Free Web NovelChapter 1329: Chapter 1327: Ye Xin Comes to Help
Gao Zhenggen, despite his age, wasn’t unfamiliar with foreign cuisine. Upon seeing the steak, he began to cut and taste it on his own, without needing an introduction from Yang Chen.
After one bite, he set it down and stopped, neither praising nor critiquing its taste, continuing with his eyes closed to relax.
Yang Chen glanced at him but didn’t question and turned around to continue preparations.
The roast lamb cooks a bit quicker.
Lamb meat is tender and cooks easily.
On the other hand, the bamboo fungus stew with goose requires more time.
"Honey, check if it’s almost done," Ye Xin called to Yang Chen while staring at the roast lamb.
When it’s just the two of them, Ye Xin sweetly calls Yang Chen "husband."
Of course, when others are around, Ye Xin only calls him by his name.
Yang Chen quite enjoys this term of endearment.
"Let me see." Yang Chen walked over, leaned in for a look, pierced it with a knife to check inside, then nodded and said, "About ten more minutes should do it."
"Okay!" Ye Xin nodded obediently, seriously watching the roast lamb, looking the part of a lady chef.
Watching Ye Xin’s serious expression, Yang Chen found her extraordinarily beautiful.
He quietly looked around, seeing no one was paying attention to them, and leaned in closer.
Smack!
He gave Ye Xin a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Ah!"
Ye Xin was startled, holding the place Yang Chen kissed, her face flushed.
Yang Chen laughed heartily and leisurely walked to the stew pot to check on the goose stew.
About ten minutes later, Ye Xin excitedly shouted, "Honey! Time’s up, it’s done!"
Yang Chen hurried over to check.
The roast lamb was sizzling, releasing its juices, with a rich aroma wafting into the air.
"Smells so good!" Ye Xin squinted her eyes, sniffing with her nose, looking like a little glutton.
Seeing this, Yang Chen chuckled and said, "Don’t be anxious, I’ll cut some for you."
Since Ye Xin helped make it, naturally Yang Chen wouldn’t let his lady feel unwelcome.
Immediately, Yang Chen cut up a plateful for Ye Xin to eat.
Then he cut another plate for Gao Zhenggen and brought it out.
"Gao Lao, please try my roast lamb," Yang Chen said.
Gao Lao looked Yang Chen in the eye, "Nonsense, it’s clearly Xinxin’s doing!"
Yang Chen couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Turns out Gao Lao had been observing him cooking all along.
He could only nod and say, "Yes! Ye Xin helped roast this."
Gao Lao sat up and said, "Since it’s Xinxin’s roast, I must taste it properly."
Immediately, Gao Lao picked up chopsticks, grabbed a piece of roast meat, and put it in his mouth.
"Hmm!" Gao Zhenggen nodded approvingly, swallowed, and praised, "This timing and the seasoning, not bad!"
He glanced sideways at Yang Chen, "Did you make the seasoning yourself?"
Yang Chen smiled and said, "Figured it out myself."
"Not bad!" Gao Zhenggen nodded slowly, "Roasting meat is pretty much like this; the key is in the seasoning. You’ve managed to figure out your own seasoning, which counts as having your signature dish."
Yang Chen was delighted, getting such a compliment from a seasoned chef was quite an achievement.
"Go ahead!" Gao Zhenggen waved his hand, returning to eating the roast meat.
Yang Chen nodded and turned back to the kitchen.
Upon entering, Yang Chen was a bit surprised.
Because he saw Ye Xin holding a knife, slicing meat off the roast lamb, using her hands to grab it and eat with relish.
Seeing Ye Xin looking like a genuine foodie, he couldn’t help but laugh and ask, "Is it delicious?"
"Mm! Delicious! You’re amazing, this roast is so good!" Ye Xin’s eyes curved into crescents, her face full of satisfaction.
Yang Chen laughed and took a napkin, wiping the seasoning off Ye Xin’s mouth, saying, "If it’s delicious, eat more."
