Datang First Chef

Chapter 37

The Bodhisattva said indifferently: "Wukong? What's the matter here?"

While talking, a handsome monkey came out from behind a few clumps of purple bamboo. He was tall and tall, with an unusually curved spine. On the contrary, when walking, one can see that his back is straight, like a pine and cypress; his face is between monkeys and humans, and his facial skin Pale pink in color, on the head, on both sides of the face, and on the chin, there are fine and dense golden monkey hairs; the eyes are large, round at the front, narrow and long at the end, with thick eyelashes, and when you lower your eyebrows, you can see a small fan hanging on the eyelids. The curvature of the nose and chin is very elegant. Generally speaking, it is worthy of the title of Monkey King.

Looking at the dress, it is also very fashionable, with tiger skins on the outside of the monk's uniform, and black cloth boots on his feet.

"Master has transformed a spirit again, I need Master Guanyin to take a look."

Crossing into a ghost?Avalokitesvara's expression remained unchanged and said: "Is it crossing with a three-inch tongue or a Zen stick?"

"It's both."

"It's not that Master Xuanzang encountered spirits and monsters recently, and you took care of them. How could you let him do it himself?"

"It's not that the black bear has the audacity to steal Master's cassock." At this point, he was unwilling to continue, his monkey eyes were agile, he stared at the stone platform behind the Bodhisattva and said, "You still don't want to eat? Eat while you talk. , the dishes are going to be cold."

As he spoke, he sat on the stone stool very familiarly, but he did not know where to find out a pair of bamboo chopsticks, and jumped over the wall directly at Sufo.

The Bodhisattva's expression twisted for a moment, knowing that it wasn't Tang Monk who couldn't control the monkey and had to let him go, so he hurriedly sat down too, and the two chatted while eating, fully practicing the wine table culture that has existed since ancient times.

Of course they only have vegetables and tea, no wine.

Sun Wukong took the vegetarian goose with chopsticks and brought it into the mouth. The lingering fragrance lingered in the jar filled with sake. The vegetarian goose was simmered in the jar for several hours. It was full of the aroma of the wine and the essence of the soup. In the middle of the earthen pot, there are crispy bamboo shoots of cabbage on the bottom and Hericium erinaceus mushrooms on the top. Many delicious ingredients sandwich it in the middle. Take a bite, and the juice will overflow from the gap, and all kinds of unidentifiable aromas mix together. Roll up.

Monkey squinted his eyes as if he had drunk monkey wine. A lot of food flashed in his mind, the longest peach in the peach banquet, the fine wine from Huaguo Mountain and Water Curtain Cave, the vegetarian meal made by the master...all the delicious things , or food with significant meaning floated in his mind, he turned somersaults in the world of gourmet food, thousands of miles away, there was lingering fragrance everywhere, the fragrance was like a hurricane, hitting his face, every monkey hair There is a taste of happiness.

I came to look for Master Guanyin today, but I came to the right place!Thinking of this, he used his chopsticks like a god, and kept sweeping the table with a speed that was unmatched by others.

The Bodhisattva was about to die of anger, thinking that Sun Wukong would not come early or late, so why did he choose this time to come? Reserved, the chopsticks "swipe" frantically to pick up vegetables, and the dishes on the table encountered strong winds and waves under the attack of the two of them, leaving only leftovers in an instant.

Monkey King has a good memory, he picked up Sixi Roasted Bran and squinted his eyes: "I have seen this dish before."

"The last time I brought Taotie in front of you, he even gnawed on the plate, wasn't it?"

The Bodhisattva said: "That's right, now Taotie follows Mr. Mo Xiaolang who cooks, enjoys delicious food every day, and never misses Sichuan. This banquet is also an offering from Mr. Mo Xiaolang."

"Although this Taotie is different, it makes it a little different from Mr. Xiaolang..."

"Mr. Mo Xiaolang and my incarnation, monk Huizhi, have a half-teacher friendship. They have some skills. Moreover, with a gluttonous nature, it is too late to protect Xiaolang, let alone harm him, let alone if he is harmful to others. , Master Xuanzang would not entrust it to me to teach me."

"makes sense."

