Ch 58: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Qin Xia had made this dish a few times in his previous life. The first attempt was out of curiosity to recreate it, but later on, it was to let a few friends have a taste.

Song Dongling wasn’t wrong; after all, a fake is still a fake.

No matter how skilled the chef is, they can’t turn fish into crab meat, and someone will eventually notice.

So, rather than seeing it as “fake,” it’s better to think of it as a high-end, intricate dish.

The yellow croaker was scaled and cleaned, cooked until done, then deboned, leaving only the fish meat.

The salted duck eggs were crushed, but to enhance the texture, Qin Xia only used the yolks, discarding the whites.

The salted eggs from the Song residence were well cured; the yolks had a golden sand-like appearance and were rich in oil.

Oil was heated in the pot, and the fish meat was stir-fried first, then “cooked in chicken broth.”

Afterward, the salted egg yolk was added and mixed thoroughly, followed by fragrant mushrooms and scallions, with ginger juice and yellow wine poured in before it was taken off the heat.

The Suiyuan Shidan even mentioned that vinegar could be served with this dish, mainly to bring the taste closer to that of crab meat.

(T/N: The Suiyuan Shidan (《随园食单》), written by Yuan Mei (袁枚) in the Qing Dynasty, is a well-known Chinese culinary text. Yuan Mei was a scholar, poet, and gastronome, and this work is considered a significant contribution to Chinese food culture and gastronomy.)

The fake crab dish was ready, and Qin Xia specifically served some to a maid and a steward left behind by Song Dongling and the main family to taste.

These two were well-regarded among the servants, often getting rewards or leftover dishes, which were not uncommon in their diets. This is why it’s said that the life of the young servants in wealthy households might be even better than that of ordinary people’s children.

They had both tasted crab before, so they didn’t dare to be careless when trying this dish.

If the taste of this dish wasn’t right, they would likely have to seek the approval of the eldest young master and the third young lady.

Qin Xia also provided them with a dish of vinegar, instructing them to take two spoons, one to scoop up the fake crab and the other to drizzle some vinegar on top.

The steward and maid each took a bite, hesitated for a moment, then quickly took another bite. After wiping their mouths, they remarked, “I must say, it really does have a bit of a crab flavor.”

“Indeed, with this preparation, the fish meat resembles crab meat, the egg yolk mimics crab roe, and with the addition of vinegar, it even captures some of the fresh taste of the sea.”

Seeing that the dish was well-received, Qin Xia then taught the assisting cook how to plate it.

The crab shells were used as small bowls, with the fake crab meat placed inside, while some of the crab claws and legs were retained as decorations around the plate.

For a table of eight, eight crab shells were arranged.

At this point, most of the dishes for the birthday banquet were prepared. When the time for the meal arrived, the well-trained servants of the Song residence lined up, each performing their duties, and began serving the dishes one by one.

By this time, many items were already on the tables, and two rounds of toasts had been made.

Each table had four types of fresh and dried fruits, a mountain of longevity peach buns adorned with characters like “Fortune, Longevity, Health,” as well as intricately carved candied fruits, all of which were too delicate for the household cooks to make and were specially ordered from outside shops.

There were also various snacks, platters of cured meats, and more.

Once these were served, most people wouldn’t touch them; if they did, it would seem improper.

Take the peach buns and candied fruits, for example; they were more for display than eating. If one were to eat them, they would find they were just ordinary steamed buns and simple sugar syrup.

So naturally, everyone was more eagerly awaiting the hot dishes.

As another round of toasts concluded, a few managers who had returned to their seats gathered together, quietly discussing the peach leaves on the longevity buns.

“The Song family offended Chang Yue Lou, and we don’t know which chef they hired. I made inquiries; it’s not from Baiwei Xuan.”

“Where else could they have gone? In our county, no chef surpasses those from these two places. Any lower-level restaurants aren’t even worth considering, and the Song family wouldn’t stoop so low. I guess they hired a chef from another household.”

“Does it have to be from the county? I think it could be a chef from the provincial capital…”

As they chatted enthusiastically, another person at the table calmly sipped tea and said, “You all are not as well-informed as I am.”

