Chapter 130

In the Imperial Capital, the traditional way to enjoy mutton hot pot was for two or three friends to gather at a restaurant during the winter. A steaming pot of mutton broth would billow with white vapor, and the mutton—sliced paper-thin—would curl and change color the moment it touched the broth. The key was to never overcook the fresh meat; it was all about that tender, delicate taste. The reason people only ate it in winter was, naturally, because the weather was cold, and huddling around a pot was a perfect way to warm up. But with Lin Shanyue’s hot pot, there were no such rigid rules. Her yin-yang pot looked quite professional, with the spicy red broth and the mild clear broth set up with great ceremony. Before they began, Lin Shanyue smiled and explained how to eat it: those who enjoyed spice could throw all the meats and bean products into the red broth, while the clear broth was best reserved for mushrooms and vegetables. Furthermore, fearing that everyone might find it too spicy, Lin Shanyue had prepared an ice chest in advance. Aside from its usual purpose of keeping meats and vegetables fresh, it had another marvelous use in the summer: placing fruits inside to chill for a while, making them incredibly refreshing.