self-improvement as a cook

Chapter 18

"Alfalfa? I remember it was said in "Tang Yan Yan": Chaoxu went to the ball, and I saw Mr. plate. Why all the clover on the plate grows dry. Could it be this?" The man's voice was quite magnetic, and he read this from his mouth. In a few words, there is a bit of charm.

An Ran has read this allusion, and it probably means that there is only alfalfa on the poor's plate. Alfalfa is something that livestock eat. It can be seen everywhere, no different from weeds. : "I have been with the abbot Manduoyu for a long time, and I am ashamed of my husband's alfalfa plate." Later, I made alfalfa cakes for my grandfather. happy.

I don't want this man to be able to say it casually. It can be seen that it is not as simple as just being able to read and write. Then, who is this man?What are you doing in the big kitchen at this time?An Ran's appreciating and suspicious gaze was quite obvious, but the man didn't seem to care at all. He walked over and stood outside the window. He didn't look at An Ran, but stared at the alfalfa cake on the plate for a while, and suddenly reached out and took a corner of the alfalfa cake. After eating the cake, he took another corner.

When his hand reached out to the plate for the third time, An Ran rubbed the plate and took it aside: "I said that you don't treat yourself as an outsider too much. It took me a long time to make it, and I only ate a corner. You are fine, you plan to make a round, and, who are you? What are you doing in the big kitchen at this time? Even if you are the steward of the mansion, the big kitchen can't come in casually, this is the rule of the mansion. "

Seeing that he was dressed in ordinary clothes, An Ran guessed where the steward was, but if the steward came here in the middle of the night, what would he do?I heard from my godmother that there are more than a dozen stewards, big and small, in the Anfu, some of them can make money, and some of them can't get anything. Could it be that this person came here to steal?

Thinking of this, the voice inevitably became louder: "I think you know the rules of the big kitchen, no outsiders are allowed in..." Before An Ran finished speaking, the man hissed, and said mysteriously: "Hush down, I'm just hungry. I came here to find something to eat, no matter how strict the rules are in this big kitchen, there are only you and me here, and it’s midnight at this moment, as long as you don’t shout loudly, who would know that I’m here, let alone..." Speaking of which, he didn’t Before going on, his eyes fell on the plate containing the alfalfa cake, which means, didn't you steal it too?
An Ran couldn't help rolling her eyes. She was a helper in the big kitchen and hadn't eaten all day. Can cooking an alfalfa cake count as stealing? She said angrily, "The cook doesn't call stealing, do you understand? This is called tasting."

The man looked her up and down: "Are you the cook in the big kitchen?"

An Ran coughed: "Well, not yet, but it will be soon."

An Ran felt that with her own skills, how could she be able to mix in the second and third in the big kitchen? It is impossible to help the cook forever. No, the man sneered and laughed: "That means that it is not yet, so you are also stealing food." , you and I are the same, each other."

This man has a good look for nothing, but he is a snarky and unforgiving man, with no manliness at all, and he got angry with An Ran: "I just ate it, can you control it, you have the ability Just do it yourself, it’s mine, and it’s none of your business.” Then, without going through the door, he leaned on the window sill and jumped outside, hugged the alfalfa cake, and leaned on the porch to eat.

Thinking that the naughty man was bored, he must have left, so he stared at him from the corner of his eye, thinking that the man didn't leave, but walked in instead, scooped flour from the vat and started kneading the dough.

An Ran was stunned for a moment, the man's technique was quite skilled, the dough was thrown up and down in his hands, with all sorts of tricks, An Ran couldn't help curling her lips, pretending to be a fart, who wouldn't know it, but, with his hand showing, An Ran I became even more puzzled, where is this in charge? Look at the neatness of rolling the noodles, just like the ones on the noodle table?

Just as he was thinking, Diao Zui Nan had already rolled out the noodles, and was chopping shredded radish, green garlic, ginger, and scallion white, and then started cooking the noodles. Son, seeing him find chili and crush it on the noodles, An Ran secretly thought, maybe the men here want to make oily and spicy noodles, and they really know how to eat them.

