The Heartbeat at the Tip of the Tongue

Chapter 63: PK of the appetizer

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Lin Kesong also scooped up a small spoonful of the jam he had prepared and put it into Jiang Qianfan's mouth.

"How? How?" She looked at her with wide eyes, looking up like a little squirrel waiting for the pine nuts to fall.

"Well, handle the beef." Jiang Qianfan's voice was still cold, but the softer than usual lip line let Lin Kesong know that the chef was in a good mood at the moment.

"understood!"

Lin Ke Song neatly followed the texture of the beef and cut the veal into evenly sized pieces.

Her expression looked focused and calm, no less than Jessica and Eli.

On the side, Jiang Qianfan began to process the chicken breast meat of the turkey.

He diced chicken breasts, tossed them with olive oil and other seasonings, and wrapped them in plastic wrap.

Every step they take feels like they don't know what's going on, as if there's no connection between everything, but it's all in order.

As time passed, so did the pressure.

There is still half an hour, and the contestants on both sides must complete all the appetizers.

Sixty appetizers with three types, and also taking into account the main course and dessert afterward, is an "impossible task" for ordinary chefs.

But Jessica and Elise had already started to pack. Their gestures and gestures were all like everyone, making the jury across the glass wall full of expectations.

And Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong are still "in progress".

Jiang Qianfan was pouring sauce on the scallops, and even though the time was about to end, his movements were still calm and steady.

Lin Kesong sets the plate for the scallops and brings them to the dining cart.

Then came the veal. She took the veal roll out of the oven and fried it in a frying pan with Jiang Qianfan. Jiang Qianfan was in charge of seasoning, while Lin Kesong was in charge of observing the heat.

Lin Kesong only needed to make a soft "um", and Jiang Qianfan knew that she had turned over.

Lin Kesong had more than 20 servings of veal that needed to be turned, and Jiang Qianfan needed more than one seasoning.

Such scenes made the audience nervous for them. After all, one has no eyes and the other is a novice. Will they collapse under the pressure of time

But after more than ten seconds, the audience and the jury found that Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong were not in chaos. On the contrary, it was like two people playing the piano, although the rhythm was fast and every note was struck at the correct position. , and most importantly, this piece is harmonious and pleasant.

Before setting the plate, Lin Kesong and Jiang Qianfan tasted the veal rolls and even the side dishes as usual.

When Lin Kesong cut the beef roll with a knife and was about to put it in his mouth, Jiang Qianfan grabbed her wrist, "Don't need the tongue."

"Ah! Oh!" Lin Kesong blew the beef roll vigorously, and just as he was about to put it in his mouth, Jiang Qianfan tapped her on the head again.

"Who's the chef here?"

"You are!" Lin Kesong quickly stuffed the veal roll into his mouth.

"Yeah." Jiang Qianfan nodded.

Lin Kesong immediately brought the spring rolls over with joy.

Jiang Qianfan was in charge of making the spring rolls, while Lin Kesong began to set the plate.

Finally at twelve o'clock, all the appetizers were ready and sent to the jury's table.

Every dish is beautifully presented. Unlike the "Master Show", these appetizers all look luscious, eye-catching and appetizing.

The judges all showed their very cherished expressions, sorted out the napkins, picked up the knife and fork, and began to taste very seriously.

At this time, Winston came to the guest seat. He looked at Montgomery with a smile and said, "Dear Chef Montgomery, would you like to try these starters too?"

Montgomery glanced at Winston. "If I say I want to, will you let me eat it?"

"Of course." Winston smiled and snapped his fingers. The staff pushed the cart and came to Montgomery. "I am honored to invite you to comment on these three appetizers as today's guest critic."

Montgomery's eyes lit up, he supported his big belly, and suddenly a burst of laughter sounded.

The first course was Chinese spring rolls.

Montgomery first picked up one of Jessica's and Elise's spring rolls and looked at them: "Well - the overall arrangement is like French cuisine in a high-end restaurant. Very delicate shape, just a little thicker than my finger. But such a small spring roll faces two problems. First, the skin is too thin, and although it is easy to fry, it is easy to fry. Second, whether the filling inside is sufficient.

No one wants to bite down and eat only crispy skin but not enough flavor to mobilize the taste buds. But for now, the first point should not be a problem. Because the whole spring roll was a pleasant golden brown without any part getting burnt. "

After speaking, Montgomery took a bite and made a crackling sound.

He half raised his head and sighed: "Oh, it's really delicious! The freshness of the cucumber shreds, the smoothness of the mushrooms, and the deliciousness of the shrimps make people look forward to the main dishes and appetizers in the future. .The three sauces, vanilla cheese sauce, miso chili sauce and lime liqueur hoisin sauce all taste great! You must know that Chinese spring rolls are Jiang Qianfan's specialty, but Jessica and Elise put them together You are in danger, Qianfan!”

All looked to the other side of the glass wall.

Jiang Qianfan was stir frying as if he didn't hear anything, while Lin Kesong was seasoning.

"How does the color look?"

"It should be eight mature!"

