The fragrance immediately made Chu Chen salivate. His teeth moved involuntarily, and the aroma instantly spread throughout his mouth. The distinct yet cleverly blended layers of flavor left him savoring it endlessly.
After finishing that bite, Chu Chen exclaimed involuntarily, "It's so smooth, fresh, and tender, with a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth. After eating it, one can't help savoring it for a long time. I've never had vegetarian food with such layers, texture, and flavor in my life."
Everyone present smiled when they heard Chu Chen. Lu Changshun set down his chopsticks and said, "Little Chu, it's not just you. Even I had never eaten such an outstanding Dinghu Shangsu before. Unfortunately, Chef Niu rarely cooks, so we can only enjoy such a treat by following Manager Zhao."
Only then did Chu Chen learn that the dish was called Dinghu Shangsu. Its name alone revealed the quality of the dish. As the name implied, "superior vegetarian cuisine" referred to high-grade vegetarian food.
Dinghu Shangsu was a Lingnan-style dish. It had originally been created by an old monk at Qingyun Temple in gd during the Yongli era of the Ming Dynasty. It used tremella as its main ingredient, supplemented by more than ten ingredients, including various precious fungi and shiitake mushrooms, each cooked separately by simmering them in oil and seasonings.
During preparation, some of the ingredients were arranged in a circle along the bottom of the basin, while the rest filled the center. The whole thing was then inverted onto a plate, forming a distinctively layered "mountain shape." The dish used exquisite ingredients, had elegant coloring, and featured clearly defined layers.
It was widely said that Empress Dowager Cixi had been delighted after tasting Dinghu Shangsu and had issued an imperial decree placing it among the Manchu Han Imperial Feast, making it one of that feast's famous dishes. Dinghu Shangsu had also become the signature vegetarian dish of Qingyun Temple on Dinghu Mountain.
Next, Lu Changshun pointed at a dish that seemed to use eel as its main ingredient and said, "After the vegetarian dishes, of course we should have some meat. You should be familiar with eel. This is the famous Ruandou Changyu from Huaiyang cuisine."
Ruandou Changyu was a famous specialty dish in the history of Huai'an. In ancient times, preparing the eel involved tying live eels in a gauze pouch and placing them into boiling water with scallions, ginger, salt, and vinegar. They were scalded until their bodies curled and their mouths opened, then removed.
The meat along their backs was then taken and cooked. Once finished, the meat was extremely tender. When lifted with chopsticks, both ends drooped like the straps of a child's bib. Since a spoon could be used to cradle the meat while eating, it was named "soft-cradled eel."
Although almost no one prepared it this way anymore, Lu Changshun explained that Chef Niu had carefully cooked this Ruandou Changyu using the ancient method while adding his own innovations. It was certainly worth anticipating.
Before tasting it, the first deep impression the dish gave Chu Chen was its remarkable elasticity. When he lifted a piece of eel with his chopsticks, he could actually see the meat trembling, yet it did not break. If one thought it must be chewy, that would be a huge mistake. The moment it entered his mouth, it was exceptionally soft and tender, practically melting instantly.
The dish was fresh and refreshing, with a rich garlic fragrance. Yet the garlic did not overpower the eel's flavor. The two blended together perfectly, like a red flower complemented by green leaves.
Seeing Chu Chen's intoxicated expression, Lu Changshun smiled and began introducing the next dish.
The next dish was the famous Hangzhou specialty Gan Zha Xiangling. It was carefully prepared with Sixiang tofu skin, a renowned specialty of the hz region. With its bright yellow color, fresh and savory flavor, and crispness like the ringing of a bell, it had been recognized as a distinctive hz specialty and was very popular with diners.
This dish also had its own story. It was said that long ago, Hangzhou had two eateries, one large and one small. The owner of the large restaurant wanted to monopolize the business and often caused trouble for and bullied the owner of the small restaurant.
One day, he learned that the small restaurant had run out of tofu skin. He then incited some hooligans to go there and specifically order tofu skin, threatening to smash the restaurant's signboard if their demands could not be met. This enraged a burly man who often drank there. Without saying a word, he hurried out, mounted his own yellow-maned horse, and galloped away with his whip.
Who could have expected that not long afterward, the tinkling of horse bells would ring out? Following the sound, they saw that the burly man had appeared at the entrance of the small restaurant, carrying a bundle of tofu skin bought from Sixiang.
His actions left the small restaurant's owner deeply grateful. He immediately began preparing a dish of tofu skin to accompany wine, sparing no expense by using the finest pork tenderloin. To commemorate the hero's good deed, the owner rolled the tofu skin into the shape of horse bells. Thus, the famous dish Gan Zha Xiangling was born.
The tofu skin on the outside of this dish was as thin as a cicada's wing and golden in color. It made a crisp sound when bitten into. After dipping it in Chef Niu's specially prepared sauce, it was truly fresh, savory, and delicious, with a unique flavor. It was unquestionably an excellent dish to accompany wine.
After eating one piece of Gan Zha Xiangling, Chu Chen raised his wine cup and said to Zhao Qirui, "It's my great honor to dine with Manager Zhao today. I'll borrow flowers to offer to Buddha and thank you for your kindness toward me. I wish you good health, good fortune, and wealth from every direction. I'll finish mine first; please drink as you wish."
