Blissful Days After Widowhood

    MSG is a very common household condiment in modern times. According to legend, in modern times, a Japanese professor discovered that the kelp soup made by his wife was extraordinarily delicious, and then extracted it from kelp.

    Master Bai was able to buy this, it is conceivable that it took a lot of effort.

    "Eating too much of this thing is indeed bad for people, but it is not accurate to talk about toxicity without the dose, so this thing is harmless to people when used properly."

    Gu Yin shook her head amusedly as she spoke, she was also frightened by Wang Dafu's actions of Naga Poppy, and thought that the Bai family would behave like that as well, but MSG, then, naturally not something harmful.

    During the cooking competition, the Bai family will definitely use this to enhance the freshness.

    Gu Yin thought for a while and said, "It's okay, let's make a fresh seasoning too."

      Control dry moisture.

    Then mix the dried shrimps and shiitake mushrooms together, crush them completely, sieve them once and then grind them until they become powdery.

    As soon as this homemade monosodium glutamate is made, the fresh and fragrant taste will blow your face.

      What about the first hand? If you had done this earlier... Where else would the other two be doing?"

    Gu Yin looked at him helplessly.

    Did she deliberately never do it?

    Because mushrooms are expensive in this era. Not to mention seaweed, it is a precious seafood, and it can also be used as medicine. When she was selling wontons in the early days, Gu Yin thought about putting seaweed in it, but after inquiring about the price, she never dared to think about it again.

    A small jar of homemade MSG cost her two taels of silver.

    If it wasn't for the fact that Hanxianglou bought MSG from overseas this time, and they were fighting for a tax reduction quota, she would really be reluctant to get this. After all, if you eat a piece of food, you will earn a few cents of money. If you make it, you will not be able to use it. If you use it, you will lose money.

    When she finishes making this seasoning, Shopkeeper Zhou will also start making her own specialty dish.

      Gu Yin took off the apron very interestingly and prepared to leave.

    The shopkeeper Zhou said: "The owner doesn't need to go, I may not have cooked this dish for a long time, just let you help Zhang Zhangyan."

    This is naturally a polite remark, and Gu Yin also took his favor and stood aside obediently.

    The shopkeeper Zhou made stuffed bean curd, which he said was a palace dish.

      Drizzle and fry.

    The production process of this few sentences is difficult in actual operation.

    Just a few words, Gu Yin and Chef Xu were dumbfounded after hearing this, where is cooking, they are simply engaging in artistic creation.

    The shopkeeper Zhou said with some embarrassment: "In fact, I may not have cooked this dish for many years. This time, in order to support the owner, naturally I can't hide it."

    The business in the store is booming, but seeing that half of the net profit every month has to be paid for tax, no one is happy.

    After speaking, the shopkeeper Zhou took out a set of treasures, including a long needle five or six inches long, thinner than the silver needle used by the doctor.

    He held the boiled bean sprouts in one hand and a long needle in the other, and quickly hollowed out one.

    If the bean sprouts were raw, Gu Yin felt that she could do it too, but the bean sprouts after blanching could be broken with a little pinch, she asked herself that it was absolutely impossible.

    The shopkeeper Zhou looked solemn, and said to them: "This step must be fast, because the bean sprouts will become soft and no brittleness after a long time. And this dish is about chicken shredded ham The savory aroma and the crispness of the bean sprouts.”

    After that, his movements became faster and faster, and he took out a small plate of bean sprouts in a quarter of an hour. Then use the long needle to fill in the shredded chicken and ham.

    Finally, stir fry in the pot until it is out of the pot, the whole process does not exceed three quarters of an hour.

    Gu Yin and Shopkeeper Zhou witnessed the whole process, the eyes of this stuffed bean curd are no different from those of handicrafts, and no one is willing to put down chopsticks first.

    In the end, shopkeeper Zhou tasted it himself. After tasting it, he sighed, "I'm still old, with poor eyesight, unstable hands, and slowness."

