Chapter 276: Gathering of the Big-Shots
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The food on the menu sounded simple and had a countryside feel to them. "Grandma’s Braised Pork,""Ham & Egg Sandwich,""Salted Baked Potatoes,""Black Peppered Grilled Corn,""Old Beef with Sauce."
"What the h.e.l.l is ‘Old Beef with Sauce?’" Li Du asked, "Isn’t beef better when it"s tender?"
Hans nodded."Yeah, the more tender it is, the better it tastes. However, in the West countryside, cows and bulls weren’t originally meant for food, but helpers in the fields.
"That’s why, unless the cows were so old that they couldn’t work anymore, they wouldn’t be sent to the dining table. Although old beef can be hard to chew and lacking in flavor, with some sauce, these negatives become positives.
"With lots of sauce, the extra chewing required for the meat would allow the sauce to permeate out more from the meat, and heightens the flavor."
Li Du couldn’t help but say, "These cows are too pitiful. They had to work to their bones when they were young and healthy, and once they’re old, they’re slaughtered."
Hans shrugged. "Aren’t we all the same? We’re paying the tax agency with the money we make. Once we’re old and frail, the d*mn society will be getting rid of us!"
Li Du hadn’t used the bug, so he wasn’t hungry. He ordered the Grandma’s Braised Pork and grilled corn, and then added on a large potato.
G.o.dzilla rubbed his hands, and ordered a serving of everything on the menu. He then added on five orders of grilled corn and five baked potatoes.
The muscular waiter gave them a friendly warning, "Sir, the dishes here are different from the South. The portions are much larger—you might have ordered too much."
G.o.dzilla replied joyfully, "No problem!"
Hans ordered a grilled ba.s.s. Kingman was not far from Lake Havasu, so the fish used for their meals were freshly caught from the lake. This was one of the things Kingman was famous for.
The salted baked potatoes and grilled corn came more quickly than the other food. As for the baked potatoes, they were huge, each of them bigger than Li Du’s fist.
A small grill was brought over at the same time. The corn and potatoes were not fully cooked, and had to be placed on the grill to continue cooking.
Hans explained, "The reason for this is to retain the perfect texture for eating. The potatoes and corn must be eaten while still hot. They can be seasoned with salt or dabbed with honey while they’re grilling."
G.o.dzilla was not picky. With corn in his left hand, and a potato in the other, he seasoned them with pepper and salt. He then started munching happily.
Li Du ate a potato, and as he peeled off the skin, he added some salt and pepper on it. The potato was soft and fragrant, with a rustic flavor. It was delectable.
Hans smiled and asked, "How is it? Not bad, right?"
Li Du gave him a thumbs up and said, "This is why I like you. You always seem to be able to blend work with fun. The food here is pretty cool."
"When the grilled ba.s.s comes, you’ll discover something even cooler," Hans said.
Unlike the Chinese, Americans grilled their fish on flames.
Americans did not like to eat fish with too many bones, and mostly ate fish from the sea. Whether they were fried or grilled, due to the high amounts of meat and few bones, they were easy to prepare.
Although there were fis.h.i.+ng routes into the sea in China too, there were more landlocked areas. They would eat more freshwater fish, mostly the four-common carps: Black, Gra.s.s, Silver, and Bighead Carp.
Due to those carps having relatively more bones, they were unsuitable for grilling over a fire and eating just like that. Thus, methods like braising, stewing, seasoning with chili oil, and Sichuan-style were invented.
As they ate, someone staring out the window whistled and said, "What a nice car, d*mn it, which wealthy fella came this time?"
Li Du didn’t pay much attention to those words. Soon after, the doors of the motel were pushed opened. A blonde man with shades, walking as if he owned the place, came inside.
Seeing the man, they immediately laughed. At the same time, they guessed what type of car was outside.
It was a Ferrari, and the man was Akkalou Benidito, the playboy that they had good relations with.
Seeing the Playboy, Li Du waved and said, "Hi, buddy. Are you interested in countryside food too? Come over, let’s bring out some drinks as well."
The Playboy said in an exaggerated tone, "Wow, wow! Look who"s here. The Great Li and the Big Fox! Wow, wow! The big shots of Flagstaff are here!"
Hans stood up, b.u.mped fists with him and embraced. "With you, that’s three big shots," Hans said with a smile.
Li Du ordered the Playboy a gla.s.s of cold beer, the most popular beverage during the summer and autumn of Arizona.
"What juicy info do you guys have this time?" the Playboy asked.
The two parties had friendly relations, and their positions were close too. Thus, Hans did not hide much from him, and told him, "Since the Gulf War, many people from the Middle-East came to live in Kingman. They brought their families with them, and bags full of luggage. Many storage units were rented by them."
The Playboy drank a mouthful of beer and said, "You’re aiming for the Middle Easterners?"
"Don’t tell me you’re not also," Hans exclaimed.
The Playboy smiled. "Yes, yes. Seems like we’re here for the same thing. Looks like we’re competing against each other today."
"Then you’ll have to buck up," Hans said. "We’re like mad dogs, if we see something good, we won’t let go."
"What’s good in there?"
Hans shrugged and said, "A whole set of handmade carpets, intricate decorations, and art. There are also some daily-use products that have a lot of value."
This was what they were here for. According to the info Hans had found, there was a unit packed full of brand-new handmade carpets and household decorations.
The Middle Easterners were divided into two types in Kingman: the ordinary people, and the wealthy.
Most of them would choose Kingman as their first stop when they immigrated, moving their possessions over with them. But then after, the wealthy would go to other places like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
It was taxing to repeatedly move houses. Thus, they were too lazy to move all their possessions with them, with some items being left over in storage here.
The local storage auctions would always tend to attract a lot of people over, as there had many times been reports of treasures found inside.
Amongst all the people who came, the one seeming in the lead was a large, white male. He walked with his chest out and chin held high. Full of confidence, his head was hoisted up, and his gaze seemed to be on the sky.
The c.o.c.ky Andrew, another big shot from Flagstaff.
Hans whistled and said, "You’re right, Akkalou. The big shots of Flagstaff seem to all be here."
Looking at Andrew, the Playboy revealed a glimpse of a smile. "Nice, I love such a compet.i.tive atmosphere. Seems like we don’t just get to fight against each other, we’ll have him to mind as well."
Li Du was satisfied after the meal. He wiped his lips and said, "That kind of guy wouldn’t bring us any pressure."
He said it casually, and didn’t bother to lower his volume. Thus, when Andrew and the others walked by, they all heard it.
The treasure hunters around all heard what he had said. Some immediately whistled and cheered, as they knew that there would be a show soon.
Andrew wasn’t such a well-tempered person.