John Adams laughed again and said that after all, in his previous life he was a foodie, and with the advanced logistics of later generations, he had tasted delicacies from all over the country.

"This is true. Different regions have different climates and resources, so their products are naturally different. For example, the lamb in the north is delicious, but the duck here in Jinling is truly exceptional. Little brother, you must try it!"

Chad Sullivan also became interested, and as he spoke, he pointed to the roast duck on the table.

John Adams had already been eyeing the roast duck on the table. After all, this was Jinling's signature dish, and since he had only just arrived after time-traveling, he hadn't had a chance to taste it yet.

So John Adams picked up a piece of duck meat and put it in his mouth. After chewing a few times, he nodded slightly and said, "It's not bad."

"Not bad? This duck was roasted by the master chef of Ten-Mile Tower in the capital himself! Even the Taizu Emperor couldn't stop praising it after tasting it, and often sent people to buy it from the tower."

Chad Sullivan was a bit dissatisfied with John Adams's evaluation, because this roast duck was also his favorite dish—one he had to eat every day.

"Uncle Sullivan, don't be upset. This roast duck is indeed quite good—the skin is crispy, it's fatty but not greasy. But it does have a flaw."

John Adams said unhurriedly.

"What flaw?"

Chad Sullivan was taken aback. He had eaten this dish for so many years and had never thought it had any flaws.

"Don't you think the duck meat is too tough? The highest level of roast duck is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, but this one is too dry and hard inside, which ruins the texture."

John Adams said very critically.

"Roast duck is cooked in a fire oven, so it's inevitable that the meat gets dry. Little brother, you're just being too picky!"

Chad Sullivan shook his head, not agreeing with John Adams's opinion.

"Not necessarily. There are countless ways to cook, and nothing is impossible—only things you haven't thought of. I have a method that can make the roast duck crispy on the outside and tender on the inside."

When two strangers eat together for the first time, it's definitely awkward to just eat in silence, and talking about food is clearly the fastest way to break the ice.

"What method?"

Chad Sullivan immediately asked, and judging by his physique, it was clear that the hardest thing for him to give up in life was his appetite.

"It's simple. When roasting the duck, pour water into its belly, sew it up, and then put it in the oven. The outside roasts while the inside steams, so naturally it will be crispy outside and tender inside!"

John Adams laughed heartily.

This was the method for making Peking duck in later generations, and in fact, Peking duck evolved from Jinling roast duck.

"Brilliant!"

Chad Sullivan slapped the table excitedly. Such a simple method, and he had never thought of it.

Since he was enjoying the conversation, John Adams saw how much the other liked hearing about food anecdotes, so he simply shared more.

Chad Sullivan listened with shining eyes, and by the end, looking at John Adams, he actually felt a sense of finding a kindred spirit. Food was his greatest love, but he had never met anyone like John Adams who could talk with him so congenially.

By the end of the meal, both host and guest were delighted. Finally, John Adams got up to take his leave.

But at that moment, Chad Sullivan called out to John Adams, "Little brother Smith, it's rare for us to get along so well. Why don't I host a banquet here tomorrow, and we can continue our feast and conversation?"

"Sure, see you tomorrow then!"

John Adams agreed without hesitation, and left humming a tune.

Chapter 10: What a Good Kid

The boring days finally became a bit more interesting. Every morning, John Adams listened to Samuel Carter recite scriptures, and at noon he would sneak out to gorge himself with Chad Sullivan.

Speaking of which, Chad Sullivan was quite a character. Any dish John Adams mentioned, he could have someone make it the next day, and then the two of them would taste and critique it together.

Talking about food inevitably led to discussions about local customs and cultures, which made John Adams realize once again that although Chad Sullivan was fat, he was also a well-traveled and knowledgeable person. The more they talked, the more they hit it off, and they felt like friends despite the age gap.

One noon, John Adams came to the pavilion by the stream again, but to his surprise, Chad Sullivan wasn't there.

"Not here? Could it be I scared him off with my eating?"

John Adams muttered to himself, but from what he had seen, Chad Sullivan didn't seem like someone short on money, nor would he care about a few meals.

Just then, he saw Chad Sullivan hurrying over with two servants along the bamboo path. He was large, and the weather was hot, so he was wiping sweat as he walked, looking quite disheveled.

"L-little brother, forgive me for making you wait."

Chad Sullivan arrived at the pavilion, panting and apologizing. Just a few steps had left him looking as if he'd just been fished out of water.

"Uncle Sullivan, you're too polite. I just got here myself."

John Adams smiled and invited him to sit. The two servants set out the food they had brought and then waited outside the pavilion.

"I was delayed by some trivial matters today, so let me punish myself with three cups first!"

As he spoke, Chad Sullivan poured himself a cup of wine and was about to drink it.

But John Adams suddenly reached out to stop him, saying, "Uncle Sullivan, let me give you a word of advice. We can eat the food, but it's best not to drink the wine!"

"Why is that?"

Chad Sullivan was taken aback. These past few days, they had mainly been tasting food, and the wine was just a side note, and he hadn't drunk much.

"Uncle Sullivan, you may not know, but when you drink wine, it's mainly your liver that processes it. But when a person is overweight, the liver is bound to have problems, so it's best if you don't drink at all!"