"You fused the sauce into the delicate foam on top of the small tower? Making the originally bland Fish Jell-O more flavorful, and bringing the whole dish to life!" With tiger-like eyes, Nakiri Senzaemon looked at Nakiri Alice, who was smiling at him, his face serious for the first time.
"That's right, this is a unique technique of molecular gastronomy, changing the original form of an object, allowing it to appear in a dish in a more convenient form. At the same time, in the process of changing its form, new things can be added to make it more vibrant, possessing a taste that ordinary cooking methods do not." Nakiri Alice explained eloquently.
Even being stared at like this, she didn't show a trace of timidity; on the contrary, she spoke even more fluently. This imposing old man, she only saw him a few times a year. Each time, it was him and her mother flying to Japan with her father, staying for a few days before leaving.
However, as the head of the Nakiri family, she still respected him greatly. After all, half of her comfortable life came from the Nakiri family. Of course, if she were to act like a normal granddaughter and be affectionate with him, it would take time, and even more, Nakiri Senzaemon's constant favoritism. But... as it stood, Nakiri Senzaemon seemed to prefer Erina Nakiri a little more.
"Is this molecular gastronomy? It's my first time seeing ingredients processed to this extent, changing their form, enriching their taste. It's truly an incredibly amazing technique!" Gin Dojima also nodded from the side, his face equally serious. He was thinking of going back to study it further; perhaps it could take his culinary skills to the next level.
However, was this girl before him really an ordinary 14-year-old? Why did she give him the feeling of being no less than any Special Grade Chef!? Even, she possessed a fighting spirit that other Special Grade Chefs lacked, so intense it was extreme! As if even a five-star Special Grade Chef stood before her, she would dare to brandish her sword at him! What an incredible girl!
"To be able to combine Fish Jell-O and fish slices so perfectly, plus that magical bubble sauce, this is undoubtedly a top-tier delicacy!" Roland Chapelle felt the tremors on the tip of his tongue, his face an expression of indescribable enjoyment.
By the time he came back to his senses, the dish before him had been swept clean. The taste lingered on his lips and tongue, yet he hadn't been willing to spare even a moment for tasting, only wanting to devour it as quickly as possible. How embarrassing! In the short few minutes of tasting the dish, he had actually forgotten his duty as a judge, only wanting to be a diner!
"It seems the outcome is already very clear." Exchanging a glance with the two beside him, Nakiri Senzaemon's voice sounded once more, making Erina Nakiri's heart jump.
"What's going on? Why are Grandpa and the others all praising Alice? What does this dish taste like? To make Grandpa and the others praise it so much!" Such a thought appeared in her mind, and then it became uncontrollable. Erina Nakiri looked at the exquisite dish on the dining table and swallowed.
"Lady Erina..." Not far away, Hisako Arato looked at Erina Nakiri with a worried expression, then glanced at the judges' table, her heart equally tense. Although she wasn't the one competing, because the subject was the person she respected most, this feeling was even more agonizing than her own competition.
Who was the final winner?
"The winner of this Shokugeki is Nakiri Alice!" As he spoke, Nakiri Senzaemon and the other two pressed Nakiri Alice's light panel almost simultaneously. The next moment, the large screen in the air changed slightly. Nakiri Alice's and Erina Nakiri's names appeared on it, wrapped in cheap flame special effects, and a score appeared below.
3:0
Nakiri Alice won without a doubt!
"How... How is this possible?! I lost..." Looking at the score before her, Erina Nakiri's body swayed slightly, her face full of disbelief, muttering in a daze. She lost? She actually lost?! And not only lost but lost by such an absolute margin. Did that mean her dish didn't even have a chance of winning?
"Lady Erina actually lost?" Hisako Arato also couldn't believe it, muttering to herself, then looked worriedly at Erina Nakiri, afraid she would be disheartened by this.
"Erina, your dish, although exquisite and very qualified as an appetizer, you overlooked the most important point." Watching the dejected Erina Nakiri, Nakiri Senzaemon slowly spoke, his voice revealing a faint majesty.
"What?" Erina Nakiri looked up, her large eyes filled with doubt.
"With Fish Jell-O as the theme, the most important thing is naturally the Fish Jell-O! The broth you made with salmon pieces, garlic slices, thyme, white wine, and brandy, although full of wine aroma and complementing the salmon on top, the 'fish' flavor was pitifully scarce! A few small pieces of salmon simply couldn't support the flavor of the whole dish! In contrast, Alice used fish bones to simmer a rich broth, which, after being filtered and mixed with gelatin flakes to make Fish Jell-O, had a more intense fish flavor, and at the same time, unified the flavor of the whole dish. This is the most fundamental reason for your defeat!"
There was actually fresh salmon in the ingredient truck. It was just that for Erina Nakiri, killing smaller fish was still manageable. But faced with a huge live salmon, without professional processing techniques and considerable experience, it was simply impossible to butcher it clearly within an hour. This was a gap in experience, and also a gap in fundamentals. The solid foundation Nakiri Alice had built under Dylan's training for so long was perfectly demonstrated in this competition.
