Datang First Chef

Chapter 24

Wang Wei is a fun guy, and the Wang family is quite well-known in Luoyang City. He said that he wanted to hire a cook, and people responded immediately.It's not time for dinner, there are few customers in restaurants and restaurants, the owner of the hotel happened to hear Mo Wenyuan's theory while wandering on the street, thought it was very interesting, and wanted to save Wang Wei's face, so Dang even agreed.

Mo Wenyuan had high requirements for the chef. He went into the restaurant and inspected the hall. He saw that cooking wine, shredded ginger and other condiments were all available. The system was similar to that of the chef in his home. The bottom of the tripod was also thin enough, so he nodded.

The owner is an insider, and looking at Mo Wenyuan's appearance, he knows that this son is not just talking on paper, but has practiced in the kitchen with real knives and guns. He discussed with Wang Wei in a low voice: "This young man is a skilled hand."

Wang Wei calmly said, "Isn't it just right? No matter how insightful you are, if your skills are not good enough, it's just a matter of talking on paper. He is a proficient hand, so I can enjoy my food while keeping my eyes open."

He sighed: "Hey, if the taste of peony and cauliflower is as good as he said, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my flower king."

……

After borrowing the kitchen, Mo Wenyuan began to select the ingredients, which is a great science, the quality of the meat, the taste of the wine, whether the petals are bitter or sweet, all affect the dishes.

Wang Wei said with a shy face, "Since I've done everything, why don't Mr. Xiaolang cook a few more dishes? It's too chilling to pair a dish with wine."

Mo Wenyuan asked, "Is fish edible?"

Knowing that he agreed, Wang Wei hurriedly said, "Eat, eat."

Mo Wenyuan said: "Let's add peony fish slices. It happens that there are a lot of fresh fish in Luoyang City, and the quality of the meat is high."

"Isn't Mr. Xiao Lang from Luoyang?" He seemed to speak with a Chang'an accent.

"People from Chang'an, and my mother went to Luoyang to work together."

There are quite a lot of people who pay attention to peony dishes. Wen Mo Wenyuan is going to choose wine and meat, and they all give him directions, saying which one in this workshop has the most tender fish, the best meat, and the most fragrant wine.

Most of the wines in the Tang Dynasty were low-alcohol turbid wines. It took him a long time to find relatively clear and mellow wines.As for pork, there are very few people slaughtering pigs these days, and it is because Li Sanniang and the farmers who raised pigs agreed to collect the pork every year that they could be bought in Chang'an City.

This method has only been used for a year, and farmers have discovered that all the pigs that have been castrated are tender and have no fishy smell. They can grow waists and round bellies by feeding them whatever they want, and their body size is several times larger than that of natural growth.

After gaining the sweetness, farmers in the suburbs of Chang'an began to slaughter pigs on a large scale this year, and some even started to make a living by this craft.

But the craftsmanship has not yet spread to Luoyang City. Although some people specially asked someone to castrate the pigs after hearing about it, those newborn piglets have just begun to grow, and it will be a long time before they can be slaughtered.

In desperation, Mo Wenyuan could only pick a piece of pork tenderloin.

There are more options for aquatic products. There is a Grand Canal in Luoyang City, and the fish caught are big and fresh, and there are all kinds of fish in terms of quantity.The larger the quantity, the lower the price. Compared with Chang'an City, the fish in Luoyang is many times cheaper.

Mo Wenyuan's family also often eats fish. Carp and bream are very common. In the first year of the Kaiyuan period, the state will ban people from catching carp, saying that carp is plum. But now, Li Shimin has not stipulated the type of fish to be caught.

The smell of carp is relatively light, which is more suitable for drinking with slices. Mo Wenyuan jumped a live fish at the fish stall.He swims nimbly in the bucket, wagging his tail constantly.

He brought all kinds of ingredients into the restaurant, first peeled off the peony petals one by one, shredded them and put them in the water basin for rinsing.

The restaurant's kitchen is semi-open. He cooks in it, and everyone can watch. Some spectators who are not interested in the process order a pot of wine, order two dishes, and sit in the lobby.

The owner of the restaurant was overjoyed, and said to the shopkeeper: "It is really killing two birds with one stone."

The shopkeeper flattered and said, "My boss is wise."

