"Is it really hard?" Qin Huai was a bit surprised, hearing for the first time from Zheng Siyuan that Zheng Da hadn’t learned a recipe.
Zheng Siyuan shook his head: "It’s not because of the difficulty. It seems there are some other reasons, possibly because the recipe was bought at a high price and became exclusive, so it can’t be made. I remember my dad mentioning it when chatting with Uncle, saying once is not worth doing anyway, better not to learn it."
Qin Huai nodded, half-understanding.
Rich people splurging to buy out recipes was not uncommon back in the day. For instance, Luo Jun actually bought out the recipe for guo’er at a high price.
However, the guo’er recipe is quite special because the chef himself didn’t want to reveal that he created the recipe and didn’t really want to make it.
"Looks like if I want to learn the Double Crab Bun, I’ll have to wait until next year," Qin Huai sighed.
Zheng Siyuan nodded: "But you should get the hang of Double Crab Bun quickly; its essence lies in the seasoning. This snack actually resembles Crab Dumpling, as both require keeping the original flavor without adding too many ingredients, ensuring savory taste while removing any fishy taste, without off-flavors."
"Only, the difficulty with Double Crab Bun is higher, because pairing crab roe with sea cucumber is much harder than with shrimp meat. It’s said that our grandmaster got the inspiration to develop a new Crab Dumpling method from the Double Crab Bun."
"Gusu isn’t coastal, so sea cucumber was rare back then. In a way, Crab Dumpling is actually a plain substitute for Double Crab Bun."
Qin Huai’s eyes lit up instantly.
Seasoning is great; he loves to practice seasoning proficiency!
His skills points are highest in seasoning.
Last time he practiced Crab Dumpling for a month and gained a seasoning proficiency of 30,000. If he practices Double Crab Bun for a month next year, won’t this proficiency just soar? Master Level seasoning is just around the corner!
"Si Yuan, let’s start practicing Double Crab Bun next September!" Qin Huai extended the team-up invitation.
Your degree of fickleness with snacks has reached the point where you need to book snacks for next September?
"Alright." Zheng Siyuan nodded, "September is when crab roe is at its best, and it’s also the sea cucumber harvest season, making it more suitable for Double Crab Bun."
"So, are we still practicing Four Happiness glutinous rice?"
"Yes, of course! Even though we haven’t figured out the Mixed Fruit Filling yet, I think more practice and combination is never wrong. I now have a feeling we’ve missed an important factor in making our Mixed Fruit Filling just like with the locust flower buns before."
"Once we solve that core issue, everything else will fall into place."
Zheng Siyuan agreed to practice Four Happiness glutinous rice balls: "Then I’ll go home to make them. Are you sure you don’t need help with tomorrow’s sticky rice cake?"
"No need, it’s just a portion or two; I can handle it."
Qu Jing rarely expressed a strong desire for sticky rice cake, so of course, Qin Huai had to satisfy it.
For Qin Huai, making sticky rice cake wasn’t complex, just a bit troublesome.
The rice cakes had to be handmade; using store-bought cakes wouldn’t guarantee quality. When Qin Huai was at Yunzhong Restaurant, he used to make a big batch of sticky rice cake, dedicating two hours every afternoon a day prior to prepare the cakes.
This time slot was best when Ouyang could skip a shift, as making rice cakes involved repeated stirring of glutinous rice and water and repeated steaming. Stirring a small bowl is relaxing.
But stirring a big batch is undeniably intense labor, requiring help from someone strong.
After the lunch service ended the next day, Qin Huai started making sticky rice cake in a relaxing way.
Yesterday was Four Happiness glutinous rice, today was sticky rice cake. Just by looking at the past two days’ relaxing activities, those unaware would think Qin Huai had a preference for glutinous rice products.
Since it was a relaxing session of making rice cakes, naturally, Qin Master wouldn’t personally handle the laborious stirring.
While Tan Wei’an was earnestly stirring the rice cake, he had only one thought.
Does Qin Huai also make rice cakes?
He can make buns, mantou, dumplings, shaomai, Baked Bun, stuffed rice balls, hand-pulled noodles, and even rice cakes.
Could the rumors be true, that Qin Huai was once an all-rounder Breakfast Shop master?
The variety at their Breakfast Shop must have been vast; how do they even sell rice cakes?
"Master Qin, your friend is here, waiting for you outside," a round-faced waiter shouted from the kitchen door.
Qin Huai knew Ouyang had come to collect his food box, carrying the packed guo’er out, not forgetting to remind Tan Wei’an: "Use force, making rice cakes requires constant stirring, no technique involved, just force, same logic as pounding rice cakes."
Tan Wei’an smiled wryly and nodded, signaling his understanding of the logic, the issue being the circumstances not allowing it.
Do we have to make rice cakes in this primitive way? Machines could be used!
"Junior Brother, come take over for a while in stirring," Tan Wei’an grabbed the passing Guli, "This rice cake stirring does have technique, come feel it yourself."
"Didn’t Master Qin just say there’s no technique?" Guli asked.
"There is!" Tan Wei’an said firmly, "Experience it, there is definitely technique!"
Guli didn’t quite understand but chose to trust his senior, taking over and starting to stir diligently.
Meanwhile, unaware that the rice cake stirring task in the kitchen had changed hands, Qin Huai met Ouyang at the back kitchen entrance, handing over the packed box.
As soon as Ouyang received the box, he couldn’t wait to open it and take out a guo’er, biting into it.
"This guo’er was the last batch steamed, I placed it aside and forgot to put it in the warmer, so it might be cold now, you should..." Qin Huai advised.
"It’s good even cold!" Ouyang insisted, stating the temperature didn’t matter, taking big bites before stopping to glance at the bag.
"No glutinous rice balls today, huh."
"You can’t have glutinous rice balls every day, I made sticky rice cake today. You know, rice cake needs to be made and then covered with a damp cloth for over 12 hours before eating the next day."
Ouyang took another bite of guo’er, smiling blissfully, speaking while chewing: "No wonder your snack is so popular, last night the line was still there past 9 o’clock with people unwilling to leave, it’s genuinely delicious."
"It’s simply the best snack you’ve made."
Getting Ouyang’s approval, showing the A+ level charm of the snack.
"Did you see Dr. Qu yesterday, how was she?" Qin Huai came out to give Ouyang the snack not for chit-chat, as they could chat anytime in the evening.
When Qin Huai got home last night, Ouyang wasn’t there. Chen Huihong heard that Ouyang had rented a place and hadn’t moved in yet, so she generously helped him upgrade his smart furniture, and Ouyang went excitedly to see them last night, coming back at 1 a.m.
According to an insider, last night there was an unstable light in a household complex, frequently tripping, turning on and off, which an old man mistook for a spy sending messages via Morse code and reported it.
Ouyang was back from the police station at 1 a.m.
"She’s quite good." Ouyang recalled carefully, "To be honest, Dr. Qu has changed quite a bit with the new environment; she’s become more open and wasn’t wearing a mask in the office, getting along well with colleagues."
"When I went yesterday, others didn’t know I was there to deliver snacks, they were in the office chatting about how the hospital canteen is getting worse, Dr. Qu’s desk had quite a few snacks from colleagues."
"You sent guo’er to Dr. Qu, she kept one for herself and shared the rest with her colleagues. One male doctor got so excited he started helping Dr. Qu with her medical records."
This can’t be critiqued, this is real excitement.
"Dr. Qu also asked if your work intensity has increased recently, saying there are suitable projects in the rehabilitation department for you. Master Huang harmed his back from overworking when young, moreover, knowing you, going to a Bone Setting Shop is only a temporary solution, it would be best to check at the rehab department if time allows, and do some related tests."
"I almost forgot you mentioned until you brought it up. I was supposed to tell you last night, but not knowing who reported me, ended up being taken to the station at night."
Qin Huai earnestly suggested, "In future, don’t play with smart home devices when bored."
"And don’t focus solely on the lights."
"There are many functions, not just switching lights."