sinovels Chapter 114 I'll Lend You "The Flavors of Human Life"
Chapter 114 I'll Lend You "The Flavors of Human Life"
Liu Cheng stood in front of the kneading table, wiping his hands haphazardly on his apron.
Chen Feng was already standing in front of the huge stainless steel wok, holding a heavy boning knife in his hand.
"Uncle Liu, watch carefully."
Chen Feng's voice remained deep and resonant, without a single unnecessary word.
The blade flashed a cold light under the lamp, accompanied by a regular "thump, thump, thump" sound. The large piece of pork seemed to come alive in his hands. The ribs were completely removed, and the fatty and lean pork belly was cut into square pieces about two fingers wide, each piece perfectly accurate in thickness and size.
"The first step in making this braised pork is controlling the heat on the skin." As Chen Feng spoke, he skillfully picked up the large blowtorch next to him. With a "whoosh," a dark blue flame instantly shot out, directly scorching the pork skin and producing a piercing "sizzle" sound and a small, crisp crackling sound as the fat burst open.
Liu Cheng stood to the side, his bloodshot eyes wide open, not daring to blink.
He's been making noodles and stir-frying vegetables in this old street for thirty years. Before, making braised pork was simply a matter of blanching it, adding some soy sauce, and throwing in a few pieces of rock sugar to stew it in a pot.
He watched as the high temperature of the flintlock gun charred the pigskin black. Then Chen Feng threw it into cold water and slowly scraped it with a cleaver, revealing a layer of firm, slightly yellow skin that looked like a work of art.
"So... it also needs to be roasted to remove the fishy smell." Liu Cheng muttered to himself, his eyes filled with shock.
Every step that followed completely overturned Liu Cheng's understanding of the catering industry over the past thirty years.
The oil temperature must be controlled to a certain level, the timing of the rock sugar turning from large bubbles to small bubbles and turning a deep reddish-brown color after being added to the pot, how to use high heat to perfectly coat each piece of meat with caramel color within a dozen seconds... Chen Feng spoke very slowly, but every word was like a nail, hammering firmly into Liu Cheng's mind.
"Uncle Liu, you flip this pot. When you're reducing the sauce over high heat, your hand can't shake; you have to make sure the sauce completely coats the meat." Chen Feng suddenly stepped aside and handed over the heavy spatula in his hand.
Liu Cheng took the spatula in a fluster, his palms sweaty.
But he was someone who had worked with flour for thirty years, so he still had a steady hand. Under Chen Feng's watchful eye, he gritted his teeth and imitated Chen Feng's movements. With a sudden flick of his right arm, the bright red pieces of meat in the pot did a beautiful somersault in mid-air, and the thick sauce was evenly poured over each piece of pork belly without a single drop splashing outside the stove.
Chen Feng watched this scene, and a hint of satisfaction finally flashed in his eyes.
"Alright, this pot can be covered and simmered. Low heat, one hour, no need to keep an eye on it." Chen Feng put down the spatula and clapped his hands.
Looking at the large pot that was steaming and emitting an increasingly rich aroma of meat, Liu Cheng leaned against the stove, feeling somewhat exhausted.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling not only amazement but also an indescribable sense of shame.
"All these thirty years of business... have been for nothing." Liu Cheng gave a self-deprecating bitter laugh, muttering to himself in a daze. This Boss Chen, so young, had such skill and a knack for timing and control that it was practically divine.
However, now that someone has pointed out the way and broken through that barrier, with his thirty years of experience in cooking, he is confident that what he makes will still be edible.
At this point, the shop became a little quieter.
The braised pork in the big pot was simmering slowly over a low flame, and the rich aroma of fat and caramel began to waft out unrestrainedly through the cracks in the somewhat dilapidated doors and windows of Lao Liu's noodle shop.
Chen Feng walked to the bench by the window and sat down, taking out his phone from his pocket. A rare look of mystery appeared on his face as he rapidly tapped on the screen, sending out several messages in a cryptic manner.
Liu Cheng sat to the side, clutching the old blue cloth bag he had lost and found tightly in his hand.
He and Chen Feng weren't exactly close to begin with, and coupled with the wicked thought he'd had at "Human Fireworks" at noon, and that bowl of braised pork that made him feel utterly ashamed, sitting in the same room with Chen Feng now, Liu Cheng felt incredibly uncomfortable, as if his whole body was covered in hair.
He glanced at Chen Feng several times, his lips moving as if he wanted to ask Chen Feng why he was helping him so recklessly, even casually giving him the restaurant's most closely guarded recipe.
