Menu Update

Xue Xi looked at the golden, shimmering page for the Tianfu Braised Pork Knuckle and felt a bit troubled. She wasn't sure if people would pay for food with such a "gambler's" effect; if she priced it too high, those who didn't win the prize might think she was a scammer, but if she priced it too low, it wouldn't do justice to the heaven-defying effect. Besides, did people on Earth even know what a gene multiplier was yet?

After much deliberation, Xue Xi decided to set the price for this dish at 100 million Huaxia currency. Relatively speaking, it wasn't too expensive—it was just like buying a lottery ticket; if you hit the jackpot, you'd be set.

She then shifted her gaze to the Beef and Mutton Paomo. Its effect was equivalent to a Berserk Potion, so Xue Xi priced it at 1 million per bowl. The Lijiang Baba was cheaper, as it only served to satisfy hunger, so she priced it at 1,000 per piece.

Finally, she looked at the first beverage in the shop—Zhu Ku La Coffee. Since the Zhu Ku La Coffee tree was already extinct in the wild on this Earth, a dedicated ingredient supply channel appeared on the directory page for the first time.

For 10,000 yuan, one could obtain 1 kilogram of pure Zhu Ku La Coffee powder, produced using ancient methods inherited from another world: manual harvesting, mortar and pestle shelling, sun-drying, crushing to remove husks, roasting in earthen pots, and grinding with stone mills.

Xue Xi set its price point alongside the Crab Roe Soup Dumpling, both being basic Desolate Rank foods at 100,000 per serving. For every grade the quality rose, the price would increase tenfold—that was quite reasonable!

After updating the new menu and sending the list of required new ingredients to Luo Feng, who was busy with procurement, Xue Xi curiously lay down on her bed and entered the newly acquired Culinary Practice Virtual Space.

Closing her eyes, she felt a slight wave of dizziness, and after it passed, Xue Xi found herself in a vast, empty space filled with gray mist, making it impossible to tell how large it actually was.

Just as Xue Xi was observing the culinary space, a light screen suddenly appeared before her: Please select a cooking scene, kitchenware, and the necessary seasonings and ingredients. (One-click practice for directory delicacies)

The options below included scenes like deserts, rainforests, swamps, cities, and more. Various kitchenware were available for selection, and all sorts of monsters and plants—some Xue Xi had seen and others she hadn't—flashed by, leaving her dazzled.

Deciding to practice with the Zhu Ku La Coffee first, she chose a normal city environment and clicked to load the Zhu Ku La Coffee page. Instantly, various practice ingredients and kitchenware appeared in a five-star hotel kitchen.

A jar of brownish-black coffee powder appeared in her hand. This was authentic Zhu Ku La Coffee. The directory provided pre-ground powder, so she only needed to master the brewing technique to improve the grade of this intangible cultural heritage delicacy.

However, in her past life, Xue Xi didn't really drink this kind of authentic coffee; instead, she preferred Xiao Que Que bagged coffee, which wasn't as bitter and was more convenient. Now, she would have to figure it out on her own.

She started by using her old method for bagged coffee, pouring hot water directly in and stirring with chopsticks. Once finished, the directory's evaluation was—"Unranked," not even reaching the Desolate Rank. Xue Xi awkwardly touched her dainty nose; it seemed the coffee she used to drink was truly unranked!

She pulled up the Zhu Ku La Coffee page and carefully studied the brewing section.

Actually, Xue Xi believed she had quite a high talent for culinary arts. Two hours later, she began brewing the perfectly extracted coffee powder provided by the directory once more.

First was the blooming stage, where she poured twice the amount of water as the coffee powder to let it absorb the moisture. The saturated powder expanded and released a different kind of aroma; the longer the blooming time, the richer the coffee flavor would be.

Then came the water injection. Xue Xi used a pour-over kettle to extract the coffee for two and a half minutes. She started with a thin stream of water and increased the volume toward the end to avoid extracting too many impurities.

She poured in circles from the center outward, then circled back from the outer edge to the center, finishing the pour at the heart of the grounds. In between, she even used the newly learned water-cutting technique, never once hitting the filter paper. Finally, she poured it into a cup—a fresh cup of hand-drip coffee was born!

This time, the directory page gave her face and displayed a Hong Rank evaluation. Xue Xi rubbed her hands in excitement and took a big gulp of her creation.

The next second, "Pfft!" The steaming, brownish coffee sprayed out of her mouth. Xue Xi's small face twisted into a ball, and she stuck out her tongue, complaining, "Wow, why is it so bitter? This doesn't even taste as good as my Xiao Que Que."

Afterward, she calmed down and smacked her lips, savoring the lingering taste. To be honest, Xue Xi really didn't like bitterness, but although the coffee in her mouth was bitter, it wasn't astringent; instead, it was fragrant and mellow.

After a moment of thought, Xue Xi decided to add milk to the Zhu Ku La, which was essentially an espresso to her, and also added chocolate sauce and whipped cream, turning it into her favorite mocha-flavored coffee. One sip, and the sweet, rich, and mellow flavor enveloped her taste buds. To describe it in one word: silky.

Thinking that guests probably wouldn't just enjoy pure bitterness, she exited the virtual space and added many flavor options to the Zhu Ku La Coffee on the menu. Besides the original flavor, there were lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and the like—focusing on variety.