Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

Ever since the two brothers showed off their cooking skills at a wedding in the courtyard, the wonderful display of cooking seemed to have thrown a stone around the courtyard, causing ripples. The reputation of Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang's cooking skills gradually spread throughout the area like the slowly rising smoke from cooking.

Their reputation seemed to have legs, spreading from one courtyard to another, from one household to another, and more and more people knew how great they were.

From time to time, neighbors would hold a small gathering at home, or an elderly person's birthday party. Whenever this happened, the first people that the hosts thought of were Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, two brothers with superb cooking skills, and they would scramble to invite them to help cook. The brothers never refused any of these invitations. In their hearts, every such opportunity was extremely precious, just like a great opportunity given by God to test their cooking skills and continue to improve. They didn't want to let it go easily, and they all hoped to take these opportunities to improve their cooking skills.

Whenever they received an invitation, no matter what they were busy with, they would immediately put it aside and find a free time to get together in advance to carefully discuss how to plan the menu.

They know that the menu is the soul of a banquet, and they have to take the host's preferences into consideration. For example, if the host prefers light and refreshing tastes, they have to arrange more appetizers such as cold cucumbers and sugar-mixed tomatoes, and pair them with light but flavorful hot dishes such as steamed fish and stir-fried seasonal vegetables. Finally, they have to carefully prepare a sweet and lung-moistening Tremella soup as a dessert soup; but if the host likes rich and mellow tastes, the menu will have to be different. Heavy-flavored cold dishes such as braised beef and shredded ear mushrooms in red oil will have to be served, and classic dishes such as braised pork and pork with preserved vegetables must also be included in the hot dishes. The dessert soup may have to be replaced with a fragrant eight-treasure porridge.

Moreover, in addition to preferences, the budget must also be taken into consideration, so as not to let the host spend too much. Therefore, from the appetizers to the hearty hot dishes, and finally the desserts and soups, the choice of each dish was determined after repeated consideration by the two brothers, and no carelessness was allowed.

After deciding on the menu, it’s time to prepare the ingredients.

They always get up early and rush to the market when the vegetables are still covered with morning dew and the livestock are at their freshest. As soon as they enter the market, the lively scene hits them, with all kinds of shouting and bargaining sounds intertwined, but they are not affected at all, and they stop in front of each stall to choose with full concentration.

When they look at vegetables, they must have green leaves, plump roots and stems, and be fresh and juicy to be pleasing to their eyes; when they look at poultry and livestock, they must have tender meat and bright color. They treat it as if it is an extremely important exam. Every time they pick up an ingredient, they will carefully check it inside and out. Sometimes they will chat with the stall owner for a few more words, asking about the origin and growth of the ingredient, as if only in this way can they ensure that they have selected the best quality ingredients and lay a solid foundation for the dishes they are about to cook.

During the cooking process, the two brothers became more and more in sync, as if they were in sync with each other. Yan Jiecheng stood steadily in front of the stove, his focused eyes as if he was under a spell, staring closely at the changes in the pot, never moving away for a moment. The oil in the pot gradually heated up and began to smoke slightly, and the spatula in his hand seemed to be given life, waving it methodically, again and again, with just the right rhythm.

Then, various seasonings were put into the pot one by one under his precise control like that of a precision instrument. The moment the salt was sprinkled, it was like the beginning of a wonderful magical journey. Then light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine and other seasonings were added one after another. They collided and blended with each other in the pot, and instantly created an enticing aroma in the boiling pot. That aroma, like having wings, quickly spread in the kitchen and went straight into people's noses, making the gluttons in people's stomachs start to stir.

On the other side, Yan Jiefang was also not idle. He was cutting and preparing ingredients skillfully.

The kitchen knife was like a musical instrument in his hands. Every time it fell, the sound it made in contact with the chopping board was like rhythmic drum beats, "da da da", and it sounded like a unique sense of rhythm.

The ingredients he cut were so amazing that one could not help but admire them. Every piece of vegetable was cut evenly thick and thin, and every piece of meat was of moderate size and neatly arranged. The color combination was also very beautiful, with red, green, and white arranged in an orderly manner. It was pleasing to the eye, and made it convenient for his brother Yan Jiecheng to use them at any time. The whole process was done in one go, without any sense of dragging on.

Those who have had the honor of tasting their cooking skills are full of praise, and each of them has become the brothers' "living signboard". Whether they are chatting in the streets or visiting relatives and friends, as long as they mention food, they will involuntarily think of the dishes made by Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, and then they will start to praise them endlessly, praising their superb cooking skills to everyone they meet. The dishes they make are not only delicious, but also mellow and rich in flavor, and every bite seems to dance on the tip of the tongue, leaving people with endless aftertaste.

