Zhou Yan couldn't help but marvel at Master Zheng's bizarre situation. Being pulled into being a village chef at a banquet was bad enough, but his competitor was actually his own Master's junior brother?
And this Master's junior brother was a bit naughty, clearly recognizing him but not saying so, just calling him "Master Zheng" and coaxing him into being the assistant cook.
Finally, he'd found an opportunity to showcase his best dishes, determined to broaden the horizons of this village chef.
Little did he know that his specialty was something others had already mastered twenty years ago.
What kind of situation was this?
Zhou Yan felt rather miserable.
While Master Zheng was busy preparing braised fish, Zhou Yan had to start slicing pig's ears and pig's heads meat. The only one currently idle was Master Xiao, who was waiting for 11 o'clock to start the steaming process, re-steaming the dishes for an hour before serving the meal.
Zhou Yan smiled at Xiao Lei: "Master, this pig's head meat needs to be sliced evenly to taste good. The village aunties' knife skills are a bit lacking, but you were the top cutter in the factory canteen back then, such an important task..."
"You dare to wash your Master's head?" Xiao Lei stared at him with a smile.
"I really mean it." Zhou Yan said innocently, picking up a cleaver, grabbing an ear, and sighing. "Leave it, leave it, I'll just cut it myself. It's only a few dozen plates anyway."
Zhou Yan's cleaver fell swiftly, instantly piling up thin slices of ear on the cutting board—the kind that were translucent when you picked up a single piece.
The ear slices were soaked in the braising liquid, a bright red color, with white cartilage embedded in them like patterns, quite beautiful.
Slicing the ear slices thinly requires considerable knife skills.
Especially for cold ear slices, the thinner they are, the more flavorful they become, and the more exquisite the texture.
Pig head meat is a bit different; it needs to be a bit thicker to bring out the rich, meaty aroma infused with the braising liquid. It needs to be sliced evenly.
There are still many good masters in the world.
Xiao Lei watched Zhou Yan cut the ear slices for a while, nodded, went back to get his own cleaver, and started helping to cut the pig head meat.
"It's so good to have a master." Zhou Yan said, turning to look at him, deeply moved.
"Cut yours carefully, watch your fingers." Xiao Lei rolled his eyes at him, then quickly sliced the pig's head meat. Thin, even slices of pig's head meat landed on the cutting board, the thickness that drinkers love most. He was even faster than Zhou Yan.
Aunt Zhao, who had picked up a cleaver to help, silently put it away.
The old lady stood by, hands behind her back, watching, nodding in approval at Xiao Lei's knife skills.
No wonder Zhou Yan's knife skills were so solid; this master's knife skills were truly impressive. No wonder he was Master Kong's apprentice.
The master and apprentice handled the slicing, while the aunties arranged the food on the plates.
The pig's snout wasn't enough for a separate plate, so it was combined with the pig's head meat on platters. Each plate held only a dozen or so slices, quickly filling the table.
A spoonful of prepared chili powder was placed in one corner of each plate, so those who liked it spicy could dip it in.
After slicing the pig's head, Xiao Lei took his knife and went back to direct the helpers to start the fire and prepare for the meal. Zhou Yan also sliced the beef shank.
Zheng Qiang had just finished frying thirty fish and was chopping ingredients. The golden-brown carp were arranged in a wooden bucket, their skin intact and unbroken.
His basic skills were indeed solid; no wonder his master teased him.
Zhou Yan craned his neck, intently observing, memorizing all the side dishes.
Pickled cabbage, long bean, pickled peppers, roasted ginger, broad bean paste… it looked somewhat similar to the crucian carp with perilla leaves he had made; it should be a sour and spicy flavor.
He had been embarrassed to look earlier because stealing someone's recipe was considered shameful.
Now it was different; this was his senior brother, so it was only right for him to look.
Suddenly, the faint sounds of gongs, drums, and suonas came from outside, and then someone exclaimed with delight, "They're here! The bride has been brought back!"
A long procession appeared on the village road. Zhou Hao, dressed in military uniform, led the way, pushing a bicycle. The bride, dressed in a red top and red pants, with a red hair ornament, sat on the bicycle, smiling radiantly, looking quite festive.
