Alice just couldn't stop talking!
Although she had only been to the tavern with Erina once, she repeatedly emphasized Zane's intelligence to her mother while discussing the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and sweet and sour ribs they had there. Listening to Alice's colorful descriptions, Leonora remained exceptionally calm.
She thought about this mysterious man, handsome and gentle, skilled both in the hall and in the kitchen. If such a perfect man truly existed, not just Alice, even she might be moved by him!
"You always say he's very strong, but what have you learned from his cooking?" Finally, Leonora, drying her flowing hair with a towel, asked her daughter through the video call.
"Learned something?" Alice pondered seriously upon hearing this.
"Without a blowtorch and thermometer, you might not make a tasty steak; if you don't add enough sugar, cookies won't form properly..."
"These are challenges in traditional cuisine that can be solved through scientific means in the realm of molecular gastronomy."
"However, this idea seemed so naïve once I witnessed Zane's cooking!"
"Without a clay pot, using just an ordinary iron pot, he manages to handle various ingredients and create delicious dishes through diverse cooking methods."
"I think a truly qualified and excellent chef should be able to create perfect dishes under limited conditions."
Hearing this, Leonora's expression changed dramatically, her blood-red eyes filled with disbelief.
...
Psychologically, there is a well-known effect called the "Dunning-Kruger effect."
It suggests that the less capable people are, the more confident they tend to be about their abilities.
Because of her early achievements in molecular gastronomy, Alice had become very confident, and she harbored significant biases towards traditional cuisine.
Correcting this bias seemed impossible to Leonora at the moment!
Yet, just a few days at Totsuki and a visit to the mysterious tavern were enough to "upgrade" Alice's perspective dramatically.
It's known that when confidence is at its peak, an upgrade in understanding can lead to a drop in confidence levels.
This is because new concepts conflict with original beliefs, leading to life doubts. But after a dip in confidence, as new worldviews stabilize, confidence can be regained.
"To think that someone as stubborn as you could change the views you've held..."
"That Zane, the owner, must really be something!" Leonora exclaimed.
"That's right," Alice said, beaming with pride.
It seemed as though Zane gaining her mother's approval was a personal triumph for her.
Suddenly remembering something else, she hurriedly continued, "Oh, and Zane also makes a dish that could fly to the sky, called 'Ascending Dragon Dumplings'!"
"That dish even shocked Erina. She spent some time secretly learning how to make it in the kitchen."
"Erina?"
"How is she doing?" Leonora paused, her thoughts drifting back over a decade.
Back then, Erina was just a "little loli," innocent and naïve.
Having witnessed the curse of the "God Tongue" and its painful consequences on Erina Shinomiya, she knew her niece might face a similarly tragic fate.
But in such matters, even the general felt powerless, let alone her.
Having lived in Northern Europe with Alice for many years, Leonora knew little about Erina's recent exploits.
Perhaps, her "God Tongue" was starting to despise cuisine?
"Her? Don't ask!"
"She's as arrogant as ever, always looking down on me!" Alice said disdainfully.
Especially considering that she had just defeated Shiro, bringing down the Dessert Cuisine Research Society.
Soon, Erina had picked a fight with the stronger Sumo Hot Pot Cuisine Research Society in a Shokugeki.
Moreover, she was even harsher in her methods, calling in a demolition team to flatten the entire building after winning the match.
This action, in Alice's view, was a complete provocation.
"Hehe!"
"Your relationship is still as good as ever~"
Seeing Alice's expression, Leonora couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly.
"Who... who's good with her?"
Alice denied.
Under the deep night sky, the mother and daughter talked on the phone for over two hours, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
...
Time may not take everything away, but it always leaves some traces.
Just as Ikumi was moved and enlightened by the stir-fried beef, the tavern gradually welcomed more customers.
Among them, to Zane's surprise, was the return of Momo.
"Ah!"
"Is this the tavern?"
Momo, holding a plush bear "Buchi," was startled by the unfamiliar dining environment upon entering alone.
After all, since her last visit with Rindo, she hadn't come back. So, facing the newly upgraded tavern, she naturally felt amazed.
"Momo!"
"Just you alone? Where's Rindo?"
Seeing her, Zane couldn't help but come forward to greet her.
"School just started recently, and many students are fighting for territory to expand their influence."
"I heard there's a Shokugeki scheduled for tomorrow morning, so Rindo is busy coordinating with the Shokugeki Administration Bureau to ensure the match runs smoothly!"
Momo looked up at Zane with admiration, then whispered softly.
"Tomorrow morning?" Zane frowned.
He glanced at Ikumi and seemed to understand.
"Owner Zane, thank you so much for the soufflé dessert issue last time."
"I... I... came to the tavern this time actually for a dessert, a rare Zabaglione."
"Can you... make it?"
Her tone was a bit nervous and hopeful.
"Uh..." Zane was stunned, staring intently at her.
Momo, seeing Zane's more serious gaze than usual, grew even more nervous, "No... can't you make it?"
"You've encountered some problems in making Zabaglione, haven't you?"
Seeing through her little scheme, Zane spoke somewhat irritably, "The method of making Zabaglione isn't difficult."
"It mainly needs a sweet wine, which we have here at the tavern, though I'm afraid it might not work well for Zabaglione!"
"It's alright, I believe in your skills to create the perfect Zabaglione!"
