was fish head stew with flatbread.
The plump silver carp head is rich in soy sauce flavor, and the freshly made pancakes are soft and chewy.
If you dip the pancake in the broth, it will be elevated to an unparalleled level.
This dish became an instant hit across the country after it was featured on the documentary series "A Bite of China".
The main thing is that the way this dish is eaten is perfect for everyone.
Therefore, everyone can feel comfortable eating this dish.
Just like the bosses at the table right now, after a glass of wine, they feel hot and bothered.
A bite of fish head stew with flatbread warms the stomach instantly, and the rich aroma immediately washes away the smell of alcohol.
For a moment, no one spoke; everyone was focused on eating their pancakes.
The second hot dish is hand-pulled mutton, a traditional dish from northern China and a must-have for banquets.
By this time, more than half of the dishes had been served, and the atmosphere at the table gradually became lively.
Mr. Wang started toasting everyone with his wine glass in hand, and soon his face turned red.
Zhenzhen and Pingping strolled around the area to pour tea, but they didn't get too close, leaving space for the guests to talk about their private matters.
The third hot dish is a famous Huaiyang dish, Eight Treasure Gourd Duck.
This is a top-level skill-based dish, requiring the whole duck to be deboned without breaking the skin or leaking water.
The duck's belly is stuffed with eight-treasure glutinous rice, and then tied with cotton rope to create a gourd-shaped waist.
Shaping is only the first step in making this dish. It is then deep-fried to set its shape, and finally simmered in broth for 3 hours.
This dish is quite time-consuming and laborious; otherwise, Lu Yuan wouldn't be so tired today.
"Eight-Treasure Gourd Duck, symbolizing both good fortune and prosperity, please enjoy."
As Zhenzhen gently introduced the dishes, she placed the plates on the table, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
This dish was rarely seen in the northern regions even in later generations.
Mr. Ding was also a little surprised when he saw it: "Eight-Treasure Gourd Duck is a remarkable dish even in the South. It seems this little restaurant really has a master chef!"
"We've never seen this before, Mr. Ding, please tell us what makes this dish different!" Mr. Wang flattered Mr. Ding at the right moment, making him feel very comfortable.
Mr. Ding moved his teacup from in front of him to the side, placed his hands on the table, and said:
"The key to this Eight Treasure Gourd Duck isn't the duck itself, but what's inside."
"Stomach? Is there any saying about it?" General Manager Liu was also a good straight man.
Mr. Ding turned the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck directly in front of himself, picked up two chopsticks with both hands, and inserted them into the duck's belly.
With a forceful pull, the belly split open in two, revealing the fragrant eight-treasure glutinous rice.
"This duck has eight kinds of fillings inside its belly, and its shape resembles a gourd, so it's called the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck!"
After Mr. Ding finished speaking, he moved away from the round table, leaned back in his chair, and smiled slightly.
"I see! There's so much to learn about this little duck. Mr. Ding must be very knowledgeable!"
Mr. Wang delivered another flattering remark, perfectly timed.
Mr. Ding also enjoyed the "lesson" process, and then flattered Mr. Wang with a remark:
"I have to say, Mr. Wang is very picky about the location. If it were anywhere else, you wouldn't be able to get this dish!"
Mr. Wang was immediately flattered and said:
"Mr. Ding, you may not know this, but the owner of this restaurant doesn't allow customers to order. He only arranges the menu based on the customers' preferences. If it weren't for you, Mr. Ding, they wouldn't have served such amazing dishes."
Zhenzhen, who was standing to the side, was so angry she almost burst out laughing. She gave Pingping a wink, signaling her to quickly bring out the next dish to shut these people up.
Pingping understood immediately and quickly brought out the fourth dish: Fried Three Delicacies!
The three fried items included deep-fried flatbread, deep-fried crucian carp, and deep-fried oyster mushrooms, all arranged neatly on small plates.
