After-sales Extra: Shortbread Chapter
(Because the chapters cannot be modified in any way in the finished book, please forgive me if there are typos.)
(I accidentally read the comments and found that many people wanted to see the sequel to Shortcake, so I came to fill in the gaps.).
Xia Xia is back!
Ms. Ji Xia, an outstanding young female cook of the White House, decided to leave Zhiweiju and return to Tai Feng House after winning the grand prize of the White House competition, which was also the highest in prize money.
At the same time, Ms. Ji Xia also revealed to the media that her master is actually Mr. Jiang Feng, who is currently ranked number one on the celebrity chef list.
As soon as this news came out, it immediately shocked the entire chef circle and food media.
As we all know, Mr. Jiang Feng, who is currently ranked number one in the celebrity chef list, has a very poor reputation.
Mr. Jiang Feng is well-known for two dishes that are closely related to Bai An, a pickled vegetable dumpling and a pure meat wonton. The former is not unpalatable, but it is definitely not in the same category as delicious. Not to mention the latter, I would not dare to touch it without the spirit of dedication to art.
It is almost universally acknowledged that Jiang Fengbai's case will not work.
No one is perfect. Chef Hong Shen is already very good at being the best. You can't expect a chef to be able to cook all dishes well.
But as soon as the news came out that Ji Xia was actually Jiang Feng's disciple, everyone's minds changed.
The first reaction of many people is that Jiang Feng has been pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger these years.
But then I thought about it and felt that something was wrong. Playing the role of a pig and eating a tiger to get the first place in the celebrity chef list was a bit too poor in acting skills.
No matter what the outside world speculates, it is a fact that Ji Xia is Jiang Feng's great apprentice, and it is also a fact that Ji Xia returned to Tai Feng House and became the white chef of Tai Feng House.
There are many things that the masters at Zhiweiju cannot say, and it is true that they want to say the blocked * to Jiang Feng.
.
"Fengfeng, look at this report. It says that your level in the white case is actually very high, but you are a perfectionist and cannot tolerate any flaws. Just because your level in the white case is not as high as that in the red case, so You won’t make any snacks in front of the public, and you won’t let others know that you are actually pretty good.” Wu Minqi read the latest food magazine on her tablet and almost laughed out loud.
Jiang Feng was helpless: "What is this? Why are gossips written in food magazines these days? Boss Xu doesn't care."
"These news are so interesting, Boss Xu doesn't bother to care. The day before yesterday, he even sent me a WeChat message asking me how your Bai An skills are. If it's really good, he wants to try your serious Bai An snacks. , not pickled vegetable dumplings, pure meat wontons." Wu Minqi took a sip of water and then read the next article.
"Then I'm afraid Boss Xu will be disappointed."
Jiang Feng has also secretly practiced Bai An in private over the years. His Bai An talent is good, and the things he makes are not bad, but it is incomparable with those special buff dishes.
A level is rarely possible, but B+ is easy. It can only be said that Jiang Feng did not focus on Bai An. If he could go to Zhiweiju and learn the art honestly for a few years like Ji Xia, let alone making S-level Bai An snacks, A-level would definitely be fine.
However, as the head chef of Tai Feng Restaurant, regardless of whether he can go to Zhiweiju to learn skills in his own restaurant, let alone whether he can do it, the master of Zhiweiju will not accept it.
Wu Minqi read a few reports and found that the ones compiled by major magazines were quite reasonable, but none of them were right. After reading a few articles, she felt that they were not that interesting, so she stopped reading.
"Hey, where is Xia Xia?" Wu Minqi put down the tablet and looked for Ji Xia, but found that Ji Xia was not in Tai Feng Building. "It's almost business hours, where are you going now? Could it be that you are nervous on the first day of work?" I told Xia Xia that she just came to Peiping yesterday and hadn’t settled in yet so she shouldn’t rush to work. She promised me yesterday that she wouldn’t come this morning, but she came over in the afternoon.”
"Xia Xia went to pick up Xiao Qing from school." Ji Xue came out of the kitchen and said with a smile.
