Chapter 429: Yuan Zhou’s First Failure (First)
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
“Needless to say, you allow me to drink the Shaoxing yellow rice wine, will you?” Yuan Zhou was actually quite eager to try the wine.
After all, Shaoxing yellow rice wine was really famous.
“According to you, Shaoxing yellow rice wine has already been listed as a tribute to the Emperor as early as the Southern and Northern Dynasties and there are all kinds of poems of praise about it. Among the kinds of Shaoxin yellow rice wine, Huadiao Wine is well-known as the Maiden Rose. What kind of Shaoxing wine do you feed the geese with?” Yuan Zhou asked curiously.
The system displayed, “An important sensory standard to judge the quality of Shaoxing wine is if the viscosity is thick. At the very beginning, Huadiao Wine specially stands for the aged Shaoxin wine.”
“In ancient times, there was a custom in Shaoxing. After the birth of their daughter, the parents would seal the earthen jars filled with Shaoxing wine for dowry in the future and put them underground. When their daughter gets married, they will take out the sealed Shaoxing wine and sculpt all kinds of colorful flower and bird patterns on the surface of the earthen jar. Then the wine would follow their daughter to her husband’s as the dowry. So, it was called Huadiao Wine (meaning ‘flower carving’) and was also known as the Daughter’s Wine. In the end, people specially called the aged Shaoxing wine as Huadiao Wine.”
“So that’s why you say the goose drinks the aged Shaoxing wine!” Yuan Zhou couldn’t help turning over the stomach of the goose.
He was probably checking if there was still wine in the stomach of the geese, as he had only heard of this kind of good wine.
Nowadays, there were lots of regional protection policies. In other words, it was very difficult to buy the authentic yellow rice wine in other places, let alone quality wine.
Take Maotai Wine for example, as far as Yuan Zhou knew, it could be produced nowhere except in Moutai County where the Moutai Wine was originally produced.
It was rumored that the Japanese scientists had once stolen the formula of the Maotai Wine and the soil of the wine cellar in order to develop the wine on their own, but eventually failed.
It was just because the bacteria in the soil could not adapt to the environment over there and hence died.
So Yuan Zhou would love to have a taste of the Shaoxing yellow rice wine and try it.
The system displayed, “Yes, The goose is selected from those which has just reached 3500 grams. Besides, it’s fed with quality rice every day.”
“As the host, I strongly demand such a diet every day,” said Yuan Zhou with a solemn look.
“And I think it’s quite a reasonable demand.” Yuan Zhou thought for a while and added.
The system displayed, “Host, please work hard to level up. Such a diet will be available in the future.”
“I’m telling you that a cook’s mood is very important. If I can’t eat nice food, I will feel bad, then how can I make a delicious meal?” Yuan Zhou had habitually thought that the system would reject him again and thus said a lot. Then, he discovered it seemed to be different from what he expected this time.
“You surprisingly have a different answer! Where’s your usual pattern? I’m not used to the sudden change.” Yuan Zhou supported his forehead and revealed a helpless look.
Only after Yuan Zhou said that did he carefully look at the answer that the system had just answered.
Upon seeing that, Yuan Zhou became delighted and then asked immediately, “You mean it’s available after I level up? Then what level will it be?”
The system fell silent and returned to the state of not answering him again.
“Again! You just fall silent at the crucial moments.” Yuan Zhou was made speechless by that.
Then, Yuan Zhou shrugged and paid no more attention to the system. Instead, he began to process the flesh of the goose.
Generally speaking, the feet and wing tips of the goose would be chopped off after it had been processed, but Yuan Zhou didn’t do that way.
“It’s better to clean and blow the air, first.” Yuan Zhou picked up the goose and directly began to clean it.
“Hua Hua”, the sound of water flowing came from Yuan Zhou’s restaurant.
There was only an opening about 1 inch long at the abdomen of the goose provided by the system. The viscera was just taken from the small opening, which could guarantee the goose was intact to the maximum extent.
Afterwards, Yuan Zhou washed the abdominal cavity directly with the cool May rainwater, provided by the system naturally.
