章 116: The Tip of the Iceberg
Confit, a method of cooking meat that originated in the southwest region of France, involves preserving and cooking meat in its own fat.
And duck leg confit is a delicacy found everywhere from the Élysée Palace to country taverns!
Indeed! It's a misconception that foreigners don't eat animal offal. At least, the French do—they eat foie gras, duck hearts, and even duck buttocks.
In essence, for the French, every part of the duck can be used in cooking, except for the feathers.
Sonoka had prepared well in advance, quickly serving up a dish of duck leg confit accompanied by cooked potatoes and cheese, which shone under the light of the lamps.
Especially notable was the rich aroma of spices steamed into the dish, which was utterly intoxicating!
Crispy!
The duck skin was crispy from the fat, clearly visible to the naked eye.
At that moment, Mana, her expression serene, gently probed the dish with a fork, revealing that the meat inside was surprisingly tender.
The intoxicating aroma of the duck confit burst forth, seductive and elusive.
It must be said that as a former Totsuki graduate, Sonoka's mastery of French cuisine had reached a high standard, making her dishes something not to be missed.
"Mana-sama!"
Beside her, Anne seemed somewhat panicked and anxious.
Then, under her and Sonoka's watchful eyes, Mana finally cut a small piece of duck meat and slowly brought it to her mouth.
The crispy skin and tender meat released a complexity of flavors, which became increasingly fragrant as she chewed.
Paired with the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside potatoes and juicy tomatoes, it felt like a feast on a farm, insatiable.
In fact, there are two keys to making a good confit:
The right mix of seasoning salts and the slow roasting temperature and time.
Clearly, from the taste and texture, Sonoka had mastered these aspects very well.
However, tasty as it was, it was still far from enough to impress Mana.
Mana only nibbled a few bites and then spat them out without swallowing, her complexion turning pale instantly.
A wave of intense discomfort started from her tongue, moved to her throat, down her esophagus, and into her stomach.
Eventually, she vomited!
"Mana-sama."
"Are you alright? Do you need an IV drip?"
Anne rushed to her side, patting her back gently while asking softly.
"No need! I'm just a bit nauseous... let me rest for a bit!"
Mana was weak, barely able to speak.
Seeing her own dish rejected so vehemently by the special commissioner, Sonoka felt a deep sense of loss and helplessness.
After a while, Mana's complexion began to improve.
She glanced at Sonoka, her thoughts complex, before finally saying, "The flavoring of the duck confit really comes down to the marinating."
"Understanding the characteristics of various spices and how they harmonize with duck meat is crucial!"
"Your confit uses thyme, rosemary, black pepper, bay leaves, and more than ten other spices."
"Yes, fifteen in total."
Sonoka, shocked, quickly responded.
"Have you never tried other spices?"
Mana then asked.
"No, fifteen spices are already perfect for bringing out the best flavor of the duck!" Sonoka replied.
"I've tried various spices in duck confit, including cardamom, cloves, star anise, lemongrass, cinnamon, galangal, and others…"
"Through continuous experimentation, I found that dried mandarin peel was a pleasant surprise."
"Especially the dried peel from Xinhui, its slightly sweet, cool citrus flavor can cut through the richness and enhance the aroma, making it a perfect match for the somewhat gamey duck."
"Dried mandarin peel?"
Hearing this, Sonoka fell into deep thought.
"And the oil used for confit."
"I didn't expect you to use olive oil."
"Actually, lard interacts better, enriching the texture of the duck legs; duck fat is more authentic, striving for the original flavor, though it's a bit drier than lard, but the taste is pure and harmonious!"
"If this represents the extent of your skill as a former Totsuki graduate, then you really haven't made any progress in the past two years."
"Ahaha, after all, I've been busy running this Shunkatei restaurant and had little time to explore cooking."
Sonoka, embarrassed, stood there, somewhat at a loss.
Generally speaking.
The path to becoming a chef can be divided into two schools:
The Academic School and the Practical School.
The Academic School, as the name suggests, involves entering a culinary school or academy to learn professional cooking techniques.
After meeting the qualifications, one would move on to various culinary jobs.
The Practical School involves direct entry into the workforce without formal education, learning the most practical and solid skills on the job.
Both have their merits and flaws.
The Academic School excels in combining theory with knowledge, but lacks the extensive practical experience of the Practical School.
Because ultimately, the most important thing for a chef is skill.
Chefs of the Practical School, who refine their craft daily at the cutting board and stove, are rich in experience.
They also have shortcomings, knowing how to perform tasks but often not understanding the underlying principles, which can limit their creativity.
Sonoka, clearly belongs to the Academic School.
Perhaps because she set up her own restaurant, Shunkatei, soon after graduation, her lack of practical experience has gradually become more apparent and problematic.
"If you were able to graduate from Totsuki, that proves you have talent!"
"But you seem to have forgotten something."
"No matter where you are, what you see is always just the tip of the iceberg."
"I've traveled around the world and know there are countless cuisines waiting to be discovered and explored."
"An individual's energy is always limited; what can be done is to maintain a humble heart and continuously learn new cuisines and techniques."
"Only by putting a craftsman's heart into every task can one truly lay a solid foundation."
"In short, to advance in culinary skills, every chef needs a diligent attitude and a strong desire for culinary knowledge."
"This..."
