CHAPTER 258: CHAPTER 258: BRAISED PUFFER FISH, IT’S THE RIGHT TIME FOR PUFFER FISH!

By the reservoir. This reservoir nestled among mountains and adjacent to water, offering a tranquil environment. In the distance, a few households dotted the landscape, presenting a pleasant scene. It was a nice place to come fishing.

Many of Jiang Feng’s videos were still circulating online. The incident with the West Lake Sweet and Sour Fish had indeed caused a significant sensation. The videos’ popularity was even higher than before. Jiang Feng had now transitioned from city-level recognition to being in the national spotlight among netizens. This greatly benefited the business of his two restaurants. The quality of Jiangyue Terrace’s dishes was already superb, and with the increased exposure, the restaurant was almost fully booked every day. Some employees even requested to open more branches because they simply couldn’t keep up with the daily rush. However, such matters couldn’t be rushed. Additionally, some external parties had contacted Jiang Feng, hoping he would allow franchising for Jiangyue Terrace, enabling ordinary people to open shops under its brand. Jiang Feng naturally refused.

After fishing for a while, Jiang Feng poured all the fish back into the reservoir.

"Boss Jiang, your fishing skills are truly something, quite impressive," complimented Li Duoyu, the reservoir owner.

"Just a hobby, something to pass the time," Jiang Feng replied.

He put down his cat and checked on Little Black.

Then, Jiang Feng said, "You have a lot of aquatic products here. I’ll cook a dish later and try it."

"Of course, no problem! What will you make? The West Lake Sweet and Sour Fish?" Li Duoyu readily agreed and then asked.

"Not that. I’ve made it too many times recently. I won’t be making West Lake Sweet and Sour Fish for a while. I plan to prepare a Huaiyang Cuisine dish: Braised Pufferfish."

"I noticed your pufferfish are quite large."

Jiang Feng had seen them at Li Duoyu’s aquafarm. As a chef, seeing so many top-tier freshwater ingredients available directly from the producers, he naturally had some ideas. For instance, soft-shell turtles, prawns, and pufferfish. Jiang Feng thought they all looked excellent.

The quality of seafood and river delicacies is heavily dependent on their cultivation environment. Aquatic products farmed in a reservoir simply taste better. If they are cultivated with feed, the taste is somewhat inferior.

Upon hearing that Jiang Feng wanted to prepare pufferfish, Li Duoyu was even more delighted. "That would be great! Not just anyone can handle pufferfish; at least, none of us here dare to. It seems you need a special certification for that."

Li Duoyu was also knowledgeable. Some artificially bred pufferfish are now non-toxic, but those from aquafarms definitely still contain toxins. The toxins in wild pufferfish are extremely potent; a single fish contains enough poison to kill thirty adults. However, after generations of selective breeding in captivity, their toxicity is very low, making them relatively safe.

It must be said that China’s chefs are truly impressive; they can prepare even the most toxic pufferfish cleanly and safely. This is because pufferfish is, indeed, delicious. Pufferfish meat has very little fat. Its flesh is firm yet tender—an indescribable delicacy. This type of fish meat is utterly irresistible.

Li Duoyu followed Jiang Feng, scooped up two plump pufferfish, and they headed to the back kitchen where Jiang Feng began to prepare the Braised Pufferfish.

Jiang Feng was also craving pufferfish.

China has never lacked gourmands, such as the famous poet Su Dongpo, who was a true food enthusiast. He once wrote a poem:

"Beyond the bamboo, three or two peach branches bloom,

Ducks are first to sense the spring river’s warmth.

Artemisia fills the land, reed shoots are short,

’Tis precisely when pufferfish are ready to ascend."

It describes this season, when pufferfish have matured and are ready to be eaten. The final line fully reveals his nature as a gourmand.

It’s worth noting that when he traveled to Hangzhou and found no satisfactory local dishes, he created his own Dongpo Pork, which subsequently became a representative dish of Zhejiang cuisine. This lends credence to the idea that Hangzhou’s reputation as a "food desert" is not a recent phenomenon.

There is also a saying: "Once you’ve tasted pufferfish, you’ll desire no other fish for the rest of your life." This illustrates how deeply the exquisite taste of pufferfish has captivated people.

In the kitchen, Jiang Feng got busy. He busied himself preparing the pufferfish, meticulously removing all the necessary parts. Li Duoyu didn’t dare to watch too closely; he was just eagerly waiting to eat.

Li Duoyu’s ancestors were also fishermen. He had heard from his family elders that back in the 1990s, several fishermen died each year from eating pufferfish. Nowadays, such incidents were rarely heard of.

Jiang Feng’s skill in preparing pufferfish was naturally excellent; he left none of the undesirable parts. After cleaning them, he placed the fish in a pot, added his secret blend of seasonings, and then poured in water to begin simmering. When the broth in the pot had simmered and thickened, he added some green onion segments and let it simmer a little longer. Then, it was ready to be served.

The pufferfish broth in the pot had a rich color, reminiscent of the sauce in braised chicken dishes, and the broth itself was incredibly savory. The dish exuded a fragrant and enticing aroma. Such a captivating aroma couldn’t come from just any ordinary ingredient.

Next, Jiang Feng brought out the pufferfish. He, Li Duoyu, and another employee from the aquafarm tasted the delicious dish together.

Pufferfish has virtually no small bones. One could pick up a piece of its flesh and eat it directly; even the skin was delicious.

