Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

"The aroma of sour plum blends with the tender duck meat, creating a timeless and refreshing flavor."

Looking at the perfectly presented dish in front of him, Bai Yuan couldn't help but recite a poem. Then he put the duck meat on his chopsticks into his mouth and began to chew it heartily.

The skin of the plum duck is pan-fried until it turns golden and crispy. When you bite into it, you can hear a slight "crunch" sound, followed by the tender and juicy meat inside.

The duck meat becomes exceptionally tender due to long-term slow stewing, and the sourness of the plum and the sweetness of the sugar intertwine in the mouth, creating a balanced sweet and sour taste experience with a rich texture.

"Although it uses discounted duck meat, the sourness of the plum helps to enhance the freshness of the duck meat, making the flavor of the dish more complex and allowing the inexpensive duck meat to bring out the flavor of high-end duck meat."

Savoring the delicious flavors on his tongue, Bai Yuan smiled and commented that the plum sauce greatly enhanced the taste of the duck.

Using this method to improve the quality of discounted duck meat is a good idea.

Bai Yuan nodded slightly in his heart.

Although Soma Yukihira could only use discounted duck meat due to funding issues, he managed to create top-quality duck meat by relying on his understanding of cooking.

It must be said that this is very rare.

The addition of aged sugar at the end makes the duck meat taste exceptionally rich and mellow. It doesn't taste like a fast-grown duck that has only lived for twenty-odd days; it tastes more like an old duck that has been raised for several years.

"Indeed, both the use of sour plums and the addition of old sugar at the end have the effect of enhancing the flavor of duck meat."

Using only two ingredients, you've managed to bring out the exquisite flavor of premium duck meat at a discounted price; you've truly mastered the art.

The praise was unabashed, and the eyes were full of admiration for the younger generation. Although they were still rough and immature in many ways, they were on the right track.

This is the advantage of having someone leading the way.

Thinking of Yukihira Joichiro, Bai Yuan couldn't help but sigh. He had once gone astray, but fortunately he eventually realized his mistake and returned to the right path.

"I was still taken aback that he could offer such a low price for duck meat. Even though I was prepared, I was still surprised. This new guy is really something else."

Fumio Oomido also picked up a piece of plum duck, savoring the rich and full-bodied flavor in his mouth, and praised it in his heart.

The rich flavor of the duck lingered on her tongue. If she hadn't seen Soma Yukihira cooking it with her own eyes, she would never have believed that this was a special-priced duck dish.

"Let me try some too."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's praise, Yoshino Yuuki also ran up, her face showing a hint of seriousness.

What she thought was a sure-fire victory turned out to be an unexpected turn of events; the transfer student's abilities seemed to be much stronger than she had anticipated.

At least, her cooking was rarely praised by Bai Yuan.

"promise."

Seeing Yoshino Yuuki leaning her face closer, Bai Yuan naturally picked up a piece of pickled plum duck and brought it to her mouth. The girl opened her mouth and took a bite at the opportune moment.

His movements were incredibly natural.

The flavor spread through her mouth, sending a tingling sensation through Yoshino Yuuki's body.

Opening her eyes, she turned her gaze to Yukihira Soma and said, "It's a pity. If the duck meat you used was of slightly better quality, you would most likely have been able to beat me. But right now, you are not as good as me."

As she spoke, Yoshino Yuuki strode towards her cooking station, her movements captivating those around her.

Especially Soma Yukihira.

Soon, she arrived at the kitchen counter.

The pressure cooker has been closed, and all the steam has escaped; it can be opened directly.

Yoshino Yuuki did not hesitate.

As the pot lid was opened, a rich aroma of lotus leaves wafted out, followed by the incredibly mellow fragrance of duck.

"Please enjoy, lotus leaf duck."

The girl's voice was clear and crisp. She then laid lotus leaves at the bottom, poured the duck from the pressure cooker into a basin, and presented it to Bai Yuan.

"This looks really good, and it's fresh enough. It's no wonder it was killed on the spot."

Looking at the plump and round lotus leaf duck in the basin, Bai Yuan didn't hold back his praise. As he spoke, he reached out and pulled off the lotus leaf duck's right leg.

The deep reddish-brown meat looked exceptionally appetizing, and when you picked it up, the broth dripped down the skin, making it even more tempting.

"The lotus leaves at the bottom exude fragrance, and the wild duck's rich flavor complements the red wine. Grandma Wenxu, please."

Without hesitation, Bai Yuan handed the duck leg to Granny Wenxu, letting her taste it first.

"Since you are so kind, then I will gladly accept your offer."

Although she could take it herself, she couldn't refuse someone else's kindness. Ōmiya Fumio took the duck leg that Hakugen handed her, opened her mouth, and took a bite.

"It smells so good! Because of the addition of spices such as angelica, cinnamon, and star anise, it not only effectively removes the fishy smell of wild duck, but also enhances its flavor."

Savoring the rich flavor of the duck leg meat, Fumio Oomido closed his eyes.

The moment her taste buds touched her, she felt as if she had stepped into a remote and mysterious lakeside place.

As dawn breaks, the lake ripples with light, and a flock of wild ducks frolic in the thin mist. Their feathers shimmer with a faint metallic sheen in the sunlight, a testament to the purity and freedom bestowed upon them by nature.

With the first bite of food, the lake scene gradually transforms into a grand feast.

The lotus leaves sway gently, transforming into exquisite tableware, covered with colorful vegetables and spices. They intertwine to create a rich aroma, like a secret garden deep in the forest, both refreshing and enticing.

"Before cooking, we added a variety of vegetables such as onions, carrots, and celery. The addition of these vegetables not only enhances the sweetness and flavor of the duck soup, but also balances the greasiness of the wild duck to some extent."