    Gu Yin then followed and tasted it. The first thing in the mouth was the bean sprouts, which were crispy and fragrant, but there was no beany smell. After that, the shredded chicken and ham were fragrant. The whole dish has distinct layers, but it is fresh and crispy.

    Because this method is extraordinarily rare and exquisite, you can't help but feel a bit of awe when you taste it, and that very delicious becomes twelve points.

     "Don't worry, the owner, I will practice a few more times, and on the day of the event, I won't fall for the sign of our food for the sky."

    Never tire of eating finess, and never tire of finesse, and Gu Yin is ashamed of the craftsman's attitude of being a craftsman.

    After the shopkeeper Zhou decided what to do, it was Gu Yin's turn to determine her competition dishes.

    In the back, Chef Xu persuaded her: "Why does Master think so much? You are not compared with Shopkeeper Zhou, he belongs to our family. You are compared with Hanxianglou, then The reputation of the two chefs is indeed famous, but they are not that powerful. Otherwise, when we first opened, how could Master rob him of several regular customers at once?"

    Just talking, Chef Xu also asked the two young apprentices to buy some snacks from Hanxianglou for her to eat.

    Gu Yin also tasted many famous crafts in modern times. After eating Hanxianglou's dim sum, she had a comparison in her heart and knew that the other party's cooking skills did not reach an invincible height. The heart also settled down.

    On the day of the event, Gu Yin and Shopkeeper Zhou went to the arena early in the morning, that is, Hanxianglou to report.

    Gu Yin also finally met the famous white chef of Hanxianglou, a middle-aged man who was white and plump.

    "Oh, it's been a long time since we met Shopkeeper Zhou." When he saw Shopkeeper Zhou, he greeted him with a smile. Although his accent was a bit strange, he could still understand.

     Shopkeeper Zhou also handed over and said, "Master Yuan looks so good."

    "It's so-so," Master Yuan smiled and waved his hand, turning his head to see Gu Yin, who was very small compared to them, smiling more and more kindly, "This is what you eat Wow for Tian's owner? So young, so small."

    He then stuffed a handful of melon seeds into Gu Yin's hand, "Little lady, eat melon seeds for a delicious taste."

    Gu Yin smiled and thanked them, and then Master Yuan gave them half of the kitchen.

    Manager Zhou's stuffed bean curd was ready to eat, so he just waited.

    What Gu Yin will do today is seafood casserole porridge.

    Two bowls of rice with sixteen bowls of water. She first boiled water in a casserole, washed the rice while the water boiled, and then put the rice in and stirred when the water boiled. Then wash the abalone in hot water, take out the internal organs, remove the teeth, and cut the meat slices with the same thickness with a vertical knife. Then start processing the live shrimp—holding a bamboo skewer in hand, pick out the shrimp line neatly, remove the shrimp whiskers, and cut the shrimp into two by crossing the kitchen knife.

    Then to kill the crab, Gu Yin held the knife to hold the crab's foot, and opened the crab shell with the other hand, and then took two knives to remove the front of the crab shell and the crab horn, and then took off the crab cover The viscera in the middle, then cut the crab meat vertically in the middle, divide it into two, and remove the crab meat.

      , dried to half dry, and then marinated with salt and garlic. This thing was pickled when Shiweitian pickled sauerkraut before, and it's perfect for making seafood porridge.

    Add oil, shredded **** and salt, stir and marinate for a quarter of an hour while cooking the porridge.

      Some pepper, stir well and turn off the heat immediately.

    In the interval between Gu Yin's porridge, someone has already come to inform that the county magistrate and a group of rich and squires have arrived, so the shopkeeper Zhou also started to wait until Gu Yin's seafood porridge is ready. , Shopkeeper Zhou also made a small plate of stuffed bean curd in two quarters of an hour.

    Seeing that they were all done, Master Yuan also stood up and lifted the lid on the urn.

    The old master Bai who was guarding outside also came in, like adding some treasure, he carefully put several packets of his special seasoning in it, Master Yuan beside him urged him to put in less, But it didn't stop.