Wang Wei is obviously a good thing, since Mo Wenyuan started working, he has been stuck in the kitchen, and he pretended to ask first: "Is this going to affect you?"

Mo Wenyuan was used to being watched, and said coolly, "It's nothing."

When he was cutting the petals, he shook his wrist and played with the blade subconsciously. Wang Wei saw that the knife spun several times in the air and landed precisely in Xiao Langjun's hand.

He didn't look at the knife the whole time, and he moved like clouds and flowing water, completely natural.

Wang Wei:! ! !

Expert! ! !

He was already guessing Mo Wenyuan's identity, he was so good at such a young age, he must be a celebrity chef!

Mo Wenyuan didn't know what Wang Wei was thinking, he was in a good mood, and even wanted to hum a song while cutting the flowers. When he threw the knife and flowers, the God of Cooking system gave a large reward for a long time.

[Mission: Peony Feast Trial (1/0)]

[Reward points: 300]

It's not that he was greedy for the 300 reward points. After Li Sanniang's restaurant operation was on the right track, even if he earned more than 300 a day, he cared more about the deep meaning behind the task. Only a few times to restore soy products can get more points. Is it possible that the importance of making peony dishes is similar to that of making roasted bran?

He thinks there is none.

Mo Wenyuan changed his mind. He used the thinking of playing online games to examine the rewards. If the previous cooking skills were technical achievements, is it because the prestige points are involved this time that the rewards are more?

The Luoyang Peony Club is famous all over the world, and Wang Wei is the lord of a wealthy family, plus he has attracted so many people's attention since he first tried the sword...

He was excited, and his technique became more and more gorgeous, and the speed of swinging the knife was so fast that others could even see afterimages.

Mo Wenyuan: This is the first step for me to become a famous chef and become famous all over the world!

So exciting!

He did not forget his original intention, he could be known as an inventor, or inherit Li Sanniang's career to become a famous and wealthy second generation in Chang'an, and he could even be called a Buddha's son to cast down demons, but he wanted to be a good cook!

It is too persistent!

The onlookers stared straight: "Look at his knife."

"How many knives are there?"

"It should be a handful, but..."

"I saw four!"

"Three!"

"I'm afraid it was cut too fast and I can't see clearly."

"Xiao Langjun is so talented that he has learned such a skill."

"Is he born in Shangshi Bureau?"

The Shangshi Bureau is the imperial dining room of the Tang Dynasty. There are two Shangshi and eight doctors. Most of the saint's daily diet comes from the Shangshi Bureau. The dishes presented by the courtiers also have to go through the Shangshi Bureau.

Wang Wei listened to people talking and denying: "No matter how eclectic Shangshi Bureau is, it won't allow a boy to handle the spoon. This man is only a foreigner at most, how can he get started?"

The Shangshi Bureau belongs to the Menxia Province, and food doctors are considered public officials.

not to mention……

Wang Wei thought to himself that he didn't know how skilled the Shangshi Bureau's people were. These days, the aristocratic family has a rich background and a lot of power. The best cooks often don't work under the emperor, but are enshrined in the aristocratic family.

They master the most dishes, and the craftsmanship is passed down from generation to generation.

However, their master who is good at making fish meat is not as good as Mo Wenyuan.

"Even if you practiced cooking from your mother's womb, you may not be able to surpass Mr. Mo Xiaolang. I am afraid that only the reincarnation of the stove mother can have this skill." He had chatted with Mo Wenyuan before and knew his surname.

After Wang Wei finished speaking, a childish voice suddenly came from beside him.

"This statement is wrong, and the hearth lady is no better than him."

Wang Wei lowered his head and saw that the person who was speaking was a boy who was about the same age as Mo Wenyuan. He was wearing a black robe and his hair was untied. I am afraid that only beggars can have such a hairstyle.

But judging from his description, he is definitely not a beggar. The boy's color is very good, his eyebrows are raised, and the black robe is expensive.

Who will wear this color for Xiao Langjun?

Wang Wei said: "Which young man are you, can an adult come out with you?" He thought in his heart that this son must come from a rich family, but he has never seen him.

Mr. Xiao Lang is indifferent and has an attitude.

Wang Wei: "..."

Have personality!

Suddenly, the young man in black saw something, and jumped out of the crowd. The second monk Wang Weizhang couldn't figure it out, so he could only temporarily put him aside.

