Kneading the dough, Zane found it surprisingly smooth.
Each step, from adding water to kneading the dough, was perfect!
It's undeniable that with the system's help, his cooking skills had improved rapidly, even making him calmer and more composed.
Finally.
The dough he made was stretchy, moderately soft, smooth, and not sticky.
After kneading, the next step was letting the dough rest. He covered it with a damp cloth and waited.
When the time was right, he used a rolling pin to roll the dough into thin dumpling skins. They were really thin, almost like transparent paper, making him worry that a gentle poke with chopsticks might tear them!
Then, Zane expertly folded the dumpling skins into triangles and filled them with the prepared filling.
For the filling, he quickly lifted the three corners up and pinched the edges together, leaving a small round hole at the top, slightly exposing the filling. The edges were pinched into a frilled shape, resembling a mushroom.
The folded white edges were flipped inside out.
The base edges were pinched into small corners, and a shrimp, some green bean paste, and ham paste were placed in the small hole at the top.
The dumplings were then placed in a steamer.
They were steamed over boiling water with high heat until cooked.
---
Appearance is justice!
The freshly steamed Crown Dumplings looked stunning.
Their unique shape resembled a rooster's comb, with the folded edges looking like small boats. The dumpling skins were as thin as cicada wings, translucent like crystal, and you could see the tender filling inside, making them very beautiful!
Moreover, they were shiny and fragrant, each dumpling seemingly coated with a light layer of oil, continuously emitting a tempting aroma.
Hmm!
The aroma was unique.
It had the fresh scent of the dough and the delicious smell of the filling.
Even more exquisite was the carefully decorated top of the dumpling, with a small red shrimp ball on the crown, looking like a sparkling gem.
This not only added rich colors but also made them look more vivid and cute!
The combination of colors and shapes made the Crown Dumplings visually attractive, making people eager to taste them.
---
"What's this? Are these really dumplings?"
With wide eyes, looking at the freshly steamed Crown Dumplings, Rindo felt quite surprised.
"Hehe, surprised, right?"
"Actually, they have a beautiful name, Crown Dumplings."
"Crown Dumplings?"
Rindo blinked, puzzled.
"Look at the shape, doesn't it look like a crown?"
Zane explained.
Hearing this, Rindo understood.
It's said that the Crown Dumplings were inspired by the crowns and ceremonial robes of Qing Dynasty officials.
So, in ancient times, Crown Dumplings were royal food, and common people making these dumplings would likely be executed. It's only now that they have "entered the homes of ordinary people."
After blinking her moist eyes, Rindo picked up chopsticks, ignoring the heat, and placed a dumpling in her mouth, biting down heavily.
The skin was thin and chewy, with a wheat fragrance spreading in her mouth.
Then, the delicious filling flooded her mouth, the fresh taste and rich aroma making Rindo want to eat more.
The filling was juicy and savory, blending perfectly with the dumpling skin. The slightly bitter yet sweet rose flavor added a special touch, making the taste of the dumpling particularly rich!
It had the fresh taste of meat, the fragrance of spices, and the richness of seasonings...
What's more.
The Crown Dumplings weren't greasy at all.
Instead, they perfectly retained the original flavors of the ingredients, with a texture that wasn't too firm or too soft, providing a subtle pleasure.
---
"Ah!"
Rindo couldn't help but exclaim.
She quickly chewed a few more times, and the originally contrasting flavors blended together with each bite.
Salty, savory, fresh, sweet, and even a hint of bitterness. The more complex the dumpling's flavor became, the more it left a lasting impact on the tongue.
Perfect!
Absolutely perfect!
This dish called Crown Dumplings, every seasoning, every ingredient...
Although simple and ordinary, when wrapped in the ultra-thin dumpling skin, they each played their role perfectly.
There was no conflict between the seasonings or the ingredients, only harmony.
And it was this harmony that created the explosive deliciousness of the Crown Dumplings!
---
Slowly, Rindo began to close her eyes.
To be honest, since the first time she came to the tavern, every dish made by Zane had never disappointed her.
Of course, this time was no different!
In a small, exquisite tavern, one wouldn't expect to find such high-class, expensive dishes.
This was a common belief and the reason why Erina initially had a poor impression of such small places!
However, Rindo quickly noticed that these Crown Dumplings, despite their thin skins revealing the filling inside, used two completely different types of dumpling skins.
One was the common white dumpling skin, while the other was made with rose juice, resulting in a red dumpling skin!
In other words:
Two types of dumpling skins combined.
It was still very thin, thin enough to easily break from prolonged steaming.
"Amazing, needing such thin dumpling skins but using two different types, isn't that contradictory?"
Saying this, Rindo eagerly picked up another small Crown Dumpling and continued eating.
---
Due to the Autumn Selection competition.
Like Erina, she often didn't have time to come to the tavern to eat and drink.
As a foodie, not being able to taste her favorite dishes was a huge pain!