The two finally got back to the topic: "The black bear spirit who stole my master's cassock has not been dealt with yet. If I finish eating, the master will come with me?"

"can."

"One more thing, can this vegetable be bought in Chang'an City?"

"You can go to Li Sanniang Restaurant in Guangde Square, Chang'an City."

Before he knew it, Mo Xiaoyuan had a valuable client. He had to know that he would be scared to death.

……

Bodhisattva and Monkey King left in a hurry, and Mo Wenyuan cooked too many dishes. Even though the gods have many supernatural powers that ordinary people do not have, it does not mean that their stomachs are much bigger than ordinary people. The big dishes on the table were eaten, such as cold noodles, which could be kept in the purple bamboo forest for a long time, and the dishes that were not in a hurry to eat were left on the table.

Before eating the offerings, in order to maintain his image of being merciful and not close to the secular world, Master Guanyin deliberately dismissed the boys under his seat and arranged other tasks for them to ensure that they would not approach the purple bamboo forest. Sun Wukong and his ilk, or those who serve in the heavenly court, have some status as gods.

Coincidentally today, I don’t know what kind of luck it was, visitors came one after another, not long after Guanyin left, Taibai Jinxing came to Putuo Mountain in the clouds and fog, looking for Guanyin.

He met the dragon girl who was taking care of the Lingzhu and asked, "Is Guanyin here?"

"Moyue is here. The master went to the depths of the purple bamboo forest alone, as if he was comprehending magic."

Taibai Jinxing went to the depths of the purple bamboo forest alone, looking for Avalokitesvara, but who knew that he did not find Avalokitesvara, but smelled a more and more intense fragrance in the air, this fragrance was different from the fragrance of the leaves of the purple bamboo, very overbearing, and went straight to him drilled in the nose.Taibai Jinxing, who has been bigu for many years, racked his brains and never thought about where the fragrance came from. He wondered if it was because Guanyin planted a spiritual fruit, or a rare spiritual flower blooming in a thousand years?

Otherwise, how could it be so fragrant?

However, even spirit flowers and spirit fruits rarely have a scent, even if they do, they can refresh the mind and make people feel refreshed after smelling them, but his reaction was not like this, a lot of body fluid suddenly appeared under his tongue, he Swallowing saliva constantly, if not, the saliva will come out from the cracks in the lips.

The stomach that has not been used for a long time is even more fangs and claws, rampant, showing a sense of presence. He heard a long "gu—" sound, and stretched out his hand to cover his stomach.

Pushing aside the thick purple bamboo pole as thick as a thumb, a plate of pots and pots, soup and water came into view. Taibai Jinxing approached the big bowl with cold noodles, holding a pair of bamboo chopsticks between his fingers.

"Stinger——" Tangtang Taibai Jinxing couldn't help stealing it!

Cold noodles are a common staple food in summer. The sun is scorching, and people have little appetite. In order to make diners have a good meal, acid is often added to the soup to appetize, so that people can't put down the bowl after one bite.I don't know how Mo Wenyuan stewed the soup. The sourness and freshness are perfectly blended together, and it is served with the noodles that are full of soup.

Taibai Jinxing only felt that the noodles were soft and firm, slightly hard in his mouth at first, but after chewing, the fragrance of pagoda tree leaves lingered in his mouth, all the impatience in his heart was quenched, and the sour soup made him appetite, one bite after another Unable to stop, take another bite of crispy shredded radish, crunching.

Does the food taste like this?Oh my god, he has been fasting for so long, how many delicacies he has missed!

After eating the cold noodles, Taibai Jinxing held the bowl with both hands and drank the soup in one gulp. The pottery bowl fell on the table with a bang, and his sanity, which was blinded by food, finally came back.

God!I stole the dish from Guanyin Master?And eat it all? !

He finally realized what a disaster he had committed!

However, the belly sac opened by delicious food cannot be easily retracted. After feeling the pleasure of "doing evil", Taibai Jinxing's bottom line is crumbling. He scanned other food on the table, and his saliva began to secrete again. courage.

I ate it all by stealth, so why not make it bigger!

He waved his sleeves, used the art of heaven and earth in his sleeves, swept away the delicious food and escaped!

Buddha:? ? ?

