Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 56
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 56: Roast Duck
Jiang Shuyao walked over to put down the cake and said awkwardly, "Eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law."
Zhou-shi did not wait until Jiang Shuyao asked why she chose to come to the bamboo courtyard and join them. She said it first, "I think I am idle anyway. Since you sincerely invited me, I came." Even though she said so, she regretted it in her heart. She shouldn't have refused so quickly and awkwardly earlier.
She said this to Jiang Shuyao, but her sight was on Xu-shi's face, and she said the four words "you sincerely invited me" with a hard meaning.
Xu-shi smiled softly when she heard her words and took Jiang Shuyao's hand while saying, "I rushed to finish my affairs and rushed over here. After all, you said more people would be more lively."
Her attitude was extremely gentle and considerate and made Jiang Shuyao move her eyes.
Hiss--
Zhou-shi took a deep breath. She made a mistake and was blackened by Xu-shi's gentle appearance. She really wanted to slap her big mouth. Why did she have to be so stiff?
Jiang Shuyao didn't care about her awkwardness and greeted the twins one by one while pushing the cake in front of them.
"This is the birthday cake. Let's cut it together." Jiang Shuyao didn't insert any candles on the cake. She was worried that there might be a superstition that makes it unlucky for them. "Before cutting, remember to close your eyes and make a wish."
While Xu-shi and Zhou-shi were still thinking about this weird custom, Xie Zhao had already rushed to Jiang Shuyao excitedly, "Can my wish come true?"
Jiang Shuyao gave an "Uh" and said, "It is good just to wish sincerely, but today is your birthday, God might think of you."
Xie Zhao nodded hurriedly, "Good, good." Then he turned to Xie Yao, "Fourth brother, let's make a wish together."
Xie Yao nodded, closing his eyes and meditating on his wish.
Xie Zhao put his hands together and looked up at the sky, muttering a long string of words with his eyes closed.
"Okay, I'm done. I hope to spend my birthday with my third aunt every year in the future." He opened his eyes and repeated his wish to Jiang Shuyao loudly.
Jiang Shuyao was stunned. One was because he was not supposed to tell people his wish, and the other was because his wish was beyond her expectations.
Xie Yao whispered at this time, "Also with mother and second aunt."
After he finished speaking, he stared at Jiang Shuyao with bright eyes, while expecting her to answer.
The three adults present were all melted because of these adorable buns.
Jiang Shuyao's heart was sour and soft, and she couldn't laugh or cry, "Okay. But when you grow up, you probably won't want us anymore."
Xie Zhao got her promise. He sat bounced back on his seat and retorted with joy, "No way."
Jiang Shuyao was amused by his childish remarks and asked them to cut the cake quickly.
Although there were only five people present, there was a very lively and warm feeling. Zhou-shi hadn't experienced this feeling for so long, and she twisted uncomfortably in her seat.
She looked up at Xu-shi and found that she had taken off her unchanging gentle and dignified mask on her face. Instead, she showed grateful eyes and a natural smile.
Zhou-shi had been with her for several years, and it was the first time that she saw a real feeling on her. Suddenly, she felt a little bit emotional.
She looked at Jiang Shuyao, who happened to place a piece of cake on her plate.
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"Second sister-in-law, try it. This is your first time trying my cake." She smiled.
Her smile was as warm as the warm winter sun, Zhou-shi's eyes were sour in no time, and she blinked away the faint dampness.
"Sister-in-law." Jiang Shuyao continued to divide the cake for Xu-shi.
"Thank you." Xu-shi said, for the first time, she said something from her heart, "I have eaten the cake you made last time, and I am still thinking about it." After saying it, she was very happy. That's right. She ate the dessert made by Jiang Shuyao first.
Zhou-shi, who was deeply moved by the kindness, moved her ears and pretended to inadvertently said, "You guys were not so familiar before you were given food."
"I was not quite familiar back then. I'm just cheeky, that's it." She glanced at Jiang Shuyao, and gently added, "My younger sister-in-law is kind and easy to get along with."
Zhou-shi's and Xu-shi's sight met in the air, and their eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yeah, why would she be willing to cook for me and eat lunch with me? I always feel guilty and uneasy in my heart, and I don't deserve her care."
Xu-shi raised half of her eyebrows and similarly squinted her eyes slightly, as if it's only deepening the smile on her face.
Jiang Shuyao, who had divided everyone's cakes, looked up and found that the atmosphere was weird.
She looked at the two people who were looking at each other. Their eyes were in contact, and there was a faint electric spark splashing around.
"Cough." She hurriedly lowered her head and ate the cake obediently like the twins.
