The first appetizer she named “Seven Flavors of Bianjing,” which was actually a cold dish made with peanuts, almonds, cucumber, wood ear, beef jerky, tofu skin, and basil, dressed with sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, pepper oil, and sesame seeds.
This dish wasn’t difficult, but the dressing had to be perfectly balanced.
The second dish was also a cold dish, named “Golden Scale Amber Jelly.”
It used a large Yellow River carp to make fish soup, boiled until the fish was mushy and the soup gelatinous.
The bones were removed, and the soup was cooled until it set, then served with thinly sliced cucumber and salted fish roe, a delicious combination.
The fish jelly itself was savory and melted in the mouth, paired with refreshing cucumber and rich fish roe, embodying the Bianjing flavor loved by Song people.
Next was the first soup, a dish not yet known in the Song dynasty but later popular nationwide, conquering countless people: Hot and Sour Soup!
There’s a saying that a Henan person’s day starts with Hot and Sour Soup.
Shen Miao believed that Song dynasty Henan people would also be unable to resist its allure.
Like the fish jelly, the beef broth had been prepared the day before.
While Shen Miao finished the cold dishes, she also directed Chef Fang to cut beef cubes and wash gluten.
She then prepared wood ear, daylily, fried tofu, and other ingredients.
She worked quickly, and in the blink of an eye, everything that needed to be cut or arranged was ready.
Turning around, Chef Fang was still struggling with washing the gluten, so Shen Miao didn’t rest and started grinding pepper.
While fetching the stone mortar, she glanced at the stove and reminded the fire tender that the fire wasn’t hot enough.
The Feng family kitchen staff were all dumbfounded, the old chefs staring blankly at the bowls of ingredients on the table.
They had never seen such fast knife skills, such precise eyes, and someone who could multitask so efficiently.
Shen Miao paid them no mind.
She was also excited today.
Ingredients she usually couldn’t afford, like pepper and beef, were all at her disposal today.
Making over a dozen dishes in one go was incredibly satisfying!
The soul of Hot and Sour Soup was pepper!
This stuff costs a piece of gold per pound.
When Shen Miao dropped a single peppercorn while grinding, she quickly picked it up, wiped it, and put it back in the mortar.
Wasting even one was heartbreaking.
With the pepper ready, she heated another pot, sautéed scallions and ginger, filtered the beef broth, and poured it into the hot pot.
Then, she added the first round of pepper, letting its spiciness perfectly blend into the soup base.
Next, she added the prepared vegetables.
By then, Chef Fang had finished washing the gluten.
Shen Miao took it and, without cutting, used her clean hands to tear it into pieces.
Then came the simplest seasoning: salt, another round of pepper, and soy sauce.
Covered, she ordered the fire tender to reduce the heat to medium and simmer for fifteen minutes.
When the aroma filled the air, the gluten water-essentially starch water-was added while stirring, making the soup thick and smooth, just the right consistency.
Finally, sesame oil and cilantro were added, completing the dish.
This time, Shen Miao didn’t need to say much.
The aroma of Hot and Sour Soup had already filled the kitchen, weaving its way into everyone’s senses, conquering all the kitchen staff, who sniffed eagerly.
The Feng family kitchen staff no longer had any complaints about Shen Miao.
As soon as she gave an order, they all quickly obeyed.
Even the old chefs carefully approached, helping to chop vegetables, knead dough, and scale fish, keeping their heads down and not daring to speak.
Chef Fang, observing their change in attitude, snorted heavily, exuding a “I’m the true disciple, you’ll never get close to my master” pride, following Shen Miao closely like a tail.
With the kitchen staff’s full cooperation, Shen Miao quickly prepared the main dishes for the banquet: Braised Yellow River Carp, Peony Swallow Dish, Lamb Stew Noodles, Oven-Baked Flatbread with Meat, and more…
While she was busy cooking in the kitchen, the dishes started flowing out to the banquet.
In the Feng family’s bamboo-shaded waterside pavilion, the guests had all arrived, the birthday gifts had been presented, and the pleasantries exchanged.
Everyone was seated.
Today was the 70th birthday of Lady Feng, but she had long been senile, often not recognizing her own sons and daughters-in-law.
Therefore, only a few tables were set up-three for the men in front and two for the women in the back.
