Chapter 297 Hidden Taste

After Xu Qing tasted the dishes, Chef Tang couldn't wait to ask, "How does it taste?"

“So delicious!”

Xu Qing praised: "First of all, the selection of pork belly, the layers of fat and lean meat are distinct, and the width of each layer is equal, which makes the taste of fat and lean meat form a harmonious complement, making the meat in the mouth fat but not greasy, lean but not dry, and locks in the moisture of the pork, making the pork plump and juicy. The more you chew, the more delicious it is."

"Secondly, it is the appearance. The sugar color made by the fried pork belly is extremely bright and bright red, and the oil makes the braised pork have a warm texture like jade. The meat is cut into even sizes, and the skin is fried in oil in advance, showing a slight curl. The layered feeling of fat and lean makes it show a unique shape of beauty."

"Third, it is the ratio of sauces. The delicious soy sauce, mellow rice wine, sweet sugar, and a variety of seasonings together create a complex and graceful taste. The interweaving of saltiness and sweetness, the resonance of umami and sweetness, make the already delicious taste of pork belly more vivid and rich, showing the most authentic taste of pork, and the mellow rice wine makes it more substantial."

Chef Tang nodded repeatedly after hearing this. These words clearly explained the wonderful aspects of his dish.

Tang Sanjie and his mother, Mrs. Tang, who were standing by, felt that the braised pork in their mouths became more fragrant after hearing what Xu Qing said. All those vague flavors that they had never tasted before suddenly emerged under this clear and thorough explanation, making the taste in their mouths more complex and mysterious, allowing them to taste a wonderful flavor far better than before.

Chef Tang felt a little proud.

It seems that even the youngest top chef in history, the famous chef who was awarded the golden robe by the emperor, could not taste the extra surprise he added to this dish.

Xu Qing paused for a moment, then continued, "But this is not the most exquisite part of this braised pork. The most exquisite part is one of its flavors. This flavor is very unique, with the fresh fragrance of plants and a slight spiciness, plus its light bitterness, which together form a complex and deep aroma, adding a bit of mysterious charm to the taste of the braised pork. If I'm not mistaken, the true identity of this flavor is the Chinese medicinal herb Angelica dahurica."

After hearing this, Chef Tang was stunned.

Yes, the spice he added to the braised pork was the Chinese medicinal herb Angelica dahurica.

However, angelica has a strong scent, and adding too much would affect the flavor of the braised pork itself, so he only added a little bit to give it a slightly unique aroma.

But this subtle aroma is completely integrated into the taste of the braised pork, and ordinary people can't detect it at all.

Even if someone could detect a wonderful aroma in meat, they would not know what the aroma actually is.

Unexpectedly, Xu Qing not only tasted this wonderful aroma, but also clearly described the true nature of this smell.

This really opened Chef Tang’s eyes.

It also gave him a clearer understanding of Xu Qing's strength.

Chef Tang asked himself, if it were him, even if he could taste the wonderful flavor in the dishes, he would definitely not be able to describe the true nature of that subtle taste.

There are thousands of food ingredients in the world, and if we add medicinal herbs, the number would be even greater. Who can remember the taste of each ingredient clearly and accurately?
If such a person really exists, it only means that his talent is beyond ordinary people's imagination.

Tang Sanjie, who was standing aside, showed an expression of sudden enlightenment when he heard Xu Qing's words.

No wonder when he ate this braised pork, he always felt that there was a subtle difference between it and the braised pork he had eaten before, but he couldn't tell what the difference was.

It turns out that my father actually added Chinese medicinal herbs to this dish, which gave the braised pork a wonderful flavor with its unique fragrance and bitterness. My father is really amazing!

At the same time, he also felt a sense of frustration.

The subtle feeling and taste that he couldn't describe was not only clearly expressed by Xu Qing, but also pointed out the true identity of the taste.

How can someone be so powerful?
The gap is too big!
Tang Sanjie lowered his head in frustration, picked up another piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth and tasted it carefully, concentrating all his attention on his taste buds, trying to taste the subtle flavor.

After a moment of stunned silence, Chef Tang burst into laughter and exclaimed: "Amazing, really amazing! Xu Qing, your ability has opened my eyes! To be honest, since I started cooking, I have never seen anyone more talented than you! You are worthy of being the youngest top chef in history!"

Chef Tang was very happy and was full of praise.

He had very high requirements for cooking skills, so after seeing Xu Qing explain the exquisiteness of this dish one by one, he felt that all the painstaking effort and energy he had put into this dish had finally met someone who could understand and appreciate him.

For a chef, there is no greater joy than having his or her dishes understood and appreciated by others.

Seeing Chef Tang laughing so happily, Mrs. Tang also smiled.

Since the last cooking showdown, Chef Tang no longer had a smile on his face. Not only did he close the restaurant, he also often stayed in the kitchen all night to practice hard, never even stepping out of the door.

Moreover, his mood became even more anxious. Originally, he had high expectations for Tang Sanjie, and recently, they became even more so. It was as if he wanted to train Tang Sanjie into a top-notch chef in one go before he could feel at ease.

But Tang Sanjie was just a child. Even if he had extraordinary talent, he couldn't eat until he became fat. Moreover, the overly strict teaching made his progress even slower. The cooking that he loved originally became something he avoided as much as possible. He was beaten and scolded by his father every day, which made this love gradually become torture.

And at this moment, he saw his father, who was always strict, not only would he never smile but would never say a word of praise to him, was so enthusiastic towards another young man and smiled so happily.

Tang Sanjie felt more and more painful and uncomfortable.

How he wished his father could smile at him like he was doing now.

Tang Sanjie looked at the dishes on the table, and the one he was most familiar with was the stewed eight delicacies.

Braised Eight Delicacies is his father's specialty. This dish uses complex ingredients, so his father often uses this soup to test his sensitivity to taste.

In the past, he was beaten and scolded by his father every time he said the wrong ingredients or missed them, which made him work harder on the dish of Braised Eight Delicacies.

It just so happened that his father was in a good mood. If he could accurately describe the ingredients used in the stewed eight delicacies, perhaps his father would praise him a word or two, or even smile at him.

Whenever he thought of this, Tang Sanjie's heart began to beat with excitement, and the surging blood turned into endless courage, prompting him to stand up.

"Father, I want to taste this stewed eight delicacies."

(End of this chapter)