Life is full of touching stories.
Sometimes, even ordinary ingredients can move us deeply.
This kind of emotional connection often surpasses what any food variety show can convey.
This is why the tavern has become so popular.
People love this place not just for its enticing food but because it provides a warm, healing space for those on the fringes of society to find comfort and share their stories.
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Zane rarely prepares French cuisine.
The reason lies in the tavern's humble and modest nature, which doesn't quite align with the elegance and sophistication of French cuisine.
However, this doesn't mean Zane can't cook French dishes.
Braised Beef with Tomatoes is a classic dish!
Main ingredients:
- Beef
- Tomatoes
Other ingredients include green onions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and Sichuan pepper.
The main method is to peel the tomatoes and cut them finely.
Then, slowly stew them into a sauce, and add the beef to stew together, letting the beef fully absorb the tomato flavor.
This can be considered a simple dish.
---
At this moment, Zane was preparing the ingredients by the stove.
He sliced the ginger, smashed the garlic, and cut three tomatoes into sixteen pieces each, along with one red onion into strips.
Next, he cut the beef brisket into pieces.
He boiled the beef to remove the blood, then washed it with warm water.
In the frying pan, he heated oil and added ginger slices, garlic, star anise, and a bay leaf for fragrance.
He then added the tomato pieces and onion strips to soften them, followed by potatoes, carrots, and the beef, continuing to stir-fry while adding soy sauce, cooking wine, white vinegar, and sugar.
After mixing everything well, he added boiling water and transferred the contents to a clay pot to simmer for half an hour, before returning it to the frying pan to reduce the sauce.
And so, the Braised Beef with Tomatoes was ready.
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"Huh?"
"Is it really possible to cook Braised Beef with Tomatoes so quickly?"
Leonora, the first customer of the night, was amazed as she looked at the dish placed before her.
In her understanding, water boils at 100°C.
Thus, keeping the water temperature at 100°C would require two hours to cook beef thoroughly, while grilling a steak at 200°C would only take a few minutes.
In other words:
Grilling a steak takes a few minutes, but braising beef takes over two hours to become tender.
One of the biggest challenges with beef brisket is achieving the right tenderness, which usually requires at least two hours of cooking.
Simply put, it seemed impossible to cook beef brisket so quickly.
---
Unable to believe it, Leonora quickly lifted the pot's lid.
A cloud of steam rose, creating an almost ethereal scene.
In an instant, the rich aroma spread like a bomb, filling the tavern in mere seconds.
Leonora was so astonished by the sight that she quickly covered her mouth.
---
"Ah?"
"It's really cooked?"
Leonora couldn't help but exclaim.
A dish that typically takes two hours was completed in just 40 minutes!
The speed was impressive, but more amazing was the intoxicating aroma released when the lid was lifted.
The combination of the tomato's sweetness and the beef's tenderness created a delicious scent.
The flavors melded perfectly, making the dish look appetizing and inviting.
Leonora quickly grabbed a spoon and took a bite.
---
"Incredible! How could the beef become so tender in such a short time?"
Feeling the beef's tenderness, she took another deep breath, thinking it was a dream, but the dream felt so real!
It was undeniable.
Cooking a dish that normally takes two hours in just 40 minutes was extraordinary.
Leonora could only think of one word:
Genius!
---
"How did you do it?"
Curious, Leonora blinked and looked up at Zane.
"Black tea," Zane replied with a smile.
"Black tea? Really?"
Hearing this, Leonora was momentarily stunned.
Then, she looked closely at the pot of Braised Beef with Tomatoes and suddenly understood.
---
"Yes, I remember now!"
"Black tea can enhance the tenderness of beef and shorten the cooking time."
Leonora suddenly slapped her forehead, finally realizing: "I see."
"Besides making the beef more tender, black tea also improves the color. The special aroma of black tea adds a subtle tea fragrance to the beef, neutralizing some of the greasiness."
"But simply adding black tea is not enough."
Zane stepped in and continued, "The cooking utensils can also be adjusted."
"Cooking utensils?"
Leonora raised an eyebrow, then closely examined the pot of Braised Beef with Tomatoes. Finally, she noticed something and was astonished.
---
"It's the pot! You used a Chinese clay pot."
Leonora was shocked and a bit speechless.
The dish was a refined French cuisine, yet it was cooked using a Chinese clay pot!
This approach might not surprise regular patrons like Rindo or Mana, but for Leonora, who had lived in Northern Europe for a long time and wasn't familiar with Zane, this "divine" method was truly astonishing.
She quickly tasted the dish.
---
The first sensation was the heat, sudden and overwhelming.
This also proved that Zane's Braised Beef with Tomatoes was thoroughly cooked.
Tender, flavorful, and vividly colored.