    Gu Yin couldn't help but grumbled to the shopkeeper Zhou with a bitter face, "Is this the Buddha jumping over the wall? No wonder the shopkeeper asked me not to be stingy with the cost when preparing the dishes."

    But it was useless to think too much at this time. Gu Yin and shopkeeper Zhou served seafood casserole porridge and stuffed bean curd. Master Yuan lifted his own urn and jumped over the wall and went out together.

    A group of judges headed by the county magistrate are already waiting in the wing of Hanxiang Building.

    A total of seven judges, including Gu Yin’s acquaintances—

     While chatting with the county magistrate, Mrs. Wen winked at Gu Yin who had just entered the door.

    After that, it was the tasting session. Master Yuan’s Buddha Jumping over the Wall came out a little later, so everyone first tasted the seafood casserole porridge and stuffed bean curd.

    The seafood porridge was still steaming hot, put a little bit of Gu Yin’s homemade MSG before it was out of the pot, and there were three small plates next to it, chopped green onion, parsley and celery, so that diners can add according to their own tastes .

    Several people filled a small bowl one by one, the porridge was delicious and smooth in the mouth, even if it was no longer served, it was sweet and smooth, very delicious.

    The stuffed bean curd that the shopkeeper Zhou has worked hard for several days is only a small plate, which is obviously not enough for a few people. .

    A mouthful of fragrant and crispy stuffed bean curd, and a mouthful of delicious seafood porridge without fishy smell, no one dares to underestimate Shiweitian, which has been in business for less than a year.

    Mr. Wen was the first to say: "This porridge goes with this dish, I eat very well."

    Several others nodded.

    Even people like Mr. Wen and Mr. County present at the scene, such precious dishes are not easy to eat.

    But she didn't get nervous for a long time, because after tasting it, Mrs. Wen frowned and said, "Why do I feel so fresh and greasy, and a little fishy to eat?"

    After he finished speaking, he looked at the others, and the others nodded and said, "It's a little fishy."

    The result came out very quickly, and the food was a victory, winning the tax-free quota for the coming year.

    Master Bai was also waiting to hear the result. Hearing this, he couldn't believe it: "How is it possible? This is Buddha jumping over the wall! How can you beat the mere seafood porridge and fried bean sprouts? Isn't it? Because the old man has friendship with Shiweitian..."

    Master Wen said you can pull it down, he first pointed to the stuffed bean sprouts made by shopkeeper Zhou and said, "You call this fried bean sprouts?" Try it."

    After the result came out, the old man didn't bother to talk to him, and left after telling everyone.

    The county magistrate has another official business - he wants to raise money for bridge repairs and paving with the rich squires. This is just the reason why he invited people to taste the food, so he invited everyone to go to the county government.

    Master Bai reluctantly tasted all the food on the table again, and after tasting it, he sat down slumped.

      How did you know that shopkeeper Zhou still had such a unique skill? Otherwise, even when he was fighting for the family business, he wouldn't push people out!

    Master Yuan was still there, and sent Gu Yin and shopkeeper Zhou out.

    "Little lady has the ability, congratulations!" Master Yuan congratulated her with a smile.

    "It's not a fluke," Master Yuan said in a low voice, a little aggrieved: "My Buddha jumps over the wall, it's terrible to do. I'm not good at doing this, the owner insists on letting me Wow, I also added a lot of that VIP seasoning. I said that it was too fresh, and it was easy to excite the fishy smell of the ingredients. He didn't listen."

    Gu Yin couldn't help bending her lips, and she didn't know whether to praise Master Yuan for his good mentality, or to say that Master Bai was defeated by MSG.

     "Master Yuan, listen to me, that seasoning is too much to make the mouth dry, so just put a little freshness before eating."

    Master Yuan nodded with a smile, "Thank you for the reminder. But don't worry, that seasoning is only 10 taels of silver, and our owner is not willing to put more than that."

    "One money and ten taels?" Gu Yin was shocked. Before that, she was still painstakingly for a jar of two taels of homemade flavor, but she didn't expect that the MSG that Mr. Bai bought overseas was so expensive.

