Mountain and Sea Canteen - Chapter 12

“Mountain and Sea Canteen.”

This is the place.

Today, the group of friends who had been drawn by Old Man Zhang’s Baihua Chicken had decided to order the Hand-Shredded Crab Roe Rice. Professor He and her husband practically treated this place as their own canteen, rarely missing a meal, and they had even added Ying Linglong’s contact information.

It was she who had helped them reserve the Hand-Shredded Crab Roe Rice.

The group, consisting of both young and old, pushed open the doors of Mountain and Sea Canteen in a grand procession.

Most of them ordered the Hand-Shredded Crab Roe Rice set with Old Ginger Chicken Soup for just 399. Only a few who didn’t like ginger ordered the rice alone.

Ying Linglong immediately recognized Professor He among the crowd and knew it was them. Professor He was Ying Linglong’s financial benefactor; just today, the crab roe set had brought in nearly three thousand in revenue.

The crab roe was quickly prepared after being shredded, and not long after everyone had taken their seats, the Hand-Shredded Crab Roe Rice was served. The rice was perfectly separated, accompanied by a plate of golden, oily crab roe. Upon closer inspection, there were also three small plates on the side.

One plate of Crispy Rice, one of vinegar, and one of finely shredded ginger.

“Ma-Ge¹, the crab roe will get fishy if it cools down. Why aren’t you eating yet?” Professor He looked at an elderly man with white hair and beard sitting across from her, who was quietly glancing around.

She said it once, but Elder Ma seemed not to have heard and didn’t respond. Someone next to him repeated it loudly and explained to Professor He, “Old Ma is a bit hard of hearing.”

Only then did Elder Ma respond, immediately retracting his gaze. He picked up the plate of crab roe and poured it over the rice. With a stir of the spoon, every grain of rice turned golden, and the sweet aroma of the seafood was overwhelming.

He didn’t touch the three plates, wanting to first taste the original flavor of the crab roe rice. A whole plate of crab roe was generously poured over the rice, the golden crab oil seeping through the gaps between the grains. The rice was steamed to a perfect texture, and he stirred it carefully, ensuring every grain was coated with the crab roe. He scooped a spoonful into his mouth, savoring it. The crab roe had no hint of fishiness, only an overflowing freshness.

There was a difference between crab roe and crab roe butter. Crab roe included not only the crab yolk and paste but also large chunks of crab meat. If this bowl had been made purely with crab roe butter, it would have taken several, even more than a dozen crabs to produce this much, and the price would have skyrocketed, at least doubling.

After much deliberation, Ying Linglong decided to switch to crab roe, not only reducing the unit price but also because the texture and layers of flavor in crab roe were actually not inferior to crab roe butter.

This truly suited Elder Ma’s taste. In the past, when he ate crab roe butter rice, the first bite was heavenly, the second bite eager, but by the time he reached the bottom of the bowl, he started to feel greasy.

Unlike this crab roe rice, which offered layers of flavors in his mouth: the delicate sweetness of the crab meat, the soft and fragrant crab paste, the crispy and savory crab yolk, all paired with the soft and chewy rice, it was simply intoxicating.

Elder Ma couldn’t help but nod in approval. “This crab is truly excellent!” He had been gifted premium hairy crabs by younger relatives before-massive in size but lacking in flavor compared to the crab used in this Crab Roe Rice.

Everyone else was too engrossed in their meals to look up, their taste buds completely captivated by the rich aroma of the crab roe. Even those who usually liked to critique their food were silenced by the Crab Roe Rice, not wanting to miss a single moment of its exquisite flavor.

Elder Ma then sprinkled a bit of Crispy Rice into his Crab Roe Rice, adding a delightful crunch to the dish. He was a fan of ginger and always ate it with crab to counteract its cooling properties. On top of the rice, he layered finely shredded ginger and finished it off with a few drops of aromatic vinegar to cut through the richness and enhance the umami.

The addition of vinegar was like the final brushstroke on a masterpiece, elevating the dish to new heights of flavor.

Before he knew it, Elder Ma had polished off the entire bowl of Crab Roe Rice. Feeling slightly parched, he reached for the Old Ginger Chicken Soup beside him, which was served at the perfect temperature. He took a sip.

