Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 772 - 391: Mastered Snacks

Huang Shengli’s waist has fully recovered, and with a heavy workload, he not only has to take on the responsibilities of the head chef in the kitchen but also instruct apprentices and stabilize the management of Huang Ji. You could say Huang Shengli is like a versatile brick for Huang Ji, moved wherever needed.

"Don’t worry about your Master Zheng," Huang Shengli said with a smile, "Yesterday, he was just a bit provoked. He thought you and Little Zheng wouldn’t be able to figure out the Double Crab Bun and would still need to consult him, but you managed to make it yourselves, and it wasn’t bad. He just couldn’t quite accept it at the moment because of how things went yesterday."

"I know his temperament well, diligent for a day, regret it for a day, lazy for a day, procrastinate for a day, and you’ll see him back here in three days."

Qin Huai: ...

Zheng Da really is wrapped around Huang Shengli’s finger; he knows all his quirks.

Qin Huai understood. For the next few days, he would consolidate the Double Crab Bun, and after three days, learn the Four Happiness Rolls.

As if seeing what was on Qin Huai’s mind, Huang Shengli directly said, "But as for the Four Happiness Rolls, your Master Zheng is really not good at it. That snack gives him a mental block. In the early years, when he made the Four Happiness Rolls, the neighbors scolded him miserably."

"Your Master Zheng... in the younger folks’ words, is a bit fragile. He can’t stand being criticized in what he’s most skilled at; otherwise, he wouldn’t have quit being a chef and gone into business because he didn’t become a Master at a State-owned Restaurant back then."

"With the lesson learned from the Double Crab Bun, I guess he’ll disappear for two or three more days, practicing the Four Happiness Rolls at home."

Qin Huai: ...

Truly a strong-willed person, but focused on peculiar points, this Master Zheng.

Huang Shengli chatted idly with Qin Huai for a while longer, asking about how things have been at home and at Yunzhong Restaurant these past months, and then suddenly asked:

"Xiao Qin, have you found a direction you’re good at now?"

Qin Huai was a bit confused by this question.

A direction he excels at?

Qin Huai felt that as long as he could make snacks, he was pretty good at them. There were only those he was relatively less adept at, like in the category of puffy pastries. The others, like Four Happiness Glutinous Rice, guo’er, Chicken Soup Noodles, Double Crab Bun, Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns, including the recently popular Green Bean Cake, were all different kinds of snacks.

From a skills perspective, Qin Huai’s current highest skill level was in filling, but the types of snacks that could be made from fillings were numerous.

Qin Huai’s yeast skills were also good, but in the game, the definition of yeast is very broad. Anything related to dough, whether kneading or fermenting, or even rolling noodles, all counted under this skill, making it hard to see a single precise technique.

Currently, the snack Qin Huai can make with the highest rating is undoubtedly the guo’er, but the guo’er benefited from Huang Shengli’s meat cooking.

Among the snacks Qin Huai made independently, the one with the highest level and stability was the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice.

It could consistently maintain an A-level.

Qin Huai had never thought he needed to have a direction he excelled at. He had always made snacks based on what people wanted to eat, without a specific direction.

"Is it... the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice?" Qin Huai asked uncertainly, "I’ve been making it quite well recently, and a lot, but I’m not sure if Four Happiness Glutinous Rice counts as a snack I’m good at."

"Skilled at..." Qin Huai squinted his eyes, rare in deep thought, "I think there are a lot of snacks I’m quite good at."

"Many snacks I did well on the first try, like apple dough balls, Fermented Rice with Steamed Buns, Green Bean Cake, and now the lotus root powder balls. Although my lotus root powder balls aren’t quite there yet, I find them decent and smoother to make than other snacks."

"At least smoother than the Double Crab Bun."

"Master Huang, do you mean... skillful in this aspect?" Qin Huai asked uncertainly.

Huang Shengli nodded affirmatively: "I noticed while you were making the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice that you’re really good at making these... I don’t know... how to describe them, rice ball-like snacks?"

"Although I’m not a pastry chef, I did see how Zheng Da learned his craft back then. These rice ball-like snacks aren’t as easy as they appear."