……

Huizhi chased the little Taotie for a few blocks, only to see him stop and restore his original form. He is a fairy, he can't breathe when he runs, but he is very troubled by Taotie's behavior.

"Why do you have to transform into a human body here? What should I do if you show your original form?"

Taotie, who only eats delicious food, is not as good as other people of the same race, and his spiritual power is not enough. In addition, he is still young and his mana is unstable. Even if he takes human form, he can only last for a short while.

The little black sheep bleats confidently.

If you don't transform into your original body, how can you see Mr. Mo Xiaolang chopping vegetables.

Awesome!Awesome!

Hui Zhi's expression was a little bit bitter, Buddhism is prevalent in Luoyang, if Taotie appears here, eminent monks from all the monasteries will gather here in no time.

Various gods and Buddhas are enshrined in Luoyang temples. If the monks know that there is gluttony, so will the gods and Buddhas.

Not every god can let the little Taotie run around. From the wisdom of thinking, he is still young and has never harmed anyone. After enlightenment, he is the help of Buddhism.Some gods and Buddhas believe that gluttony is a disaster, because they cut the weeds and roots when they are young.

The little black sheep also knows this, and it has to be transformed even at the risk of being destroyed. It can only be called true love.

Little Black Sheep: "Baa baa baa baa"

I think the quality of the fish Mo Xiaolang cuts is not good, you said if I catch good fish in the river and give it to him, will he treat me differently?

Huizhi: "Ah."

Mr. Mo Xiaolang doesn't recognize you yet, so why treat him differently?Do you want to treat the best mutton differently?

……

Li Sanniang followed the flow of people to find the restaurant, and when he saw Mo Wenyuan across the crowd, he was cutting fish with a knife.

On Mo Wenyuan's birthday last year, Li Sanniang gave him a set of knives, which were custom-made according to the size of his hands, including kitchen knives, sharp knives, small carving knives, etc., and were usually stored in a leather case and carried with him.

The knives were originally used for cooking at any time, and if he encountered thieves on the road, they could also be turned into sharp weapons for self-defense.

Yushao has been a famous Chinese dish since ancient times. After thousands of years, it became popular in Japan under the name of sashimi. Mo Wenyuan did not know how to cook sashimi in modern times. This skill was only supplemented after learning the master chef system.

Whether it is training eyesight, distinguishing fish from good or bad from the turbidity of the eyes, the softness of the meat and the smell, or how to disassemble them into pieces, he has practiced hard for a long time. .

Fish cutting knives are different from other knives in that they have narrow and long sides. Before cutting, wet the knife surface with water so that the fish fillet will not stick to the knife surface.

Li Sanniang waited for Mo Wenyuan to finish cutting before saying: "Da Lang!" The voice was not loud, but it was powerful in the ears of the person involved, and it was deafening and deafening is not enough to describe.

It was like "the yellow bell was destroyed, and the kettle thundered", and the lightning exploded above his head.

He turned around and said with a dry smile, "Mother."

Li Sanniang was about to laugh angrily when she saw his expression, it didn't take long for this brat to make such a big fuss?She waved her hand and said, "That's all, you can finish it first, and then go back and talk about the rest."

Mo Wenyuan felt that he had been sentenced to death with a reprieve, so he wanted to enjoy himself in time, and devoted himself to the two dishes.

The fish fillets are tender, and if rubbed too much, it will inevitably fall apart. He just put them into the wine, grabbed a handful of peony petals, soaked them for half a pot, and pressed the fish fillets lightly with his fingertips.

The tenderloin is handled differently. After cleaning his hands, he rotates it clockwise to allow the wine to fully contact the meat. Finally, he massages the meat to let the aroma of the wine permeate the meat.

Wang Wei said: "Why is this young gentleman?"

Mo Wenyuan said: "Massage the meat for a while before frying, it will make the meat more tender."

……

After the preliminary work was ready, the final processing came. He fished the fish fillets out of the wine basin tremblingly with chopsticks, and placed them in the shape of flowers on the plate.

Chopped peony filaments are set aside, as if they have fulfilled their historical mission.

Then Mo Wenyuan shredded ginger and spread a thin layer on the fish surface.Sprinkle minced green onion on the fish fillet, which is green and dripping.

"Couldn't Mr. Xiao Lang do fish sticks?"

