If Lin Xiaozhu didn't understand the old man's intentions at first, but in the process of tasting, she gradually understood his good intentions, and said with a smile: "At the beginning, didn't the master say that he wanted to teach me to become a master?" I think the difference between a chef and a master lies in the use of ingredients. A chef will only follow the rules and cook according to the practices and recipes of his predecessors. It's just that even if the taste of the dishes on the recipe is extreme, he is just an excellent cook; But if he can think of the unprecedented, do what no one has done before, use the ingredients like a pen in the hand of a painter, give full play to his imagination, try boldly, pour ink and make a delicacy that has never been seen before, then even if he only creates one dish, he can be called a master. That's why before Master taught me the craft, he wanted me to know the taste. Understand the taste of the various seasonings and ingredients in your hands, and then make delicious ones based on what you want in your heart, so as not to fall into the trap, to bring forth the new, and to have no craftsmanship. ”

"Well, that's good!" The old man's face was as if he had drunk two taels of wine, and his face was full of red. The gaze that looked at Lin Xiaozhu changed from the initial appreciation to the blazing.

This child, not only has rare qualifications, but also has a very good sense of taste, which is also extremely rare. Without saying a word, she could understand the deep meaning, and even the meaning that she didn't expect was dug out by her.

"In my life, Master has eaten countless delicacies, tasted all the delicacies in the world, and come into contact with many cooks. Those who can make the world's best taste and can be called masters are all people who like food, are good at tasting food, know the taste of ingredients, mix them unconventionally, and transform them into extremely delicious. The old man said.

Lin Xiaozhu thought so.

Seeing Lin Xiaozhu nodding in agreement, the old man was very happy, and pulled her and said, "Come, taste all these seasonings." Not only do you have to taste the difference between them, but you also have to remember the flavor of each one. If there is anyone you don't know or don't know, ask Master. ”

"Yes."

In the next time, Lin Xiaozhu really tasted all the spices on the table. I don't know where the old man got the seasoning, but here is salt alone, there are sea salt, well salt, alkali salt, pool salt, cliff salt, different colors, and different tastes. Some salts must be melted with water and then precipitated and clarified before they can be used.

After Lin Xiaozhu tasted the seasoning on the table, and then repeated his explanation word for word, Zhang Dong, who had slipped out at some point, came back, followed by Zhang Daniu.

Zhang Daniu held a food box in his hand, and as soon as he entered the door, he saluted the old man and said with a smile: "Master Xue, you didn't have six fish to deliver." After speaking, he opened the food box, took out a small plate of braised fish inside, put it on the desk, and said, "It's not a small mouth, your old blessing is really good." You know, these six fish only gush out along the spring of that cave, and there is no other place at all. Take a fish basket and put it there, and you may not be able to catch a few taels in three or five days. Besides, it's the weather at the end of September, and it stands to reason that this season, if you don't have six fish, you can't catch them. In previous years, it was very lucky to be able to catch so many in ten days and half a month. Unexpectedly, someone has sent it every day in the past few days, just for the old man, you have met, isn't this a great blessing? ”

The old man was slapped by his sycophancy, and stroked his beard and said very smugly: "That's, don't look at who my old man is?" It's not a six-fish fish to hide, so I'll have to wait until I'm happy. After speaking, he waved his hand and said to Lin Xiaozhu, "Hurry up, taste it while it's hot." ”

Lin Xiaozhu had already been attracted by the dish of braised fish. It is said to be a plate, but in fact, it is not a small saucer, and it contains four small fish two fingers wide. Only this small fish is fried by the chef in oil, the whole body is golden, and then the red translucent sauce is so toned, with green onions, yellow ginger shreds, it is very good-looking. But it was not this that attracted Lin Xiaozhu. As soon as the big cow entered the door, and the food box had not yet been opened, she could already smell a faint aroma. At this moment, the fish was taken out, and the fresh smell of the fish immediately filled the entire kitchen.

Hearing the old man's words at this time, Lin Xiaozhu was not polite. She knew that this braised fish must have been specially called for her by the old man. However, she was not yet dazzled by the food and the surging gluttony, so she took a pair of clean chopsticks and handed them to the old man, and smiled sweetly: "Master, please first." After speaking, he turned his head to look at Zhang Daniu and Zhang Dong, then turned to look at the old man, and asked with his eyes if he wanted to give them a pair of chopsticks. She ate here with the old man, and let the two brothers stand by and drool, which seemed to be very unkind. But after hearing what Zhang Daniu said just now, and the old man went to eighty taels of silver for two meals, this thing must not be cheap, but he didn't dare to open his mouth casually to be polite.

The meaning in her eyes couldn't be clearer, Zhang Daniu was a junior in the tavern, and what he did all day long was to usher in the work of sending and observing words and colors, where could he not see what she meant, and before the old man opened his mouth, he smiled and said: "You two use it slowly, and the small one borrows your courtyard to use it, and says a few words to Zhang Dong." After speaking, he arched his hand, and pulled Zhang Dong out of the kitchen.

The old man was very satisfied with Lin Xiaozhu's behavior, and he didn't shirk it, he took a small fish with chopsticks, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, and said with a smile: "You can also taste it quickly." ”

Lin Xiaozhu couldn't help it anymore, grabbed a fish, and took a bite gently. This fish is probably fried over a high fire, the outside is fried to a golden brown, crispy and refreshing, but the meat inside is very delicate, and it melts in the mouth with a light sip, and the chewy fish skin and fish bones are stuck in the mouth, making the indescribable fresh smell overflow the whole mouth. The fragrance was so strong, she had tasted so much salt, sugar, sauce, and vinegar just now, and her tongue was not as sharp as usual, but she was still amazed by the taste.

Now, she finally knows why the old man only used the word "fresh" to describe the fish when he talked about it that day. It's not that there is a lack of words, it's that the taste of this fish is too delicious, and in addition to the word "fresh", other words are used to dilute the delicious taste, which is purely superfluous.

"I asked them about this fish, and I peeked at them to fry it, and it didn't use any special cooking method, just an ordinary braised method. It has such a delicious taste, just because the fish itself is like this. The old man put down his chopsticks and said, "This kind of fish lives in a dark cave, and it doesn't see sunlight all year round, and it doesn't know what to feed on. However, I have been to see the cave, and the water quality of the groundwater is extremely clear and sweet, and because of this fish species, it grows in such a unique environment, which has such a unique delicious taste. ”

After speaking, he looked at Lin Xiaozhu and asked, "What do you think after eating this fish?" ”