"When you made the Four Happiness Glutinous Rice, I was actually quite surprised. You only encountered issues with the filling but not with the snack itself. Now, with lotus root powder balls, I’ve noticed you’re really good at this type. You might want to delve into learning more about it."

"Every chef progresses faster and achieves more in the types they’re skilled at."

Faced with Huang Shengli’s sincere suggestion, Qin Huai nodded earnestly, saying, "I will, Master Huang."

Then, as soon as Huang Shengli left, he quickly asked Zheng Siyuan and Tan Wei’an, "Do you know any snacks made with soup balls or like dumplings?"

To this, Zheng Siyuan shook his head, indicating your sudden question left me at a loss. After all, this type of snack isn’t Zheng Siyuan’s specialty; his favorite is still fresh meat mooncakes, snacks that require baking.

Tan Wei’an, on the other hand, showed the basic literacy of a chef, calmly saying, "Wait a while, when I get home tonight, I’ll look and see if there are any similar recipes to send you later."

Tan Wei’an’s Treasure Bag is just that versatile.

As for Zang Liang...

He was completely immersed in the interactions belonging to meat chefs, almost unable to pull away, just short of submitting a resume to join Huang Ji.

Qin Huai even felt that if Huang An Yao offered Zang Liang an enticing salary, he might go back and persuade Zang Mu for both mentor and apprentice to switch to Huang Ji.

Of course, the most likely outcome is that Zang Liang will receive a just sanction from his master.

Qin Huai spent a calm day making Double Crab Buns, occasionally working on other snacks and lotus root powder balls from time to time.

Everyone at Huang Ji was quite happy because the lotus root powder balls were excellent for a work break snack; everyone could grab a bowl, whether cutting or frying.

Sweet snacks that aren’t overly sweet, with a fragrant hint of lotus root powder, are flavorful yet chewy.

At 5:40 PM, after finishing the last batch of lotus root powder balls, Qin Huai left work on time.

When he picked up his phone in the locker room, Qin Huai saw the message from Su Qian.

The people from Zhiwei Restaurant at Yunzhong Restaurant had already set off, expected to arrive in Gusu after 9 PM.

Qin Huai was shocked to see this message, wasn’t some preparation time needed? They’re ready? What about the housing? Renting near Huang Ji isn’t easy. Previously, the elderly from Yunzhong Restaurant rushed in and drove up property prices, so most available rental or sale options in the opposite community were taken by the elderly, while old houses were too old.

Had it not been difficult to find temporary housing, Zheng Siyuan wouldn’t be borrowing a place from the elderly.

Qin Huai calculated the time and figured that Su Qian and the others probably weren’t out of the plane yet, so he just sent a message instead of calling and turned to get a massage at the neighboring bone-setting shop.

When the process ended and he’d finished a platter of fruits, Qin Huai received a reply from Su Qian.

Su Qian said the housing near Huang Ji was indeed hard to rent, and neither suitable apartments nor enough units were available through the usual agents, including the ones previously contacted.

Ultimately, Su Qian took the initiative and contacted Xu Tuqiang, who helped arrange accommodations through previous connections with the elders, who readily agreed because Su Qian treated them to a large batch of their favorite snacks, doing almost days’ worth of baking that morning and afternoon.

After reading Su Qian’s message, Qin Huai suddenly thought that bringing the Zhiwei Restaurant crew to Huang Ji was pretty good. Su Qian finished his message cautiously:

Master Qin, are you going to be at Huang Ji for so long to research new snacks?

Qin Huai happily replied: Yes, I’m currently researching a new pastry.

Su Qian, seeing Qin Huai’s reply, confusedly checked the message again and then called Boss Su.

"Hey, Uncle, do we have any masters at Zhiwei Restaurant who are very good at making lotus root powder balls?"

"Lotus root powder balls?" Boss Su was also bewildered.

"Why would Master Qin be researching lotus root powder balls? Does this type of snack even need research?" wondered Boss Su, quite puzzled.

"All this talk about a Little Master Qin, Little Master Zheng, but really, for the elders, there’s only Little Master Su."

Su Qian, in his reply message, cautiously asked Qin Huai:

"Master Qin, are you planning on staying at Huang Ji for such a long time to study new snacks?"

Qin Huai was very pleased to reply: Yes, I am currently researching new pastries.