Youpo spicy noodle is the most famous noodle dish in Xi'an. It is delicious and easy to make, and saves time. I thought about it before in the kitchen outside. Unfortunately, there is no chili in the outside kitchen, so I have to give up. I really didn't expect that this naughty man can make it. Moreover, the way he turned the fire on and heated the oil in the pan was quite authentic, really clever.

A burst of spicy aroma wafted over, Anran couldn't help taking a breath, it was a very nostalgic smell, smelling the strong aroma, suddenly felt that the alfalfa cake in her mouth was a bit unpleasant.

Just as she was thinking about waiting for the man to leave, she would make a bowl to satisfy her cravings, but the man greeted her, "Isn't it fair to exchange a bowl of noodles for half of your alfalfa cake?"

An Ran looked at him sideways for a while, and suddenly felt that this man still had a bit of demeanor, people gave her a step, so don't carry it, what's more, what this man said was, it's just the two of them here, in the middle of the night. Finding a food friend to eat with is considered fate, so I nodded.

The two of them didn't use a table, and sat on both sides of the porch, eating alfalfa cakes with oily spicy noodles. This way of eating really didn't go well together, but it was delicious when paired with the moonlight and starlight tonight.

I have to say that the noodles made by this man are quite authentic. The oily and spicy noodles, in addition to the strength of the noodles, the most important thing is the oil temperature. If the oil temperature is too high, it will easily have a burnt smell. If the oil temperature is too low, It can't stimulate the aroma of spicy peppers, so it needs to be just right. It's not difficult to make a bowl of oily spicy noodles, but it's not easy to make them well. This man is an expert, is he also a cook?

Thinking of this, An Ran wiped her mouth, looked at him and said, "Are you working in the mansion?"

The man shook his head: "I'm not in the mansion, I'm at Anji Restaurant outside."

An Ran suddenly realized, no wonder this guy's skills are not bad: "You are the cook of An Ji Restaurant? It doesn't look like it."

The man laughed, and looked at her with burning eyes: "You don't look like a cook either."

An Ran shook her head: "Your eyesight is a little bad, I'm really a cook." An Ran couldn't help but look sideways, the stars in the sky were shining, shining like crystal diamonds, covering the entire night sky, so beautiful, but also so strange, I don't know An Ran How do you remember?How's An's cooking school going?And her relatives, friends, colleagues, students, and her bad friend Lin Xing'er, is it extremely lonely to lose her best friend who makes her complain about nothing.

This is Dayan, I have been wearing it for so long, I only found out after listening to the godmother yesterday, but where is this Dayan?An Ran has thought about it countless times, but she only knows that there is a kingdom of Yan among the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period, and this is Jizhou, and Jizhou is Hebei. Is this the land called Yanzhao in ancient times?My knowledge of geography and history is really lacking. Just one Yan and one Jizhou have turned my brain into a pot of glutinous rice. I am a cook. It is too difficult for her to think of such professional things.

Suddenly the man on the opposite side said: "What are you thinking, why are you not talking?"

An Ran couldn't help giving him a blank look, thanks to the fact that she was fooled by his appearance just now, she turned out to be a common man, what are you talking about in such a dark night, do you understand that silence speaks louder at this time.

The man seemed quite interested in chatting: "Are you new here? Why haven't I seen you before?"

An Ran glanced at him: "It seems that you used to come in and steal food."

The man laughed: "Why do you say it so badly, it's just a way to satisfy your hunger."

An Ran scoffed: "Forget it, just like you are familiar with just now, it's not something you can do once or twice, and, according to what you said, if everyone in this mansion is happy, they will eat their food by the way." , I’m afraid this big kitchen has already become a big canteen.” Standing up, putting the bowls in, washing them and putting them away, I came out and glanced at him: “I’m going back, if you don’t go, someone will arrest you later, but it’s nothing to me Something." Saying that, he turned and walked towards the corner door.

Feeling that the man also stood up and followed behind her, An Ran secretly heaved a sigh of relief, saying that she had nothing to do with it, and that it would be troublesome if someone caught this guy and recruited him later.

