The rice, white as snow, was dotted with the deep red flesh of the sour plums, adding a unique color and catching the eye.
In terms of taste, the flavor of the sour plum fried rice was rich and unique.
Sour plums had already been skillfully integrated into the rice, turning an otherwise ordinary fried rice into:
An incredibly appetizing dish!
Each bite brought the sour-sweetness of the plums and the fragrance of the rice together, making it:
Irresistibly delicious.
The combination of these flavors brought tears to the eyes of Anne, the first-class officer of the WGO food organization.
---
Mixing sour plums into fried rice might seem like a crazy idea, but it actually has roots in tradition.
In Japanese tradition, there are sour plum rice balls and sour plum porridge, so making fried rice with sour plums is quite feasible.
The taste?
Simply delightful.
The burst of sweet and sour flavor from the plums was so unexpected and charming that it made Anne marvel at how even the simplest fried rice could be so playful.
"Owner, I have a request. Can you make an extra portion—no, make it two portions—of sour plum fried rice for me to take away?"
Wiping her tears, Anne pleaded.
"No problem."
"Sour plum fried rice is very appetizing."
"Even if a weak woman eats a lot, it's fine!"
Zane had no reason to refuse such a request.
"Thank you!"
Anne said gratefully.
---
Every moment, every second, time is constantly passing.
It acts like a director, quietly filming various scenes in people's lives, from the first ray of sunlight in the morning to the starry sky at night, from the blooming flowers in spring to the falling leaves in autumn…
Every detail, every moment, is captured and preserved by time.
Anne left early, likely in a hurry to deliver the packed sour plum fried rice to Mana.
So, she didn't stay at the tavern for long.
As 2 AM arrived, the tavern finally closed for the night. At this time, Leonora could only get up and leave.
"Zane, I'll head back now."
"Okay, be careful on your way home," Zane replied.
"Alice, during this internship, you must behave well at the tavern and avoid causing trouble."
"Understand that you're able to intern at the tavern because of an agreement between Zane and Totsuki. If you mess up, it's not just you who will be embarrassed, but also your grandfather, me, and even Totsuki itself!"
Nodding, Leonora turned to her daughter and sternly said.
"Mom, don't worry."
"I'll listen to Zane. If he says one, I won't say two."
Alice replied somewhat impatiently.
"Zane, I'm leaving Alice in your care for now."
"If she does anything wrong, please discipline her for me!"
Looking at Alice's attitude, Leonora sighed deeply and turned to Zane.
"No problem."
"I will take good care of her."
Zane promised.
Leonora smiled in satisfaction and bid farewell to everyone before leaving the tavern.
With her departure, the tavern closed for the night, and a busy evening finally ended for Zane, Erina, Alice, Hisako, and the others.
---
"Hisako."
"Don't worry about the accounts for tonight just yet. Come help me prepare some seasoning."
At that moment, Zane called Hisako to the kitchen to assist him.
"Okay, I'm coming."
Hisako quickly dropped her work and followed him.
"Meg…"
Erina started to call her but saw Hisako hastily leaving, seemingly avoiding her.
"Haven't you noticed?"
"Zane wants to give you two some space."
Just as she was about to return to rest at Shunkatei next door, Ryoko came over and gently patted Erina on the shoulder, her eyes conveying an understanding look.
"Huh?"
"Could it be…"
Erina was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening.
---
In the brightly lit kitchen.
Zane prepared 13 spices: purple amomum, tsaoko, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan pepper, star anise, fennel, costus root, angelica, black cardamom, galangal, and dried ginger.
Hisako quickly caught on: "Zane, are you making Thirteen Spices seasoning?"
"Yep!"
"The grilled meat has been very popular recently."
"So I thought it would be a good idea to make some Thirteen Spices seasoning for customers to use as they like. It should make things more interesting."
Zane explained as he turned to her.
Thirteen Spices, as the name suggests, is a blend of 13 spices.
In reality, the formula can vary greatly and involves considerations like the ratio of each spice, the types and quality of the spices, the processing techniques, drying levels, and storage conditions.
Thus, even Thirteen Spices seasoning can differ!
For many chefs skilled in using spices, Thirteen Spices has a strong medicinal aroma.
Therefore, its use often requires some skill.
Regardless of how it is used, it should be avoided in dishes that highlight the natural freshness of the ingredients, such as:
Mushrooms.
Chives.
Steamed fish.
Soups.
Stews.
---
These ingredients or cooking methods are best not paired with Thirteen Spices, as it can make them quite unpalatable.
"Zane, what other famous seasonings are there besides Thirteen Spices in your homeland?"
Hisako asked curiously.
"Five Spice Powder!"
"And Lao Gan Ma's chili sauce also counts."
Zane replied simply.
"Five Spice Powder? How is it different from Thirteen Spices?"
"First, you need to understand that Five Spice Powder and Thirteen Spices don't necessarily have to be made with exactly 5 and 13 spices respectively."
"However, they generally contain at least five or thirteen spices."
"Also, their formulas aren't fixed."
"For instance, Five Spice Powder is derived from the balance of the five flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty—in traditional culture. Depending on the region and manufacturer, the formula can vary to include flavors like mala, spicy, five spice, and fresh spice, commonly using Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and fennel."
