Duōsuǐ chóngcǎo, a special type of parasitic fungus, has a particular fondness for animal bone marrow and spinal cord.
It can infiltrate from the slightest of openings, destroying even the most robust skeletal structures.
And a turtle's shell is, in essence, part of its skeleton.
Lou Ming continued his analysis, "The true dish is the turtle marrow, isn't it? Using the Duōsuǐ chóngcǎo to extract the marrow-blood of the Ice Fort Rock Turtle, then heated to high temperatures, the fungus loses its digestive capabilities... And the extracted marrow-blood should have all converged internally."
"Ultimately, how is it going to be processed?"
The enormous 'peanut' had already become quite crispy from steaming and simmering. Wolfgang swung his great hammer, continuing to smash it.
An even more potent aroma surged to the heavens. Even the well-traveled judges couldn't help but swallow their saliva.
Wolfgang roared with laughter, shouting with all his might, "Ice Heart Turtle Marrow Cake, please taste!"
"It's a pastry... This thing, full of meaty fragrance, is actually made from flour!"
"I thought it was a soup!"
Clearly, the series of actions had piqued the judges' interest.
And judging by the aroma, it was undoubtedly of the highest quality!
The pastries were brought out, the plates themselves made from materials of the Ice Fort Rock Turtle, still scalding hot.
"This pastry is white with streaks of red, much like blood-dyed spinal cord."
"Like solidified fat, like blood jade... It looks nothing like it's made from flour; it's more like unpolished jade!!"
"There's only this much? Thousands of tons of this behemoth, and all its essence is concentrated into these few plates of pastry."
"My mouth is already watering!"
Turtles and soft-shelled turtles, among others, are recognized for their longevity and potent therapeutic effects. Soft-shelled turtle soup is a staple at banquets celebrating longevity. Many pregnant women also simmer soft-shelled turtle soup to nourish their bodies.
However, the skin and meat of the Ice Fort Rock Turtle are tough and stringy, and its internal organs are quite unpalatable.
Therefore, all its essence lies within its massive skeleton, specifically the marrow-blood.
Compared to beef marrow or fish marrow, turtle marrow is even more potent!
"But why is it a pastry? Conventional cooking methods would suggest a soup; is it simply for novelty?"
Wolfgang explained, "I chose a high-temperature extraction method to obtain the bone marrow. With this method, using it in a soup would be too oily and degrade its quality."
"However, using high-pressure steaming within the pastry itself is ideal. I used raw flour and starch mixed to form the pastry shapes, combined with a small amount of milk, sake, and eggs to knead and shape it, then placed it in the hollows of the internal steamer."
"The extracted bone marrow would converge in these hollows and be absorbed by the dried pastry... After a secondary steaming under high temperature and pressure, this would complete this unique Ice Heart Turtle Marrow Cake!"
Wolfgang's explanation, relayed by the host to the entire audience, elicited waves of astonishment.
Many fans of the Wote Hotel began cheering, seemingly celebrating the arrival of a new champion!
The pastries were presented, and the hundred judges gathered around.
The platters were made from slices of the rock turtle's shell, still somewhat rough.
Arranged on them were about two hundred pieces of pastry, each about the size of half a palm.
A judge reached out and took a piece.
"Wow, wow, wow, so hot!"
"It must be due to the outward emission of food effects... From this, the nutritional content of this pastry is absolutely immense!"
"The aroma blends the fragrance of flour with animal oil, giving it the feel of a savory fried pancake."
"There are also methods of incorporating butter, lard, and beef tallow into dough, though they are mostly niche."
"This flour has egg liquid and milk added, a baking method that is purely bread-making."
Many judges took a piece and gently bit off a corner.
!
"This texture!"
"The rich aroma erupts instantly!"
"Even though the pastry is scalding hot, there's a hint of coolness, so contradictory! Is it an illusion!"
Wolfgang crossed his arms, his demeanor arrogant.
He was clearly not surprised by the judges' reactions.
"Hmph, the marrow-blood of the Ice Fort Rock Turtle is inherently extremely cold! This processing method is precisely to neutralize the chilling attribute it carries, not only to avoid harming the body but also to create a unique flavor!"
The aroma of the pastry was intense, akin to turtle soup simmered to a thick consistency.
Taking a bite, the filling flowed out, resembling hot sugar threads or smooth chocolate!
This pastry... could actually be drunk!
"There's a peculiar bloody taste in the filling... Not only is it not jarring, but it even adds a touch of brilliance!"
"Can you taste what it is? It feels so familiar..."
"It's brain marrow!"
"Impossible, how could brain marrow have such a viscous texture."
"It should be an extract from the brainstem. The turtle's brainstem is rich in fat and protein. With some adjustment techniques... it should be easy to achieve this effect!"
At this moment, one judge suddenly let out a loud cry, his face flushing deeply.
"Hey, are you alright!"
"This... could it be..."
"Exactly, a breakthrough!"
"What? This is impossible! With just a small piece of pastry, it could help seasoned judges break through!"
Unlike gifted culinary hunters, long-time judges rarely experience such impulses towards food.
Generally, the higher one's level, the more a complete Western-style banquet is needed to solidify a breakthrough.
And judges who have tasted countless delicacies likely have relatively stable food cells. Or, those who could break through, already have.
And with just a piece of pastry...
In other words, this pastry could potentially help a culinary hunter ten levels higher than the judges break through!
This is no longer ordinary cuisine; it could be considered a divine elixir for increasing power!
From this, one can see how astonishing the energy contained within this single piece of pastry is!
Based on this performance alone, a yellow card is a certainty!
Scoring!
Red: 3
Exquisitely delicious and extremely shocking!
Orange: 10
A rare delicacy worth savoring once in a lifetime.
Yellow: 85
A classic masterpiece, an exemplary dish from the chef!
Green: 2
Delicious, but somewhat conventional and ordinary.
The host exclaimed!
"The lowest score is even green!"
"There are as many as 85 yellow cards! Not only that, but there are also three red cards and a remarkable ten orange cards! Ten!"
"So far, no one has achieved this result! No one!"
"Even in past competitions, few have reached this level!"
"Mr. Wolfgang, with his own skill, has achieved the strongest result to date!"
The arena erupted!
Many contestants were sweating, this result already rendering many unable to compete for the championship.
"As expected from an established renowned restaurant, their strength is terrifying!"
"Truly stunning the audience, living up to the reputation of 'a single roar to fame'!"
Even the contestants were awestruck by Wolfgang's formidable dominance!