The soup was pure chicken stock, its color reminiscent of tea, with a rich, savory flavor that swirled in his mouth. A hint of spiciness and sweetness from the ginger added depth, creating a different kind of umami compared to the crab roe-refreshing and warming to the stomach.

While the Crab Roe Rice undoubtedly benefited from high-quality ingredients-good hairy crabs almost guaranteed a delicious outcome-the Old Ginger Chicken Soup showcased the chef’s skill. With humble ingredients, the soup still managed to impress, a testament to the chef’s expertise. Elder Ma smacked his lips, detecting that the soup wasn’t just made from chicken-it likely included a base of Stock from the kitchen.

It seemed he had encountered a true professional. Ying Linglong had prepared a pot of Stock when she first opened her restaurant, using it instead of water in her dishes to add an extra layer of richness and aroma.

The longer the Stock simmered, the better it became, its flavor deepening and maturing over time. Ingredients were added regularly to maintain its richness, making it one of the most valuable assets in a restaurant. Even if the kitchen caught fire, there were two things worth rushing in to save: the Master Stock and the Stock.

Ying Linglong had also added a few fresh apple slices to the chicken soup. While the apple flavor wasn’t noticeable, it lent a subtle sweetness to the broth.

Professor He began sipping her soup as well. She wasn’t fond of ginger-a hint of its flavor was tolerable, but biting into a piece of ginger would make her frown. Dietary preferences weren’t an issue; customers just needed to mention them in advance. Her bowl of soup was clear, with a few pieces of chicken at the bottom, completely free of the small, cubed ginger pieces that filled Elder Ma’s bowl.

The first sip of the Old Ginger Chicken Soup surprised Professor He. Instead of the strong, pungent ginger flavor she had expected, the soup was rich and savory. The chicken, cut into small pieces and lightly fried, was tender yet firm, striking the perfect balance.

After finishing a bowl, a thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead, warming her up and dispelling the chill from the crab she had eaten earlier. Wu Donghua, who had a sensitive stomach, hadn’t joined them today. Thinking of the longing look her husband had given her before she left, Professor He couldn’t help but chuckle.

Well, he might have missed out on the Crab Roe Rice, but she could always pack him some Old Ginger Chicken Soup to take home.

Now that everyone had finished eating, they finally had time to chat. The woman next to Professor He gently nudged her elbow and whispered, “I haven’t told you yet. Guess what Old Ma was looking for earlier? He was looking for Old Zhang!”

As the one who had organized the meal, Professor He naturally knew who had come and who hadn’t.

“Old Zhang didn’t come today,” she replied.

The woman shook her head. “Old Zhang didn’t order the Crab Roe Rice with us, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t show up. Old Ma was worried he might come and run into him-it’d be awkward. Those two stubborn old men are in a cold war right now! It’s hilarious.”

The reason for their feud was downright absurd. They had gone out together to try Santao Duck, but the chef’s skills were mediocre, and neither of them was satisfied.

Old Ma complained that the chicken gizzards were poorly cooked and that there were too many of them. Old Zhang insisted the quantity was fine-it was the chef’s lack of skill that was the problem.

Elder Ma slammed the table and declared, “You only think there’s not too much because you love chicken gizzards!”

Old Man Zhang glared back. “If you’re not eating chicken gizzards, what’s the point of ordering Santao Duck?”

From that day on, the two stubborn old men had been avoiding each other, even steering clear of the same restaurants to prevent an encounter. When Elder Ma signed up for the Crab Roe Rice in the group chat, Old Man Zhang must have seen it and decided not to come.

“Looks like Old Zhang is going to miss out on the Crab Roe Rice,” Professor He said, unable to hide her sympathy for him.

Just as she spoke, a hand stealthily emerged from behind the dense greenery on the half-wall a few tables away, waving at Chongming.

“Elder Zhang, what can I do for you?”

“Shh!” Old Man Zhang whispered, “Bring me another serving of Crab Roe Rice!”

Chongming shook his head. “The Crab Roe Rice is limited-one serving per person.”

Old Man Zhang, who had a hearty appetite, sighed. “I’m still hungry. Can you recommend something lighter to fill me up?”