Behind them came the wedding procession, carrying dressing tables, wooden chests, and wedding quilts, along with the bride's family, relatives and friends who had come to eat at the feast—a long, impressive procession.
Those chatting in the courtyard, those helping out on the banquet and other villagers all suddenly rushed to the road to watch the spectacle.
The procession to pick up the bride is the most spectacular event of this era.
The village children ran after the wedding procession, each one more excited than the last.
Such a good day, where a few auspicious words bring candy, doesn't come everyday.
Crack! Crack!
The 800-louds firecracker at the entrance was lit, and everyone covered their ears, with smiles on their faces.
After the firecrackers stopped, a group of boys rushed forward, searching for the few that hadn't gone off.
"Old Chen's family is quite particular! So much dowry."
"The Chen family is rich. Their son works at the supply and marketing cooperative, and the bride is a teacher at the town's primary school. Zhou Hao is lucky to have married such a good wife."
"Zhou Hao isn't bad either. I heard he's a platoon leader now, an officer!"
The villagers chattered, some envious, others with a hint of sourness.
Zhou Yan watched with great interest. This was the first time he had ever seen a wedding in this era. The bride was short and slightly plump with a round face. She had a very friendly smile, and her red dress made her look very energetic and vibrant.
It's clear the Old Chen family is well off; raising someone to be plump and healthy isn't easy these days. They're a good match for the Old Zhou family.
The suona horn was played beautifully, a true masterpiece. The old master was quite skilled; he played it very well.
"Stop watching, hurry up and make the Cold Chicken Dish. Cold dishes should be served first." the old lady coughed, pulling Zhou Yan back to reality.
"Okay!"
Zhou Yan didn't dare delay. He took a chicken from the basket and looked at the old lady, asking, "How do I cut it?"
"Watch." The old lady took the knife from him, first severing the neck with one stroke. Then, with a quick slice and tap, she split the chicken's head in half, chopping it and the neck into pieces.
With a twist of the knife, the chicken legs and wings were cut off, sliced into strips, then chopped into coin-sized pieces, each piece still mostly attached to the skin.
In no time, the plump rooster was transformed into a bowl of chicken pieces in an enamel basin.
"There are many people eating at the outdoor banquet, so cutting the chicken into smaller pieces will allow everyone to grab more pieces, taste the flavors, and perhaps even have a couple more drinks." The old lady took out a seasoning packet she had prepared at the restaurant and began mixing the sauce.
She dissolved salt, MSG, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and sugar in ginger and garlic water, then added a spoonful of vinegar. She poured a quarter of the mixture over the chicken pieces and tossed it evenly with a spoon.
"To make flavorful Cold Chicken Dish, season it first, then add the Sichuan peppercorn oil and red oil last. Otherwise, the oil will seal in the meat, preventing the flavor from penetrating; it will just float on the surface, like a dipping sauce, and won't taste good." the old lady said, opening a jar of red oil. After sitting for an hour, the oil had become clear. She scooped a spoonful and poured it over the chicken; the bright red color looked incredibly appetizing.
One bowl of chicken, four spoonfuls.
The old lady held the enamel bowl in one hand and the spoon in the other, tossing and stirring the mixture along the edge, ensuring each piece of chicken was coated with red oil and sesame seeds. It looked glistening and incredibly appetizing!
After thoroughly mixing, she started plating. One bowl of chicken served on eight plates. On the white plates, the chicken pieces were coated in chili oil, dotted with sesame seeds—vibrant, juicy, and incredibly fragrant.
Pour all the red oil and broth from the bowl, then ladle it over the Cold Chicken Dish. Sprinkle a small handful of chopped scallions on top, and the Cold Chicken Dish is done.
This series of movements was fluid and effortless, leaving Zhou Yan speechless.
[A Pretty Good Cold Chicken Dish]
A note flashed below Zhou Yan's eyes.
His grandmother is still as sharp as ever!
Seventy five years old is the perfect age for adventure!
"Come on, just do as I say." The old lady took a step to the side and looked at Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan didn't hesitate. He took another chicken from the basket and began chopping it into pieces, following the old lady's instructions.