Lady Feng, dressed festively, was seated in the place of honor, surrounded by her family.
Today, she was also confused, sometimes mistaking Lady Seven for Lady Feng, other times mistaking Lady Feng for her daughter.
After a while, she asked Lady Feng about the long-deceased Feng Erlang:
“Why hasn’t the Second Brother written back from Tanzhou? It’s said to be very cold there in winter. Without any news, I don’t know if he’s suffering from the cold.”
These words nearly brought Lady Feng to tears.
Having lost her son, she still had to comfort her unpredictable mother-in-law:
“Yes, I’ll send someone to check…”
But before she could finish, she choked up.
Where could she send someone?
Second Brother was long gone!
She still remembered the child she had longed for day and night, who had died so lightly in a foreign land.
She had waited day and night at the ferry outside Bianjing, finally receiving a dark, simple coffin.
Inside lay her child’s body, the one who had secretly picked flowers for her on her birthday and placed them by her window.
Three years had passed, and she still couldn’t bear to think about it, the pain as sharp as ever.
Lady Xi quickly stepped forward to support her, then turned to the dazed Lady Seven:
“Lady Seven, the servants are bringing the dishes. You serve Lady Feng, I’ll take your mother to change.”
Madam Feng, as if waking from a dream, quickly forced a smile and sat down beside the still muttering Old Madam Feng.
Her resentment towards her grandmother deepened: Second Brother was a sore spot for the entire family, and even though her grandmother was usually muddle-headed, she never brought up such topics.
Why today, of all days, in front of everyone, would she reopen her mother’s wounds?
Fortunately, Madam Feng soon composed herself and returned with a forced smile, urging the guests to enjoy the dishes and ordering the troupe to start playing lively music.
Gradually, the banquet hall filled with laughter and chatter.
Someone was the first to pick up their chopsticks and taste a dish, immediately exclaiming,
“This cold dish is so refreshing! A hint of sourness with a touch of spice, and a sweet aftertaste. The peanuts and almonds are so crisp, and the aroma fills your mouth!”
Soon, many others followed suit, and praises began to rise one after another.
Madam Wang, who had already filled her stomach with braised pork knuckle and rice before arriving, found the reactions of the others quite strange.
Why were they praising the food so extravagantly, as if their taste buds had gone awry?
Even at their most hypocritical, they had never been this exaggerated.
Something was off.
Skeptical, she picked up her chopsticks and tried a bite of the “Seven Flavors of Bianjing.”
Her eyes immediately lit up, and she eagerly grabbed a piece of the trembling carp jelly.
As soon as the cool jelly entered her mouth, it melted, the rich flavor of the fish roe making her eyes narrow in delight.
How strange… it was… delicious!
Was this really the work of the Feng family’s chef?
Madam Wang found it hard to believe.
After all, every time she had attended a banquet at the Fengs’, their cold dishes had always been the same bland spinach salad.
Today, it was truly different!
She recalled Lady Xi’s words and felt a twinge of regret, but only a twinge.
Perhaps the Fengs had bought these cold dishes from outside, which would explain the difference.
As long as the chef was still the same, the rest of the dishes would surely be no good!
Madam Wang tried to comfort herself and the pork knuckle in her stomach.
Just then, before the dishes arrived, the aroma reached her first.
It was a scent Madam Wang had never encountered before.
At first, it was faint, carried by the wind, making everyone crane their necks in curiosity.
Gradually, the servants began to serve the guests with pre-portioned soup, and the spicy aroma intensified, the peppery scent hitting Madam Wang’s senses first.
Wang Yong came from a humble background and still had some conscience, so his corruption in office was somewhat limited.
Thus, Madam Wang rarely had the chance to taste pepper at home.
Now, as she inhaled the rich peppery aroma mixed with the savory scent of beef, she felt her stomach rumble and her mouth water.
Eagerly, she scooped a spoonful of the hot soup into her mouth.
Thick, smooth, and savory.
The wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms added a deep umami to the soup base, while the fried tofu and eggs made the thickened soup even more tender.
A hint of carrot added a touch of sweetness.
The hot soup was spicy and rich.
Most importantly, it was incredibly fresh: the meat was fresh, the vegetables were fresh, even the wheat flour was fresh.
