1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 338 Is this what physiological attraction is? (6k-page compilation)

Comrade Lao Zhou's cattle-slaughtering skills are recognized as the best in Zhoucun, and his pig-slaughtering skills are equally top-notch.

Zhou Yan watched and took notes, managing to memorize all the steps.

But to learn it, you definitely need to slaughter a few more pigs to practice. Practice makes perfect, and that applies to this profession as well, but you don't have the opportunity to do so right now.

"Fourth brother, it's been a while since you slaughtered a cow, but your skills haven't gotten any worse," Zhou Qing said with a smile, his tone full of admiration.

“You said Lao Si didn’t slaughter cattle, but he cuts more braised meat a day now than he used to slaughter cattle and sell meat. I think his knife skills and craftsmanship are getting better and better,” Zhou Ze said.

As we were chatting, a tricycle came up the village road. The driver was hunched over, straining with his big toes as he struggled to climb the hill.

Zhou Yan spotted Zhang Laosan at a glance and quickly called out to Zhou Hai and Zhou Ming to help push the cart: "Brother Hai, Brother Ming, the pork I ordered has arrived, help push the cart!"

The two responded and immediately followed Zhou Yan quickly.

Old Zhang was sweating profusely from pedaling, and the woman behind him who was helping to push the cart was also covered in sweat.

There were 400 jin of meat on the truck, plus an electric meat grinder, totaling at least 500 jin.

The old Zhou family's house was built on a hillside. The journey there had exhausted Zhang Laosan, but when he saw Zhou Yan and the others arrive, a genuine smile appeared on his face.

Damn it, I'm finally saved!

"Uncle Zhang, this ride wasn't easy, you're all sweating buckets," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"There are too many uphill sections. When I was young, I could stand up and pedal, but now that I'm older, there were a few hills where I had to get off and pull the bike up. I almost couldn't make it up." Old Zhang sighed, expressing both his complaint about the difficult road conditions and his regret that he was not as good as he used to be.

Three young men helped push the cart, and Zhang Laosan felt like he hadn't even exerted any strength. The painful uphill climb that had caused him so much pain was over in an instant.

The tricycle was parked at the door, and the tarpaulin covering it was lifted, revealing a cart full of sorted meat: pork belly, pork shoulder, and pork shoulder, all piled up separately.

"Zhou Yan, did your family slaughter a pig today and buy so many meat trotters?" someone asked curiously.

"I'm making cured pork and sausages. We need them for our own consumption, and the shop needs them too. We won't have enough if we don't make enough," Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

The villagers who were watching were all somewhat surprised.

This much meat must cost several hundred yuan!

Zhou Yan really went all out.

Hearing this, Gao Cuihua, who had just come out, curled her lip and said, "Show-off! So what if you have a little money?!"

"If I were that rich, I'd be even more amazing than him," Zhou Liangliang muttered to himself.

"I'm so unlucky to have met such a bastard like you! Why don't you earn more?!" Gao Cuihua's temper flared up instantly, and she clenched her fists, wanting to hit someone.

"I...I tried my best too." Zhou Liangliang looked innocent and subconsciously shrank closer to Wu Guihua.

Wu Guihua picked up the cleaned pork intestines and left. In this house, how could she dare to take a knife for Zhou Liangliang?

"Tsk, they've started fighting." Zhao Tieying cracked sunflower seeds, his smile beaming.

After spending a few months in town, being a boss lady meant I couldn't yell at people all the time, but it really helped me cultivate my character, and my temper isn't as volatile as it used to be.

Of course, it's still possible to make people feel uncomfortable.

The basic skills haven't been neglected.

Look at Gao Cuihua. We've been arguing for so many years, and this is the first time I've seen her so frustrated. She looks like a wronged wife, but she can't even get her revenge.

Comfortable!

At this age, it's still up to my son to make me successful!

No wonder the old lady used to be so proud in the village. She had five sons, all of whom were married and established in their own way. One of them slaughtered cattle, while the other was a soldier who fought bravely against the enemy. She also made a lot of money selling braised food. How could the other women in the village compare to her?
She experienced that feeling too.

Her gaze fell on Xia Yao, who was sitting and painting to the side, and her smile grew even brighter.

She was happy that Zhou Yan made money, and she was even happier that Zhou Yan was able to invite Xia Yao to Zhou Village for a pig-slaughtering feast.

This girl is not only beautiful, but her personality also wins her heart.

Zhou Momo moved a small stool and sat obediently next to her, watching her draw attentively. She didn't even glance at the other children running and playing wildly on the threshing floor outside; she was completely focused.