Chongming thought for a moment. “We have a small portion of Pea Shoot Chicken Soup Rice Noodles.” It was part of today’s breakfast menu, light enough not to overstuff anyone.

“That’ll do!”

Today had been smooth sailing. On one hand, thousands of yuan in revenue had been earned, and on the other, someone had finally reached out for a consultation on the Mountain and Sea Forum.

Ying Linglong’s videos posted on the forum had only garnered a pitiful double-digit number of views. The forum wasn’t the best place for advertising, and her videos had quickly been buried under other posts, barely seen by anyone.

Compared to the Mountain and Sea Forum, the Mountain and Sea Mall is the real place for selling goods. Ying Linglong inquired about the requirements for opening a store on the Mountain and Sea Mall, and the first condition was a deposit of five thousand yuan.

Thanks, but no thanks. She’d come back when she had saved enough money.

She hadn’t held much hope initially, but while she was busy stir-frying the crab roe, someone had privately messaged her through the forum account. Ying Linglong was occupied, so the Cave Mirror helped reply to the message.

The Cave Mirror, speaking in Ying Linglong’s voice, boasted with such exaggeration that it actually managed to convince the other party, who now wanted to order some snacks from Ying Linglong.

“Uncle Cave, I’ve never even seen the ingredients she mentioned. How could you vouch for me like that?”

The other party was a Qinggeng Bird, which resembles a magpie with a green body and a white tail. It’s said that this bird can ward off plagues, though whether that’s true or not is unclear.

The Cave Mirror said nonchalantly, “Ingredients from the Mountain and Sea realm are still ingredients. Your cooking skills are excellent, and the Qinggeng Bird has hardly ever eaten processed food. No matter how you prepare it, she’ll love it.”

Ying Linglong looked at the Cave Mirror, her expression as if saying, “Keep going, keep going.” To create food that suits a customer’s taste, of course, she needed to understand their preferences.

“The Qinggeng Bird eats both meat and plants, though she leans more toward plants. These are the ingredients she specifically requested this time,” the Cave Mirror spat out a piece of paper.

“Chinese spurge sap, Xun grass, Danmu fruit, and Xun grass.”

“The Qinggeng Bird is quite wealthy. She sells pigments from her own mountain to Lili and even serves as a mascot in the infectious disease ward of Jiangyu City’s First Hospital. She has more money than she can spend,” the Cave Mirror added. “These things can’t be entrusted to humans, and among the Yaoguai, there aren’t any skilled chefs. So, the Qinggeng Bird has always eaten fresh fruits. She wants to try something different, which is why she came to you.”

Remembering how Chongming showed no interest in the plump and juicy crabs, Ying Linglong now had a better understanding of how Yaoguai felt about ordinary human ingredients. Without abundant spirit energy, even the rarest human delicacies were nothing special to them.

The more powerful the Yaoguai, the less they cared for human food. Unless they had a particular preference, like Chongming’s love for wine or the Golden Crow’s sweet tooth, they rarely bothered with human food.

Since she was planning to do business with Yaoguai, she first needed to understand the characteristics of each spirit fruit and spirit grass, then tailor her dishes based on the natural flavors of these ingredients. Ying Linglong had never seen these spirit fruits and grasses before, so she decided to search for Danmu fruit on the Mountain and Sea Mall to buy some and taste it.

In the product details, the Danmu fruit was a vibrant red, resembling a smooth red bead, slightly smaller than a cherry tomato. A pound cost fifty yuan-definitely not cheap.

“I haven’t even asked the Qinggeng Bird how much she’s paying for this order yet.”

The Cave Mirror replied, “The total weight of the snacks needs to be ten pounds. She’s already paid a deposit of two thousand yuan, and she’ll pay another two thousand upon delivery.”

Ying Linglong’s expression immediately changed. “Danmu fruit isn’t expensive at all!”

Footnote:

1. Ge(哥): In Chinese culture, it is quite common to address someone as “xx 哥” (pronounced as “xx ge”). The term “Ge” means “older brother” and, when used in this context, typically carries a sense of affection and friendliness. It indicates respect and amiability towards the person, similar to calling someone “bro” or “big brother” in English.