"President Qian?"
"Mr. Qian?"
Lin Zhiqiang and the secretary were both stunned by what they saw.
Why did he burst into tears after just one bite of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork? Is it really that delicious?
Lin Zhiqiang had never tried Zhou Yan's Yu Xiang Shredded Pork before.
But a big boss like Qian Siyuan shouldn't cry so easily, right?
Qian Siyuan remained silent for a long time before putting down his chopsticks. He wiped away the tears on his face and smiled self-deprecatingly, saying, "This Yu Xiang Shredded Pork tastes exactly like the one my mother used to make. She has been gone for over twenty years. My thoughts are running through my head. I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Director Lin."
"This shows that you are a man of strong emotions, Mr. Qian." Lin Zhiqiang's expression was serious, with a hint of surprise in his tone: "However, Mr. Qian, your mother is from Sichuan?"
The factory held a meeting to discuss this cooperation and attached great importance to it. They also did some research on Qian Siyuan and learned that his father was from Hangzhou. Therefore, they specially chose Lin Zhiqiang, a son in law from Hangzhou, to receive him and even seriously discussed Hangzhou cuisine.
They had planned everything meticulously, but they never expected his mother to be from Sichuan?
The CEO of a multinational corporation was moved to tears by a single bite of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, demonstrating the immense importance his mother held in his heart.
"Yes, her hometown should be in southern Sichuan." Qian Siyuan nodded, his expression showing a hint of excitement: "Memories may become blurred, but the taste buds don't lie. I've eaten at all kinds of Sichuan restaurants in the United States, but none of them tasted like this.
I knew it was the same as soon as I tasted it. The owner of this restaurant makes the same Yu Xiang Shredded Pork as my mother, perhaps he knows where my mother's hometown is."
Lin Zhiqiang said thoughtfully, "Mr. Qian, did you come back this time to find your mother's hometown?"
Qian Siyuan nodded, "Yes, I want to go see her hometown. If she has any siblings, it would be good to meet them. Unfortunately, I was always busy when I was young and rarely stayed at home. Later, she suddenly fell ill, and I didn't even know where her hometown was. I only had some scattered information."
"As long as you have a clue, you'll definitely find it." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Look, you've been searching for Yu Xiang Shredded Pork in United States but couldn't find it, and you found it here."
Qian Siyuan smiled upon hearing this and looked at Lin Zhiqiang, saying, "Speaking of which, I have to thank Director Lin for bringing me to this restaurant, otherwise I would have missed it again.
You said you have a good relationship with the restaurant owner. After closing time, would it be convenient to talk to him? Perhaps he can give me some guidance."
"Of course, no problem. After business hours, I can talk to him and see if he can offer you any assistance." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile.
Qian Siyuan is a major client. If he leaves directly, the deal will most likely fall through.
Now, they have formed a bond because of this dish, Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, which is related to his mother's hometown. Perhaps this could be the breakthrough point for this collaboration.
Lin Zhiqiang has eaten a lot of Sichuan cuisine, but his understanding of it is ultimately limited to just eating it. Asking him to talk about its origins is really asking too much of him.
Now he can only hope that Little Zhou is better than him, that he can go beyond just cooking, and that he can explain some background information and provide Qian Siyuan with some useful help.
"Thank you." Qian Siyuan said gratefully.
The three continued eating. As Qian Siyuan ate the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, perhaps as he recalled some pleasant memories.
Lin Zhiqiang picked up some Yu Xiang Shredded Pork and put it in his mouth. It was salty, spicy, sour and fragrant, and had a very authentic fish-fragrant flavor. It was no worse than what he had eaten at Rongleyuan.
The meat is tender and smooth, made with slightly fatty second cut pork, which has a richer, more juicy texture than some chefs who use tenderloin.
The finishing touch, without a doubt, is the winter bamboo shoots!
The winter bamboo shoots were cut into second-thick shreds, giving them a crisp texture and a very fresh and delicious flavor that was refreshing and helped to cut through any greasiness.
Fresh winter bamboo shoots are already out?!
This truly surprised him, eating winter bamboo shoots at the dining table seemed to be a reminder that winter had arrived.
Food ingredients are seasonal, meals are served three times a day, all year round, and food is a major event.
The Yu Xiang Shredded Pork that he ate at Rongleyuan had green bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms added to it, it was the first time he had ever had winter bamboo shoots added.
