Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

　"It seems that we need to conduct an on-site inspection of the store before conducting the actual training."

　At this moment, Bai Yuan had already made up his mind.

　During their elementary school years, after undergoing his rigorous midterm exams, only about fifty students remained in Totsuki Academy's class. Each of them was an exceptionally talented genius, fully deserving of better in-person training at the shops.

　"Take me with you then, I happen to have some related work too."

　Hearing Bai Yuan's murmur, Nakiri Erina took two steps forward.

　As one of the Ten Elites of Totsuki Academy, she enjoys her rights while also fulfilling her obligations. One of these obligations is to inspect the various shops that cooperate with Totsuki and score them to decide whether to continue the cooperation in the coming year.

　Compared to the economic benefits, FarMoon values ​​its reputation more.

　No matter how high the franchise fee, they will not continue to cooperate with shops that could potentially damage their reputation.

　"Okay, let's do it together then. Alice, stop what you're doing and come eat."

　Bai Yuan nodded slightly, then looked at Nakiri Alice, who was busy in the kitchen from beginning to end.

　"Here it is, the roast pigeon is ready! I messed up a few before, the skin wasn't crispy and I ate them all. I'm not very hungry now, so this time the cooking is just right. Give it a try!"

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Alice quickened her pace and stepped forward, presenting the freshly roasted pigeon on a plate as if it were a treasure, her eyes filled with anticipation.

　This is a very famous dish in Cantonese dim sum: roasted pigeon.

　To roast a pigeon until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender is extremely difficult. An average person would need at least five years to learn the skill, and only with the master's knowledge and expertise can they master the proper control of the heat.

　"Actually, the cooking time for this is still a bit insufficient."

　Looking at the roasted pigeon presented by Alice Nakiri, Bai Yuan only glanced at it before speaking.

　"Oh? But the crust turned out quite crispy this time."

　Alice Nakiri, wiping her hands with a towel, jogged over to Bai Yuan and immediately picked up the chopsticks in front of him, stabbing them into the roasted pigeon. A crisp sound rang out, and Alice looked innocently at Bai Yuan, trying to convey how incredibly crispy her pigeon was.

　"The steps for roasting poultry are all pretty much the same, and the main goal is to make the skin crispy and the meat tender. I've taught you this before, so please repeat it to me now."

　Seeing that Alice Nakiri still didn't understand, Bai Yuan's voice became a little louder.

　If the other party doesn't understand these things, she'll never be able to roast a perfect pigeon in her entire life!

　"it is good.

　The first step is to ensure the crust of the food is sufficiently dry; otherwise, residual moisture will hinder the formation of a crispy crust. Steaming the crust before baking will result in a soft and collapsed crust. Secondly, the crust needs to be scalded before baking; otherwise, baking raw crust directly will result in insufficient collagen contraction, making it difficult to form a crispy layer.

　In addition, the oven temperature is also important for roasting pigeon. First, it needs to be shaped at a high temperature, and then slowly roasted at a medium-high temperature.

　The oven needs to have a fan to ensure that the food is heated evenly, and I've done that..."

　Faced with Bai Yuan's seriousness, Nakiri Alice was somewhat puzzled. This was a cognitive bias; if you're not told something, you might never understand it in your entire life.

　"You're right about most of it, but you've missed the most crucial point."

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan tore open the pigeon's body with his hands. The caramel-colored crispy skin made a slight "crackling" sound, as if he were tearing off a layer of thoroughly baked parchment paper. Underneath the crispy skin, there were subtle "hissing" sounds of oil bubbles popping.

　"The most crucial point?"

　Alice Nakiri remained puzzled, while the girls sitting around her also perked up their ears, their faces full of curiosity.

　"Excessive subcutaneous fat can cause oil to seep out, leading to localized softening."

　Pointing to the back and abdomen of the pigeon, Bai Yuan continued, "The subcutaneous fat of the pigeon is a semi-transparent membrane that easily melts and seeps out when roasted at high temperatures. If too much is retained, it will cause the skin to become soft and collapse."