"No, no, just keep watching."

The fire suddenly rose, and Mo Wenyuan put the condensed ointment in the sticky pot. As the temperature got higher and higher, the ointment gradually turned into a translucent liquid.

The aroma of lard wafts in the air, like sparks permeating the air, as long as it is ignited, it can form a prairie fire.

When the oil heated up to the zero point, he suddenly picked up the iron pan and covered the fish with liquid lard.

"Snapped--"

"Zizzy-"

When the boiling oil comes into contact with the fish, a wonderful chemical reaction occurs. Accompanied by the sound of the oil, there is a fresh fragrance that bursts like a bomb.

The freshness of the fish has a hint of floral fragrance, and there are strong seasonings such as chopped green onion and ginger. The lard is still boiling, splashing small waves on the crystal clear fish fillets, and the blood-colored meat is instantly melted. When cooked, it takes on a pale white color.

Mo Wenyuan took a complete peony and peeled off the layers of outer petals, leaving only the middle one.He placed the florets in the center of the fillets, petals within petals.

"Peony fish fillet, please."

"Gudong-"

This is the sound of Wang Wei swallowing his saliva.

"Chopsticks? Where are the chopsticks?"

Even the owner of the restaurant didn't want to make friends with him, everyone was gulping, who cares whether he has chopsticks or not.

Still, Mo Wenyuan was more kind and gave him a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

Wang Wei tremblingly picked up one piece of fish, moving carefully and cautiously, for fear of breaking the fish piece.

Lift the fish fillet high above the tip of the nose, open your mouth wide, and stuff the whole piece into your mouth.

"Hmm! Mmm! Mmm~"

Let out some unexplained exclamations.

The crowd stared eagerly behind him.

"how?"

"Is it delicious?"

"What is the taste?"

Wang Wei: "Mmm! Mmm!"

He seemed to be unable to speak, the voice in his ears, the longing eyes of the people around him, and the simple environment in front of the hall were all forgotten by him. Wang Wei has been completely quiet in the world of food, and his taste buds are in the sea. Ups and downs, you can even see carps swimming in the river and peonies blooming in the garden party when you close your eyes.

The aroma of the wine lingered in his nose, and the scent of flowers lingered in his mind. The deliciousness of the fish and the bitterness of the flowers perfectly blended together with the fragrance of shredded ginger and chopped green onion——

His thoughts flew farther and farther, as if he had returned to the Lantern Festival when he was a boy, watching the lantern festival with his grandpa and grandma, and all the good memories were brought back by the delicious food.

"Hmm, ummm."

People around watched him bury his head in eating without saying a word, how could they not know that the fish fillets on the plate were extremely delicious.

Someone couldn't help but said: "Can you share me a piece?"

Wang Wei: I can't hear what you are saying!

……

The front of the hall is very close to the restaurant, and the smell of hot oil poured on the fish fillets is so powerful that the fragrance disperses with the wind, and the guests who drink and eat in the lobby are shocked.

"What is the taste?"

"It smells so good!"

"Xiao Er, bring us a piece of what the back kitchen is making."

Some guests who knew about the Mudan Rencai in the background murmured: "This aroma, can't it be made by that little man?"

"No, no, I'm just a child, how can I have this skill?"

"It's hard to say, if the food in this restaurant can be fragrant for ten miles, the business will still be like this?"

"Forehead--"

Xiao Er came over from the back kitchen, and apologized to the customer who ordered the dishes: "This fragrance is not made by the chef, but the young man who made the peony dish in the back kitchen."

The crowd was stunned.

"Is it really that kid?"

"The taste of peony is so overbearing, it is the king of flowers!"

More people stood up directly, without shaking their heads and chanting peony, and rushed to the kitchen.

Crowds flooded into the not cramped kitchen, and the room became even smaller.

It happened that Mo Wenyuan's second dish was ready.

"Peony pork slices, let's work together."

After Wang Wei finished eating the fish fillets, he didn't let anyone take away a piece of fish, and he was very happy eating alone. But when Mo Wenyuan bought fish, he picked a big one, and even an adult man was half full after eating it.

He looked at the half-eaten piece of meat with an extremely painful expression.

Oh, he really wants to eat again, but what should he do if he can't finish it, he is so reluctant!

The people around were tempted by the delicious food, and their fears came to the side.

