gourmet food

Chapter 748 The British woman "hit" by Sichuan food
Reviewer No. 2 Mary flew from Greece. Although the distance is relatively far, the flight time is very good and it is a direct flight.

Although he arrived a little later than Joey, he dropped off his luggage and rushed over as soon as he checked into the hotel.

Unlike Joy, although Mary is also an Englishman, she is very familiar with Rongcheng because she has been here several times.

I also like the spiciness of Chengdu very much, and my tolerance for spiciness is better than that of the locals.

Although Mary was born in England and lived there before graduating from university, after graduation, she came to China to travel because of the influence of a book.

This book is called "Shark's Fin and Pepper", which is written by Fuxia Dunlop. The book records a lot of Chinese cuisine, especially Sichuan cuisine, which is fascinating.

This woman, who was born in Oxford, England, and graduated from the School of Liberal Arts of Cambridge University, has spent the past nearly 20 years focusing on researching Chinese food. She claims that her official status is that of a Chinese food researcher.

Fuxia lives in London, a city with a strong classical flavor. She mainly studies Chinese recipes and conducts Chinese cooking experiments in the kitchen. Every year, she comes to China twice, staying for a month each time.

Later, Fuxia took the "China Ethnic Minority Research Project" as her research topic and successfully applied for a scholarship from the British Council to study in China.Abandoning BJ and Shanghai where international students gathered, Fuxia chose Rongcheng as her destination.

My mind goes straight to the fish-flavored eggplant, braised fish with bean paste, spicy kidneys and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns.

I even signed up for a three-month short-term training course at the Sichuan Culinary College and became a Sichuan cuisine apprentice. At that time, I became a beautiful scenery.

In China in the late 90s, there were countless foreigners in Chengdu. Fuxia, who was learning to cook Sichuan cuisine, was like an alien, attracting the surprised eyes of her Chinese classmates.

After 20 years of research on Chinese food, Fuxia Dunlop actually understands the idea of ​​Chinese food better than many Chinese young people.

This makes people feel a kind and gentle strangeness to Chinese food when reading Fuxia's works and talking to her.

Some Chinese cooking concepts are also transforming Fuxia’s Western food. Before cooking pork and beef, she will chop some onion and ginger or pour a little cooking wine to remove the smell.

At this time, the British were not aware of the fishy smell of raw meat, and they did not know what Fuxia did, but they only said that it tasted better this way.

And Mary tasted Fuxia's Sichuan dishes at an accidental gathering, and she immediately fell in love with the outstanding taste.

Then I came into contact with the book "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper", from which I saw a broader world of food and opened my own horizons.

So in her junior year, Mary began to study Chinese feverishly. In just half a year, she could speak Chinese fluently, but she was not satisfied yet.

It took another half a year for Mary to learn Sichuan dialect, which really amazed her friend who taught her Sichuan dialect.

In my senior year, if I didn't look at people and just listened to Mary's words, I would definitely think that she was an authentic Chinese, and she was also a very authentic Sichuanese.

After graduation, Mary came to Chengdu and was immediately conquered by the snacks here.

I couldn’t imagine that there was such a place on this planet with so many wonderful snacks. I suddenly realized that my previous 20 years had been in vain?
When I was in London, there was also Chinatown, where I could buy Chinese pots, cutting boards, cooking wine, chili, etc.

There is even the most authentic bean paste that is the soul of Sichuan cuisine as mentioned in Fuxia’s book.

But the most troublesome thing here is that fresh vegetables are the biggest problem. The vegetables in London are not so fresh, and there are very few types.

Many classic Sichuan dishes cannot be made. Even if they can be made with difficulty, the taste will be very different. Because the chef has stayed here for a long time, the methods and tastes will naturally focus on local cuisine.

Fuxia told herself that the dishes made here are not very authentic in taste. If you want to eat the most authentic taste, you need to go to the mysterious country of China.

After living for 20 years, Mary's taste buds were completely opened and she began to frantically search for local delicacies in Chengdu. She spent a month eating all over Chengdu.

In her little notebook, she recorded various delicacies and her experiences, and then she sorted them out and posted them on social networks.