Fried foods are also suitable for drinking parties, because drinking parties last longer than regular meals, and fried foods are less affected by prolonged storage.
This dish was served at just the right time; the meal was already in full swing, and this kind of appetizer was exactly what was needed to liven things up.
As the executives clinked glasses and exchanged toasts, half of the fried food was gone.
The fifth course was a temporary truce: morel stuffed black tiger prawns.
This is a "convenient dish" designed for banquets.
Black tiger prawns are large and better suited for dry-frying. Arrange them neatly, pour on the sauce, and they will be glossy and shiny.
But doing so would make it very unseemly for the bosses to peel shrimp with their hands all dirty, and it would also be inconvenient for them to drink alcohol.
So Lu Yuan took out the black tiger shrimp meat and pounded it into a paste with some granules.
Stuff the mushrooms back into the steamer and steam until cooked.
During this process, the flavors of morel mushrooms and black tiger prawns will blend perfectly together, making them even more delicious.
When plating, keep the fried black tiger prawn heads and tails, use morel mushrooms to stuff the black tiger prawns as the prawn bodies, and then reassemble them.
Then, a special garlic sauce is poured over the shrimp, turning the 'reconstructed' shrimp a beautiful dark brown color.
This dish is very appealing from its presentation alone, and the meticulous cooking method further whets the appetite.
Everyone put down their glasses for a moment, picked up a piece, and began to taste it.
Mr. Wang couldn't even bother flattering Mr. Ding anymore; the smooth and delicious taste between his lips and teeth made him exclaim:
"I knew Boss Lu's cooking wouldn't disappoint me; the taste is absolutely top-notch!"
Mr. Liu suddenly cursed Mr. Wang as an old cunning thief, and complained:
"That's not fair of you, taking us to such a top-notch restaurant. You live nearby, so you can come whenever you want. But we're in the provincial capital; are we supposed to live on the highway every day?"
What seemed like a string of complaints from General Manager Liu was actually a round of praise for General Manager Wang's arrangements for the day.
Mr. Ding chuckled and took a sip of tea, saying:
"Then let's take a look at Mr. Wang's project. Once it starts, we'll all be spending more time here!"
When Mr. Wang heard that Mr. Ding had finally relented, he was overjoyed and almost jumped for joy.
But he had to maintain his composure on the surface, so he raised his glass and said:
"Thank you, Mr. Ding. I wish us a pleasant cooperation!"
The sixth dish was braised soft-shelled turtle.
At dinner parties for middle-aged men, soft-shelled turtles usually occupy a place.
After all, they've reached the age where they're drinking goji berries in their thermos cups, so they won't miss any opportunity to nourish their kidneys.
As expected, when Mr. Wang saw the turtle being served, he warmly served Mr. Ding a bowl.
At the dinner table, they casually started making jokes between men, making Zhenzhen and Pingping blush with embarrassment.
"This boss is really generous, putting abalone inside a turtle!" Mr. Liu has a sharp eye and immediately spotted the unusual piece of meat.
Lu Yuan had previously purchased some abalone and sea cucumber.
However, they found that the quality was not good enough to be served as a standalone dish, and it could only be used as a side dish to enhance the flavor.
After these banquets, he felt he needed to find time to go to the provincial capital to find some suppliers and order some high-end ingredients.
The reason why Cantonese cuisine stands out is largely due to the abundance of its ingredients.
Especially the dazzling array of seafood; for people from inland areas, seafood naturally has a high-end feel to it.
The philosophy of Northwest cuisine is actually similar to that of French cuisine: prioritizing ingredients, respecting origin, eating seasonally, and eating only what is in season.
However, due to the scarcity of ingredients, the variety of dishes that can be made is too limited to form a distinct cuisine.
Many people in Northwest China live to their thirties or forties without ever having eaten a crab; eating frozen shrimp is considered a seafood meal.
In fact, this is a common flaw in the diet of the entire North.
Shandong cuisine, the only cuisine with a complete system, owes much of its existence to its coastal location.