Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country-Chapter 404: The Peepers?

Wang Fan thought Second Uncle’s suggestion was quite good. If they could make their guests gain a few pounds, that would be proof of their hospitality – but whether they would be allowed to eat that much was another question.

However, Wang Fan soon stopped worrying about this matter, as he was staying another day at Grandma Wu’s and needed to figure out what to cook the next day.

Afterward, he would go check on the children making beef meatballs and then prepare for a trip back to Harbin.

The main reason was to drive the camper back home; leaving it in Xinjiang wasn’t ideal, and arranging for its transportation was a hassle due to its size.

The next day.

The weather in Turpan was incredibly stable, with the scorching sun making one’s scalp tingle and the ground so hot you could fry an egg on it – no special effects needed.

Luckily, Wang Fan didn’t have to squeeze into buses and subways like many hard-working folks to get to work.

He simply turned on the air conditioning in the kitchen and prepared to make today’s lunch, with the menu already planned.

Dessert before the meal – Peony Crystal Cake.

Main course for the state banquet – Stewed Beef in a Pot.

A casual yet highly skilled state banquet soup – Wensi Tofu Soup.

Wang Fan started cooking early because the beef needed time to become tender and soft.

The taste of beef cooked under pressure is always somewhat lacking; while it’s fine for personal consumption, serving it at a state banquet for Grandma Wu would be a slap in his own face.

This dish’s preparation was already quite complicated, but Wang Fan didn’t feel impatient at all. For him, it was like playing a fun and interesting game.

He sliced button mushrooms with cross cuts, chives into horseshoe shapes, and cut onions, carrots, and potatoes...

Once all the ingredients were ready, he rubbed the beef vigorously with starch and a bit of salt until even after rinsing, the water remained clear.

He put the beef into cold water, and after the water boiled, there was no scum. Wang Fan then added all the prepared ingredients into the pot at once.

Next came two hours of slow simmering, and during this time, he was, of course, not idle.

His improving knife skills allowed him to master another technique – carving a mold.

The Peony Crystal Cake required exactly such a mold.

Wielding his carving knife with great precision, Wang Fan didn’t notice the unexpected guests outside the kitchen window.

This group of uninvited guests was none other than the other chefs from the guesthouse.

Wang Fan had become quite famous in the guesthouse over the past two days, as they couldn’t make state banquet-level dishes. The top leaders had personally ordered them to observe and learn at least one or two tricks on this last day.

As they watched Wang Fan carving meticulously, the chefs couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

"What’s he doing?"

"Looks like he’s carving something."

"Do chefs these days have to know carving too?"

"That’s why he’s a master."

"So are we just going to watch from here? We can’t really see anything through the window, what could we learn?"

"Why don’t you go in and ask if we can observe?"

In any industry, peers are rivals, especially when you’re trying to learn someone’s craft in secret. How could they just go up and tell him that?

While Wang Fan didn’t notice them, Zhuo Qianqian certainly did. The group of big white hats bobbing outside the window were hard to miss.

Zhuo Qianqian chuckled quietly without causing a fuss and quietly slipped out of the kitchen.

She rounded the back of the house and saw five chefs with chef hats, whispering as they peeked into the kitchen.

"What are you guys doing?"

Zhuo Qianqian suddenly jumped out and stomped hard, calling out softly.

The shout wasn’t very powerful, but the stomp nearly scared the five chefs to death.

"Ah..."

With a yelp, the five chefs nearly fell to the ground in fright.

They felt guilty like thieves, especially since they had never done anything like this before. Their nerves were more delicate than a mouse’s.

After calming themselves, the chefs looked at the approaching Zhuo Qianqian nervously, as if they had been caught doing something wrong.

Zhuo Qianqian chuckled and asked, "What are you all up to?"

"Uh..."

The chefs exchanged glances, clearly embarrassed, recognizing the pretty girl from the kitchen earlier, likely Wang Fan’s girlfriend.

Caught red-handed, the chefs’ faces flushed with embarrassment, but they still felt a need to explain.

"We’re all chefs from this guesthouse, wishing to learn some culinary skills from Master Wang but afraid of disturbing him, so we ended up watching from here..."

Zhuo Qianqian nodded and smiled, extending an invitation, "If you want to discuss culinary skills with the boss, you can just go inside. Shall I lead you there?"

Upon hearing this, the chefs looked at one another, bewildered by this unexpected turn of events.

Zhuo Qianqian laughed and explained, "The boss loves exchanging culinary skills. If you want to watch, just follow me."

With that, she turned and headed for the kitchen.

The chefs exchanged glances and decided to follow her – this was a rare opportunity after all.

As they entered the kitchen, Wang Fan had just finished carving the mold. Seeing the group come in, he paused, looking at Zhuo Qianqian for an explanation.

Zhuo Qianqian said, "These are chefs from the guesthouse. They’d like to exchange culinary skills with you."

Wang Fan nodded with a smile, "Welcome. However, any exchanges might have to wait a bit. I’m about to start preparing the dessert. You can watch for now, and later, you can offer some pointers."

He wasn’t opposed to engaging with fellow chefs; his previous exchanges with Master Luo had greatly benefited him.

The chefs quickly waved their hands, "We wouldn’t dare, just hoped to learn a thing or two from Master Wang. Offering you pointers would be too bold for us."

Though young, Wang Fan had proven himself to be a true master. He could prepare a state banquet, whereas they could not – his expertise was unquestioned, and they wouldn’t dare overstep.

Without further comment, Wang Fan didn’t want to waste time on pleasantries and flattery. He nodded and began preparing the Crystal Cake.

The Peony symbolizes happiness and beauty and is a symbol of good fortune. Given Wu Grandma’s status, Wang Fan felt it was fitting to create this dessert for her.

The Crystal Cake boasts a long history, even traceable back to the Tang Dynasty.

For the peony’s flower body, Wang Fan used water boiled with Roselle and water chestnut flour, a process not particularly difficult, requiring only to pour into the previously carved peony mold and steam it.

The most challenging part was crafting the mold itself.

While most people would simply buy industrial products, only someone like Wang Fan, who seeks perfection, would go through the trouble of carving it by hand.