　"So, before baking, the subcutaneous fat needs to be removed, right?"

　Alice Nakiri wasn't stupid; she understood immediately after it was explained so clearly.

　"That's right. The correct way is to prick small holes in the skin with a needle to help the fat seep out. Before baking, gently wipe off the oil with absorbent paper to ensure that the oil underneath is about the same as in other places. This will ensure its crispiness."

　The reason your squab is so crispy is mainly because it's so lean, with low subcutaneous fat content. Otherwise, it would definitely be much softer than other parts. In fact, its crispness is significantly less compared to others.

　"No wonder the soft spots were all in roughly the same location before; it turns out it was due to subcutaneous fat..."

　Alice Nakiri exclaimed in sudden realization, explaining that she had initially chosen large pigeons for roasting, each one plump and healthy with ample subcutaneous fat. But this last one...

　Because of her small size, she didn't rush to process it, but unexpectedly, she made the best-looking roasted pigeon!

　"That's right, let's eat, then go to the kitchen to practice cooking."

　Sensing the changing gazes around him, which had shifted from confusion to understanding, Bai Yuan clapped his hands and announced that dinner was served.

　"I'm gonna start now!"

　Yoshino Yuuki was the first to pick up her chopsticks, her hands clasped together in anticipation, her fair face filled with expectation.

　"I'm so hungry! Breakfast after my morning workout is the best!"

　Mito Ikumi mumbled indistinctly as she chewed.

　"Delicious! Try these shrimp dumplings! The translucent skin wraps around plump and bouncy shrimp meat. With one bite, you experience layers of freshness, sweetness, tenderness, and smoothness. They are simply works of art in the world of dim sum."

　As Erina Nakiri spoke, she closed her eyes, savoring the delicious flavors on her tongue.

　However, when she wanted to try the next serving, the shrimp dumplings in front of her had already been completely cleared away.

　"I still prefer this honeycomb tripe. It has a slight chewiness at first, and you can feel the elasticity of the honeycomb structure when you press it lightly with your teeth. After biting into it, the gelatinous substance melts instantly and turns into a soft and tender texture, but it doesn't become mushy. It still retains a bit of chewiness, giving you a satisfying feeling similar to high-end tendon."

　Lia covered half her face, her expression one of pure bliss, as she lightly tapped the surface of the tripe in her dish with her chopsticks.

　The surface of that honeycomb tripe was covered with dense honeycomb-like holes. After absorbing the braising liquid, each "honeycomb cell" was coated with a dark brown color and glistened with an oily sheen under the light.

　"This is the profound flavor of the old braising liquid. It should contain spices such as star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and Sichuan peppercorns, which permeate every fiber. It is moderately salty and sweet, with a slight herbal aroma."

　Seeing how much Lia was enjoying her food, Hisako Shinto couldn't resist picking up a piece and putting it in her mouth. She savored the flavor of the braised sauce as it burst on her tongue, and her face showed the same expression of enjoyment as Lia's.

　"This is amazing! And the turnip cake, stir-fried beef noodles, sticky rice chicken, and spare ribs with black bean sauce are all so delicious!!!"

　Once you start tasting it, you can't stop; everyone at the scene has a look of satisfaction on their face.

　Cantonese dim sum is known for its variety; as long as you sit down at the table, you're sure to find a satisfying flavor.

　That's exactly what happened. Everyone found their favorite flavor and was enjoying it with great relish. The only downside was that the portions were too small!

　"I am back!"

　At the Polar Star Dormitory, Soma Yukihira pushed open the door, dragging his suitcase.

　"Welcome back, Yukihira-kun. You're the first one back this year. How was your summer vacation?"

　Wearing a bare apron, Isshiki Satoshi was sweeping the lobby of the Polar Star Dormitory when he heard the noise. He stopped and looked up, only to see Yukihira Soma standing at the door.

　"It's pretty good. I went to Fujian, China, and fought against many powerful experts. Now my strength has improved by leaps and bounds. I feel that I am no less than any of the Ten Heroes."

