Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

"The carapace is bluish-green with an iridescent metallic sheen, and the joints are agate red..."

Looking at the few little blue dragons in front of her, Hisako Shinoto nodded to herself.

Just like mantis shrimp, these baby lobsters are also very fresh and look full of energy; each one is a high-quality product.

"Since we're already here, let's choose the best one."

As for ingredients like lobsters, Bai Yuan taught her four ways to identify them. As long as she mastered three of them, she could pick out good lobsters.

These four methods are vitality testing, shell identification, roe identification, and meat quality assessment techniques.

At this very moment, Hisako Shinto is using the most basic vitality testing method.

She raised one hand and lightly flicked the cephalothorax behind one of the small green dragon-eye shrimps with her fingertips. The more vigorous shrimp immediately spread their claws and assumed a defensive posture.

Then she grabbed the shrimp by the middle of its body and lifted it out of the plastic box. Healthy individuals would slap their tails forcefully more than three times.

Using this method, Hisako Niito first eliminated two, and then conducted various tests on the remaining three.

Finally, we selected the most vigorous female shrimp with plump flesh and put it into a bag filled with ice.

"The total is 5,120 yen. You can give me 5,000 yen."

After glancing at the weight of the small lobster on the scale, the woman quickly calculated the price and then smiled as she held up five fingers to the two of them.

Hisako Shinto didn't hesitate, took out her wallet and paid the money, then took the bag handed to her by the older woman.

"Next up is the geoduck."

Bai Yuan solemnly held up the list, then leaned close to her ear with a mischievous smile: "This kind of ingredient is very nutritious. Does Hisako know how to prepare it?"

Meanwhile, the oxygen pumps in the seafood tanks selling geoduck clams were bubbling up in large quantities.

Faced with this sudden question, the hot breath blowing against her ear made Hisako feel her rationality boiling over.

Her face flushed slightly as she grabbed the net to scoop out the geoduck clams that were still squirting water, her mind quickly searching for the answer: "Of course, it's cooking wine and ginger slices to remove the fishy smell!"

"That's right. Geoduck clams contain five times more free amino acids than ordinary shellfish, and the glutamic acid and succinic acid in them can form a flavor matrix."

When it comes to cooking, the iris is suitable for making raw clam slices, which are as crisp and tender as chilled lychee meat, and burst with a refreshing sea breeze the moment you bite into them.

The adductor meat, after being grilled, develops a velvety texture and releases a subtle milky and nutty aroma during the caramelization process.

The last remaining edge of the skirt is best suited for hot pot; after just 3 seconds in broth, it curls into a translucent wave, its suppleness comparable to the marbled texture of top-grade Wagyu beef.

As Bai Yuan spoke, he picked up a geoduck clam from the net bag.

They say you can cure a disease by looking at it like it does, and this thing looks very nourishing. I wonder what kind of dish Cao Sandao will use it to make. I hope he doesn't waste this ingredient.

Chapter 307 Nao Satsuka's Failed Life

"Touch it and see. A skilled chef can judge the freshness and quality of a geoduck by gently stroking its thick surface."

As if he had thought of something, Bai Yuan looked up at Shinoto Hisako, his expression becoming somewhat meaningful, and as he spoke, he grabbed her hand.

Then, regardless of whether Hisako Shinto was willing or not, he led her to experience it.

Bai Yuan's fingertips, calloused, guided her hand to trace the uneven surface of the geoduck, feeling it from top to bottom, again and again.

Hisako Niito was initially a little confused, and even deliberately closed her eyes to sense the quality of the ingredients.

But as Bai Yuan moved up and down, she belatedly realized that something was wrong.

At the same time, the geoduck, which had been poised to pounce, poked its head out and sprayed Hisako Shinoto's face with a spray of salty seawater.

"ah!"

Seeing the transparent water column in front of her, Hisako Shinto couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Then she took a solid hit and was forced to take two steps back, crashing into Shirayuki's arms.

Looking up, she saw a wickedly smiling face. In an instant, Hisako Shinoto's face turned bright red, and she instinctively stomped on Shirayu's foot.

"Ouch...that hurts! Are your feet made of stone?!"

Who would have thought that Bai Yuan's entire body was incredibly hard due to his martial arts training? Feeling the pain in her feet, Shinoto Hisako gasped, then looked at Bai Yuan with a resentful expression and complained.

I wanted to teach him a lesson, but in the end, I was the one who suffered the most.

Who can she complain to now?

"Does it hurt? I'll massage it for you when we get home tonight."

Upon hearing Hisako's complaint, Shirabuchi's heart stirred, and he spoke with a smile.

"Tonight? Well... that's not out of the question either..."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Hisako Shinto's heart skipped a beat. Then, as if she had thought of something, her face visibly flushed red, but she did not refuse.

It should be said that she had been waiting for this day for a very long time!

From the day Erina-sama exposed her thoughts, she had been looking forward to this day.

However, Bai Yuan was so entangled with the women around him that he had no time for them at all, and when it came to matters between men and women, Shinoto Hisako could not possibly take the initiative to speak up.

Otherwise, Bai Yuan would definitely think she was a shameless and immoral woman.

"It's a deal then, let's buy the ingredients first."