……

A few days later, Mo Wenyuan traveled to the West Market to buy sugar. He told the Tianzhu merchant that there was sugar and he informed him to pick it up.He wants a large quantity, and Tianzhu granulated sugar is gradually becoming popular among restaurants, so he has to negotiate with the boss before getting the goods.Sugar is no longer a commodity that can be bought if you want it.

The little black sheep went with Mo Wenyuan, and he was in a great mood. His hooves "tapped, tapped, tapped" and his little tail twirled quickly.

Pedestrians pay attention to people and sheep, needless to say, Mo Wenyuan is very famous in the neighborhood, and few people don't know him.As for the sheep, even the local residents have to admit that they have never seen such a majestic lamb.

"Shopkeeper, I'm here to get the sugar."

The shopkeeper opened the curtain and went out. When he saw Mo Wenyuan, he was shocked. He put his palms together and said hello to him, "How is Mo Dalang?"

A Tianzhu businessman believes in Buddhism. A few days ago, the miracles of Daxingshan Temple had been spread in the West Market. He heard that Mr. Mo Xiaolang made offerings to the Bodhisattva and took them away. He was honored. He asked Mr. Mo Xiaolang before. What to do with polysaccharides, he said it was used for cooking, and he thought that his family’s sugar was also used in the dishes dedicated to the Bodhisattva. As the owner of the shop, how could he not be happy?

The owner of the store was happy, so he wanted to give him a discount on the sugar he bought. Tianzhu granulated sugar was already cheap, but after the discount, the price was astonishingly low. Fortunately, Mo Wenyuan was more honest, and he waved his hands again and again unwilling to accept the other party's low price. give him money.

He wanted to know whether Tianzhu granulated sugar was promoted in Chang'an City, so he chatted with the shopkeeper: "I heard that many merchants in the West Market sell granulated sugar, but is it true?"

"Tell the truth and tell the truth, and tell the truth."

"How to say?"

"I don't know when, there was a sugar craze in the city. Many shops came to me to buy sugar. They said that the price of Tianzhu sugar was lower, and it was sweeter than stone honey. After a while, all the sugars were snapped up. empty."

"Some merchants saw an opportunity to take advantage of it, so they sold the remaining sugar at a higher price, but they were sold out. My brothers who knew me also wrote home, wanting to bring a large amount of sugar into Tang for sale."

"However, no matter how fast the speed is, it will take several months for Xintang to enter Chang'an. I have some knowledge, and I can do it faster than them. The sugar just arrived, but most of the other families only acted a month ago. Mostly because the supply is in short supply, except for a small amount of sugar in his house that has not been sold, the rest has been cleaned up."

Mo Wenyuan said: "How much is the price after the price increase?"

The merchant said a number, Mo Wenyuan only raised his eyebrows after hearing this, and did not answer, but he was thinking in his heart. Compared with the granulated sugar he bought for the first time, the price is already high, but compared to the Tang people who boiled it with cane pulp The final congealed candy is still very cheap, not to mention the profit-seeking merchants. After discovering that granulated sugar can make money, there must be a large number of merchants flooding Chang'an with sugar, and the price will drop again at that time.

The initial import chain has been formed.

The merchant said again: "It's a coincidence that there are a little more people who have asked me about the price of sugar recently. Some of them seem to be officials from the government. I think that people in Tang Dynasty are different from me. They like sugar. I'm afraid this thing will be the same as that of the Western Regions." The wine is mediocre, and there are officials who buy it?” A businessman, especially in Chang’an, who engages in cross-border trade, must have a good sense of business. With several months of observation, he came up with a theory similar to Mo Wenyuan’s initial idea. At this time, the same He said that he also wanted to see what Mo Wenyuan thought.

There is no way, the people of Tianzhu really believe in Buddhism. In the hearts of the merchants, Mo Wenyuan's body exudes a golden light, and what he says is golden words.

But Mo Wenyuan was cautious, and he didn't want to say death, so he smiled: "Maybe! Maybe!"

……

After bringing the candy back, he started to be busy again, not to mention the store in Luoyang, even the main store in Chang'an was a little bit overwhelmed. After exchanging letters with Li Sanniang, Mo Xiaogou and the others have already started to buy surrounding stores, trying to Expand Li Sanniang Restaurant into Li Sanniang Street.