　So, please have a match with me, Isshiki-senpai!

　Seeing Isshiki Satoshi holding a broom and looking at him, Yukihira Soma challenged him without hesitation.

　As one of the Ten Heroes, his opponent is extremely powerful, making him the perfect target to test his own training progress!

　"It's rare for a junior to be so enthusiastic, so I shouldn't refuse."

　But school starts in a couple of days, and everyone from Polaris Dormitory is gradually returning. Now we need to do a thorough cleaning, so there probably won't be much time for your competition.

　Looking at Soma Yukihira's face full of fighting spirit, Satoshi Isshiki still had that smiling look on his face, speaking in a gentle tone.

　"I'll help. I can definitely get it done before tonight. Then, let's have a showdown!"

　Despite Isshiki Satoshi's evasiveness, Yukihira Soma did not give up. Instead, he took a broom from the storage room and swept the floor while speaking to him.

　"Since you've made up your mind, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to refuse. Let's have a cooking showdown tonight!"

　Feeling the intense gaze of Soma Yukihira, Satoshi Isshiki knew he couldn't refuse no matter what, so he nodded solemnly.

　After all, it was his adorable junior who had made the request again and again, and he was also very curious about how much Soma Yukihira had grown after his trip to China.

　Judging from his confident demeanor, he's probably not a simple person!

　"A match with Yukihira would be a good opportunity to stretch my muscles that haven't been used during the summer vacation, which is not bad."

　With that in mind, Isshiki Satoshi and Yukihira Soma both sped up their cleaning, wanting to finish before dark so they could have a cooking showdown.

　"Do you two want to have a competition? This old woman can't pretend she didn't hear that!"

　Just then, a figure emerged from a room on the first floor of the Polar Star Dormitory. The aged voice carried a strong sense of familiarity. Soma Yukihira looked up and saw Granny Fumio coming out of the room.

　"Grandma Wenxu, it's been a long time!"

　Yukihira Soma warmly raised his hand to greet her, while Fumio's grandmother simply nodded slightly in response.

　"It's been a while, really. Let me see how good your cooking has gotten. If it's not good, I won't let you stay here!"

　"Don't worry, it'll be absolutely delicious!"

　Soma Yukihira's face was brimming with confidence; he...

　His trip to Fujian was anything but slacking off. Although he is still quite a distance from being a master chef, he is already capable of making master-level dishes.

　If placed in the Far Moon Academy, it would definitely be at the level of the top five of the previous Ten Outstanding Players.

　"What? Yukihira-kun wants to have a match with Isshiki-senpai?"

　A slightly surprised voice came from outside the Polar Star Dormitory. The three people inside immediately looked over and saw Yoshino Yuuki and the others returning with their suitcases. They then walked over to them.

　"So everyone came back together."

　Looking at Soma Yukihira and Satoshi Isshiki inside, Ryoko Sakaki couldn't help but complain, and pulled her suitcase inside.

　"Good afternoon, Grandma Wenxu."

　As she passed by Fumio Oomido, Megumi Tadokoro bowed politely in greeting. Upon seeing this, Oomido nodded slightly and said, "Since almost everyone is back, I'll go to the kitchen and make something to eat. Let's all have some together later."

　"Are you doing a big clean-up? Let us help."

　Seeing the brooms in Isshiki Satoshi's and Yukihira Soma's hands, Tadokoro Megumi spoke up.

　"I'll clean the windows, Ryoko, come and help me."

　"OK."

　Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko did not refuse. They quickly assigned tasks and got to work in full swing.

　Inside the kitchen, Grandma Wenxu was humming a song as she cooked, and an enticing aroma wafted from the pot.

　About an hour later, everyone finished their work and stood at the entrance of Polaris Dormitory, looking at the newly renovated dormitory with satisfied expressions on their faces.

　"You've cleaned it so well. You must be hungry after working so hard. Come and have something to eat."

　Grandma Wenxu called out as she placed the freshly smoked fish fillets on the table, looking at the people standing in front of her.