Three months ago, all she could see were puddles and sand; now she's wielding a pen.

"Second sister-in-law, do you see our Momo? This is what they call 'one is influenced by one's company.' She'll be making a living with a pen in the future too," Zhao Tieying whispered to Yang Qiuju.

"Tsk, Tieying, you've been in town for three months, and you've become so cultured!" Yang Qiuju looked at her strangely. Was this still the same Tieying, the number one crooked woman in Zhoucun?
“Of course! I’m the mother of an outstanding student in the literacy class.” Zhao Tieying’s lips curled up into a wide smile.

"What?" Yang Qiuju was completely bewildered.

"You wouldn't understand, but she's just outstanding." Zhao Tieying handed her a handful of sunflower seeds.

Zhou Yan asked Old Zhou to confirm that the amount of meat was sufficient, and then paid Zhang Laosan the four hundred yuan for the meat.

The meat is of good quality; it's clear that it was carefully selected by Zhang Laosan.

"Uncle Zhang, how much are the sausage casings?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at the bucket of sausage casings next to him.

“With our relationship, it’s free. I’ve taken all their sausage casings today,” Zhang Laosan replied with a smile as he counted the money.

"Okay, thanks." Zhou Yan didn't stand on ceremony. This was a big order worth four hundred yuan. Zhang Laosan could easily earn forty or fifty yuan, which was equivalent to a month's salary for a front-line worker in a textile factory.

Old Zhang counted the money and put it in his bag, beaming with joy.

His favorite type of boss is Zhou Yan, who has clear requirements and pays money readily.

The pig was slaughtered, and everyone began to divide the work.

Aunt Zhao and the others took the pig offal to be cleaned. The pig intestines, stomach, lungs, and heart were all good stuff, and they would be indispensable for the pig-slaughtering feast at noon today.

Zhou Yan and his brothers unloaded the meat grinder from the tricycle and placed it on the flat stone slab at the entrance.

Then we started unloading the meat. We put the front meat, which was used to make sausages, in two large basins next to the meat grinder, and moved a table out to put the cutting board.

"Zhou Yan, is your grandma still in charge of making the cured meat and sausages this year?" The uncle and second uncle had already tied on their aprons, brought their best knives, and were eager to try.

Making cured meat and sausages is the most important thing at the end of the year, and the saltiness directly determines the quality of the cured meat and sausages.

Therefore, only the head of the household can manage the salt.

The cured pork and sausages made by the old lady are definitely top-notch in Zhoucun.

It has a perfect level of saltiness and is especially fragrant.

No matter which family in the Zhou family makes cured meat or sausages, they always ask the old lady to manage the salt. She always gets the salt right, which puts everyone at ease.

The old lady had already come out, holding a jar of salt in her hand. She looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "Shall you do it, or should I?"

“Mom, you should definitely do it. Zhou Yan is a great cook, but he’s a complete novice at making cured meat and sausages. I’ve never seen him make them before,” Zhou Qing said with a smile.

“Yes, Zhou Yan has never made cured meat and sausages before. She only helped cut meat in the past.” Zhao Tieying nodded in agreement. As a mother, she knew better than anyone that when making so many cured meat and sausages at once, there could not be the slightest mistake.

The old lady ignored them and just quietly watched Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan said with a smile, "Grandma, I've learned the recipe for making cured pork and sausages, and this time I plan to season it myself."

"Okay!" The old lady nodded and handed him the salt shaker without hesitation.

"No, no, Mom, Zhou Yan has never done this before. You still need to help him check it out." Zhou Qing waved her hands repeatedly, looking anxious. "It's seven hundred pounds of meat. If it's not done well, there will be big trouble."

“Yes, it’s really risky without experience. Zhou Yan and Sanshui work from dawn till dusk every day, and it’s hard work to earn money,” Zhou Ze added.

Zhou Yan felt a warmth in his heart, a mix of emotion and amusement. His uncle and second uncle were so worried that he would waste the 700 jin of meat that they were stamping their feet in frustration.

The old lady was quite decisive; she handed him the salt shaker right away.

This wasn't just handing over the salt shaker; it was also handing over her absolute control over making cured meat and sausages.

Zhao Tieying looked at Zhou Yan, who was calm and composed, hesitated for a moment, and then swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Although she was also worried that there might be problems with the 700 jin of cured meat, and that she couldn't handle it.

But looking at Zhou Yan's appearance, I felt inexplicably at ease.

This son is different now. He is very steady in his work, thinks far ahead, and is intelligent. He said he learned the recipe, and her first thought was not to question it, but whether his recipe would taste better than her mother-in-law's.