The shopkeeper on the side of the restaurant was very talkative, and sold the shop to Mo Xiaogou after giving him a sum of money. His courtyard was well preserved, and Ziren could put it into use after a little painting. After putting in enough low table cushions It became the No. [-] restaurant of Li Sanniang's restaurant for people to eat and drink.

Mo Wenyuan didn't care about the shop, but the post-training alone was enough for him to be busy, recruiting helpers, recruiting new apprentices, and supervising old apprentices to lead new ones.To everyone's amazement, he recruited two new apprentices this time, not a gentleman, but a girl.

Aunt Hong and Erniang Hong are twin sisters in the Chongde Square next door. They look the same, and behave in a tacit understanding. It is their grandpa and grandma who distinguish between the two, and they all look closely at the Xuan on their heads.Aunt Hong's hair is on the left, and Erniang Hong's is on the right.

Compared with other dynasties, women in the Tang Dynasty were more open-minded. In addition, the story of Li Sanniang in Guangdefang's family business was widely spread. Many women in the vicinity regarded her as a spiritual idol and thought about it. Do something.

The Hong family's parents were fairly open-minded, and their family background was relatively well off. The daughters said they wanted to work as help cooks in Li Sanniang's restaurant, so they let them go. Anyway, there are many women working in the restaurant.

Most of the people who wash and cook vegetables, chop stuffing and knead noodles are hired strong women or women who want to earn copper coins. They are all under the supervision of Zhao Erniang, and they work alone in a separate courtyard on weekdays, and no one talks gossip.

The pair of sisters are really quick at making things. Whether they are chopping stuffing and kneading dough, they are both fast and good. They have only been in the shop for ten days, and they are even better than skilled workers.The two heard that Mo Wenyuan was accepting new apprentices, and they didn't know what they had committed, so they went to Zhao Erniang and asked if they could try.

Zhao Erniang was not intimidated, since their family had a strong woman like Li Sanniang, they would never underestimate girls, so they talked to Mo Wenyuan at dinner.

"I have a pair of sisters. I don't know if they are good cooks. It is true that kneading dough and chopping stuffing is more dexterous than others. They said they want to join Dalang's family. Look..."

Mo Wenyuan fully agreed and said: "Okay, take me to see them tomorrow and find out how their qualifications are."

The result was naturally good. Mo Wenyuan took the two of them as nine apprentices and ten apprentices, and the direction of their research was the new field opened up with the introduction of sugar—pastry!

……

There are many pastries in Jiangnan area, such as plum blossom cake, Qingtuan, sweet-scented osmanthus cake, Chongyang cake, and thousand-layer oil cake... It can take half an hour to report the name alone, and the Soviet-style pastry is even more famous and has a long history. Mo Wenyuan was led by the teacher to study the history of Soviet-style pastry.

During the 300 years of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Suzhou has always been the capital of Wu County. It has a convenient geographical location, prosperous commerce, and rich products in the south of the Yangtze River. It has the prerequisites for the development of gourmet food. Therefore, Sui-style pastries can flourish during the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

In fact, it is not only Suzhou-style pastries, but also Chang'an. There are several time-honored pastry shops in the West Market, such as "Mifangzhai" and "Suju", which have fans from all walks of life.

Mo Wenyuan said it first: "Many of the pastries I teach you are not my original creations, but I read from my travel notes. Most of them originated in the Jiangnan area. You must remember this."

The two sisters nodded repeatedly, engraving Mo Wenyuan's words in their minds.

"Golden autumn has arrived, and sweet-scented osmanthus is fragrant. I will teach you how to make cakes related to the season, osmanthus cake."

The long-lost God of Cooking system has played a big role again. The method of osmanthus cake is not difficult, but the raw materials are not available in Tang Dynasty. The glutinous rice flour is very good, just grind the glutinous rice into powder, but the clear Powder has to go through a relatively complicated fermentation process.

Chengfen, also known as wheat starch, is a starch obtained by fermenting wheat after soaking it in water and grinding it softly. It is often used in Chinese snacks, as dumpling wrappers for shrimp dumplings or as noodle rolls.