Of course, even if Erina Nakiri had the ability to process salmon and use its bones to make broth, the final victory would still belong to Nakiri Alice. This was an absolute gap in strength!
"You'll understand why you lost after you taste it." Carrying an extra portion of the Molecular Fish Jell-O Pagoda to Erina Nakiri, Nakiri Alice smiled rather mischievously. For some reason, seeing Erina Nakiri's shocked and disbelieving expression, she felt inexplicably pleased. The pain and frustration of learning to cook in the past all transformed into relief at this moment, a feeling that her efforts had finally paid off. What was that saying again? I learned this technique just to show off in front of others!
"The reason I failed..." Looking at the Molecular Fish Jell-O Pagoda Nakiri Alice brought over, Erina Nakiri secretly swallowed, her heartbeat quickening somewhat. Although she was unwilling to accept her failure, a loss was a loss. Grandpa and the others couldn't possibly favor anyone in such matters. Since that was the case, she had to understand where she lost. It wasn't because she was curious about its taste and wanted to put it in her mouth to savor it!
With a flushed face, she scooped a large piece of the Molecular Fish Jell-O Pagoda with a spoon, steeled her heart, and put it in her mouth. The next moment, an indescribable taste exploded on the tip of her tongue!
The Fish Jell-O, as the base of this dish, presented a clear, transparent, light, and smooth texture. It slowly melted due to the heat in her mouth, releasing the rich umami unique to fish bone broth.
Immediately after, the cicada-wing-thin fish slices added delicacy and umami to this dish, showcasing exquisite knife skills. They had been pre-treated with diluted saltwater to remove fishiness, and olive oil and a small amount of sea salt were added for seasoning. Their fusion with the Fish Jell-O made the texture richer and more three-dimensional, giving the dish both the refreshing quality of Fish Jell-O and the richness of fish slices.
The caviar embedded on its surface provided a small amount of umami and saltiness to the whole dish, and when pressed with the lips and tongue, it had a popping sensation. And the core of the dish, the bubbles on top, were constructed from fish broth, caviar soy sauce, cream, and many other elements! Its texture was as fine and dense as clouds, melting in the mouth! And as these elements were gradually layered onto the dish, they ultimately formed a "one plus one is greater than two" effect, multiplying the deliciousness!
"Ah, mmm~" The taste feedback from the God Tongue was too strong, making Erina Nakiri unable to help but lean on the nearby table, a seductive moan escaping from her nasal cavity. Her thighs couldn't help but clamp together, as if something was rushing to the top, making her breathing heavy, half her body pressing against the table. This reaction lasted for a full half minute before gradually subsiding. During this period, the girl's legs trembled. If it weren't for something to hold onto, she might have knelt directly on the ground. One could imagine the power of the dish! The God Tongue had the effect of amplifying the taste of food. Faced with extremely delicious food, it would even affect the body, producing some subtle changes.
"I see, this dish has already reached the Special Grade level." Perhaps still recovering from the sensation, the end of her words floated slightly. At this moment, Erina Nakiri's expression was full of complexity, seemingly unable to believe that Nakiri Alice's strength had reached such a level. By the way, weren't they both fourteen?!
"Special Grade cuisine!?" As Erina Nakiri's words fell, Hisako Arato not far away couldn't help but exclaim, her slightly trembling eyebrows illustrating her shock at this moment. A transfer student in Totsuki Academy's elementary division was a Special Grade Chef? What kind of international joke was this! A fourteen-year-old Special Grade Chef?! There was no such thing in the whole world!
"Have you already passed the Special Grade Chef examination? Alice." Nakiri Senzaemon asked with some curiosity.
"No." Nakiri Alice shook her head. Although she had the ability to stably produce Special Grade cuisine, without passing the examination, she couldn't call herself a Special Grade Chef.
"Not yet passed..." Hearing Nakiri Alice's answer, Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed this dish was just a fluke, a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse. But thinking about it carefully, it was normal. A fourteen-year-old Special Grade Chef, no matter how you thought about it, was too outrageous!
"It seems you won this time, but don't get too complacent! Occasionally successful Special Grade cuisine can only be called a fluke, not your true strength. You won't be so lucky next time!" Understanding this, Erina Nakiri suddenly felt confident again. With her growth rate, it wouldn't be long before she could also make Special Grade cuisine! Although it might take dozens or even hundreds of attempts to succeed once. After all, Special Grade cuisine required too many details to grasp; even with her God Tongue, it was difficult to manage. Such details could only be accumulated over a long period of time to increase one's understanding of cooking. The God Tongue only slightly accelerated the process. She really didn't know how Nakiri Alice practiced. Even if she could only succeed occasionally, she could still be considered a powerhouse among first-class head chefs! Placed among the Totsuki Elite Ten, she would be at least in the top five! In some weaker years, she could even rank in the top three! This was the value of Special Grade cuisine. Even if made by chance, it was based on one's own formidable strength!