---
At this moment, as Leonora savored the dish, she could only think of a few words: rich broth, tangy but not greasy, delicious and thick.
The addition of black tea made the flavor even more unique.
The beef absorbed the tomato's acidity and the tea's aroma, becoming tender and soft. A gentle bite released all these flavors, making it an extraordinary experience.
"Hmm, this taste…"
Leonora was completely mesmerized.
---
In a luxurious building, equipped with the finest furnishings and facilities, especially the modern kitchen, Erina was enjoying a bowl of Ginseng and Poria Porridge.
The clear fragrance reminded her of sunlight filtering through tree leaves, giving her a refreshing feeling.
That was her first impression after tasting the porridge.
It was thick yet fragrant, with a light sweetness and a slightly sticky texture.
Ginseng and poria are actually two different ingredients: ginseng and poria.
The porridge's aroma gradually filled the room, its delicate scent spreading and creating a comfortable atmosphere.
This porridge, beyond its precious ingredients, showcased Hisako's excellent cooking skills.
If given an honest evaluation, this porridge was top-notch in medicinal cuisine.
---
"Hisako, your cooking has indeed improved."
"But you were a bit rushed with the heat control. Boil it on high first, then simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Don't underestimate the importance of adjusting the heat. The porridge's aroma comes from this balance."
Erina, after tasting a spoonful, calmly gave her feedback to Hisako.
"Yes, Erina-sama, I will remember your advice," Hisako nodded eagerly.
"Don't be discouraged, though."
"Despite some flaws, the proportion of ingredients is perfect."
"A careful taste reveals the porridge is hot, with a soft texture, sliding smoothly in the mouth. Its flavor is extraordinary, with a strong grain aroma, light and tasty."
"As the heat rises, the aroma spreads, making one feel refreshed, as if standing in a serene forest."
Erina glanced at Hisako and offered her praise.
---
Porridge can be of two types: one made purely from rice, and the other from a mix of rice and medicinal herbs.
Regardless, both types are nutritious, with the latter called medicinal porridge due to the added herbs.
Medicinal porridge is known for its health benefits. Ancient people often made it for both health maintenance and treatment purposes, each type having its own preventive and health-boosting functions.
This Ginseng and Poria Porridge, with its combination of ginseng, poria, ginger, and rice, was meant to strengthen the spleen and stomach, stop vomiting, and replenish energy.
In short, Hisako, who comes from a family of traditional Chinese medicine, is highly skilled in medicinal cuisine.
Finally, under Hisako's watchful eye, Erina enjoyed the entire bowl of porridge.
---
"Hisako, the Moon Banquet Festival is approaching."
"I plan to set up a stall in the high-end area. So, I'll need your help with all the arrangements, like decorating the venue, planning the schedule, attracting customers, and budgeting."
Satisfied, Erina put down the empty bowl, wiped her mouth elegantly, and addressed Hisako softly.
"Don't worry, Erina-sama."
"For this Moon Banquet Festival, I will continue to assist you as your secretary and make sure your stall does great business!"
Hisako quickly responded.
"Good."
Erina's eyes filled with satisfaction and joy.
---
The Moon Banquet Festival was finally about to start!
Many students who planned to participate were getting busy.
Choosing the stall location, designing the menu, budgeting, and planning the stall layout were significant challenges for every student.
Although the stalls would be divided into three areas, the "Mountain Area," with the fewest people, typically attracted affluent customers looking for the finest cuisine.
Influenced by Zane, Erina no longer looked down on common dishes. However, setting up a small stall at the Moon Banquet Festival and making cheap food was not something she was comfortable with.
So, as an Elite Ten member, Erina chose the Mountain Area.
---
Night fell like a black velvet blanket covering the sky.
Stars began to twinkle like countless little eyes in the darkness.
Streetlights emitted a soft glow, guiding people home. In the distance, buildings appeared faintly like a watercolor painting, and occasional cars passing by momentarily disrupted the night's tranquility, which quickly returned.
---
Meanwhile, in another part of Totsuki Academy, inside a luxurious building, Rindo was gazing at the beautiful night view, lost in thought.
As an Elite Ten member and the second seat, Rindo, like the others, often kept a low profile.
---
"Ah, it's wonderful!"
"The Moon Banquet Festival, which I've been looking forward to, is finally happening."
Coming back to her senses, Rindo couldn't help but chuckle.
---
The Moon Banquet Festival is one of the most important events at Totsuki Academy.
For a foodie like Rindo, the annual Moon Banquet Festival was a blessing and a grand feast.
So, she decided to skip setting up a stall and instead enjoy the festival as a customer, visiting the various small stalls.
She might be the only Elite Ten member not participating in the Moon Banquet Festival!
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