Du Xixi and 2569 together washed the eggs gently with clear water, removing all dirt and feathers from the surface. As the two of them bent their heads and seriously washed a big plate of eggs, the live chat screen went crazy.
[——Tea eggs~ A new delicacy again!
——Last time, Madam made boiled eggs, which seemed to just have water and eggs. I hope this time with tea eggs, it’s not just tea leaves added?
——Speaking of which, what does tea taste like? I’m too poor to have ever seen tea, only heard about it.
——LS+1, waiting for the Ancient History Department representative to appear.
——Waiting for the Ancient History Department representative to appear +1.
——Waiting for the Ancient History Department representative to appear +2.
——Tea leaves refer to the leaves and buds of the tea tree, which can be used in cooking and for medicinal purposes. They’re generally steeped in boiling water for drinking. Based on the season of harvest, they’re divided into spring tea, summer tea, autumn tea, and winter tea. Based on the degree of oxidation of tea polyphenols, they can be classified into six tea types: green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, red tea, and black tea.
——Finally, the Ancient History Department representative appeared!
——I didn’t realize tea had so many nuances! I’ve seldom drunk it, thinking there was only one generic term "tea leaves"!
——I’ve had the privilege of drinking tea a few times; its taste is unbearably bitter at first, but the flavor that follows is rather intriguing, and it has an excellent refreshing effect.
The eggs lost their protective fibrous feel after washing, but they gained a smooth, watery sheen, which looked quite nice when placed together.
Du Xixi dried her hands and picked up a large pot, while also fetching a bag of roasted black tea leaves from the corner: "To make tea eggs, it’s generally necessary to use black tea leaves because black tea is mild and won’t irritate the stomach. Moreover, its reddish hue will make the tea eggs look nicer."
In the time of Blue Star, the best tea eggs were made by Du Xixi’s fifth-grandfather.
He kept several old hens in his yard, tending to them meticulously every day. When they laid eggs, he carefully kept them aside, eagerly waiting for Du Xixi’s visit, to happily showcase his skills and make tea eggs for her.
Grandfather’s tea eggs were boiled with excellent black tea, breaking perfectly with a pinch to reveal flawless eggs inside. The flavored egg displayed marvelous patterns on the egg white surface, which were not odd, rather they had a unique rhythm, reminiscent of a landscape painting.
Though Du Xixi tirelessly refined her tea egg cooking technique even to the point of absurd dedication, she still couldn’t beat grandfather’s tea eggs cooked over a lifetime. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Cleaned eggs were placed in cold water and boiled in a pot. The eggs cooked to medium in just ten minutes, despite being such a large batch.
While the black tea boiled in the kettle, Du Xixi added a few star anise and bay leaves for flavor, then called 2569 to help with tapping cracks in the eggs — a key step to infuse the tea flavor.
Cracking eggs doesn’t require much skill, just don’t apply too much force to accidentally peel them, and no need to fuss over small details; however, Du Xixi was a perfectionist, ensuring even a simple dish like tea eggs is done flawlessly to detail.
The egg fit in her palm but still quite hot; Du Xixi focused intently, tapping fine cracks along with 2569, using the edge of the bowl.
These marks weren’t obvious, appearing as fine white threads upon the whitish shell, not readily seen without close inspection.
But Du Xixi knew that these fine cracks would allow the tea broth to seep through thoroughly, letting the pristine white egg whites and soft yolks soak up the black tea flavor, creating beautiful streaks.
Du Xixi’s handiwork was swift, cracking an egg with perfect patterns without breaking. However, 2569 was new to this, despite the accuracy of its mechanical hands, it lacked Du Xixi’s seasoned touch; after breaking two or three, it finally got into rhythm and succeeded.
Audience members in the livestream had become keen learners; after multiple streams from Du Xixi, none were culinary novices now. Those who had means at home were already following along with Du Xixi.