"A fluke? Perhaps. I welcome your challenge anytime. But before that, how about calling me Alice-neechan, Erina!" Hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Nakiri Alice didn't explain, nor did she want to. Because she enjoyed fighting with Erina Nakiri. Seeing her try her best but still lose, ending up stamping her feet in frustration, her face full of unwillingness—that was too amusing! But, at this moment...
Pointing her open palm at Erina Nakiri, Nakiri Alice's triumphant voice sounded, her eyes playful. She had been looking forward to this day for a long time!
"..." Looking at Nakiri Alice's smug appearance, a sense of shame suddenly surged in Erina Nakiri's heart. The words were stuck in her throat, difficult to say. This kind of shame, forced by losing a competition to call the other person "sister," was ten times stronger than calling her "sister"主动!
"What's wrong? Not planning to honor the bet?" Seeing the embarrassed Erina Nakiri, Nakiri Alice raised her voice a few notches, her heart even more delighted.
"A...Alice-neechan!" Clenching her teeth and summoning her courage, Erina Nakiri shouted these five words with a flushed face, then stomped her foot in annoyance.
"Hisako, let's go!" After saying this, Erina Nakiri left without looking back. Hisako Arato, seeing this, quickened her pace and followed closely behind her.
"What a shy child." Watching Erina Nakiri flee in embarrassment, Nakiri Alice's lips curved slightly upwards. Then she turned her gaze to Nakiri Senzaemon.
"Grandpa, long time no see."
"Damn it! Damn it! Hisako, go investigate everything that happened to Alice in Northern Europe. I want to see all the information tomorrow!" Walking home, Erina Nakiri muttered to herself as she walked, stamping her foot from time to time, looking extremely annoyed.
But soon, as if she had thought of something, she turned to look at Hisako Arato behind her, and with some excitement, asked her to investigate Nakiri Alice's background.
"Yes, Lady Erina." Hisako Arato bowed respectfully and said no more. She knew very well that Erina Nakiri was angry. At times like this, it was better to talk less and do more.
"Hmph, I won't lose next time! To make me suffer such humiliation, I'll make you call me Erina-neechan too!" Thinking of her performance just now, Erina Nakiri's sense of shame reached its peak. She vowed in her heart to work harder and find a chance to get even soon!
However, Special Grade cuisine... Closing her eyes, the delicious taste still lingered on the tip of her tongue. Her mind was full of Nakiri Alice's incredibly skillful fish-killing technique. What exactly did that girl experience in Northern Europe?
At the Shokugeki venue, after reconnecting with Nakiri Senzaemon, Nakiri Alice finished her day's itinerary and slowly walked home.
"Today was really fulfilling! School officially starts tomorrow. After class, I'll find a chance to visit Kinokuni-senpai." Thinking about her plans for this period, Nakiri Alice's thoughts gradually drifted, even fantasizing about herself standing at the Guangzhou Special Grade Chef examination venue. The moment she passed the examination, Dylan would hug her tightly and say, "I'm so proud of you."
So much so that she didn't even notice a spirited beautiful girl with purple short hair, wearing a school uniform, standing at her doorstep. After a year of growth, Hojo Miyoko had grown much taller, her face had also matured a bit, and paired with her fiery figure, she was truly eye-catching.
"You're standing at my door. Is there something you need?" Only when she was right in front of her did Nakiri Alice notice Hojo Miyoko. She was startled, but still feigned composure.
"You're Nakiri Alice? You look quite ordinary." After a long while, Hojo Miyoko finally spoke, but her first words made Nakiri Alice frown:
"What are you trying to say?"
"Let's have a match. Let me see the strength of Teacher Dylan's personal disciple." Hojo Miyoko directly stated her request. After staying at Totsuki Academy for so long, her strength had improved significantly through constant duels.
"Who are you?" Hearing Dylan's name, Nakiri Alice, who had originally planned to ignore the person before her, stopped and turned to look at her face, asking.
"Hojo Miyoko, fortunate enough to have received Teacher Dylan's guidance, now a Second-Class Chef." Faced with the inquiry, Hojo Miyoko was first stunned, then answered truthfully. How was this unfolding differently from what she had imagined?
"I originally didn't want to bother with you, but when I came to Totsuki, Master asked me to take care of a girl. It must be you. My name is Nakiri Alice, the Nakiri you understand. Come in with me, I'll let you witness my culinary skills!" Encountering something related to Dylan, Nakiri Alice naturally wouldn't ignore it. Noticing the bag of ingredients Miyoko was carrying, she understood. This girl had really come fully prepared. However, she was just a Second-Class Chef; she naturally wouldn't bully the weak.
"Excuse me." Looking at Nakiri Alice opening the door, Hojo Miyoko stood at the entrance and shouted into the house, then walked into the villa.
"Slippers are on the shoe rack. Change into them, then follow me to the kitchen."
"Okay."
Nakiri Alice had hired a housekeeping company to redecorate the villa according to her living habits in Northern Europe. The kitchen was the most important part. Besides the molecular gastronomy machine, everything else was complete and could meet various cooking needs.
_______
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