The nights in Japan always make one inadvertently think of Izakayas!
It seems this place always has a kind of magic, no matter if you're a corporate drone who just finished work, a high school student burdened with studies, or a housewife toiling for life. In short, no matter where you come from, there's always a place for you at an Izakaya!
A bottle of sake!
A small dish!
A delicious meal!
Here, you can find joy and satisfaction in a wonderful dining environment.
Before her, Rindo, who was just drinking sake, was a regular customer who frequently appeared at this Izakaya. She had been there since Sosuke's first day of opening.
Her identity, in fact, was a prospective third-year student of Totsuki Culinary Academy's high school division.
It was said that not long ago, she had just become the Second Seat of the Elite Ten, a position second only to Eishi Tsukasa, and could be considered a top-tier figure in the entire Totsuki Culinary Academy!
...
During this period,
Almost every quiet night,
Rindo would come to this Izakaya to patronize Shopkeeper Sosuke's business.
And every time she came, the first thing she would do was ask him for a bottle of sake. Then she would drink alone and eat a few small dishes that she found refreshing and delicious!
"Shopkeeper!"
"This sake of yours... feels a bit different from usual!"
"While the initial taste is as clear and beautiful as before, it slowly transforms into a slightly astringent aftertaste."
"This unique flavor feels very difficult to pair with dishes and is more suitable for drinking on its own!"
After taking a small sip, Rindo put down her sake cup and exhaled a fragrant breath of sake.
Then, she blinked her bright eyes and asked Sosuke curiously,
"The sake you are drinking."
"Its alcohol content is 15%, and its rice polishing ratio is 50%. These two indicators are indeed different from the sake I've brewed in the past!"
"This means that the layers of this sake are richer!"
"As you drink it, its aroma, taste, and other aspects will continuously change, so you need to calm down and savor it carefully! Only then can you appreciate some of the nuances of this sake!"
Sosuke, who was busy preparing ingredients,
Upon hearing this, he merely looked up at Rindo for a few glances, then replied indifferently,
...
In fact,
His Izakaya,
It had been open for over a month now!
After operating for a while, Sosuke discovered that people in Japan really liked to drink, and unlimited drink refills were a common occurrence.
Furthermore, most of the customers who came here to drink and eat were corporate drones.
In their workplaces, there was a clear hierarchy, so it was common to see seniors egging on juniors to drink continuously, leveraging the lively atmosphere of the Izakaya!
Therefore, whenever it was almost closing time,
Sosuke had to face the challenge of waking up drunk customers and getting them to leave!
Out of helplessness,
A few days ago,
Sosuke had to make some improvements to all the homemade sake in the Izakaya.
Without affecting the taste and texture, he used some methods to slightly reduce the alcohol content of all alcoholic beverages!
After listening to Sosuke's explanation, Rindo couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Being meticulous, she had already noticed that the sake in her cup was indeed less intense, but its taste was purer than before.
Ever since her first visit to the Izakaya, she had found this elegant Shopkeeper Sosuke to be truly mysterious and extraordinary!
Leaving aside everything else,
Just in the field of cooking,
Even she, a legendary figure who had just been promoted to the Second Seat of the Elite Ten, had to admit her inferiority in front of him!
Every time she came to the Izakaya and sat there savoring the exquisite dishes he made, she was able to gain a lot from them and benefit greatly!
Perhaps?
This was why Rindo liked this Izakaya!
...
Time,
Flew by!
And after a long period of fruitwood smoke-roasting,
Most of the fat in the beef on the smoking rack had melted and infused into the meat, allowing one to smell the deliciousness of the beef and the smoky aroma of charcoal. Even Rindo, who was close by, had her appetite greatly stimulated!
Subsequently,
A few drops of lemon juice,
Poured over the beef, instantly unleashed an enticing aroma!
Wisps of hot steam, filled with smoky and meaty scents, continuously wafted and diffused into the air.
Gradually, the smoked beef on the smoking rack became so alluring!
Beside her, Rindo couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
Her golden eyes, filled with greed, stared intently at the nearly finished smoked beef!
Finally,
With an elegant salting motion, it was completely finished.
The last dish, smoked beef, was finally complete!
Rindo, impatient, felt even more excited upon seeing the freshly prepared smoked beef on the plate!
Afterward, she quickly picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a small piece of beef, and couldn't help but start eating!
Upon first taste,
She only felt that this smoked meat,
Was very tender, not dry and tough as she had imagined.
With a smoky flavor and a faint woody aroma, it made the taste of the beef unique!
"Oh~"
"So that's how it is!"
"This smoked beef is first trimmed into neat and clean pieces."
"Then it's smoked with a base powder composed of over 10 secret spices, among which two spices are best for removing the gamey smell of beef and enhancing its aroma: one is tsaoko, and the other... hmm... is sand ginger?"
"In short,"
"The true flavor comes from an hour-long slow smoke."
"During this time, seasoning sauce must be applied occasionally to increase the moisture and flavor of the meat."
"That's why just a small piece of beef in the mouth, with its delicious meaty aroma mixed with the original smoky taste, is enough to leave one with an endless aftertaste."
Swallowing, Rindo said excitedly as she savored the taste.
Undoubtedly, this final plate of smoked beef truly surprised her!