Era: Life's Big Winner

Chapter 48 Jin Yitang's Deterrent Power

Captain Zhao’s home.

The food was served one after another. Everyone was already starving, so after Captain Zhao said a few polite words, they all started to eat voraciously.

Huaiyang cuisine rarely uses delicacies from land and sea; most of its famous dishes are made with common local ingredients.

It's neither condescending nor bland.

Whether it is the selection of ingredients, knife skills, seasoning, etc., everything is standard, meticulously crafted, and full of flavor.

The taste is mainly reflected by the adjustment of fire, reflecting the different characteristics of the dishes such as freshness, fragrance, crispness, crunchiness, tenderness, glutinousness, fineness and tenderness.

"These dishes are both beautiful and delicious. Today's life has not been lived in vain." Manager Li drank a spoonful of Wensi tofu and sighed.

Wensi tofu is finely cut, soft, tender and mellow, melts in your mouth and leaves you with an endless aftertaste.

This dish requires very high skills from the chef. The mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, ham and chicken breast must be cut into hair-thin strips.

Liuzi and Master Yang left after finishing their meal. Liu Hongchang was asked to stay and accompany them for dinner and drinks. He smiled and introduced them:

"Wensi tofu has the effects of regulating malnutrition, replenishing deficiency and nourishing the body. It is also a good recipe for the elderly and children."

“Hong Chang’s cooking skills are really amazing. The key is that he is very versatile and can cook any type of cuisine with ease,” Captain Zhao praised.

Then he smiled and said to everyone, "We only prepared enough ingredients for one table of food today, so the portions are a little insufficient."

"Everyone here is my good friend, please bear with me. I will treat you to a good meal on my father-in-law's birthday."

Section Chief Chen said with a smile: "Old Zhao, you are being too polite, aren't you? We can't thank you enough for being able to taste these delicious foods today!"

"Don't just drink the tofu soup, the other dishes are also delicious, such as the lion's head and the three-fresh stewed squid..."

Then he counted the dozen or so dishes on the table one by one, leaving none out, which made everyone laugh.

"It's delicious. The lion's head is fat and lean, the meat is rosy and shiny, the color is bright, and the aroma is fragrant. Just looking at it makes me hungry."

The meatballs made from hand-cut meat filling are extremely soft and melt in the mouth when stewed. The meat and juice are rich and fragrant.

This dish is also very suitable for the elderly, children, women and the weak and sick.

Especially patients with yin deficiency, dizziness, anemia, cough with sputum, dry throat and sore throat, indigestion, difficulty urinating and defecating, malnutrition, cancer, etc. can eat more.

For each dish, Liu Hongchang briefly introduced the ingredients, cooking methods and some suitable groups of people.

"We also need to pay attention to the incompatibility of food." While eating and chatting, when talking about food incompatibility, Liu Hongchang explained:
"Pork should not be eaten with black plum, licorice, crucian carp, shrimp, pigeon meat, snails, almonds, donkey meat, lamb liver, coriander, turtle, water chestnut, buckwheat, quail meat, and beef. It is not advisable to drink a lot of tea after eating pork."

"Tofu should not be cooked with spinach or chives, as this will produce calcium oxalate, which can easily form stones. Tofu should not be eaten with honey, wild rice stems, bamboo shoots, or pork liver."

Captain Zhao exclaimed: "The more I learn, the more I admire Hong Chang. It's not easy to learn such a skill!"

"This kid must have put in a lot of effort in private." Director Yao said with a smile.

"But to cook to his level, one needs some talent. Hard work alone is definitely not enough."

Director Sun of the Commerce Bureau agreed: "Indeed, I wouldn't be too surprised if Hong Chang was in his 50s or 60s."

"But he is only in his early twenties and has such good skills. I can only say that he is extremely talented."

"It's a pity that you have a seniority limit, otherwise it shouldn't be difficult for you to get promoted to level two or three at a big hotel."

Liu Hongchang said with a smile: "Okay, you've praised me to the sky, don't bother talking, these dishes are best eaten while they're hot."