Jiang Lanqing is the second daughter of Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi. She is three years younger than Jiang Bai and has just entered kindergarten.
Ji Yue was chatting with her younger brother on WeChat and said casually: "She should be back soon. I remember Xiaoqing's kindergarten ends at around 3 o'clock."
Jiang Feng's two children go to elementary school and kindergarten, and the pick-up and drop-off times are different. Jiang Feng and Wu Minqi stay in Taifeng Building every day and have no time to pick up and drop off, so Grandma Jiang is responsible for picking up Jiang Lanqin, and Wang Xiulian is responsible for picking up Jiang Bai.
Xia Xia was particularly interested in picking up children, probably because she didn't get picked up or dropped off much when she was a child. I arrived in Peiping yesterday morning and ran to pick up Jiang Bai from school in the afternoon. But today I ran to pick up Jiang Lanqing from school, and no one was left behind.
Just as she was talking, Xia Xia led Jiang Lanqing into Taifeng Tower.
"Mom." When Jiang Lanqing saw Wu Minqi, she threw herself into her arms, hugged her tightly, and then looked at Jiang Feng, "Dad, I want to eat carrot yam."
"Dad will cook it for you later." Jiang Feng said that there was no problem with his daughter's request and she could eat as much as she wanted.
Jiang Lanqing stretched out her little hand and made a little gesture: "Just do a little. Sister Xia Xia said she would make pig buns for me at night, and I want to eat pig buns."
Piggy buns are bean paste buns made in the shape of piglets. The old man made them when he had nothing to do some time ago. Jiang Lanqing liked them very much.
Jiang Feng poured a cup of lemon tea for Xia Xia: "You are tired from walking, drink some lemon tea."
"Master, I'm not tired." Ji Xia took a few sips of the lemon tea and felt like she was back when she first came to Tai Feng Tower. It's just that at that time she was still a child who needed to be taken care of, but now she can take care of children.
When Ji Xia thought that she was going to work in the kitchen soon, she was both excited and terrified, even though she had already been recognized by countless people and won many competitions.
But today is her first time working in Tai Fung Building as an official chef.
Worked with everyone’s approval.
When she thought of this, Ji Xia nervously rubbed her hands together and asked Ji Xue in a low voice with some uneasiness: "Sister, what should I do if I mess up the snacks I made today?"
Ji Xue was a bit dumbfounded. This was the first time she had seen Ji Xia look like this in these years: "There is nothing to worry about. With your current level, you won't do anything wrong with your eyes closed."
"It's not necessarily true if you close your eyes." Ji Xia muttered quietly.
Wu Minqi was holding back her laughter as she listened, but she couldn't laugh out loud. She was struggling to hold back and said, "I'll take Xiaoqin to the bathroom." Then she ran away.
Jiang Lanqing was taken away:?
Ji Yue quietly gave Jiang Feng a look, indicating to him that your apprentice is nervous now. As a master, why don't you quickly go for psychological counseling and encourage your apprentice.
Jiang Feng looked back at Ji Yue, saying that he didn't know how to encourage him at this time.
Ji Yue gave Jiang Feng another look, hinting at how he should encourage him now.
Jiang Feng didn't understand what Ji Yue's eyes meant.
Ji Yue could only send a message to tell Jiang Fenggai how to encourage him.
After getting the secret book, Jiang Feng rehearsed it in his mind. As soon as he called Ji Xia to the side to speak, Ji Xia spoke first.
"Master, don't worry, I will never embarrass you today!"
Jiang Feng:?
"I made an agreement with Aunt Wang yesterday. The snacks on my menu today are fresh meat moon cakes, bergamot almonds, bean paste cakes and honey cakes. They are all my specialty, so don't worry!"
Looking at Ji Xia's expression, Jiang Feng felt that the original Xia Xia was back.
She is not the genius girl praised by the media, nor the girl who always looks indifferent to the camera. She is the one everyone is familiar with. She likes to eat junk food, eat roasted sweet potatoes, and likes to be bossed around in the kitchen. Ji Xia's kid helps everywhere.
