dognovel Chapter 71 Invitation
Chapter 71 Invitation
The seventh dish was crispy roast pigeon, a classic Cantonese dish, which is said to be better than nine chickens.
Pigeons aren't exactly a rare or expensive ingredient; the pigeons used in this dish were caught by Lu Yuan at his grandfather's house.
The key is that the process of making this dish is extremely complicated, with each step involving marinating the pigeon, braising the pigeon, and brushing on the crispy batter having its own secret recipe.
Lu Yuan was fortunate enough to learn this dish from a Cantonese cuisine master chef and even improved its recipe.
Lu Yuan finished marinating the pigeons last night.
After preparing the cold dishes, Lu Yuan's main task was to make this crispy roast pigeon.
The crispy batter needs to be applied three times in advance, and the pigeon is only drizzled with hot oil when the serving time is almost here.
The cooked pigeon has crispy, glass-like skin, tender, juicy meat, and a savory-sweet flavor. One bite reveals a burst of flavorful juices and tender meat with a hint of bone.
When Pingping served the dish, most people were already slightly tipsy and didn't pay much attention.
As the key figure at the dinner party, no one dared to force Mr. Ding to drink, and he remained relatively sober.
He immediately recognized the extraordinary quality of this crispy roast pigeon, picked up a piece, and began to chew it slowly.
After finishing one piece, he silently picked up a second one.
As Mr. Ding picked up the third piece, he pointed to the dish and said:
"Come on everyone, quickly eat this crispy roast pigeon while it's hot! The taste is just as good as that of the master chefs from Guangdong!"
The CEOs, who were drinking together, all picked up a piece of food and started eating when they heard CEO Ding speak.
"This pigeon... how can it be so delicious!" Mr. Liu couldn't help but exclaim.
Mr. Ding is a self-made entrepreneur who built his business from scratch. His company is very powerful, and people all over the place are eager to do business with him.
He has passed the stage where he needs to compete in drinking and showing off, and he can't stand businessmen who act ostentatiously.
For him, the dinner party is more about enjoying the delicious food itself.
He doesn't refuse when someone invites him to dinner, but he'll judge whether the person is only concerned with the spectacle or with the food itself.
This is also his experience in judging people at dinner parties; he's seen too many ostentatious displays and has no interest in them at all.
Those who meticulously plan their dishes are never careless in their work.
Mr. Wang made very comfortable arrangements for today's dinner, and Mr. Ding was very satisfied.
When the crispy roast pigeon was ready, Lu Yuan made an extra one.
After Pingping finished serving the dishes, Lu Yuan immediately told Lu Jie to give the extra one to the old man.
The pigeon meat is tender, just right for the old man's teeth.
Lu Jie rushed off in a flurry, then ran back, drooling, and said with a resentful look:
"Master, why didn't you make more? I've been craving them the whole way here!"
Lu Yuan rolled up his sleeves, revealing a red mark on his shoulder, and sneered:
"Grandpa's precious pigeon, go catch it yourself if you dare!"
After hearing this, Lu Jie shrank his neck, gave a thumbs up, and pouted, saying, "You're ruthless. Otherwise, why would you be the master?"
Although Grandpa didn't have a high status in the family, anyone could scold him.
But his precious pigeons were an untouchable taboo, except when his daughters-in-law gave birth, he would personally kill a few of them to nourish their bodies.
No one else is allowed to touch it!
Yesterday, Lu Yuan had to carry three brooms to get those pigeons, which infuriated the old man.
Lu Yuan needs to find some time to cook something delicious to appease the old lady.
There's nothing we can do about it. Only the pigeons that Grandpa raises are of the highest quality, and he feels most at ease using them.
The last two dishes weren't served in such a hurry.
These kinds of dinner parties involving drinking tend to last longer than regular dinner parties.
This is the time when they're having a drinking contest and bragging, so we need to give them some space.
During this break, Lu Yuan cooked a few bowls of noodles and gave them to the drivers who were waiting outside.
The drivers hadn't originally planned to, but Lu Yuan's thoughtful gift warmed their hearts.