But upon seeing Chen Feng's aloof and unapproachable profile, Liu Cheng swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
At the entrance of the store, Su Chen, Xing Ruo, and Meng Meng were busily working around a square table.
They are making a temporary sign for Lao Liu's noodle shop.
Although Liu Cheng's shop has been around for a while, and the tables, chairs and walls inside look old and yellowed, the cleanliness of the shop is quite good.
Su Chen had just made a special trip to the back kitchen and corners, but he didn't find a trace of old grease. The cutting board and stove had been wiped so clean by Liu Cheng that you could see your reflection in them.
Since it's so clean, Su Chen and the others don't need to worry about it.
"Brother Su Chen, this character is crooked!"
Mengmeng stood on a small stool, her two little hands supporting her on the table, pointing at the clean wooden board in Su Chen's hand, and calling out in her childish voice.
Su Chen was holding a carving knife he had borrowed from Chen Feng and was carefully carving words into the wooden board.
Hearing Mengmeng's criticism, he rubbed his nose and chuckled, "Mengmeng, what we're doing is art, it's called cursive script! Xingruo, what do you think we should call it?"
Xingruo was holding a piece of sandpaper, carefully sanding the edge of the wooden board. Hearing the question, she looked up and thought for a moment, a glint of intelligence flashing in her clear eyes.
"Since the chef said it's a combination of 'noodles and braised pork,' and that the main focus is on honesty, why don't we call it... 'The First Restaurant on the Old Street - Braised Pork Noodles in a Big Bowl'? It sounds like it'll fill you up."
"I still don't feel quite right." Su Chen shook his head, making a couple of gestures in the air with the carving knife in his hand.
"We need to have a bit of a reclusive, secluded vibe. I think 'Smoked Braised Pork Noodles' would be a good name, as it includes the name of Brother Chen's shop while also highlighting Uncle Liu's noodle-making skills."
"Then let's listen to Brother Su Chen." Xingruo smiled and handed over the polished wooden board.
Su Chen took the wooden board, took a deep breath, and with a steady wrist, the blade made a soft, scratching sound as it scraped against the wooden surface. Soon, several large characters appeared in a powerful, vigorous style: 【Human Flavors: Braised Pork Noodles】.
Next to the words, Su Chen also specially carved a little rabbit holding a large bowl of noodles, its face covered in meat juice, which complements the paintings on the "Human Fireworks" wall.
It was exactly 4 p.m.
All preparations by all parties are complete.
In the kitchen, three large pots of braised pork were in the final stage of reducing the sauce. The domineering, rich, and slightly sweet aroma of the meat almost dyed the air in the middle of the old street a deep reddish-brown.
On the workbench, Liu Cheng used all his strength to roll out a large stack of neatly arranged raw dough, covered with a clean, damp cloth. As soon as a customer arrives, the dough is put into boiling water and ready in two minutes.
But looking at the room full of prepared ingredients, the anxiety that Liu Cheng had just suppressed surged up again uncontrollably.
He wiped his hands on his apron repeatedly, walked somewhat awkwardly to Chen Feng, and looked at the young man who was still sitting on the bench fiddling with his phone, his voice full of lack of confidence.
"Boss Chen... this meat is truly the best I've ever seen in my life. And these noodles are made with the best skills I've accumulated over the past thirty years. But... but my family's shabby shop doesn't even have a name in the city. We can barely sell a few bowls at midday."
"We prepared so much this afternoon, but... but if no one comes, the meat won't be fresh by tomorrow."
Liu Cheng looked at the empty bluestone path outside the door, his hands gripping the cloth bag somewhat nervously.
His noodle shop didn't have the good fortune of becoming an overnight internet sensation like "The Human Touch".
Upon hearing this, Chen Feng finally slowly raised his head.
Chen Feng looked at Liu Cheng's old face, which was full of anxiety and uncertainty, and smiled slightly, forming a confident arc.
"Uncle Liu, when you're running a business, reputation is the least valuable thing."
Chen Feng strode forward, grabbed the wooden plaque that Su Chen had just carved, and walked directly to the front door, where he hung it securely on the side of the somewhat old iron roller shutter door.
Sunlight shone on the large characters "Human Flavors: Braised Pork Noodles," making the little rabbit eating noodles stand out even more.
Chen Feng turned his head, looked at Liu Cheng who was full of astonishment, and casually uttered a sentence.
"You're not famous, that's simple."
"I'll just lend you the phrase 'the joys and sorrows of everyday life'."