Chapter 49 - 45: Cream of Mushroom Soup

Chapter 49: Chapter 45: Cream of Mushroom Soup

"The seasonings are incredibly well-stocked—oil, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and even black pepper. It’s comparable to a Level 3 Restaurant in the Third Ring. There’s actually butter and milk in the fridge!" Ning He murmured in shock as she prepped the ingredients, examining the compartments on the food cart.

The Mecha Academy only supplied its students with milk-flavored calcium supplements, which showed just how precious real milk was in this era. She hadn’t expected to see it here and wondered what dish it was meant for.

Hansha had also brought a rich variety of vegetables, including tender mushrooms, several types of soy products, and two striped honeydew melons weighing about three pounds each. Melons were rarely grown locally in Beiluo City, making them quite expensive. With so many costly ingredients, it was no wonder this culinary service dared to charge a thousand credits.

"You work fast, kid." Hansha glanced over and was very satisfied to see that the vegetables in front of her were already washed and portioned out.

Ning He chuckled. "Sir, what dishes are we making today?"

At her question, Hansha’s expression grew solemn again. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her with a sigh. "This is the menu Grandpa Miao originally set. Since he isn’t here, I only know how to make two or three of these. We’ll have to figure out a way to replace the rest."

Ning He unfolded the paper and studied it carefully. There were seven dishes in total, listed in the following order: spiced dried tofu with grilled asparagus, borscht or cream of mushroom soup, a river seafood dish (suggested: steamed fish or braised prawns), a meat main course (suggested: braised meatballs in gravy or braised pork ribs), a refreshing stir-fry, a fruit platter or salad, and beverages.

No wonder Connie had said Grandpa Miao was once a top figure in Beiluo City’s culinary world. Looking at this menu, it was almost on par with the standard of banquet feasts from her past life. While these dishes might be difficult for local chefs like Hansha, they were a piece of cake for her.

"Which ones do we need to swap out?" she asked.

"I already brought the first dish—the spiced dried tofu," Hansha replied, his brow furrowing. "As for the seafood and meat dishes, we’ll have to wait and see what kind of prey Macken and the others bring back before deciding. We should be able to get by if we swap them for pan-fried or grilled options. However, soups and stir-fries aren’t my strong suit. I’m worried that what I make won’t even measure up to their usual meals, which would ruin our reputation."

Ning He wasn’t surprised by this answer. During a previous chat with Connie, she had asked why Connie and Ah Huai hadn’t tested for their Third-level Chef Certificates. Connie had complained extensively about the strict evaluation standards for the third-level exam.

From what Ning He knew, the assessments for first and second-level chefs could be completed at the culinary academy. The tests covered food identification, nutritional knowledge, basic seasoning techniques, and the ability to consistently produce five specific dishes. A Second-level Chef, for example, needed to master five dishes containing eggs.

But the difficulty of the Third-level Chef certification was significantly higher. Because the ingredients primarily consisted of expensive meats that the academy couldn’t afford to provide, the meat-cooking techniques required for a Third-level Chef could only be acquired after entering the workforce. The exam content also changed drastically. It involved meat identification, raw meat preparation, presenting three signature dishes for grading, and successfully processing a randomly assigned ingredient on the spot to achieve a passing score.

Those last two requirements effectively blocked the advancement path for countless Second-level Chefs. Without outside help, it was nearly impossible to figure out how to make three restaurant-quality dishes entirely on one’s own while remaining adaptable enough to handle random ingredients.

The lucky Second-level Chefs were taken under the wing of a Third-level Chef, personally mentored and taught for a year or two before taking the exam. The unlucky ones could only sigh in despair.

Ning He’s original body, for instance, had a capable father who held nothing back in teaching her, allowing her to earn her Third-level Chef qualification by the age of eighteen. Connie and Ah Huai weren’t so fortunate. Master Jin, who had adopted them, passed away early. They only had time to learn a single braised meat dish, leaving them unable to obtain their Third-level Chef qualifications. As a result, they were forced to rent someone else’s certificate to keep their noodle shop running.