This person clearly knew something but deliberately kept them in suspense, causing the others to press for more information. Finally, he said, “The chef this time was recommended by Master Sang from the Sang family, who is the brother-in-law of Master Song. He’s said to be the boss of the Qin Family Eatery in the city.”

“Qin Family Eatery? What kind of place is that?”

The person speaking was clearly disdainful, “What else could it be? It’s just a small storefront, apparently located at the end of Helin Street, selling street food that’s not even presentable. Who knows how he caught Sang Chenghua’s eye and what kind of tricks he pulled on Master Song. I doubt there’s anything worth eating in today’s banquet.”

With that, he added, “I’ve already sent someone to book a private room at Baiwei Xuan before coming here. Would anyone like to join me?”

Upon hearing this, the group immediately lost interest in the upcoming banquet.

In comparison, they were more inclined to accept the invitation to Baiwei Xuan.

The murmurs of discussion at the various tables below were faint and indistinct from a distance, but they were enough to make Song Luan feel anxious.

To be honest, he had decided to hire this so-called chef from Qin Family Eatery purely out of respect for Sang Chenghua.

Although on the surface, the Song family appeared to overshadow the Sang family in Qinan County, the truth was that the Song family’s business heavily relied on the Sang family’s support.

If it weren’t for Sang Jinyao’s dying wish for Sang Chenghua to continue assisting the Song family for the sake of her niece and nephew, the Song family might not have achieved its current prominence.

But as the event approached, Song Luan couldn’t help but worry that the young chef might ruin the banquet.

Fortunately, his worry didn’t last long, as the serving maids had already appeared.

The dish names had all been changed to auspicious titles like “Lucky Stars Shine Bright,” “Purple Clouds Rising,” “Good Fortune,” and “Perfect Treasures.”

The guests attending the banquet had experienced many such occasions and knew that these dishes, despite their different names, often tasted the same.

However, what they didn’t expect was that this birthday banquet at the Song residence truly had some fresh surprises.

The guest who had initially questioned whether the Song family could hire Master Chang to oversee the kitchen took a bite of Longjing shrimp.

At first, he didn’t know what the green garnish in the dish was until the shrimp reached his mouth, and he caught a whiff of the tea fragrance.

How could tea leaves be used to stir-fry shrimp?

In his mind, it was just a gimmick from an inexperienced chef trying to make a dish work.

But upon tasting it, he discovered that the aroma of Longjing tea blended seamlessly with the freshness of the shrimp, with the tea’s fragrance lingering delicately and even a hint of sweetness when savored. It was clear that this was high-quality tea.

For others, such fine tea would be too precious to use freely, yet the Song family had used it to prepare this dish. How much tea must have been used for all these tables?

This realization further convinced him of the Song family’s wealth.

The subsequent dishes were equally satisfying to everyone’s taste.

The group that had previously been huddled together gossiping had now fallen silent, their mouths fully occupied with the food, with chopsticks and spoons never resting.

Although the portions provided by the Song family were not small, these people ate as if they hadn’t had a meal in three days, appearing refined but eating voraciously.

The person who had earlier belittled Qin Family Eatery’s reputation found himself in the most awkward position.

He wasn’t foolish; after the first few bites, he realized that the boss of Qin Family Eatery was indeed a masterful chef, possibly even surpassing Baiwei Xuan.

However, words once spoken are like water spilled; there’s no taking them back. Every time he wanted to pick up his chopsticks for another bite, he was met with teasing from the others.

After several attempts, he eventually turned his attention to the cold dishes.

The others at the table were quite pleased with this turn of events. With one less person competing for the dishes, they could enjoy more themselves, which was all that mattered.

The next dish served was Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

The Song residence had prepared many small porcelain pots, dividing the dish into individual portions and placing one in front of each guest.

Soon enough, someone curiously asked why the dish was called “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.”

Sitting at a secondary table, Concubine Guo kept signaling across the distance to Song Yunlang, but how could he know the answer?

Before this, he had no idea such a dish even existed!

Before the mother and son could finish their silent exchange, Song Yunmu had already leisurely stood up.

