"The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" says: "Man is born with the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and the changes of the four seasons nurture him."
The wisdom of the ancient sages, distilled into the twenty-four solar terms, recognized the deep connection between life, health, and the natural cycles.
Look.
Smell.
Touch.
Finally, taste...
The perfect fusion of culinary art, science, and food is what makes molecular cuisine so magical.
Although the combination of cooking pots and test tubes may seem unrelated, the rise of "molecular gastronomy" has brought cooking and science much closer together!
Today, molecular cuisine is no longer a novel term.
More and more chefs are studying it and constantly innovating.
...
At this moment, in a culinary laboratory at Totsuki Academy.
Alice, dressed in a pristine lab coat, stood at the cooking station, her expression focused and serene.
Her hands lightly rested on the smooth marble counter, her fingertips trembling slightly, her brows furrowed, as if sketching delicate molecular cuisine dishes in her mind.
Her gaze flitted around the kitchen, searching for the spark of inspiration.
Meanwhile.
Each breath.
Seemed to fuel her upcoming culinary journey with energy.
Finally, she seemed to think of something and hurriedly prepared the ingredients:
70g of cake flour, 150g of purple sweet potato, 150g of yogurt, plus oil, eggs, sugar, milk, gelatin, cream, and lemon juice...
...
She cracked the eggs into a bowl.
Using a manual egg beater, she rhythmically beat them.
An egg beater is a simple tool that quickly blends egg whites and yolks into a uniform liquid. Typically, aside from molecular cuisine, chefs often use egg beaters for convenience and time-saving.
First, she whisked at high speed, tilting the bowl to mix thoroughly. When the mixture started to thicken and flow slowly, she switched to a lower speed to adjust the bubbles' size and texture.
After beating the eggs, she added sugar.
Using a double boiler method, she melted and mixed the sugar.
Once this step was completed, she stopped the heating!
As the egg beater and mixer worked continuously, the mixture became thicker and thicker.
...
At this point, Alice quickly used a small toothpick, inserting it about 1cm into the batter. Seeing the toothpick stand upright without falling, she finally smiled slightly.
Yes!
This meant:
The batter was perfectly made.
"Is she making a mousse cake?"
Her mother, Leonora, who had been silently watching, thought as she saw Alice preparing the cake.
Mousse cake.
A dessert made primarily with mousse powder, it's a type of gelatin-based sweet.
It can be eaten directly or used as a cake layer, usually made with cream and a gelling agent for a thick, creamy texture.
Mousse, like pudding, is a type of dessert.
But it is softer than pudding, melting in the mouth.
Because it contains gelatin, it is similar to jelly.
As everyone knows, the definition of molecular cuisine involves using chemical or physical theories in cooking, restructuring food's molecular structure. So making jelly or mousse cake from batter falls under molecular cuisine!
...
Not paying attention to Leonora.
Alice's expression grew more serious and cautious as she focused on the next steps of her culinary creation.
She sifted the cake flour into the batter, folding it gently to mix thoroughly.
Then, she added vegetable oil and mixed it well.
She poured the batter into a 6-inch mold, tapping it on the table to remove large air bubbles and smooth the surface.
Preheating the oven to 180 degrees, she baked it on low heat for about 25 minutes.
Once done.
She took it out of the oven, letting it cool for 5 minutes.
Indeed, making such a dish wasn't easy.
It likely took two to three hours to complete.
But Alice seemed to enjoy it more and more, her confidence growing since returning from the advancement exams!
...
Time passed slowly.
As night fell, Alice's dish was nearing completion.
She gently poured the yogurt in, stirring continuously until smooth, then chilled it in the fridge for 20 minutes to set.
After taking it out, she added whipped cream and mixed it evenly.
With gentle motions and skillful hands, it slowly transformed into what she envisioned.
During this process, she felt her mind and body relax and unwind.
Finally.
A glass of two-tone mousse quartet was completed!
It's called a quartet because it had four layers: two layers of jelly and two layers of cold cocktail.
"Mom, please taste this."
"This drink, which I named 'Two-tone Mousse Quartet,' is a new recipe that just came to me!"
Looking closely.
The soft mousse was like a summer breeze.
Bringing a touch of coolness, it felt like wandering in a heavenly realm, visually pleasing.
It was so beautiful, one might hesitate to eat it, and so fresh it seemed to capture the soul of nature's flavor.
Perhaps.
The closer you get to molecular cuisine, the more you see life as an art.
Previously, eating was for survival, never thinking to spend time examining ingredients, choosing utensils, and pondering flavors...
But after delving into molecular cuisine, one gradually understands the harmony of nature.
The more you love it.
The deeper the love.
The deeper you go, the purer it becomes.
All the effort in hindsight can't compare to the pure beauty of returning to basics.
Just like the dishes Alice presented, showcasing some techniques of molecular cuisine.
Helping chefs ensure taste and quality in core steps, using scientific methods to stabilize certain ingredients' characteristics, improve efficiency, and present beautiful plating.
But focusing too much on gimmicks, flamboyance, and sophistication might miss the essence of food.