They don't eat much while sitting and were half full after eating the cake.
Xie Zhao wanted to eat again, but Jiang Shuyao stopped him, "There is still something delicious. Keep some space in your stomach."
Xie Zhao immediately became energetic, "What is delicious?! Have we eaten it before?"
"Of course not." Jiang Shuyao stood up, "I'll go and see if it's done."
As soon as she left, Xie Zhao hurried to catch up with her. Xie Yao slowed down for a while but followed as well, leaving Xu-shi and Zhou-shi.
Zhou-shi couldn't stand it anymore, so she stood up on her crutches and followed limpingly.
Seeing this, Xu-shi also ran after them.
As a result, four people stood in a row and watched Jiang Shuyao directing the cook to roast duck.
They opened the door of the vaulted oven and put fruitwood underneath to roast the duck.
Then they roast the duck by hanging them over the open flame. The fruitwood is smoke-free and stronger at the bottom. The duck was hanged on top with an iron hook, and the cook rotates the duck constantly to ensure even heating. This tests patience and skill. So Jiang Shuyao especially let a strong cooking aunt to help.
The fruitwood burned brightly, the inside of the oven was orange-red, and the duck skin was shiny. The duck is fat and tender, with thick internal fat. After being roasted by an open flame, the fat melts, and the oil and juice fall on the fire with crackling noise. The aroma is overflowing, and the air is filled with a strong smell of roast meat.
"It's almost done." Jiang Shuyao said.
The cook nodded. She pulled a pole, took the duck out of the oven, and placed it on the large wooden board next to it.
The duck is freshly baked, the color is purplish red, the skin is shiny like a layer of honey.
Jiang Shuyao asked the maid to bring the side dishes. She took out a three-pronged fork with the cook's help, pressed the duck, and started to carve the duck with the blade.
Her skill was neat, and the red and greasy roast duck turned into slices, neatly stacked on the white porcelain plate. The duck meat is tender, the orange-red duck skin is extremely thin, tightly attached to the white meat. The meat creates red lines from the plate to plate, and people want to move their index finger when they look at it.
After Jiang Shuyao sliced the roast duck, everyone returned to the table. The maids successively put on side dishes: thin and soft lotus leaf buns, thinly sliced green onion, thick sweet hoisin sauce in a small porcelain bowl, cucumber strips, carrot sticks, and so on.
After the plate was set, the maid came to serve them to clean their hands again. Zhou-shi and Xu-shi was puzzled. Jiang Shuyao explained, "This dish must be eaten with your hands."
After everyone cleaned their hands, Xie Zhao couldn't wait anymore and drooled at the roast duck, "Can we eat it?"
"Of course."
As soon as Jiang Shuyao finished speaking, he reached out and took a piece of roast duck into his mouth.
The skin of roast duck is fragrant and crispy, but the meat is tender and moist. The fat under the duck's skin is thick and roasted until it's tender and full. It melts in the mouth when their teeth touch it, and the duck fat splashes all over. The meat has a rich and long mellow aroma.
The smaller piece is fat, thin, and skinny. Put it in your mouth without chewing or extra dipping materials. Slowly taste and chew it to let the delicious duck taste spread in your mouth, making it mellow and moist. The scent of oil permeates every inch of their lips and teeth. The plump meat carries a light fruity fragrance.
Jiang Shuyao smiled and said, "It will be greasy to eat like this. You have to wrap it in lotus leaf buns."
She picked up a piece of lotus leaf bun. The bun was baked soft and thin, with a light aroma. When smeared with sweet hoisin sauce, add three or four slices of duck meat, put in some vegetables, and then rolled the lotus leaf bun. The thin crust can't fully wrap the bulging duck.
Xie Zhao followed it. The bun he rolled was slightly larger, so he had to open his mouth wide to stuff it all in.
He open his mouth, pressed the end of the lotus leaf roll, slowly push it into his mouth, and then chew.
The sweet hoisin sauce enhances the flavor and makes the roast duck more salty and sweet. After biting into the soft crust, the crispy outer skin, the moist and tender roast duck inside, and the sweet and crisp green onion constitute a rich taste. The mellow and plump oily aroma is mixed with fresh and sweet green onions.
"It's delicious." He covered his mouth and praised vaguely.
Xu-shi didn't like eating oily food or meat and thought it was Xie Zhao's gluttonous exaggeration. It was not until she rolled a portion and put it in her mouth that she realized that meat could be so delicious.
The duck skin is crispy and tender, fat but not greasy. The bun, sauce, and onion are all used to set off the crispy and mellow roast duck.