"You eat too!" Ye Xin offered a piece of meat to Yang Chen.
Yang Chen opened his mouth and bit down on Ye Xin’s slender finger.
"Ah!" Ye Xin was startled.
But feeling the soft touch, Ye Xin quickly withdrew her finger, blushing furiously.
Yang Chen licked his lips with a smile and winked at Ye Xin.
Ye Xin muttered something in a low voice, too quiet for Yang Chen to hear, but judging by her lip movements, Yang Chen could clearly make out: rascal!
Yang Chen hadn’t expected Ye Xin’s fingers would be so soft, nothing like someone who often handles guns.
Looking over at the bamboo fungus stew with goose, it seemed about ready.
After simmering for another ten minutes, Yang Chen turned off the heat, grabbed the pot with oven gloves, placed it on a serving tray, prepared a ladle and small bowls, and carried it out.
Seeing Yang Chen and Ye Xin come out, Gao Zhenggen sat up straight.
Knowing it was the final dish, he became earnest.
As Yang Chen set the tray on the table, he noticed Gao Zhenggen had finished the plate of roast meat.
But the Wellington steak remained untouched, with only a bit eaten initially.
"Gao Lao, this is my bamboo fungus stew with goose." Yang Chen lifted the lid to explain to Gao Zhenggen.
Gao Zhenggen caught a whiff of the aroma and nodded slightly, "This dish is good, beneficial for health."
Yang Chen smiled, served a bowl for Gao Zhenggen, and handed it to him.
Then, Yang Chen served another bowl for Ye Xin, saying, "You try it too."
"Heehee!" Ye Xin giggled, taking the small bowl, sitting down to taste with a spoon.
"Mm! So good!" Ye Xin exclaimed after a small sip, "It’s so wonderful, even better than what they make at restaurants!"
Gao Zhenggen, on the other hand, chuckled wryly, "Xinxin, your assessment standards are way too low."
"It’s just delicious!" Ye Xin widened her beautiful eyes looking at Gao Zhenggen and asked, "Grandpa Gao, don’t you think it’s tasty?"
"Uh..." Facing Ye Xin’s bright, watery eyes, Gao Zhenggen found himself at a loss for words, sighing with a chuckle, "You girl."
Ye Xin laughed and said to Gao Zhenggen, "You just tasted a sip, how can you tell much? Have more, should I serve you some more?"
Gao Zhenggen quickly waved his hand, saying, "No need, I’ll finish this bowl."
Actually, after one sip, Gao Zhenggen had no desire to drink more.
But with Ye Xin urging, he couldn’t help but finish the entire bowl.
After drinking, Gao Zhenggen wiped his mouth and said, "I’ve tried all three dishes."
Yang Chen stood upright, "Please, Gao Lao, point out any shortcomings."
"No need to mention the shortcomings, there are too many." Gao Zhenggen didn’t give Yang Chen any face, directly saying, "I’ll just talk about the failings of these three dishes!"
Ye Xin, on the side, protested, "A shortcoming is a shortcoming, why call it a failing?"
Gao Zhenggen laughed helplessly.
Yang Chen said solemnly, "Xinxin, don’t speak. Gao Lao is an expert, it’s my fortune to receive his guidance!"
"Alright then!" Ye Xin stuck out her tongue and kept quiet.
"Gao Lao, please continue." Yang Chen remained respectful.
Gao Zhenggen nodded, satisfied with Yang Chen’s attitude, then continued, "Let’s talk about Wellington Steak. In cooking, whether it’s Flame Country cuisine or foreign cuisine, the goal is to make it tasty. The methods used by the Federation, over there, aren’t as refined as our Flame Country’s. Though it looks good, with a scant dish on a clean, white plate, it’s hard to judge its taste. However, if your cooking method equates simplicity with their plating style, merely copying their cooking method, then you’ve erred. As a qualified chef, you must not only learn cooking but research how to make dishes tastier, not just replicate to produce a dish that looks exactly like theirs."
