Thus, a welcoming party for new students of Polar Star Dormitory was successfully held here at the Izakaya!
...
The pungent aroma of wine.
Carrying the mature fragrance of glutinous rice, the bitter aroma of tea leaves, and the floral scent of roses preserved…
Just a small sip allows one to quickly experience the full-bodied, mellow texture of the wine.
Moreover, the entire process, from the initial sweetness upon entry to the bitterness upon swallowing, followed by an immediate aftertaste and subsequent salivation, was seamless!
In the mouth, it felt like chewing fresh orange peel.
A spicy sensation bloomed on the tongue and palate, leaving behind a hint of bitterness and a touch of fresh acidity, like the tannins in red wine, but without the astringency.
"Hmm?"
"This teacup, it's not the jasmine tea from last time, but... tea wine?"
Sakaki Ryoko discerned the secret and couldn't help but look at the tea wine in the teacup!
"So that's it."
"Glutinous rice and tea leaves, fermented together with yeast."
"Once fermented, distillation is used for separation and sterilization, which preserves both the aroma and taste of the tea, as well as the characteristics of the wine."
"And strictly speaking, this tea wine could be considered a tea with a hint of wine!"
Although Sosuke had used many brewing methods last time to reduce the alcohol content of the Izakaya's sake without affecting its taste or texture.
However, some customers still ended up getting drunk.
At the same time, to satisfy the experience of underage individuals drinking "sake" at the Izakaya.
Sosuke brewed this tea with a hint of wine.
And to brew such fine tea wine, he had tried all six major categories of tea leaves, and brewed hundreds of times with various ratios, before finally succeeding.
...
"Oh, dear!"
"Who cares if it's tea or wine."
"There are so many dishes here; if we don't eat them quickly, we'll miss out on a lot of the experience once they get cold!"
Yoshino Yuki, upon seeing the glistening Squirrel Mandarin Fish.
The clear lines on the fish's back were visible, and the meat looked very firm. She had long been craving it intensely.
So, she put down her teacup, eagerly picked up a small bite of fish with her chopsticks, and with an "ah-woo," opened her mouth wide and ate it.
Upon entering her mouth, a unique freshness spread, and the fish meat was incredibly elastic, with a wonderful chew.
And despite the rich gravy, it remained refreshing. Taking another large bite, that exquisite flavor led to the deepest part of her taste buds.
Finally, she swallowed, feeling the fish meat was especially tender and the taste was supremely fresh, the gravy was sweet and sour, and the texture was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—truly unparalleled!
Still not satisfied, Yoshino Yuki, after a brief moment of recovery, continued to take another strand of fish meat.
"The tenderness of the meat, the freshness of the fish, the absolute deliciousness of the flavor, different layers of taste, can instantly make one…"
Involuntarily, Yoshino Yuki instantly froze.
Even though she had many words in her heart to describe the taste of this Squirrel Mandarin Fish, she truly couldn't articulate them.
Because her consciousness began to gradually fade, and only the words "delicious" remained in her mind!
...
As a dish requiring skill.
It requires cross-hatching, marinating, dusting with flour, oil-blanching, and pouring sauce all in one go.
And the production of the soul sauce, which determines the taste of Squirrel Mandarin Fish, is the most important part, even more so than the cross-hatching technique!
Apparently, the sauce of Squirrel Mandarin Fish made by most chefs in restaurants outside is modulated with tomato paste, white granulated sugar, etc., but the gravy for the mandarin fish made by Sosuke used rock sugar instead.
This made the sauce even brighter, and plums and lemons were added to the ingredients.
As a result, it had distinct layers of taste, full of fruity aroma, and pouring it over the mandarin fish made it incredibly "beautiful."
"How strange, why do I have such a familiar feeling?"
When Yukihira Soma also started eating the Squirrel Mandarin Fish, he vaguely saw the shadow of his father in this dish!
Not believing it, he took another bite. An excellent Squirrel Mandarin Fish first presented a sour taste from the nasal cavity to the mouth, then a sweet taste with a fruity aroma when chewed, and finally the inherent sweet juiciness of the fish meat itself.
And this final sweetness actually tested both the quality of the mandarin fish and the marinating step before dusting with flour:
With salt as a base, it could actually bring out the sweetness.
"Could it be…"
"Shopkeeper, the mandarin fish meat is already very firm, but why do you still deep-fry it twice?"
Sōma, thinking of something, couldn't help but ask Sosuke.
Hmm?
He truly lived up to being Jōichirō Yukihira's son.
Although his current strength might not be very high-ranking.
But due to his long-term experience running a restaurant with Jōichirō, he possessed a greater knowledge of many culinary matters than his peers!
Sosuke sighed slightly, then replied: "As you know, re-frying is also a cooking technique in Chinese cuisine."
"The first time you deep-fry the mandarin fish in hot oil, although the fish is cooked, its internal meat is actually very soft. So, re-frying is used to give it another quick fry, achieving that crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside texture."
"Of course, re-frying also requires precise control of the heat. If you don't take it out and keep heating it, the fried fish meat will become tough!"
"I see."
Sōma nodded upon hearing this.
...
For some reason, he saw Jōichirō Yukihira in Sosuke.
He recalled that a few days ago, Minegasaki Yaeko had used many dirty tricks to force him to transfer Yukihira Restaurant, but he, Sōma, had refused them all.
However, enraged, Minegasaki had ordered people to smash the restaurant and destroy all the ingredients in the kitchen!
Finally, she even demanded that Sōma cook a dish for her to taste. If he could satisfy her, it would prove that his culinary skills were indeed sufficient to sustain the operation of Yukihira Restaurant, and she would then give up.
But if he failed, he would have to unconditionally sell Yukihira Restaurant to her.
Since the kitchen ingredients were all destroyed, Minegasaki believed victory was assured.
Unexpectedly, Sōma readily agreed and, with limited ingredients, successfully prepared a dish that satisfied her!
All along, Yukihira Soma had a strong emotional attachment to Yukihira Restaurant.
His biggest dream was to inherit from Jōichirō Yukihira, to take over the restaurant from his hands.
But just as he worked hard to save the restaurant, his father chose to cease operations, close Yukihira Restaurant, and then force him to enroll in Totsuki.
And such a life plan was not what Sōma wanted, nor was it a path he was willing to take.
...
"Dad!"
"Why did you do this?"
Sōma, savoring the Squirrel Mandarin Fish, couldn't help but murmur to himself.
Indeed, when he first arrived at Totsuki, he was shocked by the scale of this Totsuki Culinary Academy.
And knowing that many students here had talents and abilities no less than his own, he inevitably felt an urgent desire to prove himself.
Especially Alice Nakiri's performance in that Shokugeki, further solidified this idea.
However, Isshiki Satoshi stepped forward to stop him.
Telling him that with his current ability, he was not enough to contend with everyone at Totsuki!
"Dad, what... what exactly do I need to do here at Totsuki for it to be meaningful? Can I really not take over Yukihira Restaurant from you?"
Clenching his fists, Sōma's gaze seemed somewhat complex.
"Sōma, what do you think of the Izakaya's Shopkeeper's skill?"
Looking at Sōma, who had fallen into thought because of the Squirrel Mandarin Fish dish, Isshiki Satoshi asked with a light smile.
"Strong!"
"Truly strong."
"From him, I can feel the same oppressive presence as my father!"
Sōma said without hesitation.
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