Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Creativity
"You’re the only one in the entire venue who made chilled jelly, very impressive. Among all these meat dishes, your refreshing jelly is a perfect palate cleanser. And you added hawthorn, that’s very thoughtful."
...
When it was Ding Ruyun’s turn, she made meatballs.
"I made three-color meatballs. The brown one is beef, the white one is fish, and the green one is chicken mixed with spinach juice," Ding Ruyun explained. "The broth is made from chicken stock."
Gu Changfeng nodded, scooping up a beef meatball along with some chicken broth.
He tasted the broth first before biting into the beef meatball.
The moment he bit into it, juice burst out from the inside.
Yet, the flavor seemed strikingly familiar.
"What did you add to the beef meatball?" Gu Changfeng asked.
"I added cuttlefish paste and a gelatin made from chicken skin," Ding Ruyun replied.
Gu Changfeng raised an eyebrow and said, "I have to say, this taste is quite familiar to me."
Then he turned to Guo Wenbo and the others, "You should try it too."
Ding Ruyun suddenly had a bad feeling.
After tasting it, Guo Wenbo said, "This is just like the soup dumplings that Fei Xiaomo made during the auditions, except without the dumpling skin."
"Exactly, from the texture to the flavor, it’s quite similar," Ye Huasong nodded.
"But the original shrimp and crab paste was replaced with cuttlefish paste and the chicken feet gelatin with pork skin gelatin," Luo Jialin put down her bowl, seemingly unwilling to try more.
Guo Wenbo said, "Although there are some changes, the essential creativity still comes from Fei Xiaomo."
"I didn’t," Ding Ruyun said, her face pale, unable to admit it at this critical moment.
Lowell shook his head and said, "During the auditions, your jujube pastry left a deep impression on me. But this time, lacking your own creativity, I’m very disappointed."
"I didn’t!" Ding Ruyun replied, her face pale. "Are you saying I’m copying Fei Xiaomo? That’s a heavy accusation! Isn’t adding these ingredients necessary for juice bursting? Why should only Fei Xiaomo be allowed to add them?"
"The juice bursting technique is similar, but the use of texture layers and the seasoning ratio vary from chef to chef," Guo Wenbo said coldly. "Do you think we’re so lacking in skill as judges? While the precise seasoning ratios may not be discernible, we can generally taste them."
Ding Ruyun bit her lip, regretting ever attempting this beef meatball.
While making it, she indeed referenced Fei Xiaomo’s online tutorial, and thinking about it now, she decided to use it.
Gu Changfeng tasted the chicken and fish meatballs and said, "These two are quite good, especially the fish balls, with chicken broth infusing them with a sweet freshness. If not for the beef meatball, I would have truly appreciated your dish."
After tasting them, Ye Huasong also nodded and said, "You still have potential, don’t take the wrong path."
After speaking, the five of them left.
Leaving Ding Ruyun with a face as if it was burning, she could feel the gazes from all directions even with her head lowered.
Though she didn’t look up, she could already imagine the mocking expressions directed at her.
Ding Ruyun looked up at Ye Fei.
Ye Fei was right across from her at a diagonal.
Coincidentally, Ye Fei also looked over at her.
Ye Feixin felt nothing strange; after all, she had published the recipe for her fans to learn and make.
