The lights in the dessert shop flickered, casting shadows that danced across the room. The air was filled with the mixed aromas of various desserts, yet there was an oppressive atmosphere.
In the kitchen, beams of light began to converge, illuminating a young man standing there. He was dressed in a black trench coat, his face hidden in the shadows of his hat and a face mask, but his eyes shone with determination.
Around him were several chefs with various expressions and some curious onlookers.
Suddenly, Asahi Saiba took a deep breath and slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with a resolute light from beneath the brim of his hat. His voice, low and powerful, cut through the tension in the kitchen: "I didn't expect the Totsuki Director to get personally involved. It seems I've drawn a bigger fish than I anticipated!"
With that, he slowly extended his hand and gently unzipped his trench coat, revealing a chef's knife nestled inside.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the knife, their faces reflecting shock, confusion, tension, and even frustration.
...
For Alice and Hisako, their understanding of the Midnight Chefs was actually very limited.
Now, having the opportunity to witness the strength of this leader of the Midnight Chefs, who was spoken of with such reverence, they couldn't afford to relax their guard.
"Heh."
"I can't wait to see this."
"The chefs who have crushed so many elite chefs in the culinary world, including our Totsuki Elite Ten—what level are these Midnight Chefs truly at?"
Alice's eyes sharpened as she stared at the masked Asahi Saiba.
Then she spoke again, "I wonder what dish he'll prepare when facing Erina, who possesses the God Tongue?"
...
As soon as Alice finished speaking, Asahi Saiba began to move.
Strangely enough, he didn't start by grabbing his chef's knife and slicing meat or fish like most chefs would.
Instead, he began by brewing green tea.
Yes, that's right. He was making tea.
He started by rinsing a glass cup with hot water, then carefully selected some tea leaves and began the brewing process.
He placed the tea leaves in the cup, gently swirling it to let the leaves awaken in the slightly warm, moist environment. Then, to everyone's astonishment, Asahi Saiba slowly poured hot water into the cup.
His movements were incredibly gentle, and his demeanor was calm and serene.
In particular, his method of pouring the water along the cup's walls to the bottom was so soothing to watch that it brought a sense of peace to everyone present.
...
Green tea is a type of non-fermented tea that retains the natural substances of fresh leaves.
It contains tea polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll, caffeine, amino acids, and vitamins, making it highly nutritious.
In the depths of winter, it's actually the best season to drink green tea.
When you drink the clear, green tea in a glass cup while watching the winter scenery, it's incredibly soothing.
Of course, for tea enthusiasts, it's important to get the water temperature just right when brewing green tea—too cold and the tea won't steep, too hot and it will be ruined.
Furthermore, 100°C water is not suitable for brewing green tea.
If boiling water is used, it can destroy the nutrients in the tea, making the tea soup yellowish, the taste bitter, and leading to a significant loss of vitamin C, which can also change the flavor and make it bitter.
"Huh?"
Alice was visibly taken aback, finding it odd.
She looked at Asahi Saiba, who was brewing tea with such graceful and fluid movements, and her mind was full of questions.
A leader of the Midnight Chefs, in a cooking duel, wasn't slicing meat or fish but instead was brewing a cup of green tea, and a very fragrant one at that.
Amazing!
What an amazing move!
...
As the saying goes:
"The gentle waves of fragrance, the tea doesn't intoxicate, but the person is intoxicated."
A cup of fragrant green tea can be intoxicating just by its scent, without even taking a sip.
At this moment, even a slight sniff made Alice's eyes go a little hazy.
In her mind, she felt as if she had entered a whole new world, experiencing all sorts of wonderful sensations and endless aftertastes. It was as if she had grown a pair of beautiful, magical wings, allowing her to soar freely in a fragrant tea garden, basking in the green tea's aroma.
In the scent of the green tea, a restless heart slowly calmed down.
Yes!
Slowly.
The aroma of the green tea began to spread.
Just like a strong fragrance of wine, it wafted far and wide.
