Lin Yunyan put down the bowl and her eyebrows gradually relaxed.
The soup is good soup.
The soup is clear in color, not greasy, and has some spiciness from pepper. It is slightly stimulating in the mouth and makes the soup more fresh and sweet.
Drinking a bowl of this in the middle of winter will warm your internal organs and make your whole body feel comfortable.
"Grandma He's craftsmanship is indeed amazing." Lin Yunyan sighed.
Xu Jian didn't speak, just waited quietly for Lin Yunyan to continue.
If it just tasted good, she wouldn't have the same expression before.
Lin Yunyan sorted out her thoughts.
Half a year ago, Chen Gui told her that Grandma He's cooking was first-rate and delicious.
Not to mention there are so many restaurants in Beijing that do business, even the cook of Uncle Chengyi's house might have to admit defeat.
Lin Yunyan just listened to it.
It's not that she questioned Chen Gui's exaggeration, but that she wasn't particularly interested.
Later, she also tasted the sweet soup cooked by Grandma He. It was soft, glutinous and sweet, which was her favorite taste.
But today is the first time I have tasted a serious meal.
With this taste, she understood that what Chen Gui said was true.
"Which master did Grandma He learn from?" Lin Yunyan asked.
This knocked Xu Jianwen down.
He said: "In the early years, she was the cook in the Duke Fu's mansion. Before I was born, she got married and left the mansion.
I didn’t know about this place until a few years ago, when my grandfather was ill and missed the old taste, so he invited her to the backyard of Taohe Zhai to ask her to cook two dishes.
Before his death, my grandfather said that the He family was upright and trustworthy.
After tasting her cooking, I became accustomed to eating here.
As for where she worked as a errand before becoming the cook in the Duke's mansion, if you want to know, call your mama and ask later. "
Lin Yunyan said: "The taste of grandma's soup is very similar to the soup I drank in Cining Palace when I was a child."
When Xu Jian heard this, his eyebrows raised slightly.
Then, he saw Lin Yunyan pick up the chopsticks and take a bite of sweet and sour pork.
Lin Yunyan ate very politely and chewed slowly. She was savoring the food carefully and looked very serious.
It was so serious that Xu Jian was curious as to what kind of clues could be gained from tasting this sweet and sour pork.
Thinking like this, Xu Jian also took a piece and tasted it.
It has a richer flavor than usual and is naturally delicious.
"It's a lot of vinegar and a lot of sugar," Lin Yunyan said, "I haven't had anything like this in years."
With that said, she tasted something else.
After tasting all the dishes, Lin Yunyan made a judgment: "The seasoning of grandma's cooking is very suitable for the Queen Mother."
The Empress Dowager has a strong taste, so she likes this one.
It's just that for the young Lin Yunyan, she couldn't follow the Queen Mother in terms of diet.
As she grew older, she gradually became less particular and liked to eat with the Empress Dowager.
Unfortunately, this rich flavor didn’t last for a few years.
The Empress Dowager is getting older, and the doctors have repeatedly warned her to speak softly and not behave like she did when she was young.
The empress is very upset, but she also knows that her health is important, and she has slowly adjusted over the past four or five years.
Nowadays, the tables in Cining Palace do not have the same rich flavor as before.
Today, Lin Yunyan suddenly tasted the same taste as before. She missed it with nostalgia, but at the same time, she was also full of questions.
I'm not sure whether it's because it's been a long time and I tasted it wrong, so I frown and judge carefully.
"Cooking skills require practice," Lin Yunyan said. "If you haven't cooked a lot of good dishes repeatedly, you won't be able to master your skills."
Good food requires good ingredients and money.
Which master accepts a disciple and can make her cook as if she were making money?
The Duke's Mansion does have that kind of family background.
However, the old Duke was ill, so it was obvious that after Grandma He got married, the cooks in the Duke's house did not have the same taste in cooking.
Come to think of it, there is no "master" among them
.
Xu Jian understood what Lin Yunyan meant and called out to Shen Chen, asking him to invite his grandma.
Aunt He's family came over quickly, and her heart sank when she saw that the dishes on the table hadn't even taken a few bites.
She still has some confidence in her craftsmanship, but there is no difference in taste. Maybe it is not to the taste of the princess?
Oh, this is not good!
She had noticed early on that the Duke of Guo treated the princess quite differently, but it was a pity that he always kept it in check.
She was secretly worried and whispered in private: If she is not attentive at all, can a beautiful daughter-in-law fall from the sky?
The Duke of Guo has a cold temper, and he finally found a girl he likes. What a pity it would be if he missed her?
Grandma He was thinking about it, and when she heard that the house next door was about to be sold, she quickly asked her son and the Duke to suggest that she buy that place as well.
After all, it's cold.
The Duke of Guo allows the princess to enter the study, but the Chen Dong family often comes with the princess, and the Jing Dong family often discusses matters. You can't just sit in the yard in the wind and snow, right?
Fortunately, the Duke of Guo listened to the advice, and after the next door was connected, the princess was obviously satisfied.
It’s good to be satisfied.
If you are satisfied and the Holy Father approves the marriage, won’t your daughter-in-law just fall off?
From now on, the princess will be the mistress of the Duke's mansion.
Although Grandma He does not work in the mansion, the Duke is used to eating at Taohe Zhai every day. Of course, she also hopes that the princess can eat well and get used to it.
There was no chance for the princess to have a taste before, but now that she knew the princess was coming, Nanny He tried her best.
But the taste seems to be off?
"I heard from the Duke that grandma was originally the cook in the mansion," Lin Yunyan asked, "from which master did grandma learn this cooking skill?"
Aunt He was slightly startled.
Lin Yunyan saw hesitation on her face, and then added: "To be honest with you, grandma, the food tastes great. It tastes like when I was a child. I really miss it."
Hearing what she said, Grandma He relaxed and had a smile on her face.
"As long as you get used to it," she said, "I've made the food a little heavier today, thinking it should be more to your liking."
Lin Yunyan laughed: "Do you know what my usual taste is?"
Aunt He's hands grabbed her sleeves, and then let go.
"Oh, I let it slip," she sighed, shaking her head anxiously, "I used to work in the imperial kitchen."
This answer was within Lin Yunyan and Xu Jian's expectations.
Aunt He's family added: "That was all decades ago. My master was responsible for preparing meals for the Empress, or now the Empress Dowager, and I have been working with him.
My wife's taste is strong, but she doesn't like it if it's light.
The empress has been like this all year round, and her taste will not change easily. I thought, since the princess is always by her side, she should be very accustomed to her taste. "
"Mommy is half right," Lin Yunyan motioned for her to sit down first and said, "I said the taste is nostalgic. Cining Palace used to be like this, but now it's a bit lighter. The empress is getting older, and the imperial doctor explained of."
Grandma He said softly "Ah" and was stunned for a while before sighing: "Time flies so fast. All I remember are the old almanacs. Yes, the empress is getting old too..."
