Terunori Kuga, as the former eighth seat of the Elite Ten, specializes in Chinese cuisine. This time, the theme drawn is about 'green tea.' Chinese cuisine, which is already broadly defined, paired with the theme of green tea, gives Kuga more room to play.
But...
Megumi Tadokoro: "Kuga-senpai doesn't seem to be using green tea..."
Takumi: "Indeed. On the other hand, Tsukasa-senpai has already prepared four different types of tea."
Because the scope of green tea is too broad, there are many ways to use it.
At this time, Isshiki also added:
"Green tea originally refers to [non-fermented tea] that has been heat-treated shortly after being picked to stop the oxidase from working."
"Of course, it also covers many types such as sencha, gyokuro, hojicha, and kabusecha, and the taste and aroma are completely different."
Erina: "I have to say, this is the strength of the first seat. It is said that Tsukasa-senpai can communicate with ingredients in the most original way, and the ingredients in his hands undoubtedly perform at their best."
As everyone says, Tsukasa's aura has completely changed. His white bangs cover his expression, but that faint smile still makes people feel afraid.
Tsukasa crushed all kinds of tea leaves and mixed them all on a small plate. While cooking, he treated the different tea leaves differently.
Sencha should be steeped in boiling water for 30 seconds to delicately draw out the astringent component, tannin. Genmaicha has little tea and astringent components, so it is steeped in 95-degree hot water for 30 seconds to bring out a rich tea aroma. Because the components in deep-steamed sencha are easy to dissolve, it only needs to be steeped in 80-degree hot water for less than a minute. Next is gyokuro, which is steeped in 60-degree warm water for two minutes, using low-temperature water to completely seep out its tea flavor.
Saito: "No matter how many times I see Tsukasa cooking, it's like he's enjoying it..."
Rindou: "Right, right? After all, his movements are too elegant, just like a knight..."
Haruno: "Oh? The water-boiling tool is Nambu ironware? The water boiled in this way will become round and smooth, and even bring a soft taste. A real smart person."
Hachiman: "Excellent chefs can freely use and control ingredients, but Tsukasa-senpai is exactly the opposite. He always regards the ingredients as his lord, serving it with deep respect like a white knight with his treasure sword on the table."
Under everyone's attention, Tsukasa didn't shy away from it and directly took out the knives, but...
Takumi: "What is that?"
Hachiman: "That's a cooking tool called a mill, but I've never seen such a large one... and to skillfully use such a tool, the physical strength consumed is unimaginable."
Just as the two were talking, Tsukasa swung the mill in his hand, and in one breath, he had processed all the ingredients.
Yukinoshita: "A truly bold technique, with a near-perfect use of green tea, no... it shouldn't be just green tea."
Alice: "I really don't know how to compete against such an opponent."
However, since he is the former eighth seat, how could he be affected by this kind of thing? Even if everyone thinks he will definitely lose, Kuga will not have the mentality to surrender. He puts a grill on the oven, under the grill is green tea wrapped in aluminum foil, and on top of that is a layer of ripened tofu.
Isami, who specializes in smoking, and Hikigaya, who has learned about smoking, immediately noticed the problem.
Isami: "Even now, Kuga-senpai still intends to use such an unconventional method to compete against Tsukasa-senpai."
I have to say, this is definitely a very good idea.
After the pork shoulder is completely oiled once, the surface is fully fried until crispy. The oiled pork is not stewed, but smoked directly to transfer the aroma of the tea to the inside of the ingredients. Different from the method Tsukasa chose, Kuga's cooking method is completely the opposite of Tsukasa's.
But that's not enough.
While the pork is being smoked, it is time to start making the [sauce]. The existence of the sauce is even more important than the ingredients for a dish, and this statement also has a certain truth, that is, it must be a sauce that you have prepared yourself.
Kuga seemed to have prepared it long ago. He directly boiled the black grape vinegar until it was dry to condense its taste and aroma, then added black vinegar, sugar, and ground green tea. Finally, the most important thing is...
Kuga: "Add Ibusaki's smoked soy sauce, which has been carefully brewed for many years, at the same time!"
Ibusaki smiled faintly. Although he didn't have the ability to join their rebel army and represent a member to fight, it didn't mean he couldn't help in other directions. This smoked soy sauce was exactly the stock in his warehouse.
Ordinary smoked soy sauce may not be outstanding, but with the spices added by Hachiman and the re-adjusted ratio, it shocked the audience as soon as it was taken out.
Ai Hoshino: "Wow, what an innovative idea."
Eriri: "It does smell really good. I'm really curious about what kind of dish they will present!"
Tsukasa didn't expect that the guy who used to pester him had now reached this point. He thought he would be the master of this school, and no one would ever be able to threaten his position.
But...
Tsukasa smiled faintly, only his expression changed.
"So you've finally come, Kuga."
Kuga: "I will definitely win this match against you!"
Both are doing their final work, and the final judging process is finally coming.
Everyone's enthusiasm was also pushed to the highest point by the two dishes. Everyone began to look forward to whether it would be the Elite Ten's winning streak or the rebel army's absolute survival.
Because the two dishes were completed almost at the same time, the law of simultaneous tasting had to be continued, but when Tsukasa opened his dish, everyone was a little dumbfounded for a while.
No one understood what this dish was.
Four leaves were dotted under a pool of sauce. Rather than a dish, it was more like a work of art, which was hard to swallow.