Bai Yuan didn't rush to eat the meat. Instead, he first tasted the soup, savoring the wonderful flavor on his tongue, and began to analyze the underlying principles.

"Lotus leaf duck can be found in many regions, but the preparation methods vary slightly from place to place. Some add glutinous rice, while others make it with rice flour. The common feature is that they all have conditioning and nourishing effects."

Bai Yuan put down the spoon, looked at Yoshino Yuuki, and explained the historical background of the lotus leaf duck to everyone.

"Your lotus leaf duck is quite good. The wild duck adds a touch of wildness to the dish, which contrasts sharply with the docile and refreshing lotus leaf."

However, there is a significant problem: not enough white pepper was used.

Although it is springtime now, winter has only just ended and the weather is still very cold; it is still considered winter.

White pepper has warming and nourishing properties; add more in winter and less in summer. Duck, especially wild duck, is considered cooling in nature.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Yuan pointed out the shortcomings of the dish in front of him.

"Add more in winter and less in summer. Isn't the same principle when cooking mutton? I remember you said something similar before."

Bai Yuan's words made Yoshino Yuuki fall into deep thought. Then, she looked up and spoke with a unique light in her eyes.

"That's right, it seems you've grasped the essence."

Hearing Yoshino Yuuki's words, Bai Yuan nodded with satisfaction, then picked up a piece of meat and took a big bite, chewing it heartily.

"The soup absorbs the essence of the duck meat, and the meat absorbs the essence of the other ingredients. Only when the two complement each other can this dish reach its full potential!"

A piece of meat, a sip of soup, the original soup helps digest the original food.

As he spoke, Bai Yuan's face was filled with enjoyment. He scooped out two more bowls and handed them to Tadokoro Megumi and Sakaki Ryoko respectively.

The two of them stood by, watching expectantly, without his consent.

Now that he was handing over the duck meat, he immediately took the large bowl and began to eat it in big mouthfuls, a look of enjoyment on his face.

"Yoshino Yuuki wins this match."

Looking at the two dishes in front of him, Bai Yuan declared Yoshino Yuuki the winner without hesitation, and then turned his gaze to Yukihira Soma, whose brows were furrowed.

"Yukihira, you used sour plums and old sugar to make a special-priced duck meat taste like top-grade duck meat. However, the upper limit of a special-priced duck meat is six points. Even if you do your best, it will only be six points. With your skills, you cannot make it break through this limit."

The premium wild duck that Yuuki bought has a significantly higher potential, while your potential is your lower limit. So, you have no reason to lose.

Seeing Yukihira Soma's expression and knowing what he was thinking, Bai Yuan began to explain.

This competition is about whose food is the most delicious, not about who can make the most cost-effective dish with inexpensive ingredients.

In terms of culinary skills, Soma Yukihira is indeed superior to Yuuki Yoshino.

However, the difference between the two is not particularly large, so it is impossible for one to lose when the difference in ingredients is so huge.

Soma Yukihira's method of using low-grade ingredients to create high-grade dishes can at most deal with Ikumi Mito from the original work; it won't work against anything beyond that.

Now that everyone has received systematic instruction from Bai Yuan, they can, to say the least, perfectly showcase the deliciousness of the ingredients.

"I understand. May I try some?"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma took a deep breath, then looked at the iron basin in front of Bai Yuan that was emitting an enticing aroma, picked up the bowl, and walked over.

"Okay, I'll scoop it for you."

Nodding, Bai Yuan considerately took the bowl from Yukihira Soma's hand, scooped it to a full bowl for him, and gave him the remaining duck leg as well.

Taking the bowl, Soma Yukihira began to eat heartily without any hesitation. The exquisite taste made his hands unable to stop.

Because few seasonings are used, mostly for removing the gamey smell, the most essential flavor of the duck meat is not destroyed, and its rich aroma is perfectly brought out.

He closed his eyes, feeling the pure flavor of the duck meat flow into his body along his tongue, accompanied by a warm sensation, and his body warmed up considerably.

"I see, I lost this time."

When I came to my senses, the lotus leaf duck in front of me had been completely cleaned up. The taste lingered in my mouth, and it was so delicious that I almost swallowed the bones.

"I won't hold it against you this time, but be more careful with your words in the future. Don't say things that offend people like that again. I'm not the strongest in Totsuki."

Upon hearing Yukihira Soma admit defeat, Yoshino Yuuki smiled.

She had already witnessed the opponent's strength; in Totsuki, he was by no means weak, but certainly not strong either—a worthy opponent for her.

The most rewarding thing is to defeat an opponent like that!

"Is there a lack of ingredients?"

Indeed, the delicious flavor accumulated over many years of growth is hard to surpass by duck meat from this kind of fast-growing breed.

Soma Yukihira put down the bowl in his hand and muttered to himself, his face not looking too good.

Despite his attempts to justify himself, he knew in his heart that a loss was a loss, and making excuses was just a sign of cowardice.

But... I'm really unwilling to accept this.

Determined to hone his culinary skills, Soma Yukihira turned his gaze to Shirabuchi, who was surrounded by three girls. Yoshino Yuuki kept asking him about the shortcomings of the dish and taking notes.

Even after winning, she remained so serious; Soma Yukihira was beginning to understand why she possessed such strength.

"You're a transfer student, and this level is already quite good. What you need now is to continue accumulating knowledge and experience things you haven't encountered before, so that you can gradually build up your strength and achieve great things."

Ōmida Fumio noticed his mood, got up, came to his side, patted him on the shoulder, and gently comforted him.

To be honest, Soma Yukihira's cooking skills are already quite good. He has a strong ability to adapt to changing situations and has a solid foundation. He just needs some final practice, and given time, he will definitely achieve great things.