"Wang Sanlang, since you can't eat, let us have some?"

"A piece of meat! Just a piece of meat!"

"Wang Wei, be bolder!"

"Your Majesty, don't be petty."

Wang Wei protects the bowl with both hands like a hen protecting its food: "No, no, no!"

When Mo Wenyuan looked at him, he thought of a clucking chicken, and the movement of opening his hands was more similar.

He couldn't help but let out a few laughs, and then stopped quickly. Fortunately, everyone focused on the meat and didn't pay attention to him.

Mo Wenyuan said loudly: "Mr. Wang, the king of peony flowers..."

Wang Wei turned around and said: "Take it away, take it away!" It seemed disgusting.

"Ah! My sliced ​​meat!"

"Thief! Meat thief!"

"Relax!"

Mo Wenyuan stuck out his tongue, not caring about the chaos behind him, and slipped away holding the flower pot. Li Sanniang followed behind him, and reluctantly glanced at the crowd before leaving.

Hey, she wants to eat too!

[mission completed]

……

Li Sanniang squinted at Mo Wenyuan, with a frank and lenient look and resisted strictness.

Mo Wenyuan showed the appearance of a young daughter-in-law, curled up on the bench, put his hands on his knees neatly, and waited for his punishment.

Kao peonies with 11 blooming flowers are placed on the table. The graceful flowers show their charm in the room.

Li Sanniang laughed and said, "For this potted flower, you!"

Mo Wenyuan laughed dryly and said: "I was wandering on the road, and I saw many people wearing flowers on their heads, they were really pretty, so I thought, Auntie, you should also wear flowers. Auntie, you are very beautiful, why don't you pick up more? "

Li Sanniang was stunned, she really didn't expect Mo Wenyuan to show his talents for this reason.Her sight involuntarily focused on the peony flower.

Mo Wenyuan saw that Li Sanniang's face was moved, and he tried his best to sensationalize: "I think since the flowers are for you, my mother, ordinary flowers must not work. How can they decorate you, my mother? After walking for a long time, this is the king of flowers." It catches the eye, it just so happens that Mr. Wang's family is very interesting, he said that as long as he can use the flowers, he can give them to me, so there is a previous story."

Seeing his flattering expression, Li Sanniang burst out laughing. She was both moved and amused and said, "Okay, okay, I'm not talking about you. Why are you so afraid of doing it? It's not a bad thing to be a peony cauliflower."

Mo Wenyuan chuckled: "Isn't the commotion a bit loud?"

He jumped up from the stool, bumped into Li Sanniang's arms and said coquettishly, "Aniang~~"

The voice was so terribly twisted that it made him feel sick.

Li Sanniang was not disgusted at all, not only was she not, but she also enjoyed Mo Wenyuan's acting like a baby. Who told her that her child matured very precociously, and she had some ideas when she was young. She built a career.

On the other hand, Li Sanniang didn't enjoy much worrying about her son. Now seeing Mo Wenyuan acting like a baby, getting close to her, her maternal instincts were on display, and she held her son in her arms and rubbed her son desperately.

Mo Wenyuan was ravaged a bit miserably, especially with his silky hair turned into a chicken coop. He was miserable, and he couldn't help but think back to the painful history of being pinched by various girls and aunts in his childhood.

That's all!It's good to be able to make Auntie happy.

I'm also in love with Caiyi!

……

Mo Wenyuan entrusted Mo Wenyuan with the peony seed, so Li Sanniang naturally wanted to wear it. She had already agreed with her son that she would cut one off and stick it in her hair when she went to the street tomorrow.

"Fortunately, I brought two brightly colored clothes, otherwise coarse linen would not match the color of Kao."

Mo Wenyuan praised: "Who said that! Auntie's beautiful appearance, it's the peony that complements you!"

"You look great in anything you wear."

Li Sanniang stretched out her hand and pinched the tip of her son's nose lightly, and said, "You villain, you will always flatter me."

Mo Wenyuan stretched his finger to the sky: "I swear to God, everything I said is true, how can you say that I am coaxing you, Ma'am? I can't be more sincere."

Li Sanniang surrendered: "Okay, okay, whatever you want."

After the meal, she talked to Mo Wenyuan about the courtyard. In fact, she should have said it a long time ago, but Mo Wenyuan acted too much today, and he gained a wave of fame in Luoyang City. Li Sanniang, who is so well-informed and knowledgeable, couldn't recover for a long time, so she delayed speaking until now.

