Siheyuan: A Cook in the 60s

“This courtyard is really magnificent.”

Qin Huairu couldn't help but sigh.

Siheyuan are also divided into different levels.

Ordinary courtyards have two or three courtyards, and are divided according to size.

There are also distinctions based on the identity of the original owner.

For example, the courtyard where Cao Wei lives now, according to legend, was where a successful candidate in the imperial examination lived as his mistress. The structure of the courtyard is simple, and there are no buildings with carvings of dragons and phoenixes or anything like that.

But then again, most of these courtyards have been demolished.

The courtyard in front of us is also a large courtyard with three entrances.

Qin Huairu couldn't tell the difference between it and her home, but she just felt that the whole yard gave people a different feeling.

Although the threshold has been removed, it still looks majestic. When you enter the yard, you feel that the layout of the entire yard is inexplicably reasonable, and the carvings on the corridor are also quite well done.

The host lived in the backyard because Cao Wei had notified them in advance.

Wu Hao had been waiting in the front yard early in the morning. When he saw Cao Wei coming, he led him into the backyard.

"Master Cao, you are so punctual."

This Wu Hao is one of the protagonists of today's wedding. He has put a lot of effort into preparing for his wedding.

The main reason is that the woman is marrying down, so he wants to make everything perfect.

"Hey, we've said the time, we can't be late." Cao Wei said nonchalantly.

"Well, then I'll have to trouble you to help us at noon so that we can enjoy the feast in advance."

Look at what he said, it's very artistic.

In this day and age, a meal is not something you can just treat yourself to. Even if you are visiting someone, you have to bring your own cornmeal. What Wu Hao meant was that he treated everyone at noon, he provided the food, and Cao Wei provided the cooking skills.

"That's great, I don't have to go out to find food."

"Hahahaha, look at what you said. I can even let you go out to find food. Isn't that scolding me?"

Wu Hao led Cao Wei to the place, and Qin Huairu followed silently behind.

Wu Hao didn't ask who Qin Huairu was. He just greeted Cao Wei and led her to the kitchen.

Cao Wei took out the chef's equipment, apron, hat, etc. from his backpack, and handed one to Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu was stunned for a moment, then took it and followed Cao Wei's example to tie it on herself.

"Master Cao, do you bring your own clothes?" Wu Hao was a little curious.

"Well, they are all food. If they are clean, it will be safe and comfortable to eat. Don't you agree?"

"That's right." Wu Hao nodded with satisfaction. Regardless of anything else, Cao Wei has done a great job in every aspect of customer experience.

After a few more pleasantries, Wu Hao said goodbye and left.

"What happened just now?" Qin Huairu dared to ask in a low voice at this time.

It was not for any other reason, but because Wu Hao gave her a very powerful feeling just now, and his aura was so strong that she didn't dare to speak.

After the people left, I couldn't suppress my curiosity.

"Master, well, let's not talk about it for now, just help with the work."

Most of the time, there is only one reason why the chef arrives early, and that is that some dishes take longer to prepare.

A ten-dollar banquet has its own rules.

There must be a dish that requires a lot of effort, otherwise, the host will not be willing to do it.

The dishes selected by Cao Wei have become well-known "Internet celebrity dishes" in later generations.

Boiling water and cabbage.

A non-spicy Sichuan dish.

Sichuan cuisine has always been dominated by heavy flavors, and heavy flavors have always been controversial in the food industry. The most fundamental reason is that only unfresh ingredients are covered up with strong spiciness, or that people in areas that eat heavy flavors are all poor. In addition, state banquet dishes are basically dominated by Huaiyang cuisine.

Just as Chu Yunfei said, "Shanxi cuisine is not worthy of being served on the table", which shows that there is a chain of contempt in the culinary world.

As a chef who specializes in Sichuan cuisine, I have never been too lazy to argue about these things with others.

Each cuisine has its own characteristics and different emphases. If you say that there is not a single dish worth serving in a certain cuisine, that is nonsense.

All I can say is that you can't afford those so-called presentable dishes.

Boiled cabbage, a non-spicy Sichuan dish, is one of the most unaffordable dishes.

The preparation process of this dish is extremely complicated. In addition to choosing the best choy sum, the most troublesome step is to make the clear soup, which is stewed with hens, pig's trotters, pork bones, ham and other ingredients. Each family has its own way of making it. But at least it takes eight hours or more. It was because of this dish that Cao Wei showed up at the host's house so early.

Otherwise, the normal cooking process only takes one or two hours, at most two or three hours in advance, and for two tables of banquets, it is not much.

"So much meat..." Qin Huairu looked at the ingredients in the kitchen with some envy.

It’s hard to imagine that this is material used for wedding banquets.

Her wedding banquet was just an ordinary one, just a pot of stew with some minced meat in it. She vaguely remembered that at that time, she thought the meal was delicious. They ate white flour buns and used a lot of oil. Even now, when she recalled it, it was full of good memories. But now she saw the things in the kitchen.

Qin Huairu even doubted whether she had ever eaten so much meat in her life.

She secretly calculated in her mind and concluded that probably there wasn't any.

"Huai Ru, come to work. I won't waste my money!"

"Call me Sister Qin!" Qin Huairu rolled her eyes, and the little disappointment she had just felt was instantly gone. She still had to work. Looking at how Cao Wei handled the ingredients skillfully, she felt that her life now was not bad.

The key to clear soup is slow cooking, slow cooking and filtering, over and over again.

Qin Huairu looked at the oil soup filtered by Cao Wei and couldn't help swallowing her saliva. Not bad? Not bad at all! Smelling this fragrance is simply torture!

I didn't do anything else this morning except helping out with the processing of ingredients at the beginning. The rest of the time I just spent my time enjoying the aroma.

Cao Wei calmly took off his clothes and put them on the stool.

"what happened?"

"I'm a little sleepy. I need to steam for a while. I'm going to go out and smoke a cigarette. Do you want to stay here or go out and take a rest?"

"Then I'll follow you out." Qin Huairu followed him out without saying a word. It was too torturous to be in there.

"What are you doing? This is such a waste." Qin Huairu asked in a low voice.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and perhaps because she was afraid of being heard by others, she moved closer.

Cao Wei felt a faint fragrance entering her nostrils. It was the smell of the sachet he gave her.

He smiled.