Cheat day

Takers, Matchers, Givers (5)

“I also enjoyed it very much.”

Oh Mi-gyeong spoke up.

“Usually, when we think of restorative dishes, we just consider them good for the body, but they’re not always suitable for people with digestive issues.”

I wasn’t aware of that.

“However, Gu Yeon-ja’s Ggukjeogu-tang was very easy to eat. I can feel your mother’s thoughtfulness in it.”

“Thank you,” Gu Yeon-ja bowed in appreciation.

“I’ll give you 9 points.”

In the first round, it’s rare to see a score of 10. Especially in a final competition, the judges tend to be conservative, so giving 9 points indicates that they found Gu Yeon-ja’s Ggukjeogu-tang nearly perfect.

Park Jeong-ah then spoke.

“I also enjoyed it very much. As the previous two judges mentioned, the seasoning wasn’t overpowering, making it comfortable to eat. The flavor was also different from what you would typically expect from a fish soup.”

Park Jeong-ah smiled broadly.

“Actually, I think it’s more common to blend the bones when making fish soups like Cheonggukjang. I wondered why you didn’t do that, Gu Yeon-ja.”

Several panelists nodded in agreement.

Since they had to eat the small fish whole, I thought it might be polarizing, making it difficult to receive high scores, but it seemed that Park Jeong-ah understood why Gu Yeon-ja made that choice.

“If you blended it, I think we wouldn’t have known it was Ggukjeogu. We might have thought it was just a slightly unusual fish soup. I believe Gu Yeon-ja wanted to finish the last round of Han-sik Yeon-chan with a nostalgic dish that her mother used to make.”

Gu Yeon-ja’s eyes reddened.

She began to speak in a choked voice.

“My mother has been quite ill and often just sits there dazed or lies down at home. But when she watches Han-sik Yeon-chan, she seems to perk up. She tells me to present the food nicely and complains about how roughly I prepare it. She points out mistakes made by the other contestants as well.”

Everyone chuckled softly.

“She has so much confidence in cooking that I think she wants to share what she knows. So, she fusses like she used to. I really appreciate that. I wanted to recreate her cooking from back in the day, and today I finally got to prepare it.”

“So today’s recipe is exactly as your mother made it?”

“Yes. I said I prefer it blended, but she asked how we would know if it was Ggukjeogu or not if we blended it. She said if someone came to eat Ggukjeogu, I should show them the Ggukjeogu itself.”

“Your mother’s reasoning was spot on.”

Ham Seok-ho stepped in.

“A representative example can be seen with insects. It’s commonly thought that having the appearance of bugs isn’t desirable, but those who eat insects often prefer products that maintain their shape because the experience of consuming them is important.”

While I personally couldn’t understand why anyone would eat insects, I had heard from Baek Woo-jin and Ju Ji-seung that for those interested in edible insects, the type and appearance of the bugs they consume are significant experiences.

“I suspect that it’s similar for traditional foods like Ggukjeogu. It was delicious.”

Park Jeong-ah gave it an 8, and Ham Seok-ho gave it a 9.

With Lee Chan-seok absent, the panel scored a total of 60 points, and considering how divisive it was, a score of 49 was relatively high.

“Gu Yeon-ja, with 83 points in the 6th round, you’ve risen to first place!”

After Gu Yeon-ja exited, the next evaluation began.

Yook Hye-rin, who presented deep-fried eel and buckwheat noodles, scored 90 points, and Choi Eun-sam, who showcased a tofu stew made with Yeoncheon beans and job’s tears rice, received an impressive 92 points.

You could feel that all the contestants had come prepared for the final battle, and as someone enjoying the delicious food, I was just happy.

“The next contestant is Sadeumun.”

Sadeumun stepped onto the stage.

“The dish you prepared today is said to be the origin of delivery food, Hyojong-geng. What kind of dish is it?”

In response to U Wang-seon’s question, Sadeumun seemed a bit nervous as he answered.

“It’s made with doenjang (fermented soybean paste), napa cabbage cores, bean sprouts, beef short ribs, sea cucumber, abalone, shiitake mushrooms, and wild pine mushrooms, all simmered together. In the past, it was cooked at Namhan Mountain Fortress in Gyeonggi Province and delivered to Hanyang (Seoul) at dawn, arriving around the time the dawn bell rang, which is why it was called Hyojong-geng.”

“That’s quite a long distance for delivery.”

“Yes. The ingredients were rare, and transporting them required considerable effort, making it a dish enjoyed by the nobility.”

As November approached, the studio was rather chilly despite the warmth generated while cooking and the heater blowing air.

However, steam was rising from the Hyojong-geng.

After blowing on it to cool it down, I took a spoonful of the abalone and broth.

It was clear. Clear but deeply flavorful.

Although I worried that simmering the ingredients for about 50 minutes might not be enough to extract a good broth, it turned out to be just right.

The subtle umami from the beef short ribs, abalone, and mushrooms made my stomach feel at ease.

“Mmm.”

Admiration echoed in the air, reminiscent of construction site vibes.

“It’s really good!”

Park Jeong-ah spoke up.

“You used great ingredients, and each flavor was brought out well.”

“I find it fascinating. You boiled it for about 50 minutes, yet the broth has come out so well.”

When I raised my doubt, Park Jeong-ah added an explanation.

“Many people believe that boiling for 8 to 12 hours is ideal, but that’s not the case. It actually depends on the ingredients. If you boil this Hyojong-geng for that long, the texture of the ingredients would likely disintegrate and the nutrients would be lost.”

If it’s supposed to be restorative food, losing nutrients would be counterproductive.

“The time needed to extract the broth depends on the type and amount of ingredients and the heat used, and it seems Sadeumun found the perfect conditions. It was incredibly comforting, with a clean umami flavor that was superb.”

