Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Food Tower

Translator: 549690339 |

“What is the Tower of Food?”

Zhou Tianhao, who was standing by, showed a puzzled look upon hearing the two’s conversation.

Apparently, he hadn’t seen any related introduction yet.

“The Tower of Food is the place in Ye Zhi City with the most variety and quantity of food,” Shen Qian gave Zhou Tianhao a glance, then explained slowly, “At the same time, it is also the assessment location for Mr. Gao Yichen, a Second-Level Food Recommender in Ye Zhi City.”

“This…” Hearing the second half of Shen’s Qian statement, Qin Lang showed a look of surprise. He was unaware of this Second-Level Food Recommender assessment location.

“For the assessment to take place in a place full of a variety and quantity of food, it seems like this Second-Level Food Recommender is quite unconventional,” Zhou Tianhao stroked his chin, then smiled at Shen Qian.

“I suppose you’ve already planned for a future visit since you decided not to go today?”

“Correct,” Shen Qian nodded, looking at Qin Lang, “The reason we’re not going today is partly because The Tower of Food is a long way from our hotel, we must cross a large part of the city to reach there.”

“Additionally, I plan to go there tomorrow to have a look at the buzz of the Tower of Food, and possibly even visit Mr. Gao Yichen.”

“In that case, let’s go tomorrow.” Qin Lang yielded willingly, “Today, we can go elsewhere to taste local delicacies.”

“Once you get one more Second-Level Food Recommender Badge, you’ll be eligible to participate in the Mingjing Province Cooking Contest, right Shen Qian?”, Zhou Tianhao teased, “Cheer up!”

“Hey, Zhou, it’s not just me who needs to try hard, you also need to.” Shen Qian beamed, “The minimum requirement to participate in Mr. Gao Yichen’s assessment is a Second-Level Food Recommender Badge, so you can try, too.” “Oh?” Zhou Tianhao’s eyes lit up, “Then I will accompany you on the visit tomorrow!”

Given such an opportunity, he naturally wouldn’t miss it.

“In that case, I’ll be in charge of eating and exploring,” Qin Lang smiled, picked up his phone and pointed to another picture and text introduction.

“Here’s a little restaurant hidden in an old alley. They say it’s the best place in Ye Zhi City for its speciality Camphor Duck. Locals queue up there every day for a taste, and it’s not far from us.”

“Let me see…” Shen Qian leaned over to look at Qin Lang’s phone, her expression a little odd, “Why can’t I find this place on the local food rankings?” “Are you looking at the tourist rankings?” Zhou Tianhao chuckled, “When it comes to understanding local gourmets, outsiders are not as knowledgeable as locals.”

“The quaint little restaurant that Qin Lang is recommending, who would a tourist know about it?”

“The eateries on the tourist rankings are often located in bustling commercial areas, with unique decorations and delicious dishes.”

“But if you really want to dig deep, those old places that have been open in remote places for many years are the real gems.”

“Exactly, that’s the idea,” Qin Lang nodded in agreement, “So I prefer to find out what’s going on in local forums.”

“So there are such tricks!” Shen Qian felt like she learned a great deal, and bounced up from the sofa, “In that case, let’s go and taste it! The Camphor Duck in Ye Zhi City is quite famous!”

“Let’s go!” Qin Lang and Zhou Tianhao laughed and stood up together.

“Burp~”

Qin Lang, without any regard for his image, let out a loud burp. He leaned back on the table and chair, his face filled with satisfaction as he looked at the empty utensils and dishes on the table.

“Indeed, this Camphor Duck is delicious, and definitely worth an hour’s queue,” Zhou Tianhao commented while finishing the last mouthful of soup in the bowl.

“Indeed,” Qin Lang agreed as he nodded.

The so-called Camphor Duck is prepared by hollowing out the trunk of a unique tree in Ye Zhi City known as Red Camphor Wood, to make a large bowl. A whole treated duck is placed on it, along with other local special seasonings, and steamed together.

The finished duck is served in a large soup bowl, fully immersed in a delicious stew. It tastes juicy and rich, and the unique sweet-smelling fragrance of Red Camphor Wood is pleasantly surprising when smelled.

“The Beaten Chicken recommended by the uncle at the next table also suits my taste,” Shen Qian finished her portion, which was served with cucumber shreds and carrot shreds, and looked content.

This is a dish prepared by pounding a whole steamed chicken until the bones can be removed, shredded and mixed with cucumber and carrot shreds, and served cold.

The technique of deboning a chicken with a pounding technique is extremely difficult, demanding high precision. A little carelessness could lead to shattered bones, making it hard to separate from the meat.

The dish was recommended by a local sitting next door to them in the restaurant during their wait for the Camphor Duck.

“Uncle, thank you for your recommendation!” Shen Qian smiled at the friendly local uncle.

“You’re welcome.” The uncle responded cheerfully, “This place has been open for many years, but few tourists come here while locals frequently visit. It’s rare to see outsiders like you, so I had to recommend to you what is good.”

Hearing his words, Shen Qian couldn’t help glancing at Qin Lang and Zhou Tianhao.

Her companions’ predictions were very accurate.

“There are many cooks in Ye Zhi City who cook Camphor Duck, but if you want something authentic, the owner here is unbeatable,” intervened a local diner at another table who had just finished his meal, making a point between picking his teeth.

“There are standards to be met in making the Camphor Duck,” he rated, “Not only does one have to select the best quality Red Camphor Wood, but also, one wooden bowl can only serve up to thirty portions of Camphor Duck.”

“If there are more, the flavor of the Red Camphor Wood will weaken, which will significantly affect the Camphor Duck.”

“However, Red Camphor Wood isn’t cheap. It has a slow growth rate and high value. Very few restaurant owners still stick to such practice.”

“In many places, the Camphor Duck is prepared in the same wooden bowl for a month and even a year in some cases.” As he said this, the customer shook his head, “Without the fragrance of camphor, what sort of Camphor Duck is it?” “Exactly.”

“Well said, that’s why I always come here.”

“Ha ha, me too.”

His words resonated with a few locals. They all expressed their solidarity, and a lively debate followed, full of agreeance.

“Indeed, a good chef should strive for perfection in every aspect of cooking,” Qin Lang nodded understandingly, “The wooden bowl made from Red Camphor Wood is not only a container but also part of the seasoning; it should never be overlooked.”

Although he had never tasted Camphor Duck from elsewhere, he could imagine how inferior it would be without the soulful fragrance of camphor wood. He had experienced a similar culinary technique in his previous life where an enormous piece of cheese was used to cook food.

“Let’s go have a look around nearby,” Zhou Tianhao suggested cheerfully, standing up and rubbing his stomach.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Shen Qian quickly agreed.

Just as Qin Lang was about to nod, his phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a message from Su Henian.