    Thinking of the slumped appearance of Master Bai after losing just now, Gu Yin didn't have the embarrassment to mention the matter of making MSG, it was like putting salt on people's wounds.

    But what she couldn't bear to do, someone did it for her—

    When she and Shopkeeper Zhou returned to Shiweitian, they saw Bai Zixi who was waiting for news at Shiweitian.

    Seeing Gu Yin and Shopkeeper Zhou smiling, Bai Zixi let out a long breath.

     Chef Xu, who replaced Gu Yin in the front hall, laughed and said, "Which house does Mr. Bai belong to?"

    Bai Zixi blushed and muttered: "I don't think my uncle won because he relied on overseas seasonings, so he won't win. But since the little lady wins, then I Don't worry anymore."

    He specially sent Hanxianglou's VIP condiments in front of him. Even if he didn't send them, the shopkeeper Zhou would buy them, but in the end he had accepted his favor.

    Gu Yin went out to the competition that day, and there was no food she made herself in the store, so she asked Chef Xu to go to the back kitchen to get something she made as a thank you, and she went to tell Wang's family Good news for tax cuts in the coming year.

     Chef Xu turned around in the back kitchen, thinking that what Gu Yin had made recently was not the homemade MSG.

    Besides, Bai Zixi also sent seasonings from his family, so it is also very suitable to call back the seasonings as a thank you gift.

    He wrapped some in paper, and specially said to Bai Zixi: "Bai Zixi, be careful, this thing is expensive, there are several taels in a jar, how can this one cost more than ten cents ."

    Bai Zixi took the paper bag back to the Hanxiang Building, and Mr. Bai slammed the abacus in a fit of rage, calculating how much income he would have to reduce after the tax cut in the coming year.

    Master Yuan's chubby body shrunk beside the counter.

    Although Master Yuan is not young, but because he has devoted himself to the study of food all his life, he is not as smooth as a middle-aged person, and his temperament is similar to that of a teenager. Forget the year.

    Seeing Bai Zixi coming over, he raised his eyebrows and smiled at him, then immediately lowered his face, looking like he was also reflecting.

    Bai Zixi suppressed his smile and helped Master Yuan and Master Bai to beg for mercy.

    Master Bai said impatiently: "Don't talk to others, you've made a few trips for food? Last time, I met a regular customer in our building. Xianglou has let us take care of the big room, so you are not the young master in the building?"

    The atmosphere of the Bai family is still harmonious, but because the old man's health suddenly deteriorated, the two people were fighting for the housekeeping power, and the sword was drawn. After the dust settled, the big room managed the Hanxiang Building, and the second room was responsible for accounting and sharing the money, and the relationship eased up again.

    Bai Zixi has a pure and good character. Even when he was fighting for power, the uncle Bai did not deal with the child.

    So Bai Zixi didn't dare to be stubborn after being trained by his uncle, he just explained in a low voice: "Then I didn't save twelve taels there before, was it the VIP over there? Well, of course it's time to finish eating."

    Before, I was embarrassed to let Shiweitian know her identity. Since the identity of the county government was revealed, Gu Yin did not change her attitude towards her, and still respected him like an ordinary guest.

    Bai Zixi is no longer embarrassed, he has long wanted to try Shiweitiana's new winter products. Recently, he has been obsessed with pickled fish, and neither sour nor happy.

    If his biological father was here, he would definitely be knocked out when he heard this. Although Master Bai was angry, he just glared at him and asked him and Master Yuan to stand by the counter and reflect.

      The big restaurant fights, and now our family is respected, although food is great, we are also doing business for ordinary customers..."

    These words were pleasant to the ear, and the old master Bai was relieved, and he heard him say: "Also, people eat for the sky and do things upright, and his family also made a new seasoning, I heard it is not For sale, I gave one to my nephew."

    He took out the paper bag and opened it, and Mr. Bai also put the abacus, thinking in his heart that it was this seasoning that made his Buddha jump over the wall lose?

