“Cousin, cousin, it's my birthday tomorrow.” In the morning, Dudley blinked at Harry with his pitiful little eyes.
Harry ignored him and continued to eat.
“Cousin.” Dudley wouldn't give up, continuing to beam at Harry.
He used his thick neck to speak in a bashful tone.
Facing a plump and stout, well, not exactly stout, but a small, plump piglet, constantly beaming at him and acting cute, Harry lost his appetite.
“So?” Harry asked, looking up.
“I want to eat the dishes you make.” Hearing Harry's response, Dudley said without hesitation.
Oh, what a simple and pure desire.
Harry hesitated for a moment, and Dudley continued to beam at him.
“Alright. I’ll take half a day off tomorrow and come back to cook you a meal in the afternoon.” Harry nodded, unable to bear the glare of a little piglet.
A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of Petunia and Vernon, who were eating silently at the side.
They also wanted to eat.
But they were too embarrassed to ask.
After Harry gained Peng Ying Zongs approval, he returned home and cooked a meal for them. Dudley and Vernon almost licked the plates clean that day, they didn't even need to wash them.
Petunia actually wanted to too, but she was already too full to move.
Vernon still had some shame, he licked one plate before feeling a little ashamed, reluctantly put down the plate, and then looked enviously at Dudley.
He was still a child, he could be shameless and lick the remaining plates clean.
Then Dudley's attitude towards Harry took a one-eighty-degree turn.
His status in the family was directly placed above his parents.
He couldn't help it, but who could refuse such delicious dishes cooked by his cousin.
It was just too hard to resist.
But Harry was very busy with work, chefs are always busy.
At least except for breakfast, lunch and dinner had to be worked in the restaurant, and he didn’t have time to go home to cook for them specifically.
Unless it was a holiday, Peng Ying Zongs gave him time off, and the restaurant closed, then Harry didn't need to work and could come home to cook for them.
Once Dudley couldn't resist his cravings, he nagged Vernon and Petunia to go to the restaurant where Harry worked.
That meal cost Vernon one-third of his monthly salary.
After leaving the restaurant, Vernon’s expression was both satisfied and painful.
Damn it, this restaurant is really expensive.
But even more damning, the dishes in this restaurant are really delicious.
He also wanted to eat there every day, but he couldn’t afford it.
Vernon just wished his salary was higher.
Of course, he and Dudley had ordered too many dishes.
But the prices of the dishes were definitely high.
They wouldn't be worth it if they weren't worth it for Peng Ying Zongs skills.
After breakfast, Harry helped Petunia clean up the dishes and went to work.
He told Peng Ying Zongs about his half-day off tomorrow, Peng Ying Zongs nodded and agreed after clarifying the reason. Harry thought about the dishes he planned to make for Dudley tomorrow.
He called the restaurant's supplier and asked him to deliver the ingredients.
Then another day of work.
Peng Ying Zongs rarely cooks now.
He only cooks when he has a large order.
Now his main focus is on training his disciples.
Harry prepared to simmer a pot of stock, practicing his skills and preparing for tomorrow's dishes for Dudley.
He had been practicing simmering stock for a long time now, for over 3 months. Peng Ying Zongs said he had never seen anyone learn to simmer stock so quickly.
But compared to the time he learned to cook in the past, 3 months was a long time.
This time, he had a feeling that the stock he was simmering had reached perfection.
Harry was completely focused on simmering the stock. Simmering stock takes a long time. Peng Ying Zongs only came to take a look occasionally. Seeing that there were no major problems, he went to teach his other disciples.
Even with Harry's keen observation, he didn't notice Peng Ying Zongs coming near him.
His attention was entirely on the stock.
He could even feel as if he had become the stock itself.
The changes in heat, the blending of ingredients, the transformation of flavor were all in his heart.
At 1:40 am, the fire was turned off, the stock was done!
