Curiosity.
Amazement.
Every ray of light in her bright eyes was a coronation for this unknown journey of taste exploration.
Nakiri Mana involuntarily slowed her breathing.
She tried to capture some of the essence behind this dish through the subtle aroma wafting in the air.
That aroma.
It was very familiar, yet also very unfamiliar.
It retained the true nature of the ingredients, but also seemed to incorporate Chu Yang's ingenuity and innovation.
…
The freshly steamed Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Buns.
Just like that, Chu Yang gently brought them onto the dining table stage.
Amidst the swirling steam, an indescribable freshness and richness instantly filled the entire space, tantalizing the desires of every olfactory cell of Mana and the others.
Upon closer inspection.
On that bamboo boat.
The four different colored buns were all thin and translucent.
Through a faint sheen, one could vaguely see the colorful seafood eight treasure filling inside.
At the same time, a burst of heat, accompanied by a rich seafood aroma, wafted over, allowing the four executive officers present to directly feel this gift from the deep sea, embracing it into their chests!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Just as everyone was amazed.
The space, originally immersed in busyness and the scent of human life, was suddenly gently embraced by an incredible light.
The source of this light was the steaming buns in the steamer.
They.
Were no longer just simple pastries.
Their surfaces quickly glowed with a soft yet dazzling light.
Moreover, this light was not as blinding as daylight, nor as distant as the stars.
It was very mysterious, illuminating the scene before them like a fairyland at dawn, and then immediately fading away!
…
"It's glowing again?"
Although Decora had seen Chu Yang's glowing dishes before.
But witnessing this bizarre and extraordinary phenomenon again today, his heart was still greatly shaken.
"Green, red, white, black…"
"On the surface of the buns, it also says… let me see, Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise?"
"Huh?"
"Aren't these the Four Divine Beasts of the Celestial Dynasty?"
Amidst her shock, Anne quickly leaned in for a closer look.
As a result, the freshly baked Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Buns in front of her made her find them very interesting.
With a round and cute appearance, they unexpectedly became the "dragon heads" in the unified breakfast scene of the Celestial Dynasty, north and south.
Legend has it.
Buns were invented for Zhuge Liang.
However, their official appearance was during the Five Dynasties period, and it wasn't until the Song Dynasty that the name "baozi" (bun) officially came into being.
No matter what kind of bun, its uniqueness lies in its ability to encompass everything.
Therefore.
In the world of buns, there are also many disputes.
Various places have many buns with different flavors and textures.
But what Anne never expected was that the Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Buns made by Chu Yang would have such peculiar appearances and ingredients!
…
One bun.
Perhaps, the filling inside contained both meat and vegetables.
But unlike a main meal, the ingredients were very cheap, as ordinary buns generally cost only 3 to 5 yuan.
However, the bun fillings Chu Yang used this time were all based on the eight treasures of the sea, although for executive officers like Mana, Anne, Decora, and Kuragi, they were not considered particularly noble!
But.
Without a doubt.
Compared to ordinary buns, they were still somewhat rare.
"Let's save the amazement and some questions for later. The most important thing now is to quickly enter the judging phase."
With that said, the impatient Mana, disregarding the heat, directly reached out and grabbed the green bun with the words "Azure Dragon" on it from the bamboo boat.
At that instant, heat began to transfer from her fingertips to her palm.
However.
Mana only slightly furrowed her brow.
Then she relaxed it again, her eyes gleaming with an unyielding light.
Next, she lowered her head and gently blew a few breaths onto the bun, a childish gesture, as if coaxing a sleeping spirit about to be awakened.
Finally, she opened her mouth and took a bite.
…
With a crunch.
The bun's outer skin made a slight sound under the pressure of her teeth.
Immediately after, the deliciousness of the filling and the richness of the soup burst forth in her mouth.
Complex.
And wonderful.
This taste had the resilience and wheat aroma of the dough, as well as the delicious juiciness of the filling.
The two perfectly blended, instantly captivating Nakiri Mana!
At the same time, the other three executive officers, Anne, Kuragi, and Decora, also took action. They each picked up the red Vermillion Bird, black Black Tortoise, and white White Tiger buns, and tasted them carefully.
The rich aroma of the bun skin, accompanied by the fresh aroma of abalone, bloomed on the tip of their tongues, filling every inch with the taste of the ocean.
The sea cucumber bun.
Was even more overflowing with soup, incredibly delicious.
Especially the Q-elastic texture of the sea cucumber, complementing the soft and sticky bun skin.
There were also crab meat buns, shrimp buns, and flounder meat buns, all excellent in color and taste.
The outer skin was soft.
The filling was packed with crab meat and shrimp meat.
Taking a bite was simply too blissful!
The shark fin bun, compared to the previous ones, might be slightly inferior, just average.
But after all, it used imitation shark fin, which was the cheapest ingredient among all the buns, so naturally, the taste was not as amazing as the aforementioned buns.
…
In any case.
Every bun here, every bite, was the ultimate indulgence for the taste buds.
The process of making the Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Buns was quite complex, including the selection and processing of seafood, the simmering of broth, the fermentation of dough, and the wrapping and steaming of the buns, among other steps.
Among them, the simmering of the broth was particularly crucial.
It not only enhanced the freshness of the filling but also made the bun skin softer and more delicious.
Finally, the dried scallop bun and the squid bun were dark dishes; the squid bun was just one word: fishy!
The dried scallop bun, as its name suggested, gave a dry sensation:
Dry!
However.
It also played a harmonious role with the other buns.
When eaten, the flavor was richer, and the texture was more amazing.
In summary, this dish called Four Divine Seafood Eight Treasure Buns had a taste that was directly proportional to its expensive ingredients.
…
Finally.
The heat from the buns had long dissipated.
But the air still seemed to linger with the unique freshness of seafood and the soft aroma of the bun skin.
This indescribable temptation made one's taste buds stir again.
Even Nakiri Mana was caressing the edge of the empty bamboo boat with her fingertips, that subtle movement revealing a hint of reluctance at the end of this delicious meal.
"Gone?"
"This… Is this all?"