When Li Duoyu took a bite, his mouth was instantly filled with an explosion of delightful flavors. The fish was incredibly tender and fresh. The savory marinade enhanced the fish, creating multiple layers of flavor, while the delicious broth that filled his mouth was simply exquisite.

The other employee also tasted the pufferfish and was utterly astounded.

In all his years in aquaculture, he had never eaten fish this delicious! It was truly scrumptious!

The fish was extremely smooth and tender, its umami flavor so overwhelming it felt like it was bursting forth.

He had never eaten such delicious fish in his entire life!

Both men worked in the aquatic products industry and had eaten countless fish, developing very discerning palates. Yet, the pufferfish prepared by Jiang Feng was truly exceptional.

Jiang Feng also savored it at a leisurely pace.

The taste of the pufferfish is excellent. It really has to be farmed in a reservoir to be this delicious. Pufferfish from a regular restaurant wouldn’t have this kind of flavor. This reservoir is quite good.

Jiang Feng thought that before he left, he would buy two more soft-shell turtles. The soft-shell turtles raised in this reservoir are also good. They would make a nice soft-shell turtle soup. The pufferfish is indeed delicious; no wonder Su Dongpo loved eating it.

Jiang Feng pondered. Maybe I should get a ranch myself, or an aquafarm. The best ingredients are always sourced directly from their place of origin. Meat from the market just can’t compare to the freshness of poultry and livestock I could raise myself.

After all, he was a boss and wasn’t short of money, so he often thought like one. However, he didn’t really have the energy for it, especially since cooking was his true passion. Such ideas would have to be shelved for now, to be considered later.

"Boss Jiang, where are you planning to set up your stall next?" Li Duoyu asked, his curiosity piqued. "A lot of people are discussing it."

"I really haven’t decided yet; I still need to think about what to make," Jiang Feng replied with a smile. "I’ll take a rest for a couple of days first."

In my mind, where I set up the stall isn’t the most important thing, Jiang Feng thought. What matters is the richness of the local culinary culture. That way, I can enjoy the local food in my spare time from running the stall.

With plans to open a Zhejiang Cuisine Restaurant, Jiang Feng was currently considering Wenzhou. Wenzhou cuisine is also quite famous. The city of Wenzhou itself is renowned, especially due to a catchy jingle about the ’Jiangnan Leather Factory going bankrupt’ that almost everyone knows. If it weren’t for the system tasks, I might just go to Wenzhou, find a small shop to rent on the street, and casually sell breakfast and lunch. It would be just as leisurely.

Jiang Feng took a few more bites of the pufferfish. The taste is genuinely good.

As a chef, he clearly understood how crucial good ingredients were to a dish’s deliciousness. Some things are all about freshness. For example, in Yunnan, despite frequent news reports about mushroom poisoning, many people still eagerly eat mushrooms daily. This is because freshly picked mushrooms are incredibly delicious and have the best flavor.

Very quickly, the three of them finished off the two pufferfish. Little Black, the cat, also got a piece. It was over in a corner, grinding the fish meat with its molars, its whole face contorted with effort—truly adorable. Cats have always loved fish, and pufferfish is even better. This black cat always ate well with Jiang Feng.

After finishing the pufferfish, Jiang Feng felt completely satisfied. He lingered at the reservoir for a while longer, surveyed the surroundings, and discussed arrangements for a regular supply of grass carp and other aquatic products. Then, Jiang Feng left.

He hoped that Jiangyue Building would have a dedicated supply of aquatic products. Guests visiting West Lake would definitely want to taste fresh and tender aquatic products. The fish from the suburban reservoir were undoubtedly the best choice. With this step, the aquatic products at Jiangyue Terrace would certainly be excellent.

「Next, he would rest and explore Hangzhou.」

The scenery there was truly excellent. Especially a boat ride on West Lake, which truly evoked the feeling of being in the water towns of Jiangnan.

During this period, some internet celebrities also approached Jiang Feng, wanting to collaborate. Some of them were quite attractive. Jiang Feng naturally did not agree. I’d rather keep a lower profile now. When I set up my stall, it’s enough for business to be good. Too much attention is overwhelming and just leads to chaos.

He also visited the Jiangyue Terrace Zhejiang Cuisine Restaurant to check on the renovation progress. The restaurant had an antique charm, perfectly matching the ambiance of West Lake and capturing the unique beauty of traditional Chinese gardens. After all, significant money had been spent on it. The renovation would take a month, and Jiang Feng was in no hurry.

Additionally, he was busy screening chefs. During his days off, he sometimes arranged trial cooking sessions with chefs who had impressive resumes. Jiang Feng would observe the entire process, and in this manner, he selected two chefs. His standards were very high. Many chefs cooked dishes that tasted alright, but their lack of attention to detail, overly bold cooking methods, or excessive use of oil and salt did not meet his criteria. I’m the boss, so my word is final. There’s still time, so I can choose slowly.

Once he selected the right chefs and they signed their contracts, Jiang Feng would still need to train all of them. He was serious about ensuring high standards for the dishes. He was earnest about building his business.

Soon, the system issued a new task. To Jiang Feng’s surprise, the task location was Wenzhou. It seemed the system had anticipated his thoughts, or perhaps it was providing rewards aligned with his ideas. Jiang Feng decided to accept the task only after he had wrapped up all his affairs in Hangzhou.

A new week was about to begin.

This time, I’ll go taste the delicacies of Wenzhou!