"Yes." Jiang Feng nodded solemnly, "Master believes in you."
.
Needless to say, Ji Xia's cooking skills were well received by all the diners on the first day of work, and sales skyrocketed, filling the vacancy of Tai Feng House that lacked outstanding chefs.
Ling Guangzhao was so angry that he didn't even send red envelopes to the group that night.
Just when Jiang Feng was thinking about whether Boss Ling would stop giving out red envelopes if Tai Feng Tower's Bai An business continued to do well, Professor Li called.
He came to ask Jiang Feng if there were any restaurants in Beiping that could host wedding banquets recently.
Fang Yaqing is getting married. The wedding date has been set, but the restaurant has not yet decided. The schedule at Babao Zhai is so full that there is no room. Other restaurants are either too low-grade, too expensive, or have been booked. Fang Yaqing was really helpless. She suddenly remembered that there was Jiang Feng, a half-junior student who was well-known in the chef world and had met him once. Then she called Professor Li and asked him for help.
One thing to say, Babao Zhai is definitely the most cost-effective among the high-end restaurants in Peking in terms of hosting wedding banquets. It specializes in hosting all kinds of wedding banquets.
This kind of thing was naturally easy to handle for Jiang Feng. Jiang Feng called Lu Ling and asked for a preferential price for Fang Yaqing, and the matter was settled.
On the afternoon of the second day, Fang Yaqing and his fiancé made a special trip to Taifeng Tower to thank Jiang Feng. They brought Jiang Feng a can of tea as a thank you gift, and also attached a wedding invitation, hoping that Jiang Feng could attend their wedding when he was free.
Although Jiang Feng only met Fang Yaqing once, he was quite impressed by him. After all, Fang Yaqing's memory gave Jiang Feng the recipe for the shortbread, and it is still difficult for Jiang Feng to make the shortbread A-level.
"Senior Sister Fang, congratulations." Jiang Feng accepted the invitation and said that he would definitely attend.
"Thank you." Fang Yaqing smiled at Jiang Feng, a little reserved, "I didn't want to trouble you, Junior Brother Jiang, but there was a temporary problem with the hotel I booked before, so I came to trouble you. Thank you very much, and I also want to thank Junior Brother Jiang for your help."
"Just a quick favor." Jiang Feng smiled and led Fang Yaqing and her fiancé to sit at the small table and said politely, "We are also from the same school. I often heard Professor Li mention you, Senior Sister Fang, before. I heard that Senior Sister Fang is now working in a chip company. Researcher.”
"Yeah." Fang Yaqing said with a smile, "When I was in graduate school, I wanted to engage in academics, but halfway through I realized that I really didn't have the talent in this area. Maybe I'm more like my mother in terms of science and engineering, and I didn't inherit it. Dad’s talent, so I’m still looking for a job.”
Jiang Feng was stunned. Fang Yaqing mentioned her father so casually, which reminded Jiang Feng of something he should have done many years ago, but due to his lack of skills in Bai An, he was busy and forgot about it later.
Jiang Feng thought for a while and decided to test Fang Yaqing's tone first: "Senior Sister Fang is already very good at being able to work in related industries. Most of the classmates in our major have changed their careers, and there are not many people working in this major."< br>
"I remember Professor Li said that Senior Sister Fang's father was also his student. I think you are quite talented, Senior Sister Fang, and you should have received a lot of influence from your father."
Fang Yaqing smiled: "Since Professor Li told you that my father was originally his student, then Junior Brother Jiang, you should also know that my father died in a car accident when I was studying. To be honest, I had a relationship with him when I was a child. It’s not very good, and I haven’t received much training. It can only be regarded as a coincidence that I am still doing this job.”
"If I hadn't taken this job, I wouldn't have met my husband."
Fang Yaqing's fiance smiled and nodded.
"Senior Sister Fang, are you in a hurry?" Jiang Feng asked.
