Phew... all comfortable now.

This Perfect Level Cooking Technique card had finally fulfilled its mission.

Now, the only item left in his hand was a Cuisine Upgrade Card, which Lin Xu had been pondering for a long time.

Because the Sauce Explosion Technique, Steamed Rice Flour Technique, Sugar and Vinegar Technique, and Dry-frying Technique in his possession were all at the Superior Level; upgrading any to the Perfect Level would make it a signature dish in the store.

But he couldn't decide which one to upgrade.

"Master Lin, this Braised Saddle Bridge Eel is done. What do you think?"

Qiu Zhenhua garnished the plate with some coriander leaves, then had someone take it away to be served.

You're not even letting me have a taste, how am I supposed to have an opinion... Lin Xu grumbled inwardly, then said, "They say Su cuisine emphasizes knife skills and heat control, and now I've seen it firsthand. The level of complexity in this dish has completely changed my perception of eel."

Who could imagine that from preparation to serving, it would undergo such a series of processes, including dispatching, cutting, cleaning, deep-frying, braising, steaming, and saucing?

With such a complex method, never mind freshwater delicacies like eel; even a randomly picked leaf processed this way would taste good.

Especially since pork belly accompanied it throughout the entire cooking process.

A dish made like this could hardly taste bad.

Qiu Zhenhua said, "Braised Saddle Bridge Eel evolved from Braised Pork Belly. After more than a hundred years of development, it has become what it is today. No matter how it evolved, the core has always been to braise eel segments with pork belly, achieving a sweet, salty, savory, and fragrant flavor that left a delightful aftertaste."

Sweet, salty, savory, and fragrant? Sweetness comes first? Considering this is Su cuisine, it makes sense for the sweetness to lead. But if Lin Ji were to add it to the menu, the flavor profile would have to be changed to salty-sweet, savory, and fragrant. After all, Northerners didn't share the Su Xichang Region's extreme fondness for sugar.

Not long after, Shu Yun, who was in charge of the small banquet hall upstairs, came over and said, "The guests can't stop praising the Braised Saddle Bridge Eel, saying it's the same old taste from decades ago. They're all complimenting Chef Qiu's skills."

Qiu Zhenhua smiled humbly. "It's a pity my uncle returned to his hometown recently; otherwise, if he had made it, the taste would likely be even better."

After saying that, he asked again, "What other dishes did the guests like?"

"The White Jade Lotus Root Strips and Steamed Rice Flour Silver Strips; they said it changed their perception of lotus root and white radish."

As expected...

Once these two dishes appeared, they immediately overshadowed the Su cuisine renowned for its knife skills. It had to be said, the culinary talent of Xie Baomin and his fellow chef was truly formidable. Especially Lin Xu; at such a young age, he had already mastered so many techniques. He was truly someone blessed by the heavens.

After finishing up there, Lin Xu had dinner with everyone.

The dinner there was quite sumptuous. The previously severed eel tails were deboned, sliced horizontally into pieces, and stir-fried with lard. The flavor was savory and fragrant, while the texture was crisp yet springy, leaving a deep impression on Lin Xu.

Too bad his Cooking Learning Card was used up. Otherwise, he definitely would have learned a couple more dishes, to master as many representative eel recipes as possible.

After dinner, he bid farewell to Qiu Zhenhua and strolled to Building No.2.

After saying hello to Gu Junli at the front desk, he took Dundun, who had napped for half the afternoon, and left work.

The little fellow had eaten crocodile meat today and wasn't very hungry yet, so Lin Xu hadn't prepared dinner for it at Fishing Platform. He planned to steam some pork loin at home.

Dundun hadn't had pork for several days; I need to vary its diet. It can't be allowed to become a picky eater.

When he reached the entrance of their residential complex, Lin Xu saw Shen Baobao, who had already finished work, holding a takeout container of Shengjian Buns and eating.

"WHOA, the Shengjian Bun place is incredibly popular! I had to wait in line for ages to get these."

The girl affectionately picked up a Shengjian Bun with a bamboo skewer and offered it to him. Lin Xu quickly opened his mouth to catch it, and his mouth was immediately scalded. Mhm, fresh from the pan, and full of hot soup—that's why the temperature was extremely high.

Lin Xu carefully ate it, then asked, "Are you staying here tonight or going home?"

"Wherever you go, I'll go. Anyway, I want to be with you."

Then let's not go to the villa. That way, my father-in-law won't see me and crave meat again, which would ruin the fat-loss plan my mother-in-law set for him.

After eating another Shengjian Bun, the two of them, holding Dundun, prepared to go to Uncle Yu's supermarket to buy some snacks and other things before heading upstairs to find an old movie to watch.

Just as they walked into the supermarket, Uncle Yu greeted them with a smile, saying, "Xiao Xu, a truckload of farm-grown cucumbers arrived this evening—the last batch of the year. Do you want some to try?"

Don't underestimate farm-grown cucumbers because of their small size; their cucumber flavor is intense. Whether served as a cold salad or shredded with noodles, they are delicious.

Lin Xu didn't particularly need any. Just as he was about to refuse, Shen Baobao, beside him, said, "Farm-grown? My grandma usually has the company driver go to a farm in the suburbs that grows vegetables to buy cucumbers for making pickled cucumbers. However, her waist and legs haven't been feeling well this year, so she hasn't made any yet."

Pickled cucumbers? Lin Xu suddenly remembered that during the competition at Fishing Platform last time, the second-round reward was an Excellent Level pickled cucumber recipe. Since Grandma's waist and legs aren't feeling well, I'll make them then. It's such a coincidence to come across these good cucumbers; it would be a real pity not to pickle some.

Thinking this, he said to Shen Baobao, "Then let's buy some later and make a batch. It's a good chance for your grandma to taste my handiwork."

"You know how to make pickled cucumbers too, Xu Bao? That's wonderful! I'll tell Grandma right away, so she can look forward to tasting your cooking... How long do the pickled cucumbers take to be ready?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.