"Oh, there are also versions that add tangerine peel, dried ginger, cardamom, licorice, and pepper!"
"In short, the flavor of Five Spice Powder isn't fixed and should be chosen according to taste."
"Thirteen Spices is the same way!"
"There's a saying: 'Five Spice Powder for pastries, Thirteen Spices for meats.'"
"This means that when making pastries, you can use Five Spice Powder, for example in steamed rolls, egg pancakes, and savory pancakes."
"When making meat dishes, it's better to use Thirteen Spices because its strong aroma works well to eliminate the gamey taste and add flavor."
"But to summarize in just a few words is a bit simplistic."
"Chefs need to keep trying and refining to bring out the best in these two seasonings!"
---
Hisako listened attentively to every word.
By the end, she felt a sense of turbulence within her, deeply moved.
In her study of medicinal cuisine, she had some understanding of these common seasonings and spices but had not delved deeply into them.
Now, listening to Zane, she realized there was so much more to learn about seasonings from his homeland!
"Hisako, your specialty in cooking lies in medicinal cuisine, which is rooted in the traditional dietary and medicinal culture of your homeland."
"So your use of ingredients will differ from others, such as Erina with her God Tongue talent, Alice with her molecular gastronomy, and Hisako with her rustic dishes."
Pausing for a moment, Zane looked deeply at Hisako, then continued: "You might be the best in medicinal cuisine."
"But relying solely on medicinal cuisine and these ancient herbs will not be enough to catch up with Erina or achieve great success in the culinary world."
"And how to do it? That answer isn't mine to give."
"Even Erina, whom you wish to serve faithfully, cannot provide you with a clear answer."
"In fact."
"You haven't realized yet."
"The only one who can change you is yourself!"
---
These words were something Zane had wanted to tell Hisako since the day she decided to stay at the tavern.
But he knew it wasn't the right time until tonight when he felt it was necessary to convey this truth to her!
"Me?"
"Can I really… still grow?"
Hisako tightly clenched her fists, holding back tears. She was hopeful.
Hoping that Zane would say, "Yes," "Of course," "You can do it," or something similar.
"Yes!"
"Why wouldn't you?"
"A long time ago, I was a head chef at a five-star hotel."
"At that time, I thought I couldn't improve anymore, but now I still create new dishes every day."
"Okay!"
"I understand!"
Hearing this, Hisako smiled through her tears.
From that moment on, she knew what she had to do.
---
The tavern.
At the cooking station.
Ryoko held a round "cherry" in her hand.
"This is molecular gastronomy?"
Ryoko blinked and looked at Alice: "Can I really eat this?"
"Of course, Ryoko.
"This is made by using gel to shape beef into the form of a cherry, so please enjoy it."
Alice responded eagerly.
Hearing this, Ryoko, somewhat amazed, eagerly put the "cherry" into
her mouth.
The taste was both sweet and sour like a cherry but also had the richness of beef fat. The cherry's acidity balanced the beef's richness.
"How interesting, this cherry is actually made from beef!"
Ryoko exclaimed in surprise.
Then, she picked up another "cherry" and ate it.
"Hmm?"
"Why doesn't this one taste like beef?"
She frowned, puzzled.
"That's because there are real cherries mixed in with the beef cherries, making it hard to tell which is which."
Alice explained, seemingly having anticipated this.
"Ha, this is quite a clever dish."
Ryoko smiled, still wanting more.
Then, her eyes fell on a nearby rose.
"This is made from lychee and raspberry, shaped into red gelatin beads, and placed on a rose petal, making it look like the center of the flower."
Alice pushed the rose toward Ryoko.
"Lychee?"
"Raspberry?"
Ryoko was incredulous.
She smelled the flower. Besides the fragrance of roses, there was a faint fruity aroma.
She noticed a red bead in the petals and popped it into her mouth, biting down.
Instantly, a burst of fresh fruit flavor filled her mouth. The sweetness of lychee and raspberry spread rapidly, taking over every taste bud and catching Ryoko off guard.
"The rich fruit flavor spreads quickly in the mouth."
Ryoko soon wore a particularly satisfied expression.
Seeing this, Alice's eyes twinkled with joy.
---
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock sounded on Erina's door.
"Who is it?"
"Miss, it's me."
Outside, a slightly hoarse voice came from Hisako, who had been crying.
"Hisako, you're finally willing to talk to me?"
Erina hurriedly opened the door. When she saw it was indeed Hisako, she tightly embraced her arm, fearing she might leave again like she did after the Fall Selection!
"Miss, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted that way."
Hisako apologized. After Zane's guidance, she realized her mistake.
"Hisako, I know I shouldn't have pressured you during the Fall Selection, leading you to leave after losing to Ryo."
"That was my fault. Maybe there are many things wrong with me, and I've been too harsh on you."
"I haven't been considerate of your feelings, which made it hard for you to handle this setback."
"All these years, you've always been by my side, tirelessly managing many things every day, always busy."
"To me, you've always been a qualified secretary!"
"Hisako, will you come back to me?"
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