The center of the clearing had transformed into a magnificent outdoor kitchen.
Ren moved between the roaring fire pits and the cast-iron cauldrons with a rhythm that completely mesmerized her prep cooks. The air was incredibly thick with the intoxicating, savory aroma of rendered fat, blooming spices, and caramelizing sugars.
The armadillo-pig braise was bubbling away in the first cauldron. The thick slabs of pork belly had completely surrendered to the dark soy sauce, star anise, and ginger. The connective tissues had melted into liquid gold, transforming the tough meat into incredibly tender, pulled-pork perfection that practically fell apart when Ren prodded it with her wooden spoon.
The broth had reduced to a sticky, mahogany-colored glaze that coated the back of the spoon like syrup.