When roasting duck on open flame, one has to fill the duck cavity with water. When the fire was roasting the duck, the steam will prop up the duck cavity to not lose moisture and turn woody. Then the roast duck will be tender and plump.
She rolled little duck meat and was amazed by the deliciousness of the duck meat, not to mention the others who have rolled several pieces of duck meat and stuffed them in her mouth.
Zhou-shi is no better than Xu-shi. After trying one bite of roast duck, she completely put aside the correct eating posture. Anyway, she got used to it and didn't care about it so much.
She and Xie Zhao gobbled up together, wishing to stuff six or seven slices of roast duck into one big pancake.
The process of filling the duck cavity with water locked the tenderness and juice of the duck meat and used steam to open the duck skin and turn it very thin. When the duck is roasted on an open flame, the duck oil will overflow, and the duck skin will be crispy and fragrant. This is the essence of roast duck.
Xie Yao loves duck skin very much and specializes in roast duck slices with little duck meat. The duck skin is crispy, and the oil is completely soaked into the thin duck skin. It is crispy and thin but with soft tenacity. Every bite can get enough oil from the thin skin.
The two little guys and Zhou-shi's mouth were greasy, and even the restrained Xu-shi couldn't hold back.
After eating, none of them want to move. So they simply rested in the bamboo courtyard while sitting next to each other to watch the sunset.
The setting sun is sinking. The sky is full of magnificent and gorgeous colors. Orange, red, and purple are blending into each other, sprinkling a warm, soft glow. Everything is covered with a soft halo.
Xu-shi was sitting on Jiang Shuyao's right side, and the two children quietly leaned on them to admire the sunset. She was infected by the leisurely pace and turned her head to Jiang Shuyao gently and said, "Sister, thank you."
Jiang Shuyao retracted her gaze which was appreciating the scenery, and turned to look puzzled at her.
"Ah Zhao and Ah Yao are very happy today. I have never done so much on their birthdays before." She rubbed the child's head, hesitated, and said what was in her heart, "I am also very happy, thank you."
Looking at Xu-shi's grateful expression, Jiang Shuyao felt soft and moved, "Sister-in-law..."
Before she had time to say anything, Zhou-shi suddenly opened her mouth and said, "Me too. It is the first time since I got married to the Xie family that I realized that dinner could be so warm. I really want the sun to set a little bit slower."
Jiang Shuyao felt sour and put her hand on the back of Zhou-shi's hand.
Zhou-shi smiled at her with a soft expression. No longer covering her lonely self, she solemnly said, "Thank you."
Jiang Shuyao quickly said no, and looked at her pityingly.
The baffled Xu-shi looked stiff behind her. Her eyes fell on Zhou-shi's face like a torch, as if saying, "You're just pretending, continue to pretend."
The corner of Zhou-shi's mouth, who had grabbed Jiang Shuyao's attention, raised a triumphant smile. Her eyesight passed Jiang Shuyao and fell on Xu-shi's face. I'm just pretending. What can you do to me?
The two clashed eyes in the air, and Jiang Shuyao, who was completely blindsided, felt inexplicably cold behind her.
The smell of roast duck lasted for a long time. When Xie Xun stepped into the courtyard expectantly after smelling it, he was taken aback.
The sun's glow is beautiful, and the scenery in the courtyard is dyed with warm light. Jiang Shuyao sits in the middle, with cute children lying on her knees. The beauty on one side is gorgeous, and the beauty on the other side is gentle and generous.
He blinked, silently exited the gate, and looked up at the name of the courtyard.
He was right. This is the bamboo courtyard.
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What's the matter with this picture of "Beautiful wife and concubines by the side, and the young children around the knee???"
He stepped into the courtyard and broke the quietness.
Xu-shi's and Zhou-shi's eyes were still fighting, and suddenly they felt an unexpected guest break-in. They cast their eyes at the same time.
Xie Xun is dressed in bright official gowns, tall and straight, elegant and handsome. When he stepped on the rays of sunlight, the piles of stones are like jade, and the pine trees are like an arrangement of emeralds. The beauty is unique in the world, and there is not a second one like him.
They still have a smile on their faces, but their eyes are a bit sharper than before.
What are you doing to come back now? It's still early!
Xie Xun didn't realize it and respectfully said with the same smile, "Eldest sister-in-law, second-sister-in-law." There seemed to be nothing wrong with his words, but Zhou-shi and Xu-shi felt his displeasure.
"Third brother." The two nodded without showing any sign of leaving.
The air fell silent.
Jiang Shuyao, who was still immersed in the peaceful atmosphere, shuddered suddenly.
Here comes again, that kind of weird Shura field is coming again. What is going on with this inexplicable feeling!
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