Thinking about this makes me feel a little unfilial, but at the same time, I also feel a little proud. Why is that?
"You don't know anything!" The old lady glared at her two sons and raised her voice a few decibels: "Who raised the pigs? Tie Ying raised them! Who bought the meat? Zhou Yan bought it! How to cook the meat and what it tastes like is up to them, mother and son. What are you two yelling about?"

Zhou Qing and Zhou Ze shrank back, glancing at the feather duster hanging behind the door, and didn't dare to say a word.

However, the two men quickly turned their attention to Zhao Tieying, frantically giving her meaningful glances.

Zhao Tieying stepped forward and said, "Mom is right. Zhou Yan bought the meat, so he has the final say. If he's so confident, I, as his mother, will definitely support him. To put it bluntly, the worst-case scenario is that the taste isn't quite right, then we'll make all the cured meat and sausages for the whole family this year."

Her words were firm and resolute. Looking at Zhou Yan, her smile revealed pride: "I have confidence in Zhou Yan."

"Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Grandma." Zhou Yan smiled as he accepted the salt jar. He was so lucky to have such a mother.

Lin Zhiqiang and Meng Anhe, who were standing by watching the commotion, exchanged a glance and smiled. The atmosphere in this family was wonderful.

Xia Yao put down her pen, looked at Zhou Yan who was holding the salt jar, and smiled. He was becoming more and more like the head of the family.

How can someone be so charming even wearing an old cotton-padded coat and carrying a salt shaker!

Is this what Deng Hong meant by physiological attraction?
Oh no!
Zhou Qing and Zhou Ze laughed at this. "Sure thing! Zhou Yan, whatever you say, we'll do it. We brothers will be your assistants today. You just need to get the salt and seasonings just right, then you can cook the meal, and we'll take care of the rest," Zhou Qing said.

"That's great, let's try to finish it by morning." Zhou Yan smiled as well.

Zhou Ze shook his head: "It might be a bit difficult in the morning. There are over 300 pounds of sausages. It will probably take until evening to make them."

“No problem. Let this meat grinder do the sausage stuffing. Once the sausages are stuffed in the morning, the cured meat will be put into jars.” Zhou Yan reached out and patted the meat grinder next to him. The clanging sound of the metal was quite crisp.

"A meat grinder can be used to make sausages?" Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the meat grinder with curiosity. This was a rare sight in the village, and they hadn't seen it much in the town either.

"Of course I can. I'll finish making the sausages for you before I go back today. I'll deliver this whole truckload of meat today," Zhang Laosan said with a smile.

"Uncle Zhang, leave some rice after you've finished cooking. Eat the pig-slaughtering feast before you go back," Zhou Yan said.

"That's too much trouble, I'm sorry," Zhang Laosan said politely.

"Then you go back first, Huili, stay and have some rice," Zhao Tieying said.

“Okay.” Liu Huili, Zhang Laosan’s wife, nodded.

"Then I'll have a meal and wait for her," Zhang Laosan quickly said.

Zhao Tieying rolled her eyes at him: "You're such a fake guy, you're so polite even though we're so close."

Everyone laughed.

Zhang Laosan scratched his head awkwardly, then smiled politely.

Today's head of the cured meat and sausage production team began issuing instructions: "Uncles and brothers, first wash your hands clean, then carefully scrape all the pig hair off this meat, preferably without leaving any pig hair at all."

After that, there are five jin of baijiu (Chinese white liquor) here. Rub the pork belly and pork cutlets used for making cured meat with the baijiu to disinfect, sterilize, and remove any fishy smell. The meat used for sausages won't need to be washed.

"Okay!" everyone agreed and immediately got to work.

"The whole family is making meat and sausages. This scene is not much different from when we make cured meat and sausages for the New Year," Awei said with emotion as he looked at the scene.

The Kong family, adhering to the principle of sending anyone, regardless of talent, to learn cooking for two years, has continuously cultivated a large number of excellent cooks over the decades.

In the end, only five people were able to stay in the chef profession. He and his master took up two spots, and the other three were distant cousins ​​who were working in state-run restaurants in various towns and villages. They were of average talent and could not stay at Leming Restaurant.

Grandpa Kong was indeed insightful; none of the younger generation of the Kong family could be helped.

Master Kong hasn't worked for nothing all these years; at least he's been exhausted.

His master was able to rise step by step to the position of deputy manager not because of his cooking skills, but because of his silver tongue and the immense influence of the two old men.

The Kong School's current reputation and status in Jiaozhou and even the entire Sichuan-Chongqing region are entirely due to Grandpa Kong's selfless spirit and foresight.