In no time, the customers and Miyoko, the head chef, were all captivated by the scent of the green tea.
Oh my!
The tea, brewed in just a few minutes, had such a rich fragrance!
No one expected that with just a few minutes of brewing, he could produce such an extraordinarily fragrant cup of green tea. At this moment, everyone was mesmerized, both by sight and smell!
"Huh?"
Erina was momentarily stunned.
The extremely fragrant green tea made her body tremble.
She hadn't expected that the Midnight Chef leader in front of her was also a master of the tea ceremony.
His tea-brewing movements, every single step, were incredibly delicate and elegant.
It's no exaggeration to say that this single cup of fragrant green tea could win over many people.
"The real show is yet to come."
"Director of Totsuki, I will make sure you never forget this moment, a moment that will make your God Tongue tremble and marvel!"
Asahi Saiba lifted his head and glanced at Erina.
Finally, he smiled slightly, a confident smile curling at the corner of his mouth, as he spoke to Erina.
...
Uji Kintoki is actually a general term for a type of shaved ice dessert.
Generally speaking, it is made with Japanese matcha, sugar, and water, boiled into a green tea syrup.
This syrup is then poured over shaved ice, and cooked red beans are added on the side to create a colorful dessert. Of course, in addition to red beans, some people also add white dumplings to enhance the color and texture.
In Japan, tea produced in the Uji region is classified as high-grade green tea, with "Uji green tea" being the most famous.
In other words, "Uji" originally referred to Uji green tea, specifically:
Tea produced in the areas surrounding Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture.
Its origins can be traced back over a thousand years, and after hundreds of years of development, the tea produced around Uji is now the most renowned.
So, the green tea leaves that Asahi Saiba used were actually sourced from the Uji region.
Additionally.
There's a saying that the red beans used in this dessert are named after someone called Kintoki, whose face was as red as these beans, hence the name "Kintoki beans."
Thus, the rather strange name "Uji Kintoki" came about.
...
Then, just as everyone was feeling surprised, Asahi Saiba finally moved on to the next step. He first prepared various ingredients: shaved ice, sweet red beans, red bean paste, and vanilla ice cream.
As soon as these ingredients were brought out, everyone seemed to understand.
Shaved ice.
Sweet red beans.
Red bean paste.
Vanilla ice cream…
When these are combined with green tea, it's easy to think of the Uji Kintoki dessert.
At that moment, Alice, Hisako, Miyoko, and all the customers held their breath.
As the atmosphere grew more tense, Asahi began by placing a suitable amount of sweet red beans in a container, then drizzled some matcha syrup over them. He added the shaved ice on top, placing a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the peak.
Next, he added a little red bean paste on the side, finished it with a drizzle of matcha syrup, and sprinkled a pinch of matcha powder.
The unfinished Uji Kintoki dessert looked as fresh and green as the refreshing greenery of the Marukyu Koyamaen Seiran matcha. The strong aroma of matcha, with a hint of bitterness, was captivating, making everyone stare in awe without blinking.
...
Generally speaking.
Desserts usually make people happy.
Whether it's a sweet pastry or Cantonese-style sweet soup, it's all the same.
The mere appearance of a beautifully crafted dessert can be a remedy for depression and a way to relax.
Desserts.
They are not usually treated as a main meal.
They're often just a snack for afternoon tea.
Many people, when rewarding themselves, might enjoy something sweet, forgetting about dieting, body sculpting, or those beautiful but tight-fitting clothes.
This is especially true for girls.
In fact, there are many similarities between girls and desserts.
First, both have an attractive appearance, whether it's delicate or elegant—something so beautiful it's almost edible. Secondly, both have a soft, refined interior.
Like a chocolate cake with a hard outer shell, but inside is rich, creamy filling that melts with passion.
...
Desserts.
Have a long history.
According to the Book of Songs: "On the second day, ice was cut, and on the third day, it was stored in a cold place."
This suggests that in the Shang dynasty, three thousand years ago, people stored ice during the winter to use in the summer.