Fang Yaqing and her fiancé were both stunned, looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Nothing happens today, what's wrong?"
"I remember, Senior Sister Fang, you are from Suzhou. My apprentice has been studying at Zhiweiju for these years and just came back the day before yesterday. Do you like shortbread? Why don't I ask her to make some shortbread for you to take back, just treat it as mine A wedding gift for both of you.”
Fang Yaqing was a little embarrassed and waved her hands repeatedly: "How embarrassing is this."
"It's okay, Senior Sister Fang, please wait a moment. I'll go to the kitchen to cook with my apprentice. It'll be quick."
Then Jiang Feng caught Ji Xia, who was about to pick up Jiang Lanqing from kindergarten, into the kitchen.
Ji Xia:?
Fang Yaqing's fiancé sighed: "Yaqing, Junior Brother Jiang of yours is quite enthusiastic."
Fang Yaqing was still a little confused: "I've actually only met him once."
"You are willing to help us after we met once? It means that you, Junior Brother Jiang, are kind and enthusiastic!"
Fang Yaqing nodded, feeling it made sense.
On the other side, although Ji Xia didn't understand why the master suddenly grabbed her into the kitchen and refused to let her pick up Xiaoqing from school, he still wanted her to make shortbread. But since Jiang Feng said so, Ji Xia followed suit.
Although Jiang Feng couldn't make A-level shortbreads on his own, Ji Xia was okay, and the dishes made with the help of his apprentice also had buffs.
Soon, the hot shortbread came out of the pan.
Jiang Feng packed a portion for Fang Yaqing, and specially put some in a bag to eat while it was hot.
When Jiang Feng went out and handed the shortbread to Fang Yaqing, Fang Yaqing thanked her profusely. Because it was almost business hours, Fang Yaqing was too embarrassed to disturb Jiang Feng anymore, so she left with her fiancé.
As soon as they left Tai Feng Building, Fang Yaqing's fiancé said: "It is indeed a dim sum made by the most famous restaurant in Peiping. It tastes delicious just by smelling it."
Fang Yaqing also felt that she felt that the shortbread not only smelled delicious, but also felt familiar.
It was very similar to the shortbread cookies sold in the unsigned snack shop at the entrance of her neighborhood when she was a child.
It was a pity that the owner of that dim sum shop closed down the business later. Fang Yaqing always felt that the dim sum from other shops was not as delicious as that from that small shop.
"How about we try it while it's still hot?" Fang Yaqing suggested, and her fiancé agreed, and the two ate shortcakes on the roadside.
The shortbread is a little hot in the mouth. It is baked with lard and is very fragrant, crispy, sweet, and not greasy.
Fang Yaqing took a big bite and felt like she was back to the days when she was a child and had to go to the snack shop to buy snacks before returning home from school every day.
Back to the days when my father was still alive.
In an instant, Fang Yaqin remembered many things that he could not remember for a long time.
She thought of that afternoon, the person who picked him up from school and the person who bought her shortbread.
She thought of her birthday that year. Although she didn't go out to play with her friends, the whole family got together and had a happy meal.
She recalled that when she was little, her father would hold her hand and teach her to write, help her with her homework, and teach her to write math problems.
She recalled that when she was younger, her father took her to the park to play and the family went on picnics.
She recalled that her father would read her bedtime stories when she was very young, just like her mother.
She remembered a lot of things that she couldn't remember because she was too young at that time, things that she ignored and forgot because the things were too small.
But she remembered it all now.
She remembered that her father loved her.
Or maybe she suddenly realized that her father loved her.
Fang Yaqing chewed the shortbread and burst into tears.
The fiancé was panicking beside him, and quickly dug into his pocket to find a tissue. While taking it, he asked: "Yaqing, what's wrong with you? Are you suddenly feeling unwell? What's wrong with you?"
"No." Fang Yaqing wiped away her tears and swallowed the shortbread.
"I just suddenly missed my dad."
"I suddenly felt that he loved me so much, but I just didn't know it like a fool." (End of Chapter)