Park Jeong-ah gave it a score of 10.

Next, Oh Mi-gyeong also gave a score of 10, saying that the dish highlighted its savory flavor without being overly stimulating.

Following that, Han Seok-ho also awarded a score of 10, marking the first time the entire panel gave full marks in the “Korean Food Appreciation” competition.

The panel members were continually impressed, giving a total of 57 points, causing Sa Daemun to clench his fists in excitement.

“That’s an incredibly high score! 97 points! I believe this is the highest score in the history of Korean Food Appreciation. Is that correct?”

“Is it right? No? Is it right?”

U Wang-seon and Jo Wang-taek were in a flurry as they confirmed the facts.

When writer Song No-eul made a circle gesture above her head, everyone was shocked.

With Sa Daemun’s performance, the outcome of the overall championship remained uncertain until the very end.

“Sa Daemun, who made the Hyojong-geng, has recorded the highest score in Korean Food Appreciation, increasing his chances of winning. Now, let’s welcome Joo Ji-seung as our final participant.”

Joo Ji-seung walked out and took the stage.

Seeing his Adam’s apple bob up and down, it seemed he was swallowing dry saliva.

“Joo Ji-seung, earlier Sa Daemun received 97 points. How are you feeling right now?”

“Uh…”

Joo Ji-seung could only shake his head, making everyone laugh.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Joo Ji-seung so nervous. What dish have you prepared today?”

“It’s Domi-myeon. The fish fillet is grilled and placed on top of a pancake made from the fish, with various ingredients and buckwheat noodles in a hot pot.”

Just looking at it made it look extravagant.

In the wide, shallow pot, a grilled Domi lay in the center, where the fillet had been removed.

In the spot where the fillet used to be, a golden-brown Domi pancake was neatly placed.

The bottom of the pot was filled with bean sprouts, while the top was arranged with egg strips, green onions, and beef.

The ingredients were all cut to the same length, creating a classical appearance.

Above the Domi, there were wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms, and next to them, the buckwheat noodles were added, boiling away in the rich broth, making my mouth water even at the final judging.

Each judge and panel received a serving of the completed Domi-myeon.

I took the first bite of the Domi pancake.

When eating the Domi as sashimi, the texture was quite firm, but as a pancake, it was wonderfully nutty and tender.

The richness came from the fat content.

Next, I ate the shiitake mushrooms, beef, and buckwheat noodles together.

The ingredients, infused with the deep broth, each brought their own voice to the dish, making it the most luxurious noodle dish I had ever had.

“The Domi-myeon is originally a royal court dish,” Han Seok-ho began to explain.

“It originated during the reign of King Seongjong when General Heo Jong defeated invading enemy forces in Hamgyeong-do, and in gratitude, the people created this dish with great care. At that time, the dish didn’t have a name, but Heo Jong named it Seunggiaktang, meaning a soup that surpasses music and gisaeng, to honor it. It has since been passed down as a royal court dish.”

Knowing it was a dish made to express gratitude to someone who drove out foreign invaders made its essence even more remarkable.

“Watching Joo Ji-seung skillfully prepare the Domi and cut the ingredients to fit neatly into the pot, I could see how much effort he puts into his cooking. He’s as good as any chef I’ve seen. It was delicious.”

Han Seok-ho gave him a score of 10.

Being acknowledged as a chef by the patriarch of Korean cuisine filled Joo Ji-seung with overwhelming joy, as if he had already won.

“There are many dishes I’m trying for the first time today, but I believe Domi-myeon elevates the familiar hot pot to the highest level,” said Judge Park Jeong-a.

“To be honest, I expected the health dishes today might be somewhat burdensome. However, every participant focused on the flavors of the ingredients, and Joo Ji-seung’s Domi-myeon lets me feel the different textures and flavors of all the ingredients in one pot. It was truly excellent.”

Once again, he received a score of 10.

Even Oh Mi-gyeong gave him a score of 10, making the pressure to comment last feel incredibly burdensome.

Everyone seemed to understand my feelings and quietly waited.

“As you all know, Joo Ji-seung and I are very close friends. So, I know what kind of dishes he usually makes. He uses cola instead of water for his boiled pork and soda for making water kimchi. He makes tempura using Cheetos instead of tempura flour. He’s obsessed with YouTube cooking.”

Joo Ji-seung’s eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him cook healthy dishes while doing Korean Food Appreciation. I kept thinking about how much effort he must have put in, even though I never got to cheer him on.”

Joo Ji-seung smiled as if he understood my feelings.

“I really tried to remain objective because of my position. I doubted myself every day, wondering if I was truly able to judge without any personal bias. It was difficult.”

Oh Mi-gyeong and Park Jeong-a, sitting on either side of him, slowly nodded their heads.

Perhaps they could empathize with the burden of feeling that way as judges, even without any personal relationships.

“But today, I finally gained confidence. My head and heart were in a constant battle over who was right, but my mouth told me the truth. It was incredibly delicious.”

He awarded a score of 10.

I had worried that if I was too conscious of the need to be objective, I might give Joo Ji-seung a lower score than he deserved.

Conversely, I feared that if I was swayed by the bonds we had formed, I might end up giving him a score like Lee Chan-seok’s.

But today, I could be certain.

“10 points! Once again, all judges have given full marks. Now, the panel’s choice will determine the winner of Round 6.”

The panel members raised their scores simultaneously.

“Joo Ji-seung, Round 6: 98 points!”

“He claims both the round victory and the overall championship!”

Outside the studio, my sister-in-law screamed in delight, while Joo Ji-seung was in a daze, with all the participants approaching him to congratulate him.