A whole chicken was quickly chopped into a bowl of chicken pieces. The old lady had already prepared the sauce. Zhou Yan poured one-third of it into the bowl and, learning from her stirring technique, tossed the bowl while mixing it.
At first, he wasn't used to it, but after mastering the rhythm and technique, he found that this way of stirring the chicken didn't fall apart easily, and the sauce could be mixed more thoroughly.
Adding red oil immediately brightened the color.
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. It really worked!
The old lady was truly a good teacher. What she taught was always simple and direct, without many rules, full of everyday wisdom.
[A Decent Cold Chicken Dish]
Zhou Yan plated the chicken, and the panel gave it a sharp review.
Zhou Yan: ?
Where "Pretty Good"?
The same pot of chicken, the same red oil and seasonings, even the same stirring method—how could it get two different reviews?
Zhou Yan was quite angry, but there was nothing he could do.
"Yes, that's how you mix it." The old lady nodded with a smile, quite satisfied with Zhou Yan's technique.
"Grandma! Grandma! The newlyweds are serving tea, please take the seat of honor!" Zhou Jie rushed out anxiously, and seeing the Cold Chicken Dish, Braised Pig Ears, and Braised Pig Heads on the table, he swallowed hard and exclaimed, "Zhou Yan, did you make this?"
"That's right, it was me." Zhou Yan nodded.
"Amazing!" Zhou Jie exclaimed.
"Come on." The old lady straightened her clothes and walked towards the courtyard gate with her hands behind her back.
Zhou Jie quickly followed.
Zhou Yan followed the same method, chopping up the remaining two chickens, mixing them, and plating them.
Cold Chicken Dish needs to be well-seasoned to taste good, and now that it was mixed, it would be at its best when the meal began.
With this, Zhou Yan's four cold dishes were all finished, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Aunt Zhao stood beside him, looking at the more than one hundred cold dishes piled on the table, and also breathed a sigh of relief.
She was even more nervous than Zhou Yan when he cooked; if he messed up in this kind of situation, it would be difficult to explain. Fortunately, Zhou Yan was reliable; the Cold Chicken Dish and braised dishes looked very appealing, and everyone who passed by couldn't help but take a second look.
At 11:30, the guests arrived one after another. After registering their red envelopes at the door, the host arranged for them to be seated.
A plate of sunflower seeds was placed on each table, and people started chatting and cracking them open, instantly enlivening the open-air feast.
Xiao Lei stood guard over the stacks of steamers, where steam rose and the aroma of meat filled the air.
Zheng Qiang had already ordered three pots to be heated up and started preparing to cook the fish.
Today's guests were mainly relatives and friends from both sides, but a separate table was set up in the courtyard to entertain leaders from the county and town.
The Old Zhou family has two plaques recognizing them as first-class meritorious service recipients, and the leaders often visit to offer their condolences and support; they've all become familiar with them over time.
Now that Zhou Weiguo is a member of the town's Party Committee, and Zhou Hao is a platoon leader, whether they stay in the army or are discharged, with their family background, their futures are very bright.
Therefore, after the invitations were sent out, the leaders all made time to attend the banquet today.
The old lady sat in the main seat, with Zhou Weiguo beside her, followed by Sun Yan, the deputy director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Huang Chen, the deputy mayor, and four town officials.
After everyone was seated, they first greeted the old lady.
The old woman became the widow of a martyr in her youth and raised five sons single-handedly. Her youngest son, Zhou Weiguo, was seriously wounded on the battlefield and retired from the army. She also had two grandsons who joined the army.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that her family was full of loyal martyrs.
Everyone respected and admired her, a woman who could raise such children and grandchildren.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
"I see there are three chefs at this banquet today, quite a grand affair." Sun Yan said with a smile.
"Yes, they look quite professional, not like typical village chefs." Huang Chen nodded in agreement.
The old lady explained with a smile, "Originally there was only one village chef, but he suddenly had something to do yesterday and couldn't do it, so we temporarily invited two more chefs. The one who makes the cold dishes is my grandson Zhou Yan, who was also brought in to help out."
"The dishes are served!"
As they were talking, the kitchen helper came with a tray and served four cold dishes.
Everyone's eyes lit up at the sight!