Remember, the highest level of taste is nature's taste.
Leonora smiled lightly, then took a sip of the drink.
"How to describe it?"
"The alcohol taste isn't strong, and the texture is soft."
"It looks simple, but it's full of complex processes."
Recalling the taste, Leonora gave a balanced evaluation: "Vibrant colors, soft texture, solidified entirely by the gelatin effect, using batter to create a jelly-like texture is the highlight of this dish."
"However."
"Mom, the biggest highlight is the cold cocktail."
Alice smiled, seeing Leonora enjoying it, her heart pounding with excitement.
Then, she explained.
"Using gin as the base, adding fresh lemon juice, and finishing with soda water."
"Indeed, this cocktail has a refreshing taste, elevating the Two-tone Mousse Quartet to an excellent level."
"Especially when savoring it, the first taste is the sweet fruit flavor spreading in the mouth, followed by the gentle alcohol dancing on the tongue, and finally, a slight aftertaste, leaving a lasting impression."
"In short."
"Your mousse cocktail ice drink has a rich and unique taste."
"It has the smooth texture of jelly and the rich taste of a cocktail. When these two textures blend in the mouth, it creates a wonderful taste experience!"
"But... the cocktail isn't the best choice!"
Leonora opened her eyes and responded.
"Why?"
Alice was puzzled.
...
"Did you use a gimlet cocktail?"
"This drink has a strong acidity, constantly affecting the two layers of jelly, making them gradually sour and reducing the quality."
Leonora explained.
"So what should I do?"
"I thought the cocktail would be perfect, but it seemed slightly off!"
Alice expressed her confusion.
"Replace the cocktail with champagne."
Leonora looked at her daughter and said softly, "Yes, using batter to create a jelly-like texture is technically flawless, but pairing it with the cocktail affects the taste."
"So, replace the cocktail with champagne!"
...
Finally.
Continuous bubbles in champagne give it a refreshing taste.
With Leonora's small improvement, the Two-tone Mousse Quartet became an exquisite blend of technique and visual and taste enjoyment.
Taking a small sip, one felt refreshed, the delicate sensation like a lover's kiss. Closing her eyes, she fully enjoyed the natural comfort.
In this mousse cocktail, one could feel Alice's meticulous effort.
She carefully selected each ingredient, thoughtfully balanced every flavor, aiming to create this perfect molecular cuisine drink.
It was like an elegant dancer, showcasing its charm on a stage of light and shadow. Everyone who tasted it would be captivated, immersed in this wonderful taste world.
Gentle.
Refreshing.
That was the first impression.
"Really, I never imagined."
"Just replacing the cocktail with champagne makes this ice drink so delicious."
"Mmm mmm mmm..."
"This taste is unimaginable."
Tasting the newly made mousse champagne ice drink, Alice couldn't believe it.
"It maintains the mild alcohol taste and soft texture while being crisper and more refined."
"What you made now is much better."
Leonora took a small sip.
She felt light and airy, the cool sensation touching her inner self.
For a moment, she couldn't come back to reality, deeply immersed in the enjoyment.
...
Natural hot springs.
Without any artificial elements, its salty taste mixed with a hint of sulfur.
This pure clarity made Leonora and Alice want to strip off their clothes and soak their tired minds and bodies in the spring.
The water!
Only waist-deep, warm and clear.
But like a waterfall, it cascaded down, splashing large drops of water, the body under the water jet feeling thoroughly refreshed.
At this moment, both mother and daughter couldn't help but imagine soaking in a hot spring.
"Comfortable!"
"Really comfortable."
"I can't believe it, but have I really become this strong?"
Alice, overwhelmed by her new dish, fell into a trance.
Finally, her face flushed, she said, "But I was too clever for my good, thinking the cocktail was the best match when it was actually the flaw!"
...
In reality.
After the Totsuki reform, the new Elite Ten were confirmed.
At least in Alice's view, the current Elite Ten's ranking was like this
:
First tier:
Erina.
Second tier: Satoshi
Third tier: Kuga, Akira, Ryo, Takumi.
Akira, Ryo, and Takumi were strong, but Takumi's special training left his strength uncertain, so the ranking was based on their positions.
Kuga had made significant progress, as seen in his performance during the team Shokugeki.
Next were Nene and Alice.
Nene was strong, but her reliance on textbooks limited her innovation, a significant flaw.
Alice, after being advised by Zane, made her molecular cuisine more grounded.
She began to incorporate emotion into her dishes.
However, her molecular cuisine still lacked a bit of refinement, with concerns about her growth potential...
Next would be Megumi.
Indeed, Alice and Nene's techniques were more advanced than Megumi's.
In the original story, Megumi lost the apple dorayaki contest due to a slight flavor imbalance but earned Momo's respect, a challenging feat.
Throughout, Megumi's ability was empathy. Some say Soma's cooking is like acute medicine, while hers is like chronic medicine.
Even Zane acknowledged this.
Many chefs could make food that made gourmets explode in delight.
But few could make a tsundere like Shinomiya shed tears.
Her care and empathy for diners, a quality many chefs might never achieve.
----------
For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating