"Focus a bit, when chefs are cooking, they often run into things that distract them, but distractions aside, they can’t affect the dish in the pan. Xiao Qin, once you can cook while enjoying the excitement on the side, you’ll be pretty much set with your Fire Control." Huang Shengli smiled warmly.
"You young folks have seen too little, when I was learning to cook, it was bustling outside. Guests fighting with guests, guests fighting with waiters, waiters fighting with guests, waiters arguing with each other, chefs arguing with waiters, sometimes it was so thrilling you almost wanted to bring the pan outside and stir-fry."
Qin Huai: ...Master Huang, even though you’re saying this now, you seemed quite entertained watching it.
Zheng Siyuan went back to focus on his mixed fruit filling.
Seeing the excitement was over, Huang Shengli asked Qin Huai, "I really don’t understand whether Siyuan’s filling is better or Zheng Da’s filling is better when it comes to your pastry fillings?"
"Actually, both are fine," Qin Huai commented impartially, "both are very standard mixed fruit fillings, no problem."
It’s just that Zheng Siyuan’s mixed fruit filling was derived from the recipe of Master Zhou at Zhiwei Restaurant, while Zheng Da’s mixed fruit filling was derived from his most adept recipe.
In terms of difficulty, surely Zheng Siyuan’s is higher and relatively, it might have a higher upper limit too, after all, Master Zhou’s recipe is worth trusting.
But in terms of skill proficiency and culinary skill, definitely, Zheng Da is one step ahead.
So, in the current research phase, Zheng Da’s finished product is leading by a mile.
Zheng Siyuan and his father quarreling is because Zheng Siyuan is upset with his father’s blatant laziness. There is a better, more advanced recipe that he won’t study, insisting on taking the lazy route with what he is skilled in. And with his father having been lazy for decades, Zheng Siyuan is counting new and old grievances together, and thus, the father and son are in a regal standoff.
And Zheng Da’s behavior can be understood as well.
Zheng Da simply wanted to showcase himself by achieving success quickly with the method he could execute the fastest to prove his capability in making the mixed fruit filling glutinous rice balls.
One is aiming for depth, the other is aiming for quick success; their goals are different, so naturally, they can’t be unified.
And so, Tan Wei’an has to bear with this, unable to balance the situation.
As for Qin Huai, his true thoughts are just as he expressed earlier, he thinks both recipes are good, both are great recipes.
Dishes can inherently have different recipes.
For example, Green Bean Cake, which has so many styles that they’re grouped into different schools of thought. The same goes for Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns. Huang Ji’s version is well-known, but that doesn’t mean only Huang Ji sells it.
Many pastry shops across the country have similar offerings, and though the taste may vary, Huang Ji’s recipe, handed down by Qin’s Steamed Bun Shop, is unique and considered a specialty, tasty and special.
The debate between Zheng Siyuan and Zheng Da about the mixed fruit filling is the same concept.
Zheng Da is using a popular recipe, while Zheng Siyuan is using Master Zhou’s unique recipe. Both are good fillings, good recipes, and theoretically, there shouldn’t be a contest over which is better.
The reason they argue so fiercely is purely a clash of ideologies between father and son.
It’s not the place for outsiders to meddle in family matters, so Qin Huai chooses not to get involved, just enjoying watching the excitement.
"So, Xiao Qin, which filling are you using?" Huang Shengli asked.
Qin Huai chuckled and plated the slightly messed-up stir-fried meat: "Of course, I’m practicing both!"
Huang Shengli smiled in gratification, feeling that this young man was indeed teachable.
Compared to Qin Huai, Tan Wei’an seemed a bit too straightforward.
Can’t really say too straightforward, just that this kid’s mind wasn’t flexible enough, a bit too earnest.
Though Zheng Siyuan is arguing, his arguments are full of knowledge points. Although Zheng Da isn’t eloquent, his processes are all knowledge points too.
The two teachers are just having a little conflict in front of you, why are you standing there staring blankly, you should be observing too? Quickly take out your notebook, these are knowledge points that’ll be tested!
By the time Qin Huai finished stir-frying his meat, both Zheng Da and Zheng Siyuan had finished their argument.
The common trait of this father and son is that they only argue when it’s appropriate and once the argument is over, they still go about their business.
"Si Yuan, you don’t need to deliver the stuffed rice balls to your sister tomorrow, you have a day off. How’s it going with the girl named Wang that Uncle Liu introduced you to last time? Although she makes Western-style pastries, it’s still pastries, I’ve met her, she’s quite pretty."
"On your day off tomorrow, take her some of the rice balls and also make some of your specialties like flaky pastry, Dingsheng Cake, or Suzhou style mooncakes. The most important thing in a matchmaking meeting is to showcase yourself. Dad thinks that the reason your previous meetings didn’t go well is that you didn’t display your strengths well enough." Zheng Da quickly switched back to parent mode.
Zheng Siyuan had zero interest in matchmaking and said flatly, "Qin Huai and Uncle Gong are coming over for lunch tomorrow, how would I have time to deliver snacks?"
"We’ll have lunch at noon and later it’s a good chance to deliver the snacks. After that, you can go out for dinner, perfect timing!" Zheng Da arranged it clearly for his son.
"We’ll see," Zheng Siyuan said, thinking about tomorrow’s lunch, feeling he had more important matters to bring up, "Dad, since Uncle Gong is coming over for lunch tomorrow, shouldn’t we prepare Four Happiness glutinous rice?"
"Are you making it or am I?"
"Of course, I’ll make it!"
"Your glutinous rice is too plain, Uncle Gong wouldn’t like it, I have to make it."
"What’s wrong with my glutinous rice being plain, mine is clearly tastier, right? When hosting guests, you should bring out something you excel in, how can you serve something that isn’t the best? Don’t believe me, ask Xiao Qin whether he prefers your almond-flavored one or my plain one?"
"What’s wrong with it being plain? Don’t underestimate sunflower seeds and peanut fillings, our pastry factory’s best-selling items every year are various sunflower seed and peanut snacks, the best evaluation comes from sales, what’s popular is good."
"The reason almond pastries don’t sell well is purely because of high costs and high prices, how can you compare these two? If you’re going to argue like that, then the egg yolk pastry still has the highest sales in our shop, doesn’t it?"
"That’s totally different, I spend a lot on advertising for the egg yolk pastry every year, it’s a popular product online!"
"So they can’t be compared; for tomorrow’s Four Happiness glutinous rice, I think it should be made with almonds."
"With sunflower seeds and peanuts!"
And once again, they started arguing.
Qin Huai and Tan Wei’an exchanged glances, Qin Huai touched his nose, suddenly thinking he should go wait at the door for Wang Jun to come back.
Wang Jun used to be his most reliable assistant, working so hard in the wind and rain now to maintain his romantic life. As a colleague, he should pick him up at the door.
Qin Huai tried to slip away stealthily, feeling that if he didn’t escape now, he was going to hear "Xiao Qin, you come and give your opinion."
"Xiao Qin, you come and give your opinion, do you want to have almond Four Happiness glutinous rice or sunflower seed and peanut Four Happiness glutinous rice tomorrow?" Zheng Da asked.
Qin Huai: ...escaped too late.
Qin Huai looked at Zheng Da.
Zheng Da’s face was full of expression saying, my skills you know, Master Zheng will never let you down, pick me, pick me!
Qin Huai then looked at Zheng Siyuan.
Zheng Siyuan conveyed through his eyes, I know you’re someone who seeks perfection in pastries just like me, you would never help the wicked to indulge my father’s improper practices, I believe in you.
Tan Wei’an exhaled deeply inside, thinking finally he wasn’t the one caught in between.
He’d been considering getting into Fire Control training these past two days.
Seeing Tan Wei’an’s two days of performance, Qin Huai knew now was definitely not the time to make a choice.
Especially when neither side had a correct or wrong answer.
"It’s rare to have a day off tomorrow, everyone has worked hard practicing the mixed fruit filling glutinous rice lately. To be honest, the one who’s been lazing the most during this period is me, I haven’t practiced as much as everyone else, mostly watching while stir-frying beside."
"Going to Master Zheng’s house to eat tomorrow was decided long ago, and it wouldn’t be right to go empty-handed, but honestly, I wouldn’t know what to buy either."
"How about this, since I initially wanted to practice Four Happiness glutinous rice, and the mixed fruit filling is what I’ve been studying, tomorrow neither of you need to make the Four Happiness glutinous rice, I’ll make it!"
"I’ll make both kinds of mixed fruit filling, do a version with random shapes, just for fun!"
Zheng Siyuan and Zheng Da nodded, indicating that this was fine too.
Whoa, so it can be done like that!
A water-master is actually right among us!