In a little while, the goose would be grilled with the charcoal fire. The cold rainwater couldn’t be used and nor could the ice water that was freezing. Although the dew tasted sweet, it was also cold and thus unsuitable.
Only the May rainwater that tasted moderate with slight sweetness was the best option to wash the goose.
Not until the blood was all washed away did Yuan Zhou directly set up the goose to drain moisture.
While draining the water, Yuan Zhou wiped the surface of the goose gently with an absorbent cotton cloth.
“Do I need to blow it by myself? Since I am eating it myself.” Yuan Zhou seemed to be not only asking the system, but also talking to himself.
Naturally, he was talking about the matter of blowing on the goose.
The Roast Goose must be blown. Then, the air would enter between the subcutaneous fat and connective tissue slowly, making the entire goose swell.
Just when Yuan Zhou was hesitating, the system suddenly appeared.
The system displayed, “The chip blower provided by the system is in the cabinet.”
“Alright.” Yuan Zhou shrugged and then he took it out and prepared to blow.
He raised the head of the goose, stuck the air nozzle into its neck cavity through the cut on the neck, holding the neck and the air nozzle together tightly with his left hand, then pressed the chip blower with his right hand, making the air go into the body of the goose slowly.
“Hu Hu”, as the air was pressed into the body of the goose, its originally flat body began to bulge slowly. Only when it expended to 80% of its original size did Yuan Zhou stop.
At that time, the water in the large pot was already bubbling and rolling.
While taking the goose with one hand and a spoon with the other, Yuan Zhou began to heat the goose with the boiling water. After the body of the goose adapted to the temperature slowly, it would be put into the large pot for blanching.
During the process, Yuan Zhou tried his best not to touch the breast of the goose in case it left a dent, which would damage the overall image of the goose.
As the goose was being heated, the scent of the goose and the faint smell of the wine filled the air.
“It smells so good. No wonder it’s a goose that drinks wine.” Yuan Zhou sighed with emotion.
However, Yuan Zhou noticed another thing immediately.
“System, is the air from Chengdu? Don’t forget there is haze here in Chengdu.” Yuan Zhou started to ask the system once he got some time.
The system displayed, “The air comes from Mount Wellington in Tasmania Island which is known as the Heart of the World.”
“It’s near the South Pole, but is not bordering it. This land also has the title of End of the World. The air provided to you is taken from the clean and pollution-free air over there at 10 degrees in the winter. It has a slight smell of cold snow and is suitable to inflate the goose.”
“If I know that earlier, I should have taken a sip of the air to see if I will get drunk due to its quality.” Yuan Zhou ridiculed directly.
A goose that drank aged Huadiao Wine and breathed oxygen from the Mount Wellington. Sigh. This really made Yuan Zhou feel that he was living a life far inferior to a goose.
The only way to overtake the goose was to level up with great effort.
Fortunately, the goose was well boiled at that moment. Therefore, Yuan Zhou stopped talking to the system and began to concentrate on processing the goose.
Yuan Zhou carried out the scalding goose with the clip and began to pour cold water on it. After the process of expanding with heat and contracting with cold, the skin of the goose would become crisp and tender and free from any underlying bad smell.
After the cold water was poured on it and the goose didn’t continue emitting steam anymore, Yuan Zhou began to stuff flavorings into the goose’s belly and brushed the home-made embrittlement water on the skin.
Yuan Zhou stuffed the flavorings into the goose quickly and concisely with a porcelain spoon one spoonful after another.
After stuffing, he began to brush the embrittlement water on it again. The embrittlement water must be brushed on the goose evenly. Otherwise, the skin color of the roasted goose wouldn’t be consistent, which would affect its beauty.
“Now, there is nothing left except the drying.” Yuan Zhou sewed the belly of the goose to pack the flavorings inside and then hung the goose at the drying place.
Only after drying and then roasting could the goose flesh have the perfect effect of luster and smoothness. Because of that, Yuan Zhou spent much time on it and wasn’t stingy at all.
“The Roast Goose should be the dish with the most procedures.” Yuan Zhou looked at the goose that he had barely finished half of all procedures and felt a little proud.
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