Chapter 270 (1/2)
”Actually, the duck needed for the fruit-scented roasted duck needs to be raised in a free-range and has to be thin. If it's too fat, then it would turn out too greasy. Also, there's a certain ratio for the wood from the jujube trees, pear trees, apple trees, and other fruit trees that are used. I will write down the proportions for you later!”
”For fruit-scented roasted duck, the duck must be marinated in 28 kinds of spices, not a single one can be missing. I'll send you the proportions of the type of spices later. Let Uncle w.a.n.g think it over! The difference between a hanging furnace and the braising furnace is that with the braising furnace, you can check the duck at any time while it's being roasted. After putting the duck into the furnace, the position of the duck should be changed regularly with the rod to make sure the duck is evenly cooked!”
The differences in professions made one feel worlds apart. Third Young Master Zhou felt bewildered as he listened. He carefully collected the directions and precautions Yu Xiaocao wrote down. After thinking he asked, ”How about...I let Head Chef w.a.n.g come back and consult you on this personally?”
Yu Xiaocao shook her head and said, ”The capital's Zhenxiu Restaurant is currently going through a turbulent period. If Uncle w.a.n.g were to be called back again, I'm afraid the business will suffer a disastrous decline. Aren't Uncle w.a.n.g's two apprentices based in Tanggu Town? Currently, Tanggu Town's market has been stable. Although it may be busy for one person, he should be able to handle it if there's an additional a.s.sistant. Let either Brother Yang or Brother Liu learn the techniques of making this roasted duck!”
Head Chef w.a.n.g's two apprentices, Yang Feng and Liu Bi, had already finished their apprentices.h.i.+p. Their skills in making braised roasted chicken and salted ducks weren't inferior to their master's. Between the two, Yang Feng was more talented and able to accept new things quicker. As such, he was selected to learn how to make the fruit-scented roasted duck from Yu Xiaocao.
However, the most pressing matter was building the oven. Third Young Master Zhou saw that the dishes were being served and Prince Yang had no intention of letting him stay for the meal. So he stood up to take his leave, ”Xiaocao, as expected you didn't let me down! I'll invite you to a meal another day to show you my thanks! I'll go ask someone to make an oven in the back kitchen first, enjoy your meal!”
After Third Young Master Zhou went out, Zhu Junyang looked at Yu Xiaocao and waited for her to explain.
Yu Xiaocao touched her face and asked him strangely, ”Is there something dirty on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?”
”Was the osmanthus duck recipe for the Zhenxiu Restaurant given by you?” Zhu Junyang lightly asked but he didn't forget to point at the delicious dishes on the table and instructed, ”Duck meat!”
Yu Xiaocao, who had been waiting on this lord and walking around all morning, had been hungry for a very long time. She thought she could finally have a peaceful lunch, but ever since they entered the private room, Head Steward Liu had played the disappearance game and she couldn't find a trace of him at all. The young prince's arm couldn't bend, so she naturally had to wait on him during the meal.
Alas... she silently sighed, dragged the chair over to the young prince's side, and picked up the chopsticks in front of him. After picking up a piece of osmanthus duck, she carefully removed the bones from it and stuffed it into Zhu Junyang's mouth.
Taking advantage of the time the young prince spent chewing, she hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of vegetables looking as if she had been hungry for eight hundred years.
”This prince is asking you something!” Zhu Junyang slowly swallowed the delicious piece of duck meat and gently kicked Yu Xiaocao's chair, continuing their previous conversation.
Yu Xiaocao took a big generous gulp of tea swallowing the food in her mouth and nodded, ”Yes! Is there a problem?”
”No wonder you don't have to wait in line to buy osmanthus duck at Zhenxiu Restaurant! But, how did you get the recipe for the osmanthus duck?” Zhu Junyang asked as he pointed at the roasted chicken near his hand.
Yu Xiaocao forgot to change her chopsticks and used her own chopsticks to pick up a piece of the chicken leg. Just as she was about to put it into the young prince's mouth, Zhu Junyang turned his head to the side and said with dislike, ”Change the chopsticks, who would want to eat your saliva?”
Yu Xiaocao curled her lips and complained in heart, 'Clean freak! Even if you are willing to, I'm not willing to let you! Wouldn't that be considered an indirect kiss then? I am a virgin in my previous life and in this life, I still have my first kiss.' She smoothly put the piece of chicken in her bowl, changed chopsticks, and fed him another piece of chicken. After Zhu Junyang ate it, she laughed and clapped her hands, ”Do you know what you just ate? Chicken b.u.t.t——”
Upon receiving a sharp glare from the young prince, Yu Xiaocao immediately caved, ”All right, I'm lying to you! Don't be so serious, it's just a little joke! Do you want to eat chicken skin? The strongest flavor and essence of the roast chicken is here, the chicken skin...”
Zhu Junyang didn't listen to her rambling. He looked at the other chicken drumstick on the plate and said, ”Drumstick!”
After successfully eating the drumstick, he continued the conversation topic, ”Osmanthus duck, fruit-scented roasted duck, where did you get these recipes?
Yu Xiaocao's eyes darted around and she answered in a seemingly serious manner, ”If I said that I have an extraordinary innate talent and these delicious dishes are known without any effort, would you believe me?
”Tell the truth!” Splitting out the chicken bone in his mouth, Zhu Junyang slightly glanced at her and said with a commanding tone.
Yu Xiaocao purposely sighed deeply and shook her head. ”Ah... the world's moral degeneration is getting worse day by day, and human hearts are no longer what they used to be. No one believes the truth these days...”