Sonoka, her expression serious, her eyes occasionally flashing with contemplative light.
Mana's lecture was somewhat patronizing, which could be unpleasant.
But upon reflection, indeed, since running the Shunkatei, her culinary skills had not improved and she had even gradually lost her initial passion.
"Let me tell you, if things continue this way, your Shunkatei will never reach a two-star level!"
"And most likely, you will be downgraded by the WGO."
"What?"
"Downgrade?"
Upon hearing this, Sonoka's complexion suddenly changed.
Unable to achieve a two-star upgrade this year had puzzled her for a long time.
Now, hearing that her Shunkatei might even be downgraded, she felt as though the sky was falling!
While there are many reasons for a restaurant to lose stars, the food is perhaps the most crucial criterion for WGO commissioners. When a restaurant's culinary level declines, the WGO tends to downgrade it.
And for a restaurant, being downgraded can have a massive impact.
Almost tantamount to a death sentence, it's not far from closing down.
"How about that?"
"Is this news disappointing to you?"
"Actually, this year's WGO restaurant evaluations are already over."
"Any decision to downgrade your Shunkatei will have to wait until next year's evaluations begin."
Seeing Sonoka's despondent face, Mana turned her eyes thoughtfully, softly saying.
"A year?"
"Do I still have a chance?"
Sonoka sighed deeply, feeling hopeless.
Perhaps in her heart, the Shunkatei she had struggled to build was truly at its end.
"Yes, you still have a chance." Mana affirmed.
"Eh?" Sonoka looked up at Mana, startled.
"There's someone who can solve your current predicament. As for how to do it and how to change through him, I think you know the answer in your heart!"
...
The night at the Polar Star Dormitory seemed more desolate and silent.
A cool evening breeze blew through the windows of the first-floor hall.
Then it lifted the light pink curtains and continued to brush past Soma Yukihira's face.
"Soma, what are you thinking about?"
Behind him, Satoshi patted his shoulder and asked.
Soma came to his senses and said, "I was just thinking, what kind of beef should I use for the beef donburi to make it better?"
"Are you still worried?"
"I watched the whole competition."
"The trimmings of fatty beef you used were not a problem at all!"
"It's just that she, Erina Nakiri, is not simple either."
"She understands how to fully bring out the original flavor of A5 grade beef with the caramelization of white wine and sugar and the principle of mirin brewing; that alone is impressive."
Satoshi said lightly.
"Senpai, do you have a way?" Soma nodded and then asked.
"Of course, it's just a matter of further..."
Satoshi was about to share his experience with him.
However, at that moment, the school's News and Broadcasting Department began distributing flyers for the "Residential Training Activity" to every corner of Totsuki Academy, including the Polar Star Dormitory.
"Finally."
"Soma, go and tell everyone to gather here."
Taking a flyer from Mitsuda Satoshi of the News Department, Satoshi glanced
at it briefly before turning to Soma.
"Alright, I'll go tell everyone."
Soma, somewhat displeased by this sudden change, saw Satoshi's serious expression and felt that something might be happening, so he quickly stood up and ran upstairs to inform everyone.
Soon, all the residents of the Polar Star Dormitory gathered together.
"Everyone, the Residential Training Activity is finally upon us!"
"If nothing goes wrong, it will be held next week at the Totsuki Resort."
Placing the flyer on the table and looking around, Satoshi simply said.
"What?"
"Is it starting?"
Upon hearing this, Yuuki was somewhat incredulous.
Beside her, Megumi appeared panicked, her whole body trembling!
Despite having survived the first exam after school started, she knew well what they were about to face: a much greater storm!
Compared to anyone, as the last-ranked student, she probably least wanted to face this residential training activity.
But...
What must come, will come.
Trying to escape is useless...
"Is it like some sort of practical training activity in the wilderness?" Soma, a transfer student, asked doubtfully.
"Yes!"
"That's one way to understand it."
Satoshi nodded and continued, "Of course, this training session isn't as pleasant as you might imagine."
"For example, in my cohort, the training content and evaluation criteria were very strict."
"By the end of the training, the elimination rate had reached an astonishing 50%, and at least a few of my classmates were forced to leave the school!"
"It's over, it's really over!"
"Half of the students are going to be expelled."
"For someone like me who ranks at the very bottom, there's definitely no hope."
Megumi immediately felt a chill and her face turned even paler.
Mom, the elders back home, and the owner of the Izakaya... this time, I'm really going to let you all down.
I... I have failed you!
Feeling weak, Megumi started feeling dizzy.
Then she collapsed into Yuuki's arms as if she had lost consciousness, mumbling a few words.
"It's no use, how can someone like me survive this residential training activity?"
"Nine out of ten, I'm going to be expelled!"
"Little Megumi!"
"You... you need to pull yourself together!"
Seeing Megumi weak and delirious, Yuuki was immediately frightened.
She hugged her tightly around the waist and began gently slapping her cheeks, trying to wake her up by this method.
"It's not that scary."
"After all, half of the students will survive, right?"
"If we all work hard and do our best in each task, I believe everyone can pass smoothly and return to the Polar Star Dormitory."
Satoshi, with a slight smile on his face, encouraged, "In short, everyone, let's all work hard. With a week left, hurry up and improve your cooking skills."
"I really don't want to see, after this residential training session ends, that the Polar Star Dormitory has lost any members!"
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