    Master Yuan is a connoisseur, so let him taste it first. After tasting it, Master Yuan said nothing.

    Then Master Bai and Bai Zixi tasted.

    After tasting it, Mr. Bai hummed: "It's not that good, it's not as good as our VIP's seasoning!"

    Bai Zixi echoed: "Indeed, it's no wonder that only a dozen pennies are needed."

    Master White:…

    There are only half of the delicious seasonings in his family, and the tax reduction quota for winning his family is not counted. The price is only one thousandth of what he bought!

    No one can stand this excitement!

    Master Bai fainted while clutching his heart, Bai Zixi and Master Yuan were terrified and hurriedly carried them to the hospital.

    Fortunately, Mr. Bai is usually strong and strong, but this day, he is so angry that he can't catch his breath, so he will rest for ten days and a half months.

    He fell, and the two sons of the Bai family's big house were on top, but they couldn't stand it when they were young. In the end, I could only invite Mr. Bai Er back again to temporarily manage the kitchen.

    Because the second master Bai lost the management right of Hanxiang Building, he was bored at home these days, and even let Bai Zixi go to check the accounts.

    Now that he is out of the mountains again, the more he sees his son, the more he likes it. If Bai Zixi is a few years younger, he would like to hug him and kiss him a few times.

    Bewildered, Hanxianglou returned to the pattern when Mrs. Bai was still alive.

    ………

      , the store is full of seats, and even the delivery team headed by Gu Ye has been reorganized to help deliver the durable snacks.

    I have been busy until New Year's Eve, when every family is reunited at home, and everyone is busy.

    Gu Yin and Shopkeeper Zhou spent an afternoon to settle the accounts. This year, the entire store made a total of 300 taels of net profit.

    It’s a pity that there is no tax cut this year. Now the taxation of the imperial court is terrifyingly high. You have to travel 300 li to 150 taels for the court, and you have 150 taels left at home.

    Gu Yin also gave each regular employee a tael of silver for the New Year, including Gu Ye and Wu An who had been helping throughout the years. This is another 13 taels. The remaining one hundred and thirty-seven taels, half of which must be reserved as working capital for the coming year.

    The last sixty-eight taels are movable silver coins.

    Twenty-two to the shopkeeper Zhou, that was Gu Yin long ago that he would share his bonus.

     Shopkeeper Zhou pushed back and refused, saying: "I get enough wages every month, and I have food and lodging in the store, and I have saved a lot of money in a year. It's enough to spend a year or two on the New Year's Eve."

    "One size is one size, this is what you deserve." Gu Yin insisted.

    When the shopkeeper Zhou was in Wangyuelou, he only had to do it himself when he entertained distinguished guests. When it came to Shiweitian, he cooked a large pot of vegetables every day. Although he said that he was not tired, the workload was definitely more than before. much larger. Not to mention that in order to fight for tax reduction for his family, he repeatedly practiced that fermented bean curd, and he did not know how much mental effort it took.

    The salary of 13 months a year is the highest salary Gu Yin can afford now.

    The remaining forty-eight taels, half of which are naturally distributed to Wang, who is also a shareholder, and the other half for Gu Yin to keep.

    At this time, Gu Yin had 24 taels of bonuses in her hand, and the wages she had saved earlier—except that in April, she did not calculate the wages for herself, and every month after that, she was the same as the shopkeeper Zhou. She received 22 taels of wages a month, 160 taels for eight months, and most of the time she had nowhere to make money, even repairing the Wang family's old house cost more than 50 taels. At that time, Wang also said that she would also pay money, but since the house was in Gu Yin's name, she must have paid for it herself.

    In other words, she still has one hundred and thirty taels of silver on her body.

    A year or two ago, who would have thought that their mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who had fled, could earn so much money?

    Isn’t it necessary to improve the quality of life after making money?

    On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, Gu Yin gave everyone a half-day leave, and she was going to move with Wang Shi, Song Shiliu, and two little guys.