I thought I had eaten up all the delicious food in Chengdu, but when I happily shared it with Fuxia, I was mercilessly attacked by her.

Fuxia said that the delicacies she tasted now are only [-]% of Sichuan cuisine at most, and she has no way to touch the truly classic and delicious dishes.

This moment made Mary unable to calm down, and she quickly asked questions.

If the "nature-like" food here is just the tip of the iceberg, how delicate and delicious is the real food?
This is simply unimaginable. Could it be that in 20 years, I have eaten junk food?
Think about those cooked meats refrigerated in supermarkets. If you let yourself eat them now, they will definitely be difficult to swallow.

It's a pity that Fuxia told herself that those exquisite Sichuan dishes can't be eaten now, because many of them have been lost, and the price is very expensive, and few people can cook them.

The disappointed Mary went to experience delicious food in other cities in China. Along the way, she had the most profound impression of the taste experience that Sichuan food gave her.

The small notebook records so many dishes and experiences, allowing me to truly feel the variety of Sichuan cuisine.

At this time, the food diary I posted on social networks also received widespread attention and became more and more influential. After returning to China, I began to look for a job.

By chance, Mary, who was interested in food and travel, immediately applied when she saw that Michelin was recruiting judges.

The interview was passed quickly. The interviewer greatly appreciated Mary's extraordinary food experience and believed that she was born to be a food experiencer.

Mary's outstanding ability allowed her to quickly adapt to her job. Every food and hotel experience report was written very appropriately, and she gradually became a gold medal reviewer.

Although she has tasted food in various countries and regions around the world, Mary still has a unique affection for Chinese food, especially Sichuan food.

This kind of concern, with a trace of helplessness, has also become the regret that cannot be erased in my heart.

When Mary was about to leave a hotel in the Aegean Sea in Greece, she suddenly received an email from the headquarters, asking her to go to Chengdu immediately to review a store.

When Mary received this email, she was a little surprised at first.

Because she knows that the headquarters actually does not have a suitable set of evaluation standards for Chinese cuisine, because Chinese cuisine is self-contained and natural, and the current standards cannot accurately evaluate the essence of Chinese cuisine.

I was also a member of the last review of the Magic City Restaurant, so I found many problems. However, after these things were reported back, I did not get a good response.

I am also very helpless. It is a pity that so many exquisite Chinese delicacies cannot get their due status.

But this time the headquarters will suddenly conduct a sudden review of a restaurant in Rongcheng, and send many first-class reviewers, which is a very strange thing in itself.

Especially when she saw that the address above was on Kuixinglou Street, Mary seemed a little confused.

Because this street is very familiar to me, it is a snack street, and I still clearly remember the various delicacies on that street, which are indeed very distinctive.

However, it seems that this store called Yipin did not exist at that time. It must have been newly opened later.

But even if it is a new store opened later, what kind of food can be made on the snack street?

It must be some kind of snack, it's just Chinese food at most, some home-cooked food?

And why is this worthy of such a big fanfare from the headquarters for everyone to find out?

As a China expert, Mary checked out this store on the way to the airport. She was immediately shocked after checking it out, so she rushed over as soon as she dropped off her luggage at the hotel.

It seems that there is a chance to heal the regrets after graduation?
But it seems that high-end Sichuan cuisine is not so easy to eat?
But I won’t find out until after I go there, or discuss it with the boss?
So after entering the store, Mary couldn't wait to order Chaoshou and Mapo Tofu, and then she was going to order another omelet rice at night.

I have even thought about what to eat here tomorrow. Anyway, I have to eat everything in this store once, oh no, twice.

At this time, Mary didn't know that Yipin was preparing a Chinese set meal. When she came to the kitchen counter, she was so surprised that she covered her mouth.

God, what did I see?
This is a traditional Sichuan dish, and it is a classic old traditional Sichuan dish. I have heard of it before, but I have never had the chance to taste it.

After I tasted the chickpea pudding, I was very shocked by the delicate and smooth texture. At that time, I thought it was the most delicious thing in high-end Sichuan cuisine.