Following Lu Yuan's instructions, Zhenzhen noticed they were getting tired of talking, so she immediately went to serve the eighth dish: steak hot pot.
For the beef steak hot pot, use the 1st to 4th ribs from the front of the cow. This part of the meat has the best quality, is tender and not dry, and becomes more fragrant the longer it is cooked.
Zhenzhen brought a steaming copper pot to the table, and the rich aroma of beef instantly filled the air.
The diners' appetites, which had cooled slightly, were once again awakened.
By this time, the sun had completely set, and night gradually replaced the remaining afterglow.
The weather is getting a bit chilly, and this steak hotpot is just the right time to be served.
The broth is filled with a variety of side dishes, and the side dishes are piled high with beef ribs.
Everyone spontaneously stopped drinking and began to enjoy the steaming hot and delicious food.
Some of them got so engrossed in the meal that they even asked Zhenzhen for a bowl of rice, which they then slurped down in the rich broth of the steak hotpot.
Another advantage of the steak hot pot is that it can be kept warm over a low flame, so it can always provide a steaming hot and delicious meal for guests who are drinking.
After a period of rest, the bosses continued their work.
These days, drinking parties are brutal. Whoever backs down first will truly lose face, so everyone drinks without restraint.
When Zhenzhen saw that they were getting quite drunk, she immediately served the last dish: fish and mutton stew.
This is a very clever dish: fish + lamb = freshness.
There are many versions of the fish and mutton soup, and many different stories about its origin.
But only in the northern border region can the fish and mutton be truly fresh.
The reason is simple: it's all thanks to the Tan lamb that graces state banquets!
Many people make fish and mutton soup, using crucian carp to make the broth and then discarding it, only eating the mutton afterwards.
Some people make this dish with mandarin fish instead of crucian carp, so they can enjoy both mutton and mandarin fish.
Lu Yuan's method is relatively complicated, involving stewing crucian carp and mutton together.
After discarding the crucian carp with many bones, add the sliced grass carp. This way, you can enjoy the deliciousness of the crucian carp soup while also getting to eat the fish slices.
Mandarin fish would actually be a better choice, but unfortunately, fresh mandarin fish are basically unavailable in northern China these days.
The arrival of this fish and lamb dish signifies the end of the drinking session.
Sometimes, diners at a dinner table need the restaurant to give them this kind of signal.
Mr. Wang took the soup ladle from Zhenzhen and warmly served everyone a bowl of fresh soup.
Having a bowl of this after drinking is indeed very comforting.
As Mr. Liu drank, he remarked with emotion:
"The chefs here are incredibly skilled; every dish is exquisite. Mr. Wang, where did you find such a master chef?"
Mr. Wang knew that Mr. Liu was giving him a message, so he went along with it and said:
"It took some effort to arrange this meal. Originally, Boss Lu only opened for business at noon, but I kept contacting him every day, suggesting that he host private banquets in the afternoon. It took a whole week of persuasion to finally make this meal happen."
"However, this Mr. Lu is very serious about his work. After deciding to hold private banquets, he immediately put a lot of effort into renovating this courtyard, and he did it in a very respectable way."
Mr. Ding nodded in agreement, saying, "From what you've said, he certainly seems like a capable person. Mr. Wang, could you please introduce me to him later?"
"Yes, Mr. Ding!"
After the banquet ended, Zhenzhen and Pingping politely saw the guests off at the door.
The two sisters behaved very calmly, neither humble nor arrogant, and were generous and dignified, making the guests feel as comfortable as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.
Mr. Ding and Mr. Wang arrived a step too late and found Lu Yuan resting at the front desk.
Mr. Wang introduced, "Mr. Lu, let me introduce you to Mr. Ding, a famous entrepreneur from northern China."
Mr. Ding was very polite and took the initiative to extend his hand to shake hands with Lu Yuan:
"I never expected Boss Lu to be so young yet so skilled! Amazing!"
Lu Yuan replied with a smile, "President Ding, you flatter me."
Mr. Ding said, "I'm having a private banquet next week. Could you please invite Mr. Lu to host it in the provincial capital?"
Lu Yuan decisively refused, saying, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ding, I never cook outside."