The Zhou family is different; they're all butchers. They've never been chefs, but their knife skills are all incredibly good.

Kong Liwei wasn't idle. Today, as the representative of the Kong faction, he went with Zhou Yan to change his clothes and then started helping to remove the pig bristles.

After resting for a while, Zhang Laosan also started helping with the work.

Everyone was working enthusiastically, and Zhou Yan turned around to process the blood curd first, and also gave some instructions on how to process the pig lungs.

Ah Wei said he can cook pork lung and pork heart soup, so this pot of soup is definitely going to be a hit today.

Zhou Yan is in charge of today's pig-slaughtering feast. He not only has to make good cured meat and sausages, but also serve three tables of dishes at noon so that everyone can eat their fill.

The salted braised pork belly was made yesterday in advance. It just needs to be steamed for 30 minutes later. Actually, the salted braised pork belly I made yesterday tasted even better.

He took some time to make three bowls of steamed pork with rice flour, and put them directly into the pot to steam first.

The old lady handed him two pieces of cured pork with roasted pork skin: "I soaked it overnight beforehand. We'll steam it together and then stir-fry it with potato slices later."

"Great!" Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. He lifted the lid of the steamer and put the cured meat in, thus adding another dish.

Stir-fried cured pork with potato slices – who wouldn't be mesmerized by this dish?

The old lady still knew that if you singe the skin of the cured pork with fire, scrape it clean, and then boil or stir-fry it, the pork skin will become soft and chewy, and there will be no problem with it being tough to chew.

Zhou Yan took the salt shaker to the kitchen and started frying the salt.

The salt used for cured pork must be stir-fried first. After the salt is heated over low heat, Hanyuan peppercorns are added. The aroma of Sichuan peppercorns is immediately released by the heat of the salt.

Remove the fire from under the stove and stir-fry slowly to allow the numbing sensation of the Sichuan peppercorns to fully blend with the salt.

Ten catties of meat, three ounces of salt. Today I'm going to make more than three hundred catties of cured pork and ribs. I'll need more than ten catties of salt alone, and about a catty of Sichuan peppercorns.

The traditional method of making cured pork and sausages involves using only Sichuan peppercorns and salt, without adding any other spices.

What you're really enjoying is the original flavor after natural fermentation, which has a unique taste similar to ham that has been fermented over time.

Zhou Yan prepared the salt and the dishes for the pig-slaughtering feast at noon. He brought out a large basin of salt and saw that the meat had been processed, all the hair had been removed, and it had been rubbed with white wine. According to Zhou Yan's requirements, it was divided into several basins.

"Cut the meat for making sausages into long, thin strips, like this, and cut them all out." Zhou Yan demonstrated to everyone with a knife.

Everyone responded and immediately got to work.

Zhou Yan called Old Zhou over to help him marinate the bacon, mainly to determine the weight of the meat and salt to ensure the saltiness was just right.

The salt was still warm. Following the ratio of three ounces of salt to ten pounds of meat, the salt was evenly applied to each piece of meat. This was a meticulous task; the salt had to be spread evenly so that it could penetrate the meat and ensure that the cured meat had the right saltiness, preventing it from spoiling even if stored from the beginning to the end of the year.

The cured pork was long and even. After Zhou Yan filled the bag with salt, he handed it over to the aunties who had finished their work. But he had to do the cured pig's head and cured ribs himself. He had to rub salt into the pig's ears and nostrils.

The old lady directs the process the same way every year; everyone is familiar with this step.

The pork, rubbed with salt and placed skin-side down, is placed layer by layer into a large earthenware jar that the old lady had washed and dried beforehand. Each jar can hold 100 jin (50 kg) of meat, which needs to be marinated for seven days to fully absorb the flavor.

Over the next few days, Zhou Yan had to turn the meat over once a day to ensure it marinated for the required time before taking it out to air dry and then starting the smoking process.

Cured meats are all about the magic of time; you can't rush them.

The old lady watched silently from the side, nodding occasionally, her upturned lips showing that she was quite satisfied.

Xia Yao finished her painting and, seeing everyone busy, rolled up her sleeves, wanting to help as well.

Meng Anhe had been watching for a while, and was also eager to try it. She had eaten a lot of cured meat and sausages since she came to Sichuan and Chongqing, but this was the first time she had seen how cured meat and sausages were made from live pigs.

“You are guests, dressed so beautifully today, how could you do this kind of work? Come on, let me show you my collection of bowls, plates and silk quilt covers.” The old lady saw them and stepped forward to pull Xia Yao and Meng Anhe into the courtyard.

