Li Xiao chatted with his viewers as he finished off all the matsutake mushrooms.
Seeing many viewers asking where they could buy high-quality matsutake, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Finding high-quality matsutake mushrooms might be a bit difficult."
"After all, matsutake cultivation is all about quantity over quality, so most of them taste pretty average."
"I actually bought a mushroom farm a while ago. I’ll make some time to check it out tomorrow. If there are any good quality matsutake there, I’ll do a little giveaway for you all."
The moment Li Xiao mentioned another giveaway, the stream chat exploded with excitement.
"When I heard the first half of what you said, I thought you were about to start selling products! I can’t believe you were just thinking about doing a giveaway for us!"
"I’m crying, I’m literally crying. How can there be such a great streamer!"
"Streamer, I’m begging you, please just put something in the shopping cart! Otherwise, I feel so guilty staying in this stream."
"Seriously, the free stuff I’ve gotten from your stream is worth more than half my monthly salary."
After exchanging a few pleasantries with his viewers, the next dish was brought out.
The young woman in the qipao introduced it with a smile.
"Esteemed guests, this is the Chicken Mousse with Mashed Potatoes. Please, enjoy."
In front of Li Xiao, an off-white sphere shaped like a scoop of ice cream rested quietly on a black slate.
He picked up his spoon and gently scooped some up. He noticed the surface of the mashed potatoes was incredibly smooth, with almost no visible texture.
He brought the spoon to his nose and took a deep breath. The aroma was layered and distinct: the savory scent of tender chicken, the clean fragrance of fresh potatoes, and a rich creaminess, all fused with the subtle aroma of pepper. The scents complemented each other perfectly.
The moment the chicken mousse and mashed potatoes entered his mouth, they melted without any need for chewing, turning into a liquid that slid down his throat.
’This dish would definitely be a big hit with children and the elderly,’ Li Xiao thought.
Milk, cream, and cheese had been added to the mashed potatoes. These three dairy products were what gave it such a rich and unique milky flavor.
The chicken breast was steamed, then blended with a rich chicken broth into a fine mousse before being perfectly integrated with the mashed potatoes.
The savory sweetness of the chicken, combined with the creamy aroma of the dairy, made Li Xiao feel as if he were eating ice cream—just a chicken-flavored one.
Overall, it was quite good. It was bursting with creamy flavor, and the texture was very pleasant.
But after eating a certain amount, Li Xiao started to feel it was a bit rich.
After a moment of thought, he pinpointed the reason: it was likely due to the richness of the cheese and cream.
Cheese and cream are naturally high in fat. To make the mashed potatoes even smoother, the chef had used a considerable amount of both.
If you only eat a small amount, you definitely wouldn’t notice a problem, but it becomes very rich if you eat too much.
To cut through the richness, the chef had sprinkled some crushed black pepper on top. However, fearing the strong flavor of the pepper would overpower the main dish and steal the spotlight from the potatoes, they didn’t add much.
As a result, while the black pepper did help, its effect wasn’t very strong.
It was quite good at first, but after a few more bites, the problem became apparent.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 28th entry in the Foodiary]
[Foodiary Entry Unlocked: Chicken Mousse with Mashed Potatoes]
[Dish Rating: 86/100 [Good]]
[Due to the "Good" rating, rewards are tripled (x3).]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 400,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 400,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a recipe reward: Mashed Potato Recipe]
Li Xiao looked down at the mashed potatoes on his plate. ’This problem isn’t hard to solve. The easiest solution, of course, is to reduce the portion size.’
’Since it gets too rich when you eat a lot, making the portion smaller would solve the problem instantly.’
’This method, while simple, only treats the symptom, not the root cause.’
But he simultaneously realized this method was just a superficial fix, like using makeup to hide a blemish. It temporarily concealed the problem without fundamentally solving it.
’Perhaps adjusting the recipe—reducing the proportion of cream and cheese and adding other ingredients to bring a refreshing element—would be a more fundamental solution.’
’Of course, pairing it with a beverage to cut the richness might also be a great idea.’
Li Xiao put down his spoon.
"This Chicken Mousse with Mashed Potatoes is actually quite delicious."
"The texture is incredibly smooth, and the flavor is very rich. The savory sweetness of the chicken and broth, the deep creaminess from the milk, cheese, and cream, and the little bit of black pepper on top all complement each other perfectly."
"Overall, the flavor is excellent, but... there’s one very serious problem. It becomes extremely rich after you’ve had more than a few bites."
「In the back kitchen.」
Listening to Li Xiao’s words, Zhao Long’s brow furrowed deeply.
’Did I overestimate this kid’s ability? I taste-test this mashed potato dish every day. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the flavor.’
However, when he heard Li Xiao’s next sentence, his expression froze for a moment, and he fell deep into thought.
"I’m sure the chef has never tried to eat the entire portion in one sitting. Otherwise, this problem would never have occurred."
"Because if he had, he would know just how overwhelmingly rich this thing is."
"Pairing it with a drink or a condiment to cut the richness, or even adding ingredients like yuzu peel or lemon zest to the mash itself, could easily offset the heaviness from the dairy."
Hearing these two suggestions from Li Xiao, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck Zhao Long’s mind.
As an experienced chef, he immediately understood that the portion size might be the problem.
He immediately had one of his staff prepare a portion of the mashed potatoes for him. Because he ate it rather quickly, the richness felt even more intense than usual.
After swallowing the last bite, he couldn’t help but gently tap his forehead.
As an executive chef, he too had made a classic mistake born of routine.
He did indeed taste the mashed potatoes frequently, but most of the time he would just have a small bite to check the flavor and ensure there were no issues.
Therefore, he had never once tried to eat an entire serving.
That was why he had never discovered such a significant problem.
’Overconfidence really can be your downfall.’ After tasting the dish, he had simply approved the portion size for production.
He had completely overlooked the fact that with so much added dairy, fat, and sugar, eating a large amount would quickly make one feel full—what most people would call feeling "overwhelmed by the richness."
It was actually quite simple, common sense, but he had been overconfident in his own culinary skills. After confirming the taste was fine, he hadn’t bothered with any further checks.
Chicken itself has some ability to absorb fats, but he never expected to stumble so badly on the portion size this time. If the serving had been half the size, the problem would have been far less noticeable, or perhaps not a problem at all.
After just a moment of reflection, he had already come up with several solutions.
When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with a serious expression.
The young man might only be in his early twenties, but his abilities were far beyond imagination.
Zhao Long was now wondering if there was a way for him to get to know Li Xiao personally.
After all, a person of this caliber could definitely be of great help to him.
If nothing else, just having him come in for a tasting when changing the menu could help avoid a lot of problems.