Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 279 Tips for Making Candied Date Cake Taste Good

"The second wife of our family always disliked the fish cooked by the chef, saying that it smelled fishy. But when Zhi brought back the fish, she praised it highly, and even an old woman like me was moved by her words."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have the audacity to ask you to drop your job at the restaurant and come cook a dish for me."

Shen Yu smiled and said, "You are too kind, Madam. I just know some inferior cooking skills and I can only support my family."

Old Madam Song pointed to a plate of candied date cakes on the table beside her and said, "Mother Feng said that this was brought from your restaurant."

"I've had breakfast. I just tried a small piece. It tastes really good. It's sweet but not greasy. It's soft and sweet."

"I want to ask, it's the same candied date cake, why is the one made by my chef only sweet and not as fragrant as yours?"

Shen Yu smiled and said, "It's nothing, actually. I specially ordered the filling of this candied date cake from the fruit shop."

"I don't like things that are too sweet, so when making the filling for this candied date cake, I asked them to replace part of the cane sugar with date flower honey."

"After it's done, the taste isn't so sweet, but has the fragrance of jujube flowers. Although the cost is a little bit higher, the taste is much better."

After hearing this, Old Lady Song suddenly realized what was going on, and complained to Mother Feng standing beside her: "Ah Zhen, did you hear that? We thought the fillings all tasted the same, and we complained that we were old and couldn't taste the good food anymore."

"Look, the little girl is very attentive when making the candied date cake, but Chef Liu has been making the same cake for ten years, and it never changes, and it is always sweet."

Mother Feng laughed and said, "Who said it wasn't true? The old lady is right. I'll give him this candied date cake to try later and see if he still refuses to admit his mistake."

"Good girl, this stuffing recipe of yours is not a secret recipe, can you tell me how much jujube honey to add?"

"Don't just keep adding ingredients when Chef Liu imitates you. It won't taste good."

Shen Yu smiled and said, "Mom, you're exaggerating. It's not a secret recipe. I just figured it out when I was free. Just replace 20% of the sugar with jujube honey and it will be almost the same."

"Sugar is just sweet, but jujube honey is sweet and has a floral aroma. It is very nutritious and suitable for older people."

Old Madam Song said, "Ah Zhen, remember this. When the time comes, you can stand by and watch Chef Liu cook."

Mother Feng hurriedly agreed, and Old Madam Song turned to ask Shen Yu: "I heard that you want to use grass carp and pork belly to cook?"

"These two ingredients are very easy to get. I've eaten grass carp before, but it's always woody and tastes bland. Sea bass in spring is delicious, but unfortunately it can only be eaten for a limited time. Crucian carp has too many bones, so it can only be used to make soup."

Shen Yu nodded and said, "I heard from Madam Feng that the old lady wanted to eat a light and delicious fish dish."

"I think that on weekdays, if you want something light and delicious, you can only steam or stew it. Steaming and stewing are common cooking methods. I'm sure the old chef in your house can cook better than me even with his eyes closed."

"So I want to make something new, called fish balls. I'll make them later, and I hope the old lady doesn't mind."

Old Madam Song nodded as she listened, and said with a smile: "Good boy, you know how to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. A seemingly ordinary piece of candied date cake contains ingenuity, and the others will not be any worse."

Then he said to Mother Feng, "Is everything ready in the small kitchen? Take Miss Shen and my wife there yourself."

"I know the two cooks in the kitchen. They are good at cooking, but they are also bullying."

"Tell them that it was me who said that Miss Shen should do whatever she wanted, and they can't make trouble. She has her own restaurant, and she just came to cook a meal for me to change the taste. Tell them not to have any wild thoughts."

Shen Yu listened and couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

It seems that the chef of the Song Mansion is not easy to deal with. It is better to be careful today and leave as soon as the food is done.

After making up his mind, he smiled and said to Madam Song: "Madam, you are too kind. The chefs must be good. Please don't laugh at me for showing off my skills in front of an expert."

"Fish balls are a dish that takes some time to make, so let's go there now."

Old Madam Song nodded, Shen Yu and Li exchanged greetings, and then followed Madam Feng out of the main room.

Mother Feng led the two of them along the corridor, around the main house, through the corner door, and into the backyard, where the old lady's small kitchen was located.

She probably got the news early in the morning. When Mother Feng came over, she saw Chef Xin and Chef Liu standing at the kitchen door waiting.

Both of them looked unhappy, and they kept a frown on their faces involuntarily, without a trace of smile.

Mother Feng turned to Shen Yu and said, "Young lady, wait a moment. I will go over and talk to them."

Shen Yu and Li knew that Mother Feng was going to convey Old Madam Song's words. If they went there, the two chefs would lose face.

Li smiled and said, "Mom, just go over there. Yuzhi and I will wait here. When you call us, we will go over there."

Mother Feng nodded, walked over, passed the two cooks standing at the door, entered the kitchen, and waved to them.

After a long while, Mother Feng came out smiling, followed by the two cooks, who forced a smile on their faces, which looked even uglier than their previous stern expressions.

Shen Yu and Li lowered their heads slightly, pretending not to see anything, and walked into the kitchen to greet the two cooks. The two cooks were tall and fat, but they were narrow-minded and just nodded with a hum.

Shen Yu smiled and said, "Mother Feng, let's start now, so as not to delay the old lady's meal at noon."

Mother Feng was annoyed that the two cooks did not give her face, but fortunately she did not count on them, so she went over to point out the water tank where the fish were kept, and asked Mother Qin, who was doing odd jobs in the kitchen, to bring the pork belly that she had bought early in the morning and put it on the table.

She said to Shen Yu, "Miss Shen, this is Aunt Qin. If you need any chores like peeling onions, ginger, garlic, burning firewood, etc., just ask her to do it."

"I can't be without someone in front of the old lady. I'll go back first and come back in half an hour."

Shen Yu smiled and said, "Thank you, Mom. I'll go by myself. I'll be almost done in half an hour."

Mother Feng agreed and turned to leave the kitchen.

Mrs. Song’s small kitchen was much larger than the one in Fengnian Restaurant. It was fully equipped with all kinds of kitchen utensils, as well as a large number of bottles and jars of seasonings.

Shen Yu smiled slightly and wanted Qin Ma to peel some onions.

Mother Qin agreed and just picked up a scallion when Chef Xin, who was standing aside and watching coldly, coughed.

Aunt Qin looked at the two cooks' faces and said timidly, "Young lady, I just remembered that I'm in the kitchen over there, watching over the porridge being cooked for the old lady, and I can't leave them alone."