For more than six hours, Harry had not been distracted, he had not talked to anyone, he had been standing by the stove the whole time, skimming the stock, filtering it, no one had disturbed him.
Peng Ying Zongs had made the area around Harry a no-go zone, not letting anyone go near him.
Being able to maintain this focus felt fantastic.
Harry moved his stiff neck.
Then he saw that none of the employees in the kitchen had left, they were all looking at the pot of stock in Harry's hands with gleaming eyes, including Peng Ying Zongs.
Harry took a bowl and filled it with half a bowl of stock and handed it to Peng Ying Zongs.
“Master, have a taste.” Harry didn't taste it first, he had that feeling, that confidence, that this stock was different from all the stock he had simmered before.
In a novel, it would be said that he had broken through, his skill in simmering stock had reached perfection.
Peng Ying Zongs took a spoonful of the steaming stock, blew on it and took a small sip.
Peng Ying Zongs' smile spread across his face, his laughter was like a spring breeze, the corners of his mouth turned up, his already small eyes narrowed into a happy arc.
Instead of commenting as he usually did, he said to Harry, "Try it yourself."
Harry nodded and, like Peng Ying Zongs, took a small spoonful and tasted it.
Harry was stunned.
He couldn't believe this stock was made by him.
The deliciousness of the chicken, the richness of the beef shank, the essence of all the ingredients were blended together in this stock, as if the taste of nature was blooming in his mouth.
The gift from the mountains and seas, the human yearning for good food can all be found in this bowl of stock.
Clear soup and stock have similarities, but stock focuses more on perfectly blending the aroma and freshness of various ingredients, presenting an ultimate flavor.
Stock exists to allow people to taste the purest flavor of ingredients, it is the ultimate work in culinary arts.
A thousand words, all in the stock.
One taste, and you can experience the fusion of history and food, feel the original deliciousness of food, let your taste buds dance in this stock.
Every mouthful is an enjoyment, every drop is a respect for food.
He glanced at his apprentices and staff who were staring at him eagerly, Harry ladled half a bowl for each of them.
He kept half the stock, he was going to take it home, he was going to use it to cook for Dudley tomorrow.
Everyone held their bowls with both hands, carefully, as if holding some sacred treasure.
Ignoring those worthless disciples, Peng Ying Zongs smiled at Harry, “Your stock is already perfect, the next thing is clear soup. Clear soup is actually similar to stock, with your level of stock simmering, I believe you’ll be able to get the hang of it quickly.”
“Once you learn clear soup, I will teach you the true essence of Tan’s Cuisine.” Peng Ying Zongs said.
“Is it the swallow fin feast?” Harry’s eyes lit up.
Swallow fin feast is a high-end banquet featuring swallow’s nest dishes and shark fin dishes.
He had wanted to learn these swallow fin dishes for a long time. It could be said that the dishes in the swallow fin feast were the true essence of Tan’s Cuisine.
Tan’s Cuisine is a type of imperial cuisine, using expensive ingredients like abalone, swallow’s nest, and so on.
Braised shark fin, clear soup swallow’s nest, oyster sauce abalone, dragon-shaped shrimp and braised sea cucumber, etc.
He wanted to eat them all.
But Peng Ying Zongs only made them rarely.
Unless it was a super VIP client, who booked the whole place and specifically requested this banquet, Peng Ying Zongs would make it himself.
It was too difficult to make a swallow fin feast, the main problem was that Peng Ying Zongs didn't have any help!
Harry’s cooking skills at the time couldn't help much, he could only help out by chopping vegetables.
All the main dishes had to be done by Peng Ying Zongs himself.
Chen Feng’s role was not actually to help out, but to release healing energy for Peng Ying Zongs when he was tired, so he could recover.
It could be said that the swallow fin feast became a symbol of status and wealth in England.
The problem of hiring child labor like Harry was eliminated after a certain official waved his hand.
Peng Ying Zongs nodded.
Harry was full of anticipation for the future.