Moreover, the presentation of the dishes was as exquisite as a work of art. The vegetables were arranged like carefully carved jades, and the meat pieces were arranged like exquisite agates. The overall look was so pleasing to the eye that it made people happy and their appetites increased. The praise spread like wings, first among the neighbors around the courtyard, then to a few streets away, and even to the ears of some nearby small restaurant owners.

There is a restaurant that specializes in home-cooked dishes. Although the business is usually decent and there are many regular customers coming and going, the owner knows that his restaurant always lacks a few signature dishes that can make people shine, just like a painting lacks a few of the most eye-catching colors. He always feels that something is missing, so the business has not been able to move to the next level. One day, the owner accidentally heard about the cooking reputation of Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, and it was as if a light was lit in his heart, and he immediately became interested.

He thought that if he could invite these two brothers with superb cooking skills to help cook in the restaurant, maybe the restaurant business would become prosperous. Thinking of this, the boss couldn't sit still, and personally went to the restaurant to invite the two brothers to help cook in the restaurant that day, and to show his sincerity, he promised them a very generous reward, which was much more than what the two brothers had earned from cooking before.

Not only that, the boss also promised that if the two brothers could make the restaurant famous with their cooking skills and make it well-known in the area, he would definitely give them dividends so that they could benefit as well.

After hearing the invitation from the restaurant owner, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang were a little hesitant at first. You know, the courtyard was where they had lived since they were young, and they were as familiar with it as their own bodies. Every blade of grass and every tree in the courtyard, and the laughter and joy among neighbors, had long been deeply imprinted in their hearts. Now they had to leave this warm and familiar environment and go to a relatively unfamiliar place to work hard. It felt like they were going to embark on an unknown journey alone. There were too many uncertainties ahead, and naturally they had no idea what was going on.

After thinking about it, they decided that they should find a reliable person to discuss this matter with. After thinking about it, they thought of He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu had profound attainments in cooking and was always enthusiastic. When he taught them cooking, he was also dedicated. It was right to ask him for advice. So, the two brothers went to He Yuzhu's house together and told him everything about the invitation from the restaurant owner, with a look of entanglement and hesitation on their faces.

He Yuzhu listened quietly, nodding slightly as he listened. When the two brothers finished speaking, he first reached out and gently patted their shoulders, with encouragement and comfort in his gesture. Then, he spoke earnestly, "You two have been practicing cooking with me for so long. From knowing nothing at the beginning to being able to make delicious dishes now, I have seen the hard work you have put in along the way. Now it is time to go out and try your luck. If you always stay in this courtyard, your experience will always be limited. Going to a restaurant will allow you to see a wider world. Although there are many customers in a restaurant, and the requirements for ordering dishes are also varied, it is not as free and casual as cooking in the courtyard, but this is precisely a good place to hone your skills. People can only grow through constant challenges. Don't be afraid, try boldly, I believe in your ability, and you will definitely make a name for yourself."

He Yuzhu's words were like a reassurance to the two brothers, gradually calming their originally panicked hearts.

With the support of He Yuzhu, the two brothers felt like they had a solid support in their hearts. After some thought, they accepted the invitation of the restaurant owner. But when they first arrived at the restaurant, they deeply realized that the difficulties involved were much more than they had imagined.

The flow of customers in the restaurant is really amazing. From morning to night, waves of diners pour in, and the sound of ordering dishes comes one after another, with various requests. Some diners ask for the dishes to be lighter, but not too bland, and to retain the original freshness of the ingredients; some want a stronger taste, preferably spicy and fresh, which makes people feel satisfied after one bite; and some will make some special requests, such as not putting certain side dishes in a certain dish, or combining several different dishes to create a new taste. This is completely different from cooking in the courtyard. When cooking in the courtyard, most of the people are familiar neighbors, and their tastes are roughly understood, so it is naturally much more comfortable and casual.

In this busy restaurant kitchen, the two brothers were often so busy that they wished they had more hands. Take Yan Jiecheng for example. He stood in front of the stove, frying a dish that needed to be fried quickly over high heat. The flames in the pot were whirring up. He had to concentrate on waving the spatula and constantly stir-frying the ingredients in the pot so that every piece of vegetable and every piece of meat could be evenly heated. At the same time, he had to keep an eye on the soup stewing on the stove next to him. The soup was "bubbling" in the pot, and he had to keep an eye on the size of the fire. He couldn't let the soup overflow, nor could he stew it too dry or too watery. The beads of sweat on his forehead kept rolling down, flowing down his cheeks to his chin, and then dripping onto the ground, but he didn't even have time to wipe them off. His eyes were always fixed on the situation in the pot. His nervous and busy appearance made people feel that he was very tired.

