Chapter 274 Two Tastes
This extremely exquisite picture of Jiang Taigong fishing shocked everyone.

So what about Xu Qing’s dishes?

What kind of dishes will Xu Qing make with the Yongling Sword in his hand?

As the four of them thought so, they turned their eyes to the dishes in front of Xu Qing.

This sight made the four of them instantly speechless.

If Xiang En's painting of Taigong fishing represents tranquility and happiness that is detached from the world, then Xu Qing's dish can be summed up in one word - "competition".

There were countless schools of fish on the plate. Are there dozens? No, hundreds. No, if you look closely, there are thousands! Thousands of small fish were crowded on the plate. There were so many that you couldn't count them. You could only make a rough sense of them.

However, these countless small fish have more delicate shapes than Xiang En’s dishes. Although the fish are crowded, their scales, fins, heads and tails are all clearly visible.

Many of the fish were obscured, so their full appearance could not be seen, but the occasional exposed scales and half of their tails gave people a clear idea of ​​the fish's full appearance. Thousands of fish were not exactly alike, and all were different in subtle ways, whether in their postures, the details of their scales, or their expressions.

Yes, these fish actually have expressions!

Some have their eyes wide open, some have their mouths wide open, and some glance sideways.

Various expressions and appearances outline thousands of vivid little fish.

At first glance it looks messy, but a closer look reveals a variety of shapes and forms, as if showing a small society made up of fish.

The knifework is so complex and exquisite that it is unimaginable.

What is even more shocking is that these thousands of small fish are rushing and jumping forward desperately, giving up all their vitality and energy, and desperately leaping towards the high sky.

In the sky, there is a dragon gate made up of white clouds.

Legend has it that if you cross the Dragon Gate, you will be able to transform into a real dragon.

But this Dragon Gate is high and ethereal.

Is it really a dragon gate?
Perhaps it was just a random formation of clouds that would be blown away by the wind.

Maybe this is just a boring joke, a trick, a meaningless act.

Not to mention that no fish has ever crossed it. Even if it did, who can be sure that it would become a real dragon?

No one is sure because no small fish has ever succeeded.

But they still came, gathered under the dragon gate formed by clouds, and used up all their strength and all their life's energy to jump towards the dragon gate that was so high that it was unreachable.

Strive for an illusory dream.

Small fish kept falling from the sky, and small fish kept jumping up from the school.

It jumped higher and higher, and farther and farther, and finally a small fish was approaching.

It jumps higher than any other fish, farther than any other fish, and leaps towards the Dragon Gate more accurately than any other fish, rushing towards the dream in its hearts.

But the image on the plate remains frozen at this moment.

Stay still at the moment when the little fish has not yet succeeded, but has not yet failed.

This made people scratch their heads. Elder Li asked first: "Why don't you show the results? Can this little fish succeed?"

Xu Qing said: "Because the result is not on the plate, but in the taste. Whether this little fish can successfully cross the dragon gate depends on the tongues of the four elders."

Hearing Xu Qing say this, people became even more curious.

The four people's chopsticks reached out to Xu Qing's dishes at the same time.

They picked up a small piece of delicacy from the plate with chopsticks. When they got closer, they noticed that these thousands of small fish were actually a mixture of fish meat and vegetables.

The fish eyes are made of white sesame seeds, the fish body is made of the tender meat of native crucian carp, and the fish scales are in the form of seaweed, which is cut into small pieces and decorated on the fish body.

The fins and tails of fish are made of kelp, which is cut into thin shapes.

Xu Qing combines freshwater fish and seafood, bringing together the different delicious flavors of freshwater and seawater.

The clouds that look like dragon gates are whipped egg whites, which have a light texture and flavor.

The four of them stopped looking at it and hurriedly put the food into their mouths.

The crucian carp meat is properly steamed to maximize its delicious taste and flavor.

Let it cool before arranging it on a plate.

Compared with saltwater fish, freshwater fish has a more delicate taste, and the meat is so tender that it melts in the mouth. As soon as the dish is put into the mouth, it melts in the mouth before it is even lightly touched by the tip of the tongue. The melted fish meat does not have the slightest sense of fiber.

The meat of native crucian carp is more elastic than that of ordinary freshwater fish. After being steamed, the deliciousness and juice are firmly locked in the fish meat. In addition to being delicate, the fish meat also has a wonderful elasticity, as if many tiny particles are stuffed in the fish meat, making it slightly chewy when bitten.

After tasting it carefully, they knew it was the taste of fish skin.

Xu Qing actually chopped up the fish skin and mixed it into the fish meat, which not only made the fish meat have a delicate taste but also made it more interesting to chew. Every chewing was a surprise, and the tender and elastic taste complemented each other on the taste buds at the tips of the teeth, making people unable to stop.

The most annoying fine bones of native crucian carp are not present at all, and you can only feel the most beautiful and pure texture of fish meat in your mouth. You don’t need to worry or be alert to fish bones anymore, you just need to relax and enjoy the freshness and beauty of the fish meat.

Because the food in your mouth is your most sincere friend. You don’t need to be wary of it, and it will only show you its best side to the fullest without reservation.

After the delicate taste, the delicious flavor emerges unchallenged, completely occupying the taste buds and every inch of the mouth.

The deliciousness of native crucian carp comes from its diet. It feeds on mayflies and water plants in the water. These natural baits condense into a clear and natural deliciousness in its body. The delicate meat has an indescribable sweetness and freshness, which almost instantly pulls people into the gurgling stream and allows them to leisurely swim in the clear and bright water.

After the taste of fresh water shows its power, the taste of seafood follows.

The flavor of the paper-thin seaweed becomes more distinct after being dried, and it also has a dual texture of crispness and flexibility. When you bite it gently, you can hear a slight cracking sound. Especially after the flavor of seaweed is combined with white sesame, its umami flavor is further stimulated and becomes more rich and tempting.

The texture of kelp is thicker than that of seaweed. In addition to its unique toughness, it also has a somewhat slippery texture, flowing smoothly in the mouth. When chewing, you can also feel the subtle sticky feeling between the kelp fibers.

The taste of kelp is equally delicious, but compared to seaweed, it has a lighter saltiness. In addition to the umami taste, it also has a natural sweetness. The two flavors enhance and resonate with each other, making the taste of kelp even more delicious and unique.

The rich freshness and saltiness of seawater and the light sweetness of freshwater collide and blend with each other. Although they grow in different environments, they are both ingredients born from water. Behind their differences, there is a harmonious and unified charm.

It is this flavor that cleverly blends the taste and texture of each other.

The more distinct and unique their flavors are, the more complex and mysterious the harmonious and unified flavor becomes when they blend into one in the mouth, far surpassing the flavor produced by a single freshwater or seawater ingredient.

(End of this chapter)