"Really! I've been wanting to see your collection for a long time." Xia Yao's eyes lit up when she heard this. The old lady had mentioned this to her before, and she had kept it in mind, wanting to see what Jiading silk from the Republic of China era looked like.

Hearing this, Meng Anhe became interested and followed her inside.

The old lady's room contained two wardrobes and a display cabinet.

Turn on the light, open the container door, and inside are all kinds of bowls, plates and covered bowls, some are blue and white porcelain, some are cloisonné enamel, there are hundreds of pieces, stacked up, and they are all in quite good condition.

“These bowls and plates are so beautiful, ma’am. Your collection is amazing, they’re in such good condition.” Meng Anhe stepped forward, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the cabinet full of bowls and plates.

Xia Yao also exclaimed in amazement: "Is this the basin that Zhou Yan used to hold the braised beef when he was featured in the Sichuan Cuisine magazine? It looks even better than in the photos."

“I love these beautiful bowls and plates. Back in the Republic of China era, there were always some spendthrift sons from wealthy families who would steal things from their homes to sell. They knew I liked these things, so they would bring them to me. Over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a few. I broke some before, and this is all that’s left.” The old lady said with a smile, “Since this is your first time here, if you take a liking to any of them, I’ll give you one as a gift.”

Xia Yao quickly shook her head and said, "No, no, Grandma, this is too valuable. Many of these items could be considered antiques. They're not worth much here, but they could sell for tens of thousands of dollars each at an auction house in Hong Kong."

Meng Anhe originally liked a blue and white porcelain covered bowl and thought it would be suitable to take back and drink tea. It was a pleasing thing to look at when she put it on her office desk.

Hearing Xia Yao say this, he smiled and said, "Yes, they are too precious. You are keeping them so carefully, you must really like these items. How can we steal them from you?"

"Giving someone something they like as a gift is what truly matters," the old lady said with a smile. "Go ahead and choose. I'm over seventy, I can make the decision myself."

Meng Anhe and Xia Yao were stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then they both laughed.

Meng Anhe pointed to the covered bowl she had previously taken a liking to and said, "If that's how you put it, then I won't stand on ceremony. I really like this covered bowl, but I don't know if you'd be willing to part with it."

"Here you go, sweetie, take it." The old lady reached out and took the covered bowl out of the cabinet, handing it directly to Meng Anhe: "I drink tea from a cup, I'm in a hurry, I can't drink from a covered bowl."

"Thank you." Meng Anhe accepted the covered bowl with both hands, beaming with joy. The covered bowl was so beautiful, with delicate blue and white porcelain, and felt very warm and smooth in her hands. The glaze was exceptionally good.

She has a cabinet at home specifically for collecting gaiwans. She loves to visit antique markets in her spare time. She doesn't like antiques, but she enjoys searching for gaiwans. Over the years, she has accumulated more than twenty gaiwans, but none of them are as beautiful as hers, nor as beloved.

"You're welcome." The old lady smiled and turned her gaze to Xia Yao: "Yao Yao, which one do you like?"

Xia Yao looked around and shook her head: "Grandma, I don't want the porcelain anymore. I have to go back to school in two weeks. It will definitely break on the way back, which would be such a waste."

"Then take a look at these silk quilt covers. If you like any, Grandma will give you a set. I bought the silk myself and made it; it's been well-maintained over the years." The old lady closed the cabinet door, then opened a locked wardrobe next to it, taking out silk quilt covers one by one, listing them off as if they were precious treasures: "This set embroidered with lotus flowers came from the Wang family's silk shop back in the day; the color is particularly elegant..."

"So beautiful! The craftsmanship is amazing, and the patterns are gorgeous..." Xia Yao examined each set carefully, scrutinizing the pretty ones for a long time, her smile never fading. This was far more intuitive than anything recorded in books.

No wonder Jiading silk made such a great name back then; the products were indeed beautiful.

In order to cater to the foreign market, the Jiaozhou Textile Factory abandoned many things, and in doing so, it lost the original flavor of Jiading silk, which is particularly regrettable.

The last set of silk that the old lady took out from the top shelf of the wardrobe was a four-piece silk set embroidered with mandarin ducks. It was bright red, with mandarin ducks embroidered in gold thread and cloud patterns along the edges. Decades later, the color was still bright and it looked particularly elegant.

"These mandarin ducks are embroidered so well, and the cloud patterns are also very unique." Xia Yao's eyes lit up.

The old lady glanced at her and said gently, "A big customer who used to buy my braised meat gave it to me in 49 before he ran away. It's brand new. I packed three catties of braised beef in it for him. If you like it, I'll keep it for you to use when you get married."

"I..." Xia Yao's face flushed red instantly.

　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)