Yan Jiefang was not having an easy time either. He stood in front of the chopping board, his hands never stopped, a kitchen knife was constantly waving in his hand, and the sound of cutting vegetables never stopped. Various ingredients were quickly cut into different shapes and sizes by his hands, but after doing this job for a long time, his hands were almost too tired to lift, and he felt sore and numb. But even so, he did not dare to slack off at all, and he had to keep an eye on the remaining amount of various ingredients. After all, the customer flow was large and the ingredients were consumed very quickly. Once he found that a certain ingredient was running out, he had to rush to the kitchen to restock it. If he was delayed, it would affect the speed of serving the dishes.

However, facing these difficulties, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang were not defeated. Instead, they seemed to be inspired to fight and became more and more courageous. They knew that since they chose to come here, they had to grit their teeth and persevere, and regard difficulties as a ladder for growth. So, whenever they had free time, they would get together and start to carefully study the most popular dishes in the restaurant. They would list the dishes with high order rates one by one, and then carefully think about how to make improvements on the original basis to make the taste even better.

For example, the restaurant has a dish called braised spareribs. Although the original method tastes good, they think it can be better. The two brothers began to try to adjust the proportion of seasonings, replacing the original ordinary soy sauce with dark soy sauce with a mellower taste, and adding some rock sugar to make the braised spareribs more attractive and red, and taste sweeter and softer.

Moreover, they will launch some new seasonal dishes in time according to the changes of seasons to attract customers' attention. In spring, various fresh vegetables are on the market, so they launched refreshing and delicious seasonal dishes such as stir-fried spring bamboo shoots and cold purslane; in summer, the weather is hot and people generally have poor appetites, so they have come up with dishes such as sour soup fatty beef and cold shredded chicken that are appetizing and refreshing; in autumn, various fruits and vegetables are fragrant, so they will incorporate pumpkin, chestnut and other ingredients into the dishes, and dishes such as chestnut roast chicken and pumpkin stew are very popular with customers as soon as they are launched; in winter, it is cold and everyone likes to eat hot and nourishing food, so they prepare warm and nutritious dishes such as stewed yam with pork ribs and mutton soup.

In this way, with the brothers' careful management and continuous efforts, the restaurant's business gradually became more and more prosperous because of their joining. Those diners who used to come occasionally have now become regular customers of the restaurant, and they will bring their relatives and friends to taste it. Moreover, more and more new customers come here for the dishes they cook. Often, before the meal time, the restaurant is already full of people, and there is a long line at the door. Everyone is looking forward to tasting the delicious food that makes people praise it.

The boss looked at the growing turnover of the restaurant, and the smile on his face never disappeared. He was smiling all day long. He knew that the restaurant business could become so prosperous, all thanks to Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, so he naturally valued the two brothers more. In order to express his gratitude and recognition of their abilities, the boss not only took the initiative to increase their wages, but also the increase was not small, which made the brothers' income several times higher than before.

Moreover, the boss also made an important decision and handed over the management of the restaurant's kitchen to them, allowing them to run the kitchen according to their own ideas. From the purchase of ingredients, arrangement of dishes, to deployment of personnel, etc., all are decided by the two brothers. This is really a great trust.

The third uncle Yan Bugui was so proud of his sons when he saw how successful they were. In the past, he would stand up straight when walking on the road, but that was just a normal spirit. But now it was different. His back was straight, as if he was a few centimeters taller than others, and he exuded a sense of pride from head to toe.

When chatting with neighbors, he would always praise his sons' cooking skills. He would say that his eldest son Yan Jiecheng had a very precise control of the heat when cooking, and the dishes he cooked were colorful, fragrant, and delicious, making people want to eat more. He would also praise his youngest son Yan Jiefang for his skillful cutting of vegetables and the clever matching of the dishes, making the dishes pleasing to the eye. He would also always say that his sons had become the backbone of the restaurant, and his tone was full of pride and satisfaction. The neighbors followed suit and praised him, saying that he was lucky to have two such capable sons.

As for He Yuzhu, seeing the two brothers making progress in their cooking career, he felt sincerely happy for them.

Thinking back to when I got up early and worked late to teach them cooking, from the most basic food preparation to the later cooking of complex dishes, I taught them every step hand in hand and put a lot of thought into it. Now that I see them making a name for themselves with this skill and gaining everyone's recognition, I feel that my hard teaching has finally borne rich fruit. My heart is filled with satisfaction and pride, as if I had achieved some remarkable achievement, and my face is often filled with a satisfied smile.

In the process of continuous growth, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang have not forgotten their original intention. They still return to the Siheyuan in their spare time to get together with the old neighbors in the courtyard and show everyone their cooking skills, so that the Siheyuan full of warmth and harmony is always filled with the aroma of mouth-watering food. The story of the inheritance of culinary skills will continue to be written in the years of the Siheyuan and become a story that everyone talks about with relish.