Each has its own merits.
But winter bamboo shoots are indeed more delicious and crisp than green bamboo shoots.
The fish-fragrant flavor is perfectly balanced, consistent with Zhou Yan's usual seasoning standards. It's salty and fresh at the top, followed by a slightly sour taste with a hint of spicy and sweetness. The flavors of ginger, scallions, and garlic are very prominent.
What are the characteristics of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork?
It goes perfectly with rice!
He shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth, then his chopsticks reached out and moved to the plate of spicy stir-fried pork liver next to him.
Never mind, let's leave this Yu Xiang Shredded Pork for Qian Siyuan to enjoy while he misses his mother. He can bring his wife and kids to eat it in a couple of days.
Look how perceptive Secretary Xiao Wang is next to him. He ate spoonful after spoonful of Mapo Tofu, but didn't touch the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork even once.
That's what you call professional.
After lunch, Qian Siyuan stopped Lin Zhiqiang and had his secretary settle the bill.
"Director Lin, I have to treat you to this meal. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to eat this Yu Xiang Shredded Pork that I've been craving for so many years." Qian Siyuan said earnestly.
"Mr. Qian, I can't accept this. I haven't even fulfilled my duty as host yet." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.
"This is the most satisfying meal I've had since I came to China. This is the best way you can show us hospitality." Qian Siyuan said with a smile. "Let's go out first and wait at the door. The kitchen is still busy right now."
"Okay, let's go to the riverbank for some fresh air." Lin Zhiqiang nodded and went out with Qian Siyuan to take a walk and chat by the river.
An hour later, as it approached the factory's start time, the customers in the restaurant gradually left, and Lin Zhiqiang and Qian Siyuan finally returned.
"Hello Uncle Lin~" Zhou Momo was sitting by the door drawing in the sand with a small stick. She looked up at the two of them and then greeted Qian Siyuan, "Hello Uncle too~"
Lin Zhiqiang and Qian Siyuan both smiled.
"Hello, Momo." Lin Zhiqiang introduced to Qian Siyuan with a smile, "This is Zhou Yan's younger sister, Zhou Momo. She's only three and a half years old, but the little one can already talk quite a bit."
"Hmm, she's very cute, the same age as my granddaughter, and she has big eyes too." Qian Siyuan looked at Zhou Momo with a smile, took a step forward, looked at the drawing on the ground, and asked with a smile, "Little girl, what are you drawing?"
Zhou Momo pointed to the sky and said, "Today I drew the sky. Look how pretty the clouds are today! That one looks like a fish, that one looks like a steamed bun, and that one looks like a shumai..."
Qian Siyuan and Lin Zhiqiang looked up and felt that the originally ordinary clouds had become colorful and even... delicious after the little one said that.
Qian Siyuan turned his gaze to the ground, carefully examining Zhou Momo's drawing. He said with some surprise, "Hmm, it's really well drawn. It's quite impressive even on sand. May be you can become a painter in the future."
Zhou Momo shook her head at him, her face serious. "I don't want to be a painter, I want to be a policewoman."
"A policewoman?" Qian Siyuan looked puzzled.
Zhou Yan came out of the kitchen, took off his apron and hung it on a nail behind the counter. Hearing their conversation, he came out and explained with a smile, "When she grows up, she wants to be a policeman. She's the younger sister, so she can't be a policeman uncle, she can only be a policewoman."
Qian Siyuan smiled upon hearing this and gave Zhou Momo a thumbs up: "Ambitious!"
After saying that, he looked up at Zhou Yan.
The young man was very tall, over 1.8 meters, wearing a white chef's uniform. Just like in the magazine photos, he was young and handsome, with short hair that made him look energetic. He had a smile on his face that made him seem approachable.
"Little Zhou, this is Mr. Qian, an overseas Chinese who has returned from the United States. He has some questions he would like to ask you." Lin Zhiqiang introduced to Zhou Yan, winking at him.
"Hello Mr. Qian, I'm Zhou Yan, the restaurant owner and chef." Zhou Yan smiled and extended his hand.
"Hello Zhou Yan, I'm Qian Siyuan." Qian Siyuan shook his hand and smiled, "Your dishes are absolutely delicious, each one is of extremely high quality, especially the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, which is the best dish I've encountered since coming to China."