However, this is Tsukasa's work when he gets serious. Because his conversations with the ingredients gave him irreplaceable feelings for any dish, so at this time, the dish he brought out directly represented the inner thoughts of the dish.
But...
Mito: "It's really incredible, worthy of being the first seat, the dish brought out is completely surprising."
Ryoko: "But our dish will definitely not be much worse!"
Hearing Ryoko say this, everyone turned their attention to Kuga. Similar to Tsukasa's artwork, it was also a dish that was extremely heavy just by looking at it.
Yoshino: "Are the Elite Ten's dishes all so fancy?"
Ibusaki: "At first glance, it looks a bit like ordinary sweet and sour pork, but this dish... exudes an aura that is completely inconsistent with sweet and sour pork."
Hisako: "That kind of plating can only be done by high-end Italian or French cuisine. This is the beauty of cooking."
"However, I'm a little curious about what kind of taste it has."
In front of the TV, countless people stared at the dish in front of them. Such absolute deliciousness may exist in the world, but only the five judges in front of them have the opportunity to taste it.
Expectation, tension, all kinds of emotions arise, and at the same time, Togawa Sakiko picked up a spoon:
"Well then, let's start the tasting!"
Eriri: "What a pity, it was made to look so good."
Sakurajima Mai: "But since it's a dish, you still have to taste it well."
Listening to Sakurajima Mai's words, everyone stopped talking nonsense, just picked up the spoon in their hands and slowly put the dish into their mouths.
The first feeling upon entry.
Delicious.
The freshness of the green tea dyed the entire field of vision into a refreshing green, which is also the unique beauty of green tea. The special sauce perfectly matched it, and the sourness combined with the already rich pork, making people intoxicated for a while.
From beginning to end, green tea has never disappeared as the main character.
The dish that Kuga showed not only highlighted the characteristics of Chinese cuisine, but also showed French techniques, which of course were learned through study.
By modifying the base ingredients, French and Chinese cuisine have become a comprehensive international cuisine at this moment.
Perhaps deliciousness is its highest spokesman.
Kuga's dish has been tasted, and next it is the turn of Tsukasa, the first seat of the Elite Ten, to cook. The feeling at the moment when the dish was sent into the throat was completely different, not only did Eriri's spoon fall to the ground unconsciously, but also....
At this moment, just smelling this deliciousness made the body sensitive. This was not something that people could resist. If the ground tea leaves were the beginning, then if the four different types of sauce mud with sauce were sent into the mouth at the same time...
That kind of pleasure is simply indescribable.
It was stimulating, but also tasted very elegant. The flavors exhibited by the different teas at this moment were clearly different, but they obtained a new flavor after being integrated.
Eriri: "Is this the true strength of the first seat... I've really seen it."
Sakurajima Mai: "It can be said that this dish is more delicious than all the dishes that were late just now."
Togawa Sakiko: "The flavor of the ingredients and green tea enhance each other, and finally the taste becomes elegant. The perfect degree of such application is simply impossible."
Hachiman: "The answer should be on the sauce mud. A cappuccino sauce made with things like Parisian mushrooms was added, and finally the layers were enriched."
Yukino's mother: "The winner of this game is Tsukasa. There is no need to continue voting."
Unexpectedly, even Yukino's mother directly announced the result. As Sakurajima Mai said, the existence of this dish has exceeded all the dishes that were submitted just now, and this also means that the two are not on the same level.
Isshiki: "The opponent is too strong."
Erina: "Tsukasa-senpai's true strength..."
Yukinoshita just glanced at Hachiman and showed composure:
"It's okay, we still have a chance of winning."
Even if the opponent is a monster, Yukinoshita still doesn't think they will lose this game.
Hachiman: "I don't think we will lose either."
The words of the two made Haruno and Yukino's mother on the opposite side have a trace of incredible gazes. After all, it is obvious who has the advantage now.
The rebel army now can't even cross the big mountain of Tsukasa, so how can they win?
Hachiman: "Isshiki-senpai, I'll leave the next match to you."
Isshiki: "Of course there is no problem, I am a reliable senpai!"
Kuga also returned here at this time, just gently putting his hand on Isshiki's body:
"Isshiki, we must win against that guy Tsukasa. Although I know it's a bit difficult, I don't want to be stepped on by him for the rest of my life."
"This time, it is definitely the last time."
Isshiki was sincerely happy for Kuga to see that he could still maintain this state, and what he had to do now was very simple:
"I will do my best, Tsukasa-senpai will be defeated by me."
Including this match, Tsukasa has fought two matches in a row, and he will immediately usher in his third opponent, of course, also as an old friend, Isshiki Satoshi.
"It's Isshiki, it seems these two battles have been tricky."
Isshiki still maintained a calm smile on his face, just glanced at Hikigaya, and said in a calm tone:
"Tsukasa-senpai, you should relax and have a good match with me, after all, the real trouble is not us."
"Oh? After winning you, the remaining trouble is only Erina, right?"
Isshiki laughed twice:
"Perhaps when you really stand here with him, you will feel his power, so...I never worry that I will lose, after all, my teammates are very good."
"Instead of this, let's have a good match."
Tsukasa walked to the lottery machine, and said with a bit of interest:
"Since you said so."
The seventh theme, Wild Hare!
Isshiki: "I hope you will give me your advice, senpai."
Tsukasa Eishi: "Use all your strength, after all, there will be no chance next."
The two had not officially started the war, but the aura they continued to release had already ignited the audience.
As Tsukasa said, perhaps this duel will be another tricky Food Wars battle...
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