The two went out the corner door one after the other, locked the door safely, and glanced at the man: "Aren't you going?" The man's eyes flashed, as if there was a glimmer of expectation: "Aren't you afraid?"

An Ran looked at him suspiciously: "What are you afraid of?"

"Ghost, it's pitch black everywhere in the middle of the night, so you're not afraid of ghosts."

An Ran said: "Where do ghosts come from in this world, but they are just scaring themselves. There really are ghosts, and I haven't done anything wrong. I'm afraid he will do something." After finishing speaking, he ignored him and left.

After walking more than a dozen steps, I passed through the small door in front of me, and suddenly heard a man behind me say: "I am An Zihe, the manager of Anji Restaurant." Everyone has given their names, and it seems that I can't be too stingy Thinking of this, An Ran turned around and said simply: "My name is An Ran." After leaving the words, she walked through the small door and left.

When An Ran returned to her small courtyard, she vaguely heard the third watch drum beating outside. There were two covered wooden barrels outside the house. It was presumably Liu Xier brought the hot water for her to take a bath. Now it was already cold. I intend not to wash it, but I have been busy all day today, and my whole body is sticky and uncomfortable, and there is a smell of oily smoke. How can I not fall asleep when I lie down like this.

I couldn't bother Liu Xi'er any more, so I made do with cold water and took a battle shower. My hair can only be said tomorrow. Even though it's spring, it's also cold at night. An Ran used cold water again. But I suddenly remembered the man I met in the big kitchen today. He said he was the steward of Anji Restaurant, named An Zihe. Would a steward have such a charm, would he casually tell the origin of the alfalfa dish?

I just didn't feel it, but I lay down and thought about it, and I felt something was wrong, and suddenly I remembered that my godmother said that my second brother was working as a waiter at Anji Restaurant in Jizhou Prefecture, so I must know the details of the management, and I would ask my godmother tomorrow to know the truth fake.

An Ran thought wildly, couldn't fall asleep more and more, stared for a while, the sky became bright, thinking that when she came back last night, she didn't go to the outside kitchen to talk to the godmother, maybe the godmother was worried, so she simply got up and washed her face, tidied up By myself, I went to the outside kitchen.

Halfway through, she met Liu Xi'er, who was sent by her godmother to call her. The two of them came together. Aunt Liu was thinking about An Ran, and she didn't sleep well all night. When you brought the water, it was past Haishi, and you said you haven't come back yet, why did you come back so late?"

An Ran: "I cleaned up the stove yesterday, and it was already midnight when I finished cleaning up, so I came back late."

Aunt Liu touched her face and said distressedly: "Look at the bruises under the eyes, you are always suffering like this, your body is going to fail, if you knew this, you might as well stay in the outside kitchen, at least you can sleep well."

An Ran smiled and said: "Mother, don't worry, the big kitchen is only busy when there are banquets in the house, and the normal life is very leisurely. I just went to clean up yesterday, and it won't be so late in the future."

Aunt Liu breathed a sigh of relief: "You don't need to be strong in everything. Being able to enter the big kitchen and help Chef Zhao is already a great skill, far better than your two brothers."

Speaking of the two elder brothers, An Ran thought of An Zi and Lai whispered: "Mother, yesterday you said that the second elder brother works in our Anji restaurant in Jizhou Prefecture, does mother know about the steward of Anji restaurant?"

Aunt Liu nodded: "It's unusual to mention this manager of Anji Restaurant. I heard that he is a learned scholar. He went to Beijing to rush for the exam a few times before, but he failed because he was related to our master. The master cherishes his talent, so he became the steward of our Anji Restaurant."

An Ran: "Godmother has seen him?"

Aunt Liu: "I've seen it twice. He was born elegant and handsome. He looks good. He is knowledgeable, handsome, and capable, but until now, he has never married a wife. He is full of matchmakers in Jizhou Prefecture. I'm staring at it, I don't know how many good girls I said, but I shouldn't, it's already 25 now, but the matchmaker is very anxious, saying that he is waiting for the fairy from the sky to come down to earth."