While they were talking, some of the people at the next two tables had already started to finish their meals. The people at the next two tables were just busy eating and no one was talking.

Captain Zhao, upon seeing this, no longer cared about the host's reserve and immediately began to scramble for the food, wolfing it down with relish.

The meal was a hearty one, everyone was very satisfied, and they were looking forward to the meals Liu Hongchang would cook in the next few days. As for drinking, they had forgotten about it, and only raised their glasses when everyone's stomachs were full and they didn't want to move.

"This wine is boring." Captain Zhao looked at Liu Hongchang and said, "Don't blame me for being thick-skinned. Hongchang, you came here empty-handed today."

Liu Hongchang laughed dryly and said, "It's no use looking at me. You have tasted the quality of that wine before. It's not ordinary stuff."

Director Yao took over and gave a general account of the situation.

Captain Zhao understood, "One hundred and sixty dollars a jar. It's fine to drink it occasionally, but I really can't afford to drink it frequently. I can only use it as a gift."

"Hong Chang just got married, and I heard he even borrowed foreign debt? It's really hard for you. It's not easy to buy a jar for Lao Yao."

Liu Hongchang smiled and replied: "Lao Yao gave me the money later, saying that he was afraid of making mistakes."

"If it really doesn't work, we will use new medicinal wine for our future gatherings. There is too little old wine, so don't count too much on it." Director Yao suggested.

Section Chief Sun pondered and said, "I have to buy old wine. After I drank a sip last time, I couldn't forget it."

"Besides, we all know this stuff very well. It can play a big role. We should buy as much as we can. Hongchang should spend more time on it."

Director Yao suggested: "Hong Chang doesn't have much savings. If you want to buy some old wine, give the money to him first and don't make it difficult for him."

"That's what's going on." Captain Zhao agreed.

Manager Zhang of the cinema looked at Liu Hongchang and asked with a smile, "Would you mind telling me where you bought the wine?"

Liu Hongchang replied, "Rende Hutong, Jin's compound, go find Jin, he is an old Chinese doctor, everyone in the neighborhood knows him."

"But let me make it clear first. You may not be able to buy it when you go. If you lose face, don't blame me for not reminding you."

Director Yao was surprised and said, "Is it him? I know this guy. I've been to his home to see a doctor. He's a good doctor, but he's a stubborn old man."

"I know him, too." Manager Li said with a smile, "I went to the Jin family compound not long ago. This old guy is not easy to talk to."

Captain Zhao also nodded and smiled, "Who am I? Jin Yitang is so famous, who among us doesn't know him?"

"No wonder Hong Chang said it's not easy to buy wine from him. This guy not only has the Golden Elixir, but he also has the fine wine."

Director Yao laughed and said, "It's a good thing for us that Hong Chang can get good wine from him!"

"Hong Chang is right. Let's go find Jin. This old man won't respond to any persuasion or threats. He may not give us face."

"He has been a doctor for so many years, cured many people, and made friends with many important people. To put it bluntly, we are not good enough."

Wu Benguo said loudly: "Then don't bother. It's not easy to have two masters for one thing. I'll ask Hong Chang to make a few more trips for this matter."

"Old Li, Old Yao, you should be more lenient with Hong Chang and give him more time so that it will be more convenient for you to serve the people."

Everyone laughed and gave up the idea of ​​going to Jin privately to buy wine.

Everyone has his or her own way of doing things. When different people handle the same thing, the results are often very different.

As for how Liu Hongchang got the old wine, no one asked any more questions. It would have been taboo for Manager Zhang to have said anything more.

Although Liu Hongchang is just a cook, most of the people present still want to make sincere friends with him.

Putting aside the fine wine, having a friend as good at cooking as Liu Hongchang can sometimes make a big difference.

After everything was discussed, it was already getting late, so everyone dispersed.

As for the money for buying wine, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention it for the time being and would give it to Li Mingshun and Yao Guofa when there were fewer people around.

Liu Hongchang and Director Yao and their group said goodbye and left. Captain Zhao stood up to see them off. After exchanging a few words downstairs, they each went home.

(End of this chapter)