Because the snow-white "cotton" is placed in exquisite porcelain, with a little red and a touch of spring green embellishment, it looks so full of infinite artistic conception.

When she told Fuxia her wonderful feelings, she told herself that this was just one of the high-end Sichuan dishes, not the top one.

There are two other dishes made with this kind of "douhuaer". One is called Snowflake Chicken Nao, which looks like clouds when made, which is even more amazing.

There is also a dish called Hibiscus Chicken Slices, which is said to be made with even more complicated techniques, and the result is extremely delicate.

Only then did Mary realize that she was a frog in a well, and it was only at this time that she understood the profoundness of Chinese cuisine and fully felt its profound heritage.

At this time, I first saw the beautiful hibiscus shape placed on the kitchen counter and the snow-white clouds. I immediately recalled Fuxia's words and immediately fell in love with it.

The dish at this moment not only has the delicacy of traditional Sichuan cuisine, but also adds the essence of molecular cuisine. This combination of Chinese and Western cuisine does not feel at all awkward.

Only those who are familiar with molecular cuisine will know how realistic the hibiscus petals are.

Although she didn't see how they made it, Mary knew how heavy and difficult it was?
I have visited so many high-end restaurants, but it seems that no chef can make such a look, and the artistic conception is also very beautiful.

"Oh my god, isn't this the snowflake chicken cake from a boutique? How was it made here?"

Mary couldn't help speaking a standard Sichuan dialect, which immediately surprised the surrounding diners and the three chefs in the kitchen.

"Yeah, this foreigner speaks Sichuan very well."

"He's also quite pretty, but I don't know if he has a boyfriend?"

"You grew up in Chengdu, right? Otherwise, why do you speak Sichuan dialect so well?"

Mary is 170cm tall, has long golden hair, and has a great figure. Coupled with her fluent dialect, she naturally makes the men around her excited.

"Are you a local from Chengdu? Do you know the dishes in boutiques?"

Guo Kui was also very surprised and asked casually.

Just as Mary nodded in response, Hu Yue said: "Come on, it's your turn, try it. If you have time, remember to share your tasting experience with us before going out."

"This is.
for me? "

Mary felt her heartbeat suddenly speed up and her breathing became a little faster. She asked uncertainly, unable to believe that this happiness would come so suddenly.

"Of course, you are very lucky and you happened to queue up here. This is a benefit for the lucky guests."

Guo Kui added that he felt a little strange about the customers who came to the store today. There seemed to be a lot of foreigners?

"Great, don't worry, I will definitely tell you about the tasting experience before I go out soon. By the way, why did you remember to make these delicacies in the store?
And there is molecular cuisine? "

Mary continued to ask in dialect, which was the most curious part of her heart.

"Tomorrow night we will launch a Chinese set menu. We are currently testing new dishes. The menu will be out tonight. If you are interested, you can draw a lottery online.

If you win the lottery, you can experience our unique set menu, but it depends on your luck. "

Hu Yue continued to share the food. Seeing that the beauty was so interested, she explained it to her in detail.

"Chinese set meal? Are they all such exquisite dishes?

Oh, wait, are they all traditional Sichuan cuisine?

By the way, by the way, are there some Western dishes too?
Is there such a thing as molecular cuisine? "

Mary asked several questions in succession, and it was obvious that she was in a rather urgent mood.

"Absolutely. It basically has everything you mentioned, but the dishes are mainly Chinese-style, and there are almost no very Western-style dishes."

Chu Yunfeng answered this question. This first impression of Mary was very special. She seemed to know a lot about Sichuan cuisine, but she didn't seem to be too familiar with Yipin.

In addition, after receiving the message from President Hou yesterday, Chu Yunfeng knew that his store was about to usher in a "storm", but he just didn't know if she would be one of them?
"Great, then I'm going to taste it first, and I'll come back to talk to you later."

Mary happily took the dishes she ordered and was about to find a seat. When she turned around, she saw a familiar face. Isn't this Leon?

How is he here?

But his name is not on the email?

At this time, Chu Yunfeng also invited Leon to taste a piece of water hibiscus.
(End of this chapter)