And with the pepper, the entire bowl of soup felt as if it had been born from fire, warm and comforting, not greasy or fishy, with a lingering aroma that was endlessly satisfying.
The flavor was absolutely divine!
Madam Wang managed to drink half a bowl before she felt it reach her throat, her stomach already bloated from the pork knuckle.
But the spicy soup was so delicious that even though she couldn’t eat more, she couldn’t help but hold the spoon in her mouth, savoring the lingering taste, both frustrated and regretful.
Madam Feng, oh Madam Feng… you changed the chef, why didn’t you say anything?
Not being able to eat the steamed buns in the morning was already a great regret, and now, with such delicacies right in front of her, she couldn’t eat a single bite.
A tragedy of life!
Madam Wang was utterly heartbroken.
She wished she could take the bowl of soup home, but later she realized she was being too naive.
Next, the servants served her a plate of braised carp, fried to a golden crisp on both sides, drenched in a special braising sauce, and slow-cooked until the fish was fully infused with flavor, the sauce thick and clinging to the fish…
Madam Wang’s hands trembled as she took a bite.
The fish was tender and juicy, the braising flavor rich and mellow.
Delicious, still delicious.
Immediately, another dish arrived: Peony Swallow’s Nest.
This dish was even better, not only delicious but also beautiful!
The white radish was shredded into fine strands, and through some intricate process, it resembled a bird’s nest, with none of the radish flavor left.
It was paired with shredded ham, shiitake mushrooms, chicken, and sea cucumber, all cooked in a rich broth.
The dish was not only flavorful but also exquisitely presented, served on a pristine white Jun porcelain plate, resembling a blooming peony.
Next came the main course of the day: Lamb Stew with Noodles.
The broth was clearly simmered overnight with lamb and beef bones, the soup as white as milk.
The hand-pulled noodles were chewy and firm, and when served, they seemed to deliberately wrap around some tender minced lamb, allowing the guests to fully experience the fusion of meat and noodle flavors with each bite.
The more they ate, the more they wanted.
The noodles were also accompanied by tender lamb slices, wood ear mushrooms, and goji berries.
The noodles absorbed the richness of the broth, the lamb’s depth, and the variety of side dishes.
If one could eat it, it would surely be warm and satisfying.
Madam Wang, torn between sorrow and bitterness, tightly gripped her chopsticks but couldn’t bring herself to eat.
After the noodles, a small, plump pancake was served.
The pancake was fried to perfection!
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a rich wheat aroma.
Cutting open the pancake, it was stuffed with minced braised beef, the beef marinated to a rich, savory flavor.
Taking a bite of the pancake and beef together was simply heavenly.
Not to mention the rich chicken soup with fish maw and scallops, the amber-like roasted goose liver, the stir-fried mixed mushrooms with lily bulbs that were even more flavorful than meat…
As the banquet neared its end, there was one dish that left a deep impression on Madam Wang: the Emerald Vegetable Roll.
Fresh spring vegetables, cucumber, carrot, and apple were shredded and neatly arranged, rolled into a thin, translucent lotus leaf wrapper, and served with a sweet and sour cherry sauce.
It was refreshingly crisp and sweet.
This dish brought a sense of freshness to the guests who had overindulged in the rich meats earlier, cleansing their palates and spirits.
Finally, there were two desserts that none of the guests had ever tasted before: The first was Bird’s Nest and Red Date Jelly.
The bird’s nest was delicate and nourishing, the red dates sweet and fragrant, made into a crystal-clear jelly and drizzled with osmanthus honey.
The sweetness and flavor were truly unforgettable.
The second, and the last dish of the banquet, was Tangerine Peel Red Bean Ice Bowl.
The red bean paste was smooth and creamy, poured over milk and mixed with crushed ice, then sprinkled with a bit of minced tangerine peel, adding a crucial touch of freshness.
Eating a bowl of this in the early summer breeze was indeed cool and smooth, with a rich milk aroma and sweet bean flavor, refreshing and soothing.
Madam Wang looked at the table full of delicacies she had only managed to take a few bites of, nearly breaking down.
She lowered her head, and under the complex, pitying gazes of the servants, she couldn’t help but lift her sleeve to wipe away the tears of longing that had welled up.
Heavens…
What difference was there between her today and a eunuch visiting a brothel?
Both could only stare helplessly!
Wuwuwu………..