"Mr. Qian, you flatter me." Zhou Yan smiled and didn't try to be too modest, as Americans don't buy into that. "Come in and sit down to chat. We're closed for lunch now."
"Okay." Qian Siyuan nodded and entered the restaurant with Lin Zhiqiang. His secretary, Xiao Wang, had already taken out his notebook and was preparing to take notes.
Zhou Yan brewed a pot of tea, poured it for the three of them first, and then sat down unhurriedly. "What would you like to ask, Mr. Qian?"
"Mr. Zhou, are you a native of Suji? Is the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork you made today the local Suji recipe?" Qian Siyuan looked intently at Zhou Yan, paused, and then added, "I came back to China this time to find my mother's hometown, but I only have some memories of the taste. The Yu Xiang Shredded Pork you made today is almost exactly the same as the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork my mother made in my memory. I need some help from you."
[Ding! Side quest triggered: Qian Siyuan's Journey of Taste and Roots! Overseas Chinese Qian Siyuan has come to Jiazhou in search of his mother's hometown, but he doesn't know where it is, only having memories of the taste of his mother's cooking. Please help him find his mother's hometown and fulfill his dream of finding his family!]
[Quest Reward: Unknown! Accept: Yes/No]
Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow, surprised that the dog system had triggered a side quest.
"A Journey to Find the Taste and Roots." this quest was quite novel.
He was still pondering when he felt Uncle Lin's increasingly intense gaze upon him.
Alright, it seems this important client is quite significant to Uncle Lin.
He accepted the quest first, figuring out whether he could help find the person later.
These days are different from later, there's no way to conduct DNA testing.
Finding someone in a vast sea of people is harder than finding a needle in a haystack.
He was already somewhat surprised that this second generation overseas Chinese could speak Mandarin so fluently.
He remembered that Uncle Lin had said his ancestral home was Hangzhou, but he didn't expect him to come all the way to Sichuan to find his mother's hometown, which was quite unique.
This suggests that he and his mother must have had a very deep mother son relationship, or perhaps... a regret?
"Yu Xiang Shredded Pork is a traditional Sichuan dish with a long history and widespread popularity. It has a significant influence in Sichuan and even throughout the country. It's a common dish, just like twice-cooked pork." Zhou Yan shook his head at Qian Siyuan and said, "I can't accurately determine Mr. Qian's mother's hometown based solely on a dish of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork. The core and key to the fish-fragrant flavor is pickled vegetables, specifically pickled Erjingtiao peppers. As long as the pickled Erjingtiao peppers taste authentic and the seasoning is done well, chefs from every part of Sichuan can make a dish like this Yu Xiang Shredded Pork."
Qian Siyuan was stunned after hearing this, his face showing undisguised disappointment.
He had been full of expectations, believing he could get an answer from Zhou Yan.
Unexpectedly, this was the result: chefs from every region of Sichuan could make it, meaning he knew absolutely nothing.
Lin Zhiqiang opened his mouth, then closed it again. He knew Zhou Yan was right.
Rongleyuan's Yu Xiang Eggplant tasted similar to Zhou Yan's, but that was a restaurant in Chengdu, and the chef there didn't even know where the dish originated.
He had also eaten some delicious Yu Xiang Eggplant in Weihai during his last business trip.
Zhou Yan smiled and comforted him, "Mr. Qian, don't be discouraged. Perhaps you can tell me about the dishes your mother used to cook for you. There are many dishes with strong local characteristics in Sichuan cuisine, such as Jiazhou sweet-skinned duck, Jianyang mutton soup, Bishan braised chicken, Rongchang braised goose... As long as you can find one, we might be able to pinpoint its origin."
Qian Siyuan's eyes lit up again. After thinking for a while, he said, "My mother would use two slices of fatty meat with sugar sandwiched between them, and steam a bowl of glutinous rice underneath. The glutinous rice was also sweet. She would only steam a bowl of it during festivals. It tasted extremely delicious."
"This is Steamed Pork Belly With Sugar Paste. This dish is a classic Sichuan dish and is almost always served at banquets in various places. It's not particularly representative." Zhou Yan shook his head.
"My mother would marinate and air dry the meat with salt and various seasonings in winter, and then smoke it over a low fire to give it a smoky flavor. For the next six months or so, we could eat all kinds of dishes stir-fried with cured meat."