Montgomery shrugged his shoulders in disappointment: "Forget it, nothing can ever make him feel threatened. I'd better try the spring rolls he and Croissant made!"

The spring rolls made by Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong were only of ordinary size. They didn't look as delicate and lovely as Jessica and Elise, and they only had one kind of sauce.

Montgomery sandwiched the spring rolls and put them in front of his eyes to observe carefully: "The spring rolls have egg liquid in the dough, so they will have such an eye-catching golden color after frying. Although this can increase the flavor of the dough, it is also very risky. Once Too much egg liquid will make the dough very soft and lose its texture. However, from this color, whether it is the frying temperature or the ratio of flour and eggs, they are all perfect. As expected of Jiang Qianfan, forever' Accuracy'. Just, I hope there will be some surprises in addition to the accuracy."

After speaking, Montgomery took a bite, and he began to chew, frowning and nodding as he chewed.

There were a total of three spring rolls on the plate, and Montgomery dipped in the sauce and ate all three spring rolls under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

He looked distressed, wondering if there was some strange smell in the spring rolls that kept him trying to figure it out.

"Hey, Chef Montgomery, don't just eat, it's time for you to talk."

"Well, sometimes 'tradition' is delicious because it has been tested by countless people. Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong's spring rolls are so 'traditional'. The fillings are shredded green bamboo shoots, shredded mushrooms, and pork. The shredded shredded garlic has a strong fragrance after stir-frying with minced garlic, the freshness of shredded mushrooms, the crispness of shredded green bamboo shoots, and the added texture of shredded pork. All the ratios are just right. There is also a little vanilla flavor! The sweetness and sweetness are well controlled, appetizing but not greasy. There is also the fragrance of green plums in it. Wait, what is this little bit of incense flavor?"

Montgomery closed his eyes and tasted it carefully, then smiled: "Ah... It's pepper oil! It's really a pure and rich Chinese flavor! If the dough and filling of spring rolls are 'precise', this little pepper The taste of oil and sour plum sauce is a pleasant surprise. Whose idea is the pepper oil? Qianfan's? Or croissant?"

Hearing this, Lin Kesong, who was arranging the lamb chops, let out a smile.

Winston smiled: "Looking at Croissant's expression, pepper oil should be her idea."

"Sometimes, we so-called 'masters' are so constrained by past experiences that we don't know how to look for 'surprises'."

"So...the spring rolls from both sides, Chef Montgomery, do you prefer...Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong's?"

"Yes, although I don't know how the audience feels."

"Okay, let's take a look at the votes of the twenty-two Chinese spring rolls. Nine voted for the two Quentin chefs, while thirteen voted for Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong. That is to say, For the dish of spring rolls, Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong are in the lead for the time being!"

Hearing this news, Lin Kesong let out a sigh of relief. She's fighting for pan-fried sea bass.

And Lilith frowned.

Jessica lowered her voice and said, "Focus. Spring rolls are not what we are good at in the first place. Now the gap is only four votes. Do you really think that a little girl who has been in the industry for less than a year can surpass what you and I have done. Beef taco and pan-seared scallops? That's true Western food!"

"Don't worry, Mom. She may be a little smart, but with that, it's impossible to have the last laugh!"

The back kitchen behind the glass wall is still busy.

"Lilith, would you mind trying another appetizer, veal bacon?" Winston asked when he came to Lilith.

Lilith tucked her hair behind her ear and said with a smile, "I'm happy."

Two dishes were pushed in front of her, and Lilith raised her knife and fork.

"The presentation of both sides is very beautiful, like the artwork in the window. I really can't bear to destroy the beauty. However, it is only meaningful if the food is eaten." Lilith first cut Jessica and Lilith. The veal roll, turned his head and carefully observed, "Well, at first glance, the texture of the meat will be very good and the taste will be medium to medium cooked. The fragrance of the filling is very strong, and it feels very tender when the knife cuts it. This makes me Looking forward to how it tastes!"

Lilith put the veal roll into her mouth, savored it carefully, and continued: "The soft and balanced taste is exactly what I expected! The aroma of the cheese, and the gin taste! The crispy texture of asparagus and That little bit of jalapeño spiciness! Taste buds vibrate with a gentle touch! Much more than I expected! Oh Jessica and Elise, you guys are amazing !"

Hearing her comment, Elise and Jessica raised their hands together.

As Jessica put the sea bass on the plate, she said, "Did you see? I said it before. Whether it's French or Italian, it's your domain. If Jiang Qianfan chooses Brody or Korean Bin, maybe it's not easy to deal with. But that little girl, she probably hasn't even tasted black truffle and foie gras."

Elise looked up at the other side.

Lin Kesong, holding some sauce in his left hand and wine in his right, walked around behind Jiang Qianfan and came to his side. She didn't seem to be affected by Lilith's words just now, and she seemed to be in a good mood.

And Jiang Qianfan, who was cooking some kind of sauce, just raised her hand slightly, and she had already delivered the wine bottle to him.

Since when did Lin Kesong know so much about Jiang Qianfan's cooking process

"Lilith, although you gave the two Quentin chefs high praise. But you still have to try Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong's Italian-style veal rolls."