Seeing Hisako Shinto's shy expression, Bai Yuan's lips curled up slightly.

It was worth all the time he spent researching; it was incredibly easy to get started. Although he seemed a little shy, he at least agreed.

Buy her a bouquet of flowers when you go back, and also prepare some small gifts. Don't girls like a sense of ritual?

Even if you succeed, it doesn't mean you shouldn't cherish it.

On the contrary, it is precisely because of the other person's trust and love that he needs to cherish her with all his heart, so that she understands that she has not chosen the wrong person and will be happy in the future.

This is how Bai Yuan treats his lover.

After spending more than two hours at the seafood market, Bai Yuan and Shinobu Hisako gave Cao Sandao the list, and they had bought most of the ingredients.

For the few ingredients that were unavailable, Hisako Niito found substitutes based on her understanding of their properties.

The groceries were delivered by the errand boy that Bai Yuan had called, while he and Shinoto Hisako headed towards the market.

This was their promise to Nao Satsuka: after buying the ingredients, they would meet at the market and bring the vegetables back together.

"Here, here, Hisako-neechan!"

At the intersection, Nao Satsuka's figure appeared on the other side of the zebra crossing.

Her voice remained as charming as ever, and her eyes were only on Hishisako, even subconsciously ignoring Bai Yuan standing next to her.

He wanted to rush into her arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Teacher Bai Yuan."

Upon seeing this, Hisako Shinto's lips twitched slightly, and she immediately hid behind Shirabuchi, using his body to avoid Nao Satsuka's fierce attack.

Bai Yuan was also helpless when he saw this scene, because Nao Satsuka had her eyes closed. If he dodged, she would definitely crash into the stall behind her and get a bloody head injury.

Nao Satsuka also understood this psychology, which is why she closed her eyes and forced her way in.

Thinking about it this way, this girl isn't as naive and innocent as she seems; she's actually a very cunning girl.

There was no other way, so Baiyuan could only spread his arms to prevent Satsuka Nao from falling somewhere else and hurting herself, which was morally wrong.

"Hisako-nee smells so good! It has a reassuring scent."

But why is it so plain? In my memory, it should be softer...

At the same time, Nao Satsuka arrived in front of Shirobuchi, threw herself into his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his chest.

However, just a few minutes later, Nao Satsuka realized that something was wrong.

Logically, the chest in front of her should have been soft and yielding, enough to bury her face in, but what she felt was a hard, muscular chest, though still large...

"Can you get off me now?"

Looking at the girl in front of him who had looked up and opened her eyes, Bai Yuan spread his hands out to avoid touching her as much as possible, and a helpless expression appeared on his face.

"Ah! It's Teacher Bai Yuan."

Upon seeing that the person she was holding was Shirayuki, Nao Satsuka let out a scream, then pushed him away and took two steps back.

The thought of burying her face in his chest and taking deep breaths to savor the taste made Nao Sadazuka's face flush red.

However, Teacher Bai Yuan smelled wonderful; it was a faint scent of pine and cypress, giving off a calming feeling that made one want to sink into his arms...

No! That's not the point!

Nao Satsuka was internally screaming, unsure of what to say. She could only stand there with her fists slightly clenched, waiting for Shirai's explanation.

"Because if I didn't catch you, you'd probably fall and get a bloody head, you idiot."

Bai Yuan raised his hand and gave the unruly student a tap on the head. His voice was full of helplessness. This guy really knew the answer but was pretending.

"Wow, there's a stone platform behind me? That means I almost bumped into it..."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nao Satsuka also noticed the stone display stand behind him, which was filled with all sorts of vegetables and fruits, and her face immediately turned pale.

If Bai Yuan hadn't caught her, she would likely have been seriously injured and hospitalized. Her absence from the practical training would have resulted in her failing the course, forcing her to withdraw from Totsuki Culinary Academy and forever ending her culinary career...

The image of her crashing into the stone table flashed through her mind, and Nao Satsuka felt a wave of fear. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Finally, she looked at Shirabuchi, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, Shirabuchi-sensei."

"It's a small matter, but you can't force things. Since Hisako doesn't like you, there's no need to keep bothering you. Forcing it will only make her angry and backfire."

He gently patted Nao Satsuka's head, and Shirabuchi's voice became exceptionally gentle, without any sarcasm, simply stating the facts.

"But I just love Hisako-neechan, I feel like I can't live without her!"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nao Satsuka's expression suddenly became agitated.

It's a bit dark and damp...

Looking at Nao Satsuka's appearance, the thought popped into Bai Yuan's mind: This girl's personality definitely has a big problem!

"Liking someone is your right, and no one can take that right away."

However, being persistent and clingy is an abuse of that right, and it might also offend the person in question. Wouldn't that be a losing proposition for her, since she likes that person?

Seeing the girl behaving like this, Bai Yuan felt a bit overwhelmed, so he reached out and rubbed her head, wanting to soothe her.

"So, you don't necessarily have to be clingy. Just stay quietly by her side and give your all. One day, she'll see your efforts, won't she?"

Seeing that the other person was not speaking and seemed to be thinking, Bai Yuan tried to persuade him further.

"Should I quietly stay by her side and give my all in silence...?"