"This is cured pork. People all over Sichuan make cured pork and sausages every winter."
"My mother..."
Qian Siyuan kept recalling and describing the taste of his mother's cooking in his memory, as if searching for flavors in the long river of time.
Zhou Yan could always accurately name the dishes he described, and also give a general account of their origins and history.
Zhou Yan didn't know how to cook many dishes, the menu on the wall covered them all.
However, the Sichuan dishes he's eaten are enough to fill an entire wall. He's practically traveled all over Sichuan and has some knowledge of the origins of many of the dishes.
That's what you call professional!
Qian Siyuan's mother was skilled in many types of Sichuan cuisine, but they were all very classic Sichuan dishes. She was especially good at stir-frying and pan-frying, and there were always three pickling jars in the house, so there was pickled vegetables all year round.
Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Mr. Qian's mother probably had a cook in her family. In those days, ordinary women couldn't learn so many classic Sichuan dishes. They sounded quite authentic."
Qian Siyuan nodded and said, "My mother said that my maternal grandfather was indeed a chef. It was a family skill that was passed down to men but not women. She loved to stay in the kitchen since she was a child, helping to chop vegetables and secretly learning some cooking skills. But in those days, women were not allowed to cook, so she could only cook at home."
"No wonder." Zhou Yan nodded. That makes sense. The more this is the case, the harder it is to analyze her hometown from the dishes he knows.
"These are the dishes my mother cooked that I remember most vividly, but according to you, they are all common and classic Sichuan dishes. It's impossible to tell where her hometown is, right?" Qian Siyuan looked somewhat disappointed, but Zhou Yan could accurately name every dish he mentioned, many of which even had historical origins.
Lin Zhiqiang, listening from the side, was also getting anxious. He wanted to help Qian Siyuan, not entirely for the sake of the contract. As people reach middle age, they gain a deeper understanding of their mother's place in their hearts.
He traveled across the ocean and over mountains to reach Jiazhou. Perhaps his mother's hometown was more important to him than the Jiading Silk.
"It's not that there's been no progress at all. Judging from the dishes you've mentioned, your mother is particularly skilled at stir-frying and pan-frying, and she's adept at using chili oil in her seasonings, balancing sour and sweet flavors, with a preference for the sweeter ones. This is quite in line with the cooking characteristics of the Dahebang region." Zhou Yan said.
"The Dahebang?" Qian Siyuan looked at him.
"The so-called Dahebang refers to the area around Jiangjin, Hejiang, Luxian, Yibin, and Jiazhou in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. This area was less affected by the wars of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it's a region where many of the original Sichuanese people have been preserved. They retain many authentic aspects in their food, culture, and language. A major characteristic is their fondness for glutinous rice." Zhou Yan explained.
Jiazhou dialect is quite unique in Sichuan dialect, being a relatively pure form of Sichuan dialect.
As a result, it now sounds the least like Sichuan dialect.
Let alone outsiders, even people from Sichuan have a headache when they hear Jiazhou people speak.
Zhou Yan had a roommate from Jiazhou during college, while his other two roommates were from Chengdu (Rongcheng). They both said they managed to learn a foreign language during their four years of university.
This joke made Zhou Yan, an outsider, laugh hysterically.
Qian Siyuan nodded repeatedly. In that case, it wasn't entirely fruitless. It basically confirmed his previous judgment that his mother's hometown should be in the Jiazhou area.
Zhou Yan looked at him and continued, "Mr. Qian, I think your mother's cooking was limited by the availability of American ingredients and seasonings, which affected her performance. Has she ever told you what other dishes she was good at? Or what hometown dishes she remembers fondly?"
"My mother actually said that! What I remember most vividly is that she said, 'This foreign devil's place has nothing, which is affecting my performance!'" Qian Siyuan's eyes lit up as he said this, and then he laughed, his eyes filled with deep nostalgia.
He thought about it seriously for a while, then looked up at Zhou Yan and said, "I remember! Once she made noodles for everyone, and halfway through the meal, she suddenly said that in her hometown, people eat a kind of fish, remove the bones, tear it into long strips, and then eat it like noodles. It's boneless and tastes so good!
I can't remember what kind of fish it was, but I remember her saying it looked a lot like a snake, long and slippery which became a childhood nightmare for me.
I find it terrifying, tearing a snake into strips and then cooking it to eat, it sounds incredibly horrifying."