Momo's big, misty eyes blinked, showing off a 'loli' charm in front of Zane.
"If you say so, then I'll try to make it."
Zane, who couldn't resist lolis, finally replied warmly.
...
French gourmet Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in 'The Philosopher in the Kitchen': Discovering a new dish does more for human happiness than discovering a new star.
However, it is said that only food and scenery should not be missed on a trip.
Scenery never deceives, but alas, food... sometimes it's a surprise, sometimes it's a shock.
Eggs!
Granulated sugar!
High-gluten flour!
Almonds!
Rum!
Butter!
After preparing these simple ingredients, Zane asked Momo, "Do you want cherry flavor, or strawberry?"
"Strawberry!" Momo replied without hesitation.
Zane no longer responded.
Instead, he began using a kitchen knife to cut some fresh strawberries into moderate sizes, arranging them in a heat-resistant dish.
Then he melted butter and chocolate in a steamer, followed by separating the yolks and whites of eggs.
In the yolks, he added rum and sugar, stirring until smooth.
After bringing the water to a boil in a saucepan, he reduced to a low heat, placed the bowl with the egg yolks in the pot, and continuously stirred, being careful not to let the heat get too high.
Once the yolks thickened, he quickly removed them.
He cut bananas and mangoes into pieces, placed them in a pudding bowl, poured the prepared egg yolk sauce over them, and sprinkled some coconut flakes.
Finally, he preheated the oven to 230°C and baked the Zabaglione for 5 minutes.
"Done, this is the Zabaglione you asked for!"
When the finished product appeared in front of Momo, she covered her mouth in surprise, "That was so quick, it hasn't even been 15 minutes!"
...
In fact, with the advent of the fast-food era, many restaurants have been optimizing their service speed.
This is because if the service is too slow, it can lead to a low turnover rate.
Simply put, diners come in hungry and making them wait too long can ultimately affect the overall rating of the restaurant.
With the upgraded tavern, business is definitely booming, and the number of diners served each day is also increasing.
So Zane always starts preparing various ingredients and condiments early in the morning, even completing a full sanitary cleanup and other tasks ahead of time.
By the time the evening service begins, his work at the cooking station is much easier.
Plus, his cooking skills are strong, so no matter what kind of dish, he finishes quickly without any dragging.
In short, practice makes perfect.
His speed in cooking is unmatched by anyone else.
This is also why he can keep the tavern running smoothly on his own.
Of course, the main reason is that he believes making diners wait too long is a sign of laziness in a chef!
And if a dish takes more than an hour to prepare, Zane always informs the diners in advance, asking them to be patient.
"Zabaglione is actually very simple to make."
"Just heat the egg yolks, sugar, and wine in a bain-marie
, whip them quickly to create a rich, foamy sauce, and then pour it over the fruit."
Glancing at Momo, Zane spoke lightly.
"I know that, but it takes me at least 20 minutes to make it perfectly, and... you're 5 minutes faster than me." As the fourth seat of the Elite Ten, she understood this basic knowledge.
"Hehe, just a matter of 5 minutes faster or slower!"
Hearing this, Zane casually touched his nose and smiled.
...
In home baking, separating egg whites and yolks and whipping them with sugar is a common practice.
But adding a little liquid while heating can cause the yolks to whip up to four times their original volume, stable and dense—this is the trick to making Zabaglione sauce!
Actually, it's hard to precisely define Zabaglione.
Spread it over fruit at the bottom of a bowl, pour the sauce over, and it transforms into an exquisite dessert like what Zane made!
Or pour it into a cup, place a slice of butter on top, let it melt slowly, and it becomes a warm drink that soothes the heart.
In late 15th-century Italy, this method of making a hot drink was recorded, showing that Zabaglione has at least a 500-year history.
At that time, people believed the wine in Zabaglione had stimulating effects, so it was often made for the sick.
Additionally, there were recipes using water instead of wine, intended for pregnant women to enjoy.
"Hurry up and eat it, before the sauce melts too much and affects the texture." Finally, touching Momo's forehead, Zane said this.
"Okay!"
"Then I won't be polite."
Momo was being touched on the forehead for the first time.
She found the sensation not unpleasant and blushed slightly as she nodded.
Then, she took a small spoon and gently scooped a small bite of Zabaglione.
...
"How can this be?"
Surprised by the big scoop she took, the inside of the Zabaglione dessert astonished Momo!
Zabaglione is a classic European court dessert, simple in method and ingredients.
But what surprised her was how simply Zane had made the Zabaglione, seemingly using no more than 7 ingredients.
Then, calming herself, she no longer overthought it, and opened her mouth to taste it.
Sweet!
Really sweet!
And the subsequent sensations of cold, hot, and fresh!
The mild flavor of cream, the subtle taste of sweet wine, the tender and crisp interplay between intoxication and freshness, all merging to reach an ultimate level.
It was hard to imagine how just a few ingredients could push "sweetness" and the complex experiences it evokes to such a terrifying level!
Upon closer tasting, this dessert included the bitterness of coffee, the richness of sweet wine, the smoothness of eggs and sugar, and the richness of chocolate...
And the dense aroma of cheese and cream!
All these complex flavors ultimately covered the strawberries.
Then even the slight toastiness that emerged after slight baking burst forth in her mouth.
"Wow!"
"Is this... Zane's dessert cuisine?"
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