Did the godmother say that she was the same person she met yesterday? The person in the godmother's mouth was a lonely and aloof scholar. Although that An Zihe yesterday had some knowledge, his appearance was not bad, but his temper, what do you think? It's also not related to being lonely and high-spirited, maybe it was a little bit like this at first, but after a longer contact, I felt that the man was a bit indescribably ruffian, or because I had preconceived ideas and prejudiced against him: "Godmother Do you know the name of this steward?"

"I know, I know, it's called An Zihe." After finishing speaking, Aunt Liu couldn't help looking at her carefully for a while: "Girl, don't you have a crush on An Zihe? Speaking of which, you are a good match for his age and appearance, as long as but……"

Seeing that the godmother actually mentioned this, An Ran couldn't help being stunned, and hurriedly asked, "Where did the mother go?"

Aunt Liu smiled and said: "Don't be ashamed, there is a saying that a man should marry a woman and a man should marry a woman. You are already sixteen, so it's time to find your husband's family. It's a pity that you are in the mansion now, but don't worry. , wait for my mother to save money for two years and redeem you, then I will rely on my daughter's ability and appearance, and those handsome and capable boys will not be able to choose."

Aunt Liu said that An Ran's face was flushed: "Mother, the more you say this, the more outrageous it is, I won't tell you anymore, I'm going to the big kitchen." She blushed and ran away.

Aunt Liu couldn't help laughing: "This girl is still shy."

Ma Dajiao next to him said: "However, I am from a girl's family, even if it is the daughter of a aunt, I don't say that about my husband's family. The girl's family is thin-skinned, so can you not be ashamed? This has to be said slowly behind people's backs." Fang Dian."

Aunt Jiao came over and said, "Sister Liu, I have something to say here, I don't know if I should say it or not?"

Aunt Liu gave her a blank look: "Usually you are straight-hearted, but now you will hide it. There are no outsiders here. If there is anything you can't say, you still have to play tricks."

Aunt Jiao chuckled twice: "Although girl An Ran has forgotten what happened earlier, she forgot it. After all, she is someone who has served the old man. It is said that a strong woman does not serve her second husband. How can she find her husband's family again?" , it would be better to find an opportunity to let the old master take over the house, and it would be considered a complete merit."

Aunt Liu frowned: "At the beginning, An Ran was sent to the outside kitchen by that Lan Yuan, what fate did she have with the old man? Are you talking nonsense?"

Aunt Jiao shook her head: "Sister Liu, you are confused. We all know An Ran's temper before. If you don't talk about it, you have offended everyone in the house. What good can it do? Now your girl What kind of temper, you still don't know, before this girl looked like she was an outstanding girl in the mansion, but she ended up like this because of her bad temper, now that she has been alive again for a while, she understands, who can compare to this skill if she doesn't have temper Yes, our Elder Master is delicious, as long as this girl shows off her skills in front of the Elder Master, and she looks like this, I will not believe that the Elder Master will not be tempted, our Elder Master is not Liu Xiahui who can sit still, As long as you put your mind to it and have the love from the front, wouldn't it be a matter of course to take over the house, and becoming an aunt is better than marrying a rough guy outside."

Ma Dajiao shook his head: "You have a good plan, but you don't look at An Ran's current temper, she is not the girl who was determined to climb high, I have been watching her secretly these days, don't look at this girl's kindness, But she has a big idea, when you didn't see Lian Er coming, did she hide, she just didn't want to stand out, she didn't want the old man to notice her, this girl has long since lost her heart."

Aunt Liu nodded: "This means that An Ran wants to leave the mansion now, or open a restaurant, or go around and see, learn from a teacher and learn crafts. I will say something unreasonable today, let alone take over the house. Our elder thinks that the matchmaker is marrying, and this girl may not be happy, not to mention, I don't want her to fall into this quagmire again. Look at the four above and the two in the study, they know how to be jealous every day. To curry favor with the old man, he wears gold, silver, mountains and sea delicacies. What's the meaning of these days? It's better to find a suitable and caring person with An Ran's craftsmanship. What's not strong, now I don't expect anything, I just hope that this girl can live comfortably, and I, as a mother, can feel at ease."

(End of this chapter)