The duck meat, go through long hours of marinating and roasting, had fully absorbed the flavor of the spices, and every bite exuded a rich aroma.
Upon biting down, one could instantly feel a smooth crispness, which was a hint of duck fat on the duck skin.
"Eh? This texture..."
Hinata-ko couldn't help but be stunned.
"So that's it. The key is the sauce, especially the freshly chopped rosemary."
"This spicy spice is indeed very suitable for roasted duck. It can remove the fishy smell and greasiness, and also enhance the aroma of the meat."
"The cooking temperature is also very well controlled; it's not overcooked or undercooked. It's crispy yet tender, with a rich and mellow flavor."
"At the same time, during roasting, a layer of honey was brushed onto the duck meat. Besides preventing the duck meat from burning too quickly, it also kept the food moist, so it wouldn't be too dry or tough to eat!"
"Moreover, honey also contains a large amount of fructose, making its taste sweet and its aroma pleasant."
Swallowing, Hinata-ko slightly raised her head and said to Takumi and Isami, "Such a dish is qualified."
"Brother, we really succeeded."
Isami smiled faintly upon hearing this, turning to Takumi.
"Hmm, a piece of cake."
Takumi, despite not smiling, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
...
Under normal circumstances, even on a summer morning, after casting the bait, it takes about 20 minutes for the fish to bite.
If it's early spring or winter with low temperatures, it might even take more than an hour for the float to show any movement.
And don't forget, there were twenty to thirty students fishing in total.
But the entire stream only had so many fish, simply not enough for everyone to catch one.
Furthermore, fishing requires patience.
Under these circumstances of a cooking assessment, who could maintain a calm state of mind all the time?
"It's over!"
"It's been an hour, and I still haven't caught a fish."
"Don't talk, you'll scare the fish away if you open your mouth!"
"Exactly, exactly, can you be quiet?"
"Huh?"
"The float is moving, quick, quick... pull it up quickly."
"Wow, I finally caught a silver carp! Now I can coat it with egg wash, stick it in breadcrumbs, fry it until golden and crispy, then drain the oil..."
"What are you talking about?"
"In this environment, where are you going to find eggs and breadcrumbs?"
"Oh, my memory! I actually forgot that for this assessment, all ingredients need to be found by ourselves."
Time, little by little, passed.
Panic was gradually spreading among all the students.
Just as Hinata-ko had predicted, even if they caught fish, even if they found ingredients, it was truly difficult to create a perfect dish using limited space and conditions. This was bound to lead to many students hitting a wall!
...
Fresh vegetables picked in the morning often have a surprisingly fresh taste that surpasses vegetables stored for a period of time.
In fact, the most perfect dishes come from the healthiest, most natural ingredients for the body, arising from a close relationship with fruits, vegetables, herbs, beans, mushrooms, and grains.
Of course, also because she was good at local cuisine and these ingredients that emerged from the soil, Tadokoro Megumi did not focus entirely on fish like other students.
She simply picked a basket of mushrooms, carrots, and onions, then quickly returned to the kitchen.
Then, she chopped the carrots and onions into small pieces, poured them into a small pot with minced onions, added water and mixed well, then added sugar, rice wine, oyster sauce, and sauce.
She brought it to a boil over high heat, and after the sauce aroma emerged, she filtered out the dregs and boiled the remaining liquid until it thickened.
Finally, she washed the mushrooms.
She heated a frying pan, poured in an appropriate amount of oil, and stir-fried the mushroom slices.
She sautéed them until the water evaporated, then poured the thick teriyaki sauce over the mushrooms.
"A bit interesting, it's all vegetarian dishes."
Hinata-ko, looking at the plate of teriyaki mushrooms in front of her, seemed to understand something.
From this dish, she could tell that Tadokoro Megumi's cooking emphasized freshness and elegance, highlighting the word "vegetarian," unlike Takumi and Isami, who were more flashy and elaborate.
"The relationship between a chef and the ingredients they use should be intimate."
"Your dish, though simple in appearance, is a surprisingly thoughtful and caring dish—yes, a special way of caring."
"I think this will be a dish that makes me feel warm and human?"
Withdrawing her gaze, Hinata-ko said with a smile.
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