But now, she didn't like anyone's cooking, not even her own. Every time she ate something, she couldn't help but compare it to Zane's cooking!
Each time, she couldn't help but wonder:
If Zane made it, how would he do it?
What would he improve?
How delicious would it be?
---
Great food isn't tiresome.
Refined food isn't rough.
This is a universal truth in the culinary world.
And there's almost no limit to the refinement and precision, the simpler the dish, the more it limits a chef's creativity.
Even if a chef's knife skills are superb, able to cut tofu into threads, potatoes are still just potatoes... cutting them into threads would make them inedible.
So, it's not hard to see.
Complex dishes test a chef's skills.
The simpler the dish, the more reliable it is for a skilled chef to make it delicious.
Hmm.
Of course.
High-end cuisine often emphasizes the quality of ingredients.
In China, famous dishes often contain philosophical meanings, with celestial movements, seasonal changes, and the human-nature relationship embodied in each dish.
Great chefs not only hide luxury in simplicity, like in the famous dish "Open Water Cabbage," but also create intricate dishes like "Threaded Tofu," which only the Chinese could think of and enjoy.
At this moment, the golden-haired Erina stood at the cooking station, gripping a sharp knife, her eyes sharp.
She took a deep breath and focused intensely.
"Hah!"
Her eyes flashed.
She shouted and started handling the beef on the cutting board.
---
Tap, tap, tap!
Erina's knife moved at a 90-degree angle to the beef's muscle fibers.
This made the beef slices extremely tender, and slicing along the fibers made the beef soft and unbreakable.
Her swift knife skills were too fast to see clearly.
Meanwhile.
The beef, with its soft texture.
Under the knife's movement, was sliced into thin pieces.
Each piece was evenly thick and consistent.
Finally, the beef slices appeared on the cutting board, as delicate as rose petals, exuding a rich meaty aroma.
Such high-level knife skills were truly impressive, leaving people in awe.
---
"Wow, amazing!"
"This tavern's assistant has incredible knife skills."
Among the diners, one person exclaimed.
"Yeah, turning beef into flower-like shapes, I've never seen such beautiful beef slices in my life!"
Another diner, looking at the thin beef slices, also exclaimed.
"Her knife skills are terrifying."
"It's hard to imagine a young woman handling beef without hesitation."
"And maintaining high standards while pursuing speed, that's a level few can reach!"
Clearly, Erina's knife skills alone were enough to shock everyone.
---
"Hmph, just cutting beef?"
"Why are these people making such a big deal?"
Meanwhile, Alice, seeing everyone's surprise and praise for Erina's knife skills, felt a bit annoyed.
She didn't understand, what's so amazing about slicing beef into thin pieces?
Could it compare to Zane?
Remember, Zane could cut tofu into hair-thin threads!
"Surprising!"
"Erina, your knife skills have improved a lot recently."
Zane gave Erina a look of approval.
"Of course, I've been practicing hard!"
Erina's face turned red at Zane's praise.
She turned her head, not daring to look at Zane directly.
*Sigh!*
Her cooking skills had improved.
But her tsundere personality hadn't changed at all!
Finally, Zane just shook his head and started working.
---
Fruits washed and cut.
Dried fruits soaked until soft.
Cream and chocolate melted over water.
Every move was smooth and natural, like an art form.
Next was the process of making chocolate soufflé, mixing cream and sugar until smooth; pouring the chocolate mixture into molds to cool; decorating the dessert with fruits and dried fruits for added color and texture.
Every step required patience and care.
In this process, Sonoka's skills shone.
She transformed ordinary ingredients into delicious desserts with her hands.
Her eyes sparkled with a love for cooking and a pursuit of excellence.
Finally, with
the dessert finished, the air was filled with the sweet smell of cream, rich chocolate, and fresh fruits, making people eager to taste.
---
"Can I ask you something?"
Soon, Alice asked Sonoka.
"Sure, go ahead."
Sonoka admired her dessert, replying softly.
She scooped a bit of soufflé, its texture like clouds, light and soft.
Tasting it carefully, she could feel the soufflé's smoothness and elasticity, like tiny bubbles dancing on her tongue.
"Why did you decide to work at the tavern and become Zane's assistant?"
"With your Totsuki credentials, you could succeed anywhere, not just in this small tavern."
Hearing this, Sonoka blushed and said, "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision! I thought being near Zane, I could learn a lot and help Shunkatei become a two-star restaurant."
"But after staying here, I realized this place is full of heartwarming stories!"
"Zane is interesting too, and I really don't want to leave."
---
"Strange."
"You and Erina both willingly stay with him."
Alice felt confused.
"Strange? Maybe."
"But that's our choice. We know our place is this tavern!"
"Zane is kind and understanding. We really like him. You rushed here to share your Autumn Selection results with him, right?"
"I believe you understand our choice!"
The kitchen fell silent.
After listening to Sonoka, Alice felt very complicated.
She was confused because the internship lasted half a month!
How should she handle her feelings in this time?
Clearly, she felt troubled.
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