I Awakened to a Farming TALENT

## Chapter 20: Awakening the Taste Buds – Black Bolete and Ham Rice

By the time Jiang Tingyun returned to the small courtyard, the sun was already high in the sky.

Quite a few people were asking in the farmhouse restaurant’s WeChat group: *What’s for lunch today?*

Jiang Tingyun unloaded her basket and sat down at the kitchen entrance to slowly clean the mushrooms.

Mushrooms shouldn’t be soaked, or the caps could get contaminated. She simply took a small knife, scraped off the dirt from the bases, then gently scrubbed them with water.

Seeing the questions in the group, she posted a photo of the boletes.

**【Qionghua Restaurant Chef Jiang: [photo]]**

**【Wanzi Loves Junjun: Wow!! Boss, you’re cooking mushrooms! I’m so sad—I can’t make it to the scenic area on a weekday. Tears.]**

**【Zhongming: Those are some good-looking mushrooms. Black boletes, right? What are you making?】**

**【Alfred Qi: I want bolete chicken stew, roasted boletes, bolete stir-fried with pork belly. Drooling.]**

**【Qionghua Restaurant Chef Jiang: Today we’re only selling rice—Black Bolete and Ham Rice. :)】**

**【Alfred Qi: Boss, you’re slacking off again. Tears.]**

Jiang Tingyun stopped looking at the group. It was getting late. She needed to start preparing the rice.

For the best flavor, she had to use the earthen stove. Plus, the stove had a large wok, so she could make a bigger batch.

“Uncle Liu, light the stove first. Keep the fire pretty high,” Jiang Tingyun instructed.

She diced some black boletes and sliced others into thick, even pieces. Those would be pan-fried later and placed on top of the rice—it would look even more appetizing.

Mushrooms also absorb a lot of oil. In a hot wok with plenty of oil, she stir-fried the prepared boletes until they changed color, then set them aside.

Using the remaining oil from the mushrooms, she stir-fried the diced ham, diced carrots, and other ingredients. Ingredients stir-fried this way would release more aroma during simmering.

“Uncle Liu, turn the fire down a bit.”

Without washing the wok, Jiang Tingyun added the drained rice, then poured in the previously stir-fried ingredients. She added water until it just covered everything, put the lid on, and let it simmer.

Thin wisps of smoke rose. As the simmering continued, the rich aroma of boletes gradually filled the air.

The right balance of oil and salt could bring out the maximum fragrance of the rice. Just before serving, Jiang Tingyun added the mushroom oil left from pan-frying the bolete slices, along with some light soy sauce, for a final touch of seasoning. She topped the rice with the pan-fried bolete slices, and the dish was done.

The rice was glossy and translucent, fragrant with mushrooms, and paired with crispy, crunchy scorched rice at the bottom. Uncle Liu couldn’t hold back any longer. He scooped himself a big bowl.

Jiang Tingyun took a photo of the finished rice and posted it to the group.

**【Qionghua Restaurant Chef Jiang: Black Bolete and Ham Rice is ready. Come get it while you can. [photo] :)]**

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Xiao Li was eating radishes and cabbage, looking utterly miserable.

These days, being a personal assistant wasn’t easy!

After graduating with a degree in Hotel Management (International Butler Track), he’d originally been hired as an assistant butler at the Yun family villa. But before he’d even spent many days in the big house, he was suddenly told that from then on, he would be the dedicated personal assistant to the young master of the Yun family, Yun Tingyi.

Being a personal assistant these days wasn’t much different from a servant in the old days. The only difference was that he wasn’t bound for life. Still, considering the very generous salary, he worked diligently.

But he hadn’t expected that not long into the job, the young master Yun would abandon his luxurious life to go live in a temple and practice quiet cultivation. He couldn’t understand the whims of the wealthy, but as a personal assistant, he had no choice but to go along and provide round-the-clock care.

Where he worked wasn’t a big issue. The problem was the temple—vegetarian food every day. Even though the vegetarian dishes were quite good in his opinion, eating them day after day made his mouth feel dull and his stomach empty.

Luckily, the young master was in a good mood and gave him half a day off. Xiao Li planned to leave the temple, find some good food, and secretly indulge.

He walked along the road. There were quite a few farmhouse restaurants on both sides, but he hadn’t been out in so long that he was too busy enjoying the scenery and walked quite far.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar name.

“Qionghua Restaurant? That sounds familiar.” He thought for a moment. “Right! That’s the place that donated vegetables—the kind-hearted person listed in the temple’s merit register.”

Remembering how fresh and delicious those donated vegetables had been—even Yun Tingyi, with his impossibly picky palate, had praised them—the food at this restaurant had to be good.

“I’ll eat here!” he said excitedly, jogging toward the restaurant. He saw that the building was surrounded by colorful flowers—not meticulously arranged, but full of rustic charm.

When he stepped into the dining hall, he saw that business was pretty good. Several customers sat at different tables, each eating a big bowl of food with great relish.

The air was filled with an irresistible aroma—not quite meat, yet somehow meat-like—extremely enticing and mouthwatering.

He looked around for a menu and saw the chalkboard: *Today’s Menu – Black Bolete and Ham Rice.*

*That’s it? Just this one thing?* He asked, unwilling to accept it, “Waiter, is this the only thing you have today?”

Zhu Lili was playing a game on her phone and didn’t even look up. “Yep. Just this.”

An elderly man eating nearby heard his question and said with a smile, “Young man, this must be your first time here. This place is like that—you eat whatever they’re making. But you really should try it. This rice is incredibly fragrant!”

Xiao Li hesitated. He still wanted meat. This rice seemed too ordinary. Bolete mushrooms might be appealing to some people, but he had eaten more premium wild mushrooms before when he was with Young Master Yun. They were just okay.

But seeing how much others were enjoying it, he decided to give it a try. Worst case, he could go to another restaurant next door afterwards.

He didn’t have to wait long. Soon, a steaming bowl of bolete and ham rice was brought to him.

The rice was thoroughly coated in mushroom oil. The diced ham and mushrooms were generous. On top sat thick, pan-fried bolete slices. Even before bringing it close, a strong, savory aroma of mushroom umami hit his nose.

*Who could resist this?!* Xiao Li quickly grabbed his spoon, scooped up a big spoonful, and put it into his mouth.

His dormant taste buds were finally awakened after a week! The rice grains were distinct, glossy, and sweet. The diced ham was savory and delicious. The mushroom pieces were firm, with a meat-like texture. The perfect balance of oil and salt, the right amount of savory—Xiao Li felt like he could hardly bear to swallow.

*Bolete mushrooms—aren’t they just the most basic wild mushroom? How can they taste this good? Or is the chef here just that skilled?*

He was a simple man—*fine cuisine is lost on a pig like me*—but even so, he felt this bolete and ham rice outclassed the truffle and bamboo fungus dishes he’d had at high-end restaurants.

One bite after another, the bowl was soon empty. Xiao Li felt he hadn’t had nearly enough. He quickly called out to the waiter, “Miss! Another bowl, please!”