"Linjiang Eel Shreds?!" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up.
Case solved!
A fish that looks like a snake, that must be an eel!
Jiazhou is famous for its eel dishes, and Linjiang Eel Shreds are the only one.
The cooked eel is deboned and shredded, then cooked a second time in a method similar to boiled fish. The finished dish is a large bowl of shredded eel, which is indeed like noodles when picked up. It is boneless, tender, smooth, and tastes excellent.
It truly deserves the word "爽" (shuang, meaning refreshing/satisfying)!
Not to mention Jiazhou, even the entire Shanghebang (upriver section) has no more famous way of eating eel shreds.
"Linjiang Eel Shreds?" Qian Siyuan also stood up, looking at Zhou Yan who seemed slightly excited, and asked, "Linjiang is a place name? In Jiazhou?"
"Linjiang Eel Shreds! I've had them before!" Lin Zhiqiang was also a little excited. He had given up hope, but Zhou Yan changed his approach and actually found the right direction for him!
"That's right. I think the fish your mother was talking about was eel. The way to slice eel into strips and then cook it is a specialty of Linjiang Town in Jiazhou. Linjiang Eel Shreds are quite famous and have a strong local flavor, but they probably weren't widely popular back then." Zhou Yan nodded. "So, I think it's quite possible that she was from Linjiang."
"Linjiang, Linjiang…" Qian Siyuan paced back and forth.
This was the first time in all these years that the location had been specified down to a township, and it sounded very credible.
Linjiang Town—what a unique place name.
The thought that his mother might have been born there filled him with excitement and a touch of nervousness.
Speaking of Linjiang, Zhou Yan thought of not only Linjiang Eel Shreds but also the Kong Sect.
The Kong Sect originated in Linjiang. Its founder, Kong Rui, was from Linjiang. His grandmaster, Kong Huaifeng, and grandmaster uncle, Kong Qingfeng, both came from Linjiang and were masters of making Linjiang Eel Shreds.
Even his master made excellent Linjiang Eel Shreds.
Zhou Yan recalled spending Chinese New Year at his master's house one year, where they ate Linjiang Eel Shreds, a truly amazing dish.
The wild eels of that era were far superior to those farmed in later generations.
"Are you sure?" Qian Siyuan couldn't help but grab Zhou Yan's hand, his voice trembling slightly, his eyes already reddening.
"I can't guarantee or be sure about this kind of thing." Zhou Yan shook his head and continued, "However, my master makes excellent Linjiang Eel Shreds. Why don't I ask him to make a portion for you, Mr. Qian, and see if it's the same as what your mother described in your memory? Once you have a better understanding, it won't be too late to go to Linjiang to look for your family.
My grandmaster is a local from Linjiang, and my master also knows some locals. He can help find people there, which will make things easier."
"That's great!" Qian Siyuan's eyes lit up, and he gripped Zhou Yan's hand a little tighter: "That would be too much trouble for Boss Zhou and your master."
"It's no trouble at all, Mr. Qian. You've come all this way to trace your roots, so it's no trouble at all if we can help you out." Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Then please sit in the restaurant for a while, and I'll go and invite my master. This dish is quite complicated to make, we need to find wild eels, which may not be easy to find this season. We'll do our best."
"Okay, thank you." Qian Siyuan nodded, then released Zhou Yan's hand.
Zhou Yan glanced at his hand, which had turned red from being gripped so tightly, and felt slightly helpless. He turned to push his bicycle and greeted Aunt Zhao, "Mom, get Uncle Lin and the others a kettle of hot water. You all can go take your afternoon nap."
"Yes, you've been busy all morning, go and rest, don't worry about us." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile. He wasn't going to work this afternoon either, he would stay here and keep them company, may be he could even get a free meal of Linjiang Eel Shreds.
It has to be Zhou Yan!
He knew Little Zhou was reliable!
Zhou Yan rode his bicycle to town, turned into an alley, and stopped outside a small courtyard.
He leaned his bicycle against the wall, went up to the door, knocked, and called out, "Master! Master!"
After a while, the door opened, and Xiao Lei, while putting on his coat, rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at Zhou Yan: "What's all the fuss about? Aren't you going to take a nap?"
Zhou Yan pulled him up and said, "Master, don't sleep! Big order! Urgent need!"