Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 446 - 444: Neither Flower Nor Mist

"Now, it’s time to witness the moment of magic!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the scalding broth from the kettle gently cascaded down the spout.

The cabbage, resembling a flower bud, was touched by the broth from above, and miraculously began to bloom as if enchanted by magic.

The jade-like cabbage stems resembled lotus petals, layered and overlapping, intricately arranged.

Under the nurturing of the hot broth, they became increasingly transparent and exquisite, akin to a fine piece of art.

The clear broth flowed along the cabbage’s veins like dew rolling over petals, adding a touch of dynamic beauty.

A few goji berries slipped out from the kettle’s spout, landing at the center of the cabbage, making it appear even more refined.

The broth accumulated at the bottom of the plate, and the pea shoots gradually floated up, their round leaves resembling lotus leaves.

This scene seemed like nature’s marvelous performance, and Allen couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

The beauty of flowers is often fleeting, like the blooming of the night-blooming cereus, for which he had once stayed up an entire night to witness.

Even if he had to wait a few more nights, he would feel it was worth it when the cereus bloomed.

Although its beauty existed only for a moment, that instant could become eternal in his heart.

Yet today, a young man from the mysterious East used a mystical Sichuan dish to evoke thoughts that the cereus was merely the same!

"Art, this is the chef’s artistry!"

Allen stared unblinkingly at the cabbage-made lotus, muttering to himself nonstop.

"If Anna saw this dish, she would undoubtedly give it a three-star rating."

"This is truly miraculous; I have never seen such an extraordinary dish, and it transformed right before my eyes."

Not to mention Allen, even Wang Fan, the creator, was mesmerized at this moment.

The scalding broth kept steaming, and the air-conditioned room’s low temperature made the broth’s steam linger.

Under continuous emission, it resembled a layer of white mist enveloping the cabbage, making the blooming cabbage seem ethereal.

"Flower not flower, fog not fog, comes at night, departs at dawn. How long in spring dreams? Fades like morning clouds untraceable."

Curiously, Allen asked, "What do you mean by what you just said? With my knowledge of Chinese, I can hear what you’re saying, but I can’t comprehend the meaning."

Wang Fan explained, "It means resembling a flower but not a flower, like fog but not fog, using metaphors to compare the appearance and disappearance of beautiful moments to flowers and fog, emphasizing the beauty and its transience, like dreaming."

Wang Fan didn’t elaborate on the poem, fearing the culinary master who only slightly understood Chinese might not grasp it.

Fortunately, he understood some Chinese; otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to translate it into English.

His English is weak, and translating Huaxia’s ancient poems and idioms is indeed challenging.

Even the most skilled translators find "Feast at Hongmen" a tough nut to crack.

Despite the prowess of translators at UN meetings, every time a Huaxia spokesperson says "there is an ancient saying in Huaxia," they brace themselves as if facing a great foe.

For foreigners, it’s not just a sentence; it’s like being thrown a gigantic compressed file.

Although Allen couldn’t understand the poem, he comprehended Wang Fan’s translation.

Reflecting on the recent words and combining them with the scene he saw, he felt the brief remark was the most fitting description.

"The mysterious Eastern ancient country, I shall visit to experience it personally!"

Wang Fan handed him a soup spoon: "It’s perfect to drink now; if left longer, it’ll cool."

Allen accepted the spoon, the golden spoon dipped into the broth, allowing a clear view of the entire immersion process.

With a spoonful under his nose, a unique rich yet exceptionally fresh aroma made him feel as if all pores were opening; it was entirely different from the dishes he’s made before.

His satisfying culinary creations usually made his brain want to eat upon smelling the aroma, but this broth made both his brain and stomach yearn to consume.

This broth lacked a sour taste, which typically stimulates appetite, yet his stomach craved it.

The golden spoon gradually entered his mouth, and Allen couldn’t help but close his eyes to savor it.

A particularly gentle and smooth sensation was felt as the broth entered, with an overall taste that was light, sweet, and moist but not bland.

This subtle flavor tends to dissipate easily, yet the broth’s taste persisted, with a faint meaty aroma lingering in his mouth.

"Refreshing, elegant, yet endlessly intriguing."

Allen opened his eyes, sincerely praising, "So many types of meat cooked together not only didn’t create conflicting flavors but managed to blend the essence of all meat types into one. After going through your magical three-step process, this broth became clear as water. Both taste and visual effects have reached the pinnacle of culinary excellence, making it a perfect creation."

Wang Fan smiled without false modesty; he could be humble about his skills but not about the charm of Huaxia cuisine.

Among his own people, modesty is acceptable, but in front of this foreigner, the praise that rightfully belongs to Chinese cuisine shouldn’t be diminished.

"Please enjoy; I’ll prepare another dish with the remaining cabbage."

"Oh? Can these cabbage leaves be made into a dish?"

Wang Fan nodded: "They can be used to make another Sichuan dish—Sour and Spicy Cabbage, which is quick."

He then sliced some pork belly.

The quality of local pork in Gaul is pretty good, and the sliced pork belly has a delightful layer of red and white. With a hot pan and cold oil, once stir-fried to golden brown, he added scallions, ginger, and garlic.

With the addition of these three ingredients to eliminate fishiness and enhance aroma, the scent of stir-fried pork belly immediately transformed, especially the scent of scallion, which instantly suppressed the meaty odor, with the rich aroma of scallion starting to waft.

However, Allen didn’t have time now because he was already dealing with the cabbage.

Initially, he thought the essence of the dish lay in the broth, and the aesthetically pleasing cabbage served as a mere garnish for presentation.

But after a taste, he realized he was entirely wrong.

In this dish, the cabbage was the true main character!

The perfectly boiled cabbage stem was soft yet not mushy, retaining a certain crispness while absorbing the broth’s essence, and it retained its own sweetness as well, making it taste even more delicious than the broth.

Even the pea shoots, styled as lotus leaves, had a unique crispness, so there wasn’t a single unnecessary embellishment in the entire dish.

"This dish is fantastic; I can’t help but consider adding it to my menu."