Under the guidance of the God of Cooking System, he successfully fermented Chengfen. During the production process, the hardworking little black sheep also provided Mo Wenyuan with a lot of help.

Baa baa baa baa baa baa!

He proved with his strength that he can not only search for the best ingredients across thousands of mountains and rivers at night, but also help Mo Wenyuan control the temperature and promote fermentation. He can be said to be a good assistant to the chef.

The partners of Little Black Sheep and Mo Wenyuan are just like Zhuge Kong Mingzhi and Liu Bei, they get along like fish in water and enjoy themselves.

The fermentation technology of chengfen is not easy to control, but Mo Wenyuan plans to let the sisters learn to make it from scratch. Although skill in making pastry is important, it is the quality of the ingredients and the quality of the chengfen that play a decisive role. There is a world of difference between rice flour and poorly fermented Chengfen, and the same is true for glutinous rice flour and flour.If you want to make a good pastry, the raw materials must be the best. Since they want to be an excellent pastry chef, they must learn to make high-quality materials in a simple era.

Finally, what appeared in front of the two sisters of the Hong family were Chengfen, glutinous rice flour, granulated sugar and preserved sweet-scented osmanthus.

Hong Er was very curious, and was surprised when she saw the sweet-scented osmanthus. She said, "Is this sweet-scented osmanthus?"She thought that the smell of sweet-scented osmanthus was different from the scent she smelled when passing by the street on weekdays. The smell was much lighter, but lightness did not mean dissipating. She felt the suppressed and restrained power.

If the osmanthus on the tree tries its best to spread out the fragrance, then it locks the fragrance tightly in the small petals.

"Would you like to try it?"

After receiving the promise, the two sisters each dug a spoonful and put it in their mouths.

"Ah, it's so sweet!" The sweetness of granulated sugar and the fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus soaked their lips and teeth. If they were given a chance to eat freely, it would be fine to eat a big jar empty-handed.

Hong Da is calm and wise, good at thinking, and is like a female wife. She controlled her desire to eat more, first licked the sugar, and then squinted her eyes to study the shriveled petals: "Tang osmanthus is made from Tianzhu sugar It is made of the same flower petals, and the sweet-scented osmanthus should be exposed to the sun before making." Obviously, the water in the petals has been drained.

Mo Wenyuan is very happy. Hong Da has not undergone systematic training and is a beautiful jade that has not been polished. Because of this, she is able to see through the points of evaporation in the sun, which makes him very happy. Her keen observation and thinking spirit are famous. The key to cooking.

He clapped his hands and said, "That's right. Apart from that, it's been drained, and it's already very good to see the layer of exposure."

Hong Da smiled with pride in his eyes.

Mo Wenyuan then began to demonstrate the making of sweet-scented osmanthus cake.

Glutinous rice flour, clear flour, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil were all poured into the basin, and after adding water, Mo Wenyuan stirred with an "egg beater".There is no stainless steel in this era, but the iron bars are easy to rust after contact with water, so he can only use hard and flexible wicker-like objects to replace the stainless steel wires on the top of the eggbeater.

The iron rattan is very wonderful, it was found by the little black sheep from the Nanzhong area all the way. Although he only knows how to eat and bleat every day, he has actually read a little, and he is a fierce beast. , I have wandered around in the land of China, and I have heard some folk legends.

There is no shadow of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in this era, but its original "Three Kingdoms" was written. The little black sheep read the content in his free time, and even read "Han Jin Chun Qiu" which describes the content of the same period.

"Han-Jin Spring and Autumn" records the war between the Shu Kingdom and the Nanzhong minority where Meng Huo lived. This is the origin of the story of "Seven Captures of Meng Huo".Before reading the book, Little Black Sheep had heard of the monsters lingering in Nanzhong. These monsters are different from ordinary mountain kings. They actually have weapons. Their weapons are not made by blacksmiths, but taken from nature.Wearing armor made of hard rattan and worn on the body, it is very defensive.

On the night when Mo Wenyuan was troubled by the eggbeater, he hurried to Nanzhong, found very thin vines, picked them one after another, brought them back to Chang'an, and offered them to Mr. Mo Xiaolang like a treasure.