"Small mouse spirit?"

"Yes, I listened to his words, it looks like the ghost you caught that day."

Mo Wenyuan said: "If it's the same monster, you won't be afraid of trouble if you buy the yard, Aniang."

"The demotion of spirits and monsters is a major event, and Goushi County is not far from here. Sooner or later, it will spread to Luoyang City. After everyone hears about it, they will not have any prejudice against the courtyard. Then go to the White Horse Temple to invite a few masters to do it." , Get rid of the bad luck, and there will be no problems."

"If it's not enough, I still have a bit of a reputation, and Shuoshu is considered my surrender," Mo Wenyuan paused when he said this, and he was a little ashamed when he thought of how he threatened Shuoshu before. Hey, he actually said that he would Cutting him into pieces and frying him sounded more ferocious than monsters!

Monsters eat people, he eats monsters, really...

In fact, it is a good thing to be able to subdue demons and eliminate demons, but Li Sanniang knows that her son does not like to be known by everyone in this regard. She is a good mother who is considerate and considerate. Everyone is talking about this, and you are right, if the rat spirit is the same one, I will buy the yard first, and invite the master of the White Horse Temple to come after the neighbors know about it."

"However, there have been ghosts in the courtyard. It's unlucky. We need to invite people from Zi to redecorate the courtyard. No, just tear it down and rebuild it."

These things are what Li Sanniang should consider, and Mo Wenyuan didn't interrupt.

Li Sanniang said again: "Then how do you go to Shuo Shujing to inquire about it? Why don't you ask someone to go?"

Mo Wenyuan said: "It doesn't have to be like this, it's only a day's journey from Goushi County to Luoyang. I heard from Lu Erlang earlier that someone in the caravan wanted to go back and forth to Goushi County. I will go with him. Auntie, you are in Luoyang The city handles affairs carefully."

Li Sanniang worried: "You go? Let me go!"

Mo Wenyuan analyzed: "It's better for me to go. Shuo Jing was the one who surrendered to me. If he is replaced by another person, he may not be able to find out the ins and outs of the matter, but if I go, there should be no problem."

"In addition, the distance is quite short, and there will be no thieves. Even if I encounter some monsters, I have the Zen staff given by Master Huiyuan and the pills that monsters are afraid of. It is safer than others."

He finally persuaded Li Sanniang with emotion and reason, and the mother and son agreed that Mo Wenyuan would go to Goushi County the day after tomorrow.

After the two finished talking, the sky gradually became dark, and Li Sanniang went back to her room to go to bed.

Luoyang also has a curfew, and the enforcement is not as strict as Chang'an City. However, except for the land of Huajie and Liuxiang, most of the residents' residences fall into silence after 7 o'clock.

Mo Wenyuan was lying on the couch, thinking about what happened this morning and being unable to fall asleep for a long time, his heart was filled with strange excitement.Cooking under the watchful eyes of everyone, attracting everyone's enthusiasm, and becoming famous as a chef, isn't this what he wants to do most?

As the night deepened, the overwhelming silence subsided, and he could hear clearly whether there were birds chirping outside the window. Mo Wenyuan tossed and turned on the bed with an uncontrollable smile on his lips.

"Knock-"

"Knock-"

There were rustling sounds outside the window, as if someone was knocking on his window, Mo Wenyuan turned over and got off the bed, opened the window, but found that there was no one there.He looked down, and saw a wooden barrel beside the low wall outside the window eaves. There were four carps in the barrel. Even in the dark night, he could see that these carps were very large and flexible.

Mo Wenyuan simply climbed out of the window and looked at the fish by the bright moonlight.

The best carp!

A note was pressed under the barrel. He held the bucket in his left hand and the note in his right. Without disturbing anyone, he slowly moved into the room.

Light the lamp, and read the words on the note by the flickering light.

On the far left side of the white paper, an ugly animal was outlined with a fine brush. Mo Wenyuan looked at it again and again, and felt that it looked like a sheep, and it was a sheep like Sean the Lamb.

"It's ugly." He couldn't help laughing.

Xiao En the lamb was followed by crooked words.

"I'll give you four fish, can you make me a plate of peony fish? One is enough!"