When Zhao Qirui saw Chu Chen drain his cup, he likewise finished his own wine, giving Chu Chen ample face. Then he waved his hand and said:
"Little Chu, you don't have to be so respectful with me. After all, if you didn't have any ability, I'd have no reason to favor you, would I? Since you don't know these dishes and Old Lu has finished introducing them, shouldn't you introduce the next two dishes that you do know?"
Chu Chen smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I only happened to read about these two dishes in a magazine. I can talk about them, but I've never practiced making them. Please forgive me."
"Since that's the case,
let's talk while we practice," Zhao Qirui said with a smile.
The final meat dish was the Jiuzhuan Dachang that Chu Chen had mentioned at the beginning. It was an authentic Lu Cuisine dish, created in the early Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty and first invented by the Jiuhua Lou restaurant in jn.
The dish was made by blanching and frying pig intestines, then stuffing them with more than ten kinds of seasonings before braising them over low heat. Its preparation was distinctive: generous in seasoning and complete in ingredients, with all five flavors present. It was first boiled, then fried, and finally braised. It was transferred repeatedly between ladle and pot until thoroughly cooked.
It was said that the owner of Jiuhua Lou was especially fond of the number nine. After tasting the dish, several refined scholars felt that it was truly unusual and had a unique flavor. To please the owner's fondness for "nine," while praising the chef's meticulous preparation as being like a Daoist's "ninefold refinement of an elixir," they renamed it Jiuzhuan Dachang.
The dish was reddish and lustrous, with a soft and tender texture. Once in the mouth, it offered all five flavors: sour, sweet, fragrant, spicy, and salty. Its flavor was extremely distinctive. Although it used fatty intestines, it was rich without being greasy, making it a favorite of meat lovers like Chu Chen.
Although Jiuzhuan Dachang was delicious, eating too much placed a heavy burden on the stomach and intestines. Thus, the final dish, Kaisui Baicai, solved that concern.
Although Kaisui Baicai was a clear-soup dish, it was a true traditional Bashu specialty. It had originally been created by the Sichuan Cuisine master Huang Jinglin while he worked in the imperial kitchen of the Qing Palace. Later, the Sichuan Cuisine master Luo Guorong brought the cooking technique back to Bashu, and it became a delicacy served at high-end banquets in the capital's restaurants.
Although Kaisui Baicai was said to use boiling water, it actually used clear broth. Moreover, this broth could not be prepared in a short time. Chef Niu had spent an entire night carefully simmering it before it was finished.
The soup looked as though a few strands of cabbage were floating in a bowl of clear water, without even a speck of oil. It seemed bland and tasteless, but once eaten, it was fragrant and refreshing.
As for the soup, it was neither oily nor greasy. The moment it entered the mouth, the greasiness of the intestines disappeared without a trace. Tasting it again, one found that it was neither weak nor insipid. Its elegant and rich flavors complemented each other. The entire dish seemed unlike a delicacy, yet surpassed one.
These five dishes represented delicacies from five major culinary traditions, and each had its own related story. Combined with Chef Niu's superb cooking skills, they were fascinating to hear about and left everyone eating with great gusto.
Afterward, Chu Chen did not slight anyone. He separately toasted Lu Changshun and the driver. Of course, the driver substituted tea for wine. The group ate and chatted, then began discussing matters related to jadeite. The atmosphere was truly warm and harmonious.
They tasted delicacies and listened to stories, making the atmosphere of the meal particularly interesting. The delicious dishes, as sumptuous as the Eight Treasures Jade Food, also left Chu Chen savoring them for a long time.
After the meal, the waiter cleared the table and brewed a cup of tea for each guest. At Zhao Qirui's signal, the driver went outside.
The atmosphere was now relaxed and leisurely. After taking a sip of tea, Zhao Qirui said to Lu Changshun, "Old Lu, I'm sorry for the trouble, but please find someone to carefully carve this piece of jadeite for me. It's the same theme we discussed before: celebrating a birthday. It would be best if it looked festive."
When Lu Changshun nodded in agreement, Zhao Qirui turned to Chu Chen and said, "Little Chu, what I need from you is simple as well. It's your specialty—help me appraise something. Speaking of which, today was quite a coincidence. I happened to meet you at Old Lu's shop. Otherwise, I would have had to make another trip to Uncle Wu's place."
Chu Chen smiled and agreed. "No problem. As long as you don't mind my limited eyesight. May I ask what item Manager Zhao wants appraised?"
"It's nothing valuable, just a celadon bowl. There, it's here."
At that moment, the driver walked in carrying a gift box and placed it on the table.
As Zhao Qirui opened the box, he said, "Actually, one of my clients gave me this bowl as collateral when he ran out of money. He went gambling abroad and lost everything, so he had no money to repay the payment he owed me. But he didn't dare simply default on my money. He scraped together loans from here and there and repaid most of it. He used this bowl to cover the rest."
"Actually, I don't care about a few tens of thousands of yuan. I just dislike this person's conduct and temperament. If this bowl isn't genuine, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Chu Chen nodded to show that he understood, then looked at the celadon bowl Zhao Qirui had mentioned.
The bowl in the gift box was entirely covered in a green glaze. It had a flared rim, sloping curved sides, and a foot ring. A qilin and child were carved inside the bowl. Judging from its workmanship and other features, it could be confirmed as a fine celadon piece.
"Hmm?"
The moment he saw the bowl, Chu Chen let out a soft exclamation.
Before you continue