Of course, the story he told was one that Qin Xia had adapted from a version he had read in her previous life.

Whenever in doubt, just attribute it to some old tale from the previous dynasty; no one could really verify it anyway.

“…It is said that during the previous dynasty, an official attended a banquet where he tasted a dish made by simmering ingredients like chicken, duck, and pigeon eggs together with a rich broth. The official, being a connoisseur of fine food, found the dish to be excellent, though it was rich in flavor but lacked freshness. Upon returning home, he instructed his household chef to replace the ingredients with sea cucumber, dried scallops, fish, shrimp, and other seafood. The resulting dish was indeed fresh, fragrant, and unforgettable.”

“…Later, this official opened a restaurant and made this dish its signature item. A scholar who dined there once composed a poem on the spot: ‘As the jar’s fragrance spreads to the neighbors, the Buddha abandons his meditation and jumps over the wall.’ Thus, the dish became known as ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.'”

No sooner had Song Yunmu finished speaking than applause broke out at the table.

“What a wonderful name, ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’! If not for being at Master Song’s residence today, where else would we be so fortunate as to taste such a delicacy that even the Buddha would abandon his meditation for?”

“Indeed, indeed! We owe this all to Master Song!”

Compliments filled the air, causing Song Luan to beam with pride, and he looked at Song Yunmu with even more affection.

At this moment, the matriarch of the Song family spoke up again, “While the name ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’ is quite unique, it might be seen as disrespectful to Buddhism. I think it would be better to change the name.”

As people age, they tend to be more mindful of certain taboos, though not to the extent of adopting a vegetarian lifestyle like the elderly lady of the Sang family.

Seeing this, Song Yunmu quickly responded, “Grandmother, you’re absolutely right. Father, the chef, Boss Qin, also mentioned that the recipe for this dish had been lost for a long time, and he recreated it today especially for your birthday. Since this is its first appearance, why not have you rename it? In the future, when Qin Family Eatery starts selling this dish, your name will be remembered, just like the scholar in the story.”

This remark hit the mark for Song Luan.

He thought for a moment, and though he was not particularly well-read, he eventually came up with the name “Fu Shou Quan” (Fortune and Longevity Complete).

The renaming of “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” set the mood for the banquet on a high note.

After two cups of wine, Song Luan was feeling even more elated. He squinted his eyes and turned to the servant behind him, asking, “Go to the kitchen and ask, why hasn’t the final red crab dish been served yet?”

The spring red crabs he had specially purchased had cost him over a hundred taels of silver.

He had been waiting for them to be served so he could boast about them, in case some of the less experienced guests didn’t realize how precious they were.

“Boss Qin, the fake crab dish should be served now; the master is urging.”

“Very well.”

Qin Xia placed the last few radish flowers on the plate, adjusted their position, and only then signaled for the maids to take it away.

The leftover radish, cucumber, and other trimmings that had been carved for decoration had drawn quite a crowd in the kitchen.

This reminded Qin Xia that he hadn’t yet made a plate of little bunnies out of fruit for Yu Jiuque.

He decided to buy some fruits later and make a plate to cheer up his husband.

Thinking of the young man at home, his expression softened considerably.

…

At this moment.

The fake crab meat served in crab shells was presented to the Song family and all the guests.

In those days, people typically steamed crabs and ate them directly, so the freshness of the crab was paramount. A dead crab’s meat would be mushy and reek of an unbearable stench.

In other words, the simpler the method of cooking crabs, the better the quality of the crab itself.

Whenever someone tried to use other flavors or cooking methods, it usually meant there was something to hide.

Song Luan understood this logic, and so did the guests.

Seeing the long-awaited red crabs being served in this manner, Song Luan had a bad feeling.

As the eldest legitimate son of the Song family, Song Yunmu was seated closest to Song Luan, while Song Dongling and the other women of the inner household dined separately behind a screen.

Song Luan knew that Song Dongling had managed most of the banquet, but at this moment, it wasn’t appropriate to ask her directly, so he discreetly looked towards Song Yunmu.

Without changing his expression, Song Yunmu quietly explained the situation to Song Luan.