第九章 周末的家宴

Friday evening, Mia announced in the living room, "Tomorrow, I'm going to hold a formal dinner." "Dinner?" Akai looked up from his phone. "Is there meat?" "Yes," Mia said. "Appetizer, main course, dessert, three courses." "Three?"

Zhou Zhou said. "I usually order takeout, and one meal is just one box." "A formal dinner has a procedure," Mia said. "It starts at four tomorrow afternoon. Please be on time." Xiaomei asked, "Should we dress up a bit?"

Mia looked at her and said seriously, "If you'd like to, I'd be happy." Akai: "... She's serious."

The next day at four in the afternoon, Mia stood in the kitchen wearing an apron. On the table was a printed menu: "Appetizer: French salad Main course: French braised chicken Dessert: Chocolate cake" "This is the menu," Mia said. "We French eat one course at a time. Between courses, we rest for a few minutes to let the stomach digest." "Digest?"

Akai said. "My stomach has already digested." "Let's start," Mia said.

First course: French salad. Each person got a small plate with a few leaves, a few tomato pieces, and a small slice of bread. After eating, Akai looked at the empty plate: "Is... this it?" "This is the appetizer," Mia said. "Appetizer means to get the stomach working." "My stomach hasn't started working and it's over," Akai said.

"The main course will be served in twenty minutes," Mia said. "Twenty minutes?!" Akai said. "I could order two takeout meals in twenty minutes!" "You can't," Mia said. "Today is a formal dinner."

Twenty minutes later, the main course was served. French braised chicken: each person got one piece of chicken, with a small spoon of mashed potatoes on the side. Akai looked at the dish and fell silent for three seconds. "Mia, are you sure this is enough for four people?" "Enough," Mia said. "French cuisine emphasizes quality over quantity."

"It's certainly small," Zhou Zhou said. "Whether it's quality, I'll know after I taste it." Everyone began to eat. The chicken was indeed good, but everyone felt that the plate was empty just as they started. "The next course, dessert, is in twenty minutes," Mia said.

"Another twenty minutes?" Akai said. "I can't take it." He stood up, took out his phone, and opened the takeout app. "What are you doing?" Mia asked. "Ordering takeout," Akai said.

"My stomach is not attending your dinner anymore." "You—" Mia looked at him. "I prepared for three hours!" "Sorry," Akai said. "But I'm starving to death." Zhou Zhou also quietly took out her phone: "I'll order some noodles." "Zhou Zhou!" Mia said.

"I don't eat much, just one serving," Zhou Zhou said. "You continue your dinner, I'll eat my noodles."

Twenty minutes later, dessert was served. The chocolate cake was cut into four small pieces, each just one bite. Akai was holding his takeout container (he had already finished it) and looked at the cake: "... Now I'm full." "Are you still going to eat it?" Mia asked.

"Eat!" Akai said. "Cake is a matter for another stomach!" Zhou Zhou put her takeout on the table, with a little soup left inside. "Mia, try my noodles," Zhou Zhou said. "I ordered a taste of home."

Mia picked up a noodle and tasted it: "... Delicious. This is more suitable as an 'appetizer' than my salad." "Right," Zhou Zhou said.

"We Chinese have a table of dishes and eat together. Your dinner is one course at a time, waiting until we're starving." Mia looked at the table: her French braised chicken plate was empty, Zhou Zhou's takeout noodle box was beside her, Akai was devouring the cake, and Xiaomei had put her salad leaves into the noodle soup. "Okay," she said. "I admit.

Ritual is important, but..." She picked up a chopstickful of noodles and put it into her French plate: "Adapting to local customs is also important."

"Come, come!" Akai raised the cake. "Cheers!" "Cheers!" The four of them clinked. "I declare," Akai said, "the first 302 Sino-French fusion dinner has come to a successful conclusion!" "It's not Sino-French fusion," Mia corrected. "It's takeout plus French food."

"It's all the same!" Akai said. "Next time, I'll order the takeout, and you'll do the cooking!" "Next time, let's each make one dish of our own," Xiaomei said. "Mia makes French food, I'll make braised pork, Zhou Zhou..." "I'll order takeout," Zhou Zhou said. "You can do anything," Xiaomei said.

The next day, Mia was in the kitchen, carefully studying a video. Akai passed by and stuck his head in: "What are you doing?" "Learning to cook Chinese food," Mia said. "Yesterday you said next time each of us makes a dish. I chose braised pork."