"I know." Lilith took a sip of water, "Now let me see, what kind of taste experience will Chef Jiang Qianfan and his... students bring to me?"

When Lilith cut the beef, she let out a soft sigh.

"What's wrong? Lilith?" Winston asked.

"...I feel like my knife is like cutting butter." Lilith moved the cut side of the beef roll towards herself, "Very beautiful medium to medium rare beef! As expected of Jiang Qianfan... Fragrance... Except for the beef It also smells very fresh.”

Lilith slowly put the beef roll into her mouth and closed her eyes to distinguish the taste: "The marinating process after the beef is thinned, the grasp of the taste is amazing. Salty, thyme, basil... and a little bit of cumin The natural taste is strong, but it does not take away the fragrance of the veal itself. Is it Chef Jiang Qianfan who marinated the beef?"

Winston shook his head and said, "It's Lin Kesong."

"...It's impossible, right?" Lilith showed a suspicious expression.

Winston pointed to his eyes and said, "I saw it with my eyes. Lin Ke Song prepared the sauce for the marinated veal."

Lilith's eyes swept over Winston to look at Lin Kesong, she was making some kind of rice paste, and she seemed to be able to do it with ease.

And Jiang Qianfan, who was beside her, didn't even issue a single command, trusting her completely.

Lilith put the remaining veal in her mouth, closed her eyes and continued to feel: "Well, this dish uses green asparagus instead of asparagus. Before the green asparagus was wrapped, a little minced garlic was added. And the stock stir fry, combined with the Padano cheese for a completely different flavor than the veal. And the green apple diced! What a great idea! The acidity and crunch are like cracked stars in the mouth, yes The finishing touch to this dish!"

"So, Lilith, are you praising Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong again?" Winston spread his hands with a speechless expression.

"I admire all works that are highly skilled, imaginative and enjoyable," Lilith replied.

"So among these two appetizers, do you want to choose the one you like more?"

Lilith sighed: "Then you should kill me..."

"Haha, then I won't embarrass you. After all, we have a real jury!" Winston took the vote count handed over by the staff and raised his eyebrows, "Well... The opinions of the jury and Lilith Yours are very similar."

Lilith said, "Do you mean a tie?"

Winston smiled. "We had twenty-one judges choosing this dish, so how could it be a tie?"

"So, one side has a slight majority of votes?"

"Yes. Congrats to Jessica and Elise, you got ten very precious votes!"

Elise's hand trembled slightly, she wondered if she had heard it wrong

Ten votes? So did Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong get eleven votes? Did she and her mother lose to Jiang Qianfan and a newcomer who had been in the business for less than a year in the appetizer of Italian-style veal

"Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong won eleven votes. This means that you already have an advantage of six votes. But the game is not over yet, there are still one appetizer, three main dishes and three desserts. Such an advantage is always available. will be overtaken.”

But no matter what, Lin Kesong still clenched his fists to cheer himself up. Because green apple granules are also her whims.

At that moment, she felt a kiss on her fist. Jiang Qianfan's hair swept across her skin, and when she reacted, the other party had already decorated the lamb chops with mint leaves expressionlessly.

"The next set, Croissant."

"Ah! Yes!"

Finally came the third appetizer, pan-fried scallops.

Winston nodded to Han Bin: "Chef Han Bin, the leader in Chinese food is Yuejianglou. Yuejianglou is also very familiar with all seafood cooking methods. I would like to invite you to comment on the pan-fried scallops from both sides."

"No problem. It's just that I'm not as humorous as Chef Montgomery, and I'm not as good at setting the mood as Lilith."

"Oh, you just tell everyone which dish suits your taste better."

Han Bin nodded and observed the plates of the two appetizers: "Judging from the appearance and color, the pan-fried scallops on both sides are well prepared. If there is no accident, the scallops must be tender and juicy."

Han Bin cut up Jessica and Elise's scallops, took a bite, nodded and said, "Although the combination of garlic-flavored cauliflower puree and pineapple sauce was a bit beyond imagination, it unexpectedly matched the taste of pan-fried scallops. In terms of taste, the sweet and sour of pineapple arouses appetite, and the aroma of garlic complements the deliciousness of scallops, and the soft taste of colored mud is worthy of being a master level.”

"Well, I have no doubts about that." Winston nodded.

Han Bin tasted Lin Kesong and Jiang Qianfan's scallops again.

He pursed his lips. "Avocado sauce with mango vinaigrette is the perfect combination with mashed cauliflower. The scallops are very tasty and don't need extra seasoning. The advantage of the fruit sauce is that it makes the scallops fresher."

"So, which one do you like more?"

"I like the avocado and mango vinaigrette pairing, but taste-wise, I prefer Jessica and Elise's. It's more impactful."

"I see. Let's look at the jury's votes. Aha! Elise and Jessica got ten votes, while Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong got seven! So, the current appetizer pk, Jiang Qianfan and Lin Kesong temporarily lead with 31 votes, while Jessica and Elise are close behind with 29 votes! This makes the main course competition even more exciting!"