For the sake of quick mastery and cost efficiency, a Third-level Chef typically focused on a single primary cooking skill—such as pan-frying, grilling, steaming, or stewing. Pan-frying and grilling were the most common, whereas the stir-frying techniques mastered by the original Ning He were relatively rare. It was clear that Hansha specialized in grilling, so it was perfectly normal that soups and stir-fries weren’t his strong suits.

"Then leave those two and the fruit platter to me," Ning He said, instantly taking on half the workload.

Hansha gave her a rather surprised look. "These guests have very high culinary standards. Our dishes need to reach at least the level of a Level 3 Restaurant. Are you sure you can handle it?"

Ning He smiled. "It’s still early. I’ll make one dish first for you to taste. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll think of something else."

Though her words were modest, her expression exuded absolute confidence. Recalling the pita pockets Johnny had brought back last time, Hansha felt a glimmer of anticipation for the young woman standing before him. He made his decision. "Alright. We have more than enough ingredients anyway, so let’s give it a try. Which dish are you planning to make?"

Ning He thought for a moment before answering, "Let’s do the mushroom soup. It’s relatively quick."

"Mushroom soup?" Hansha’s eyes lit up. This was a signature dish in many restaurants across the First and Second Rings. "I’ll be your prep cook."

Ning He didn’t stand on ceremony. She laid out all the necessary ingredients and handed several over to him. "Slice the mushrooms and steam them in the pot. I also need some minced onion and garlic."

Without a word, Hansha took them and immediately began prepping. Meanwhile, Ning He grabbed a white enamel stainless steel pot and started preparing the soup base. When Hansha saw her skillfully drop a small pat of butter into the pot, half of his worries melted away. An ordinary Third-level Chef had likely never even seen butter, yet this young woman moved without a hint of hesitation. She clearly knew exactly how to use it.

Once the butter melted and reached the right temperature, Ning He poured a bowl of flour into the pot.

Generally speaking, there were two ways to achieve the thick, creamy consistency of mushroom soup. The first was the Chinese culinary method of thickening with a slurry—simply mixing light cream or milk with cornstarch. It was quick and convenient. The second was the traditional Western method of making a butter roux, allowing the flour to cook into a paste before whisking in milk until smooth. This method yielded a much more complex and layered flavor than the first. In the past, when making it for herself at home, Ning He always used the first method. But for today’s occasion, she certainly wasn’t going to take the easy way out.

Once the flour hit the pot, it required constant stirring. After about five minutes, it formed a thick paste. At this point, the milk was poured in, followed by rapid, continuous whisking to prevent any lumps from forming.

This process took quite a while. By the time Ning He’s arm began to ache from the exertion, the white liquid in the pot had visibly thickened. At this stage, adding more water would turn it into a cream of mushroom soup, while adding less would create a classic Western white sauce. If she added chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced ham, chicken, beef, or pork along with the mushrooms, poured the mixture over mashed potatoes, and topped it with a layer of cheese, she could create a grand, authentic Western dish: creamy baked mixed gratin.

As Ning He worked, a rich, creamy aroma wafted through the air. Standing nearby, Hansha’s eyes were filled with admiration and satisfaction. Although he didn’t excel at making it himself, he knew enough to recognize true skill when he saw it. Ning He’s technique was clearly masterful; she had undoubtedly studied and practiced this meticulously.

After finishing the soup base, she strained it once to enhance its smooth, silky texture. Next, Ning He sautéed the steamed mushrooms in butter, adding the minced onion and garlic to elevate the aroma. Finally, she folded the seasoned mixture into the soup base and stirred in just the right amount of salt. A perfect bowl of cream of mushroom soup was complete.

Ning He ladled out a bowl, preparing to let Hansha taste it. Suddenly, Johnny sprinted out from nowhere and snatched the bowl right from her hands.

"I’ll try it!"