Little Black Sheep: Baa baa baa baa baa!

Does this rattan meet the requirements?

After Mo Wenyuan looked at it, he was surprised to find that the rattan was so hard and flexible that ordinary people couldn't bend it at all. After the thin strips form criss-cross arcs, the flour is sent tentatively, and it turns out that it can be used.

He was so happy that he lowered his head and kissed the little black sheep's head. The latter's head was smoking and his face was red.

Little Black Sheep: How embarrassing!

The key point of making sweet-scented osmanthus cake is to beat the powder evenly without particles. The batter he made by hand is white, tender and delicate, with small golden osmanthus flowers floating in the batter. He pours the batter into a flat ceramic bowl, puts it in a steamer, and steams it over high heat .

"I've already smelled the scent of sweet-scented osmanthus!"

There is a faintly sweet fragrance in the air, and the sweet-scented osmanthus flavor contained in the petals is perfectly released through the steamer, showing the sense of presence.

"It's almost there." Mo Wenyuan lifted the lid of the pot, and brushed another layer of sweet-scented osmanthus. The sweet-scented osmanthus sticks to the dough, and the sugar drops hang from the edges and corners of the petals, glowing amber brown. Transferred to the surface of the yellow paste, the tender yellow cake and the brown sweet-scented osmanthus come together to complement each other.

Mo Wenyuan slowly cut the cake into a square rhombus shape. It was not over yet. He picked up the washed reed leaves from the bucket, cut off both ends with scissors, and spread half of the emerald green leaves on a dark ceramic plate. On the top, the golden glutinous rice cake tremblingly fell on the reed leaves, the bottom was very sticky, and the moment it came into contact with the green leaves, it immediately stuck to it.

Two pieces of sweet-scented osmanthus cake and a piece of reed leaf, the minimalist aesthetics are fully displayed on the plate.

"Please use it."

The Hong family sisters picked up the sweet-scented osmanthus cake with their chopsticks, while Mo Wenyuan fed the extra cake to the little black sheep outside the door with its mouth wide open.

Toughness and chewiness are the most basic understanding of osmanthus cake. With the continuous opening and closing of the masseter muscles, the sugar osmanthus kneaded in the glutinous rice flour will exert its effect. The sugar water and the cake are perfectly integrated, and the sweetness becomes stronger and stronger. The thicker and thicker, the little cake can bring unparalleled satisfaction to sweet lovers.

The sweet-scented osmanthus brushed on the surface is even more icing on the cake. Hong Er grinds the petals of the sweet-scented osmanthus with his teeth. The fragrance of the plant is accompanied by the sugar that wraps it, and the long-lasting scent of sweet-scented osmanthus lingers in the nasal cavity.

The sweetness and endless aftertaste of Chinese pastries are perfectly integrated on the small sweet-scented osmanthus cake, which brings people no less happiness than any other big dish.

Little Black Sheep: Baa baa baa baa baa!

I love sweet-scented osmanthus cake!

……

Li Sanniang’s restaurant quietly added another window, selling food like cakes and dim sum. The owner inscribed the word “pastry” on the plaque. .

Now Li Sanniang's restaurant has become the signboard of Chang'an City, and has become a business card to the outside world. Even businessmen from the Western Regions who come to Chang'an have to go to the restaurant to drink two bowls of bean curd before calling Chang'an.

The name of gourmet food has spread far and wide to Nanzhao area.

I am afraid that only Luoyang people are not too jealous that the citizens of Chang'an can enjoy the exquisite food in restaurants. Who told them that they also have a branch?

Mo Wenyuan was in a good mood after listening to the shopkeeper and the others about the sale of pastries. The new food was sold out the night before, and he sold as much as he made. The temptation of sweets is unmatched. The appearance meets the needs of noble children and ordinary people at the same time.

Hey, if this business is on the right track, he can study the big dishes carefully. His goal is not to be a simple restaurant. If he wants to make Li Sanniang's family famous forever, how can there be no big dishes in the store?Presumably a few apprentices have been practicing for a while, and it's time to teach the practice of Buddha jumping over the wall.

He was thinking, when a long and familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Mo~Xiao~Lang~Jun~"