Now, in the depths of winter, it's clearly not the best time to eat desserts. Yet, Erina was wide
-eyed in disbelief, staring at Asahi Saiba's Uji Kintoki dessert.
And it wasn't just her; more and more people were being drawn in by the allure of Uji Kintoki.
Without a doubt.
Asahi Saiba's Uji Kintoki dessert.
Perfectly combined two scoops of matcha ice cream, two or three small white dumplings, and two chestnuts.
This delicate decoration and combination made the matcha ice cream taste rich without being greasy.
The milk flavor was strong.
The tea flavor even stronger.
Mixed with matcha powder that hadn't fully dissolved, it had a slight bitterness.
Just the aroma was enough to intoxicate.
...
So.
Erina swallowed.
She found herself unable to resist the urge to gaze at the yet-to-be-finished dessert, exclaiming, "What... What is this?"
"Why does this Uji Kintoki dessert have such a strong aroma during its preparation?"
Erina's bright eyes gradually became unfocused.
Meanwhile, Asahi Saiba just smiled confidently.
Then, Asahi Saiba continued by placing another scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the Uji Kintoki, added a bit of red bean paste on the side, and finished with another drizzle of matcha syrup and a sprinkle of matcha powder.
Instantly, the entire room was filled with an even stronger aroma of tea.
No.
It was the aroma of milk.
Wait… This… seems like a mix of both tea and milk!
Alice Nakiri, Hisako, and Miyoko, who were closest, were the first to be overwhelmed by this intense, complex aroma.
With just a slight sniff, the fragrance seemed to shoot straight into their noses.
Indeed!
This aroma was unlike anything they had ever experienced.
Unforgettable!
Alice was almost completely captivated.
The rich milk aroma, deeply fragrant with a lasting aftertaste, came from a dessert that didn't seem particularly large.
However, it was so soft and inviting, with a unique flavor that lingered long after.
The vibrant, fresh green from nature, brushed onto the fragrant matcha, and the bright red of the red bean paste gently perched atop.
Not a fairytale, but better than one. It's no exaggeration to say that the art of pleasing the senses was being fully realized at this moment, and everyone started to go wild.
No one expected that such a small dessert could be so powerful.
Amazing!
Simply amazing!
Is this the true power of the Midnight Chefs?
...
Looking at the Uji Kintoki dessert before her.
Erina felt a sudden, inexplicable urge. She could only continue to lower her head, deeply inhaling the rich aroma of tea and milk.
It was very fragrant.
But, it also seemed very sweet.
The so-called Uji Kintoki is essentially composed of green tea ice cream, green tea snow blocks, small white dumplings, red bean paste, and a couple of chestnuts.
It's a diverse and visually stunning treat, no matter the angle.
The matcha flavor was very strong.
What's more interesting is that if you dip the small white dumplings in the matcha ice cream and add a bit of red bean paste, the taste would surely be delightful, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Erina blinked and fell into a brief contemplation.
...
To be honest.
The Uji Kintoki dessert before her.
Had a very high appearance, and looked great, especially with the green tea ice cream ball sitting on top, adding a touch of elegance.
So much so that Erina's inner girl was almost bursting out.
Sigh!
Such an adorable dessert.
She really didn't want to take a bite, afraid of ruining this sense of "beauty."
However, this dessert was so tempting, making her mouth water. In the end, Erina couldn't resist grabbing a small spoon and immediately taking a small bite.
Sweet.
It was really sweet.
The milk flavor was incredibly rich.
And the fresh, rich taste of the tea followed closely behind, catching her off guard.
The mixture of tea, basil, mint, fresh red bean paste, and a bit of juice made for the perfect condiment for Uji Kintoki.
The texture was soft and refreshing, with each layer offering a different taste, a different color. This made it visually stunning and delicious, leaving one deeply enchanted.
"This…"
Erina was stunned.
She stared at the Uji Kintoki, unsure of what to say.
----------
For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating