At noon the next day, after work, the crowd rushed towards the canteen of Lao Zhao's house.
In order to avoid crowded queues, Cheng Wanwan deliberately postponed the noon work time by a quarter of an hour, staggering it from the time at Meishan. The glycerine workshop ended work first, and then waited half a quarter of an hour before the soap workshop finished work. work.
"Don't crowd, everyone, line up one by one." Old Mrs. Zhao stood at the door of the canteen to maintain order. "Get bowls and chopsticks here, line up here for rice, then order vegetables, and then go to the side to get a bowl of soup. There is a table outside. Find a place to sit on your own chair. After you finish eating, you wipe your mouth and leave. Throw the dirty dishes and chopsticks into the washbasin behind, and separate the bowls and chopsticks..."
The people standing here now are the workers of the glycerin workshop.
Although Cheng Wanwan informed them yesterday that meals would be provided, they still couldn't believe it. Some of them hid dry food in their sleeves, just for fear of starving without even a single bite of food.
Especially the people at the end of the queue were very anxious looking at the long queue in front of them.
The person in front who had finished cooking was holding a rice bowl in his left hand and a soup bowl in his right hand, looking happy and satisfied.
"Oh my God, there's white rice!"
"There's no grains mixed in at all, it's just dry white rice cooked into dry rice!"
"I smell the lard residue. Oh my God, white rice mixed with lard residue is even better than what my family eats during the Chinese New Year!"
"And a big bowl of bone soup, full of oil and water!"
The people in Chengjia Village were salivating. They thought a bowl of wild vegetable porridge would be good, but they didn't expect the food to be so rich.
White rice and lard residue, these are good things to eat only during the New Year and holidays!
Can I eat it every day in the future?
No, no, no, I don’t dare to think so. I’m very satisfied with just one meal.
The men from Chengjia Village finally reached the front of the queue, took bowls and chopsticks from the table, and nervously walked to the window to prepare their meals.
The person behind the meal window is Zhao Youyin. If he is a man, he will give him a big spoon full of white rice. If he is a woman, he will give him a little less.
After finishing the meal, I walked to the next window. It was Wen who was in charge of serving the dishes. Each person had half a spoonful of lard residue, plus a full spoonful of lard for frying wild vegetables, filling a bowl full to the brim.
Walking through this window, Mrs. Sun was serving soup. Bowls of soup were placed on the table for you to take at will.
There were many tables in the shop, and tables and chairs of different heights were randomly placed outside. The workers found their own places to sit down, and then began to eat.
When the first mouthful of lard residue mixed with rice entered the lips and tongue, some honest men couldn't help but blush.
Most of them are from Chengjia Village. Chengjia Village is also a poor ravine. Last year, there was a drought and locust infestation. They have not yet recovered from the stress. They are waiting for something good to eat after the spring harvest. The wheat has not been collected yet. Unexpectedly, they will eat it. Good stuff that only comes in dreams.
"The lard residue is so delicious, so fragrant!"
"The white rice is also very fragrant, each grain is very white and complete. This is not old rice or broken rice, it is polished rice."
"The second aunt of the Cheng family is so generous. No wonder Cheng Zhao didn't want to go back as soon as she came."
"Mrs. Cheng still says every day that the second daughter is stingy. If the second aunt of the Cheng family is still stingy, then there will be no generous people in the world."
"Stop talking, hurry up and eat, then go to work after eating!"
"I am full of strength now!"
"..."
After the men in the workshop had eaten and drank enough, they immediately got into hot work.
Cheng Wanwan lay on the bed for ten days before finally getting free.
It's already mid-April, it's time to harvest the winter wheat, and some diligent men in the village have already started harvesting.
During the autumn harvest last year, she experienced the difficulty of harvesting rice. This year she definitely didn’t want to experience it again. She directly asked Dashan to call long-term workers to help cut the wheat. Ten long-term workers worked together, and within three to five days, all the wheat was collected.
After drying, threshing and storage, taxes had to be paid. The spring harvest was truly over, and it was already the end of April.
The lotus leaves in the lotus pond have begun to show their sharp corners, and the curled leaves float on the water, attracting many dragonflies.
"The little lotus has just revealed its sharp corners, and a dragonfly has already stood on it."
She finally realized the artistic conception of this poem.
"By the way, how could I forget such an important thing!"
Cheng Wanwan slapped his forehead.
She remembered that at the tip stage of the lotus leaf, lotus roots will grow from the roots, which is the juvenile stage of the lotus roots, which are particularly delicious and sweet.
"Da Shan, let's go to Ou Pond!"
Zhao Dashan stopped what he was doing and followed him to the back.
The plank road here has almost been built. The pond is no longer covered with soil and weeds, but has been replaced by a long path paved with wooden blocks. A pavilion has also been built beside the pond for resting and admiring flowers.
From the pavilion, there are steps built to go down to the pond, and you can go down slowly step by step.
"Da Shan, take off your coat and get into the water." Cheng Wanwan said, "Follow my instructions and feel for something in the water."
Zhao Dashan thought his mother was trying to catch fish, so he quickly said: "I will ask Si Dan and San Mao to catch fish in the river later. The fish over there are fatter."
"It's not a fish, it's a jade bamboo shoot that has just grown." Cheng Wanwan squatted by the pond, pointing to the lotus leaf and said, "These rolled leaves, carefully observe which direction its sharp corners are facing, and then follow the pole to Touch down, touch the soil with your hand and continue touching in the direction of the sharp corner. If you can touch a thin thing, pull it out gently..."
Zhao Dashan selected a lotus leaf with sharp corners and bent down to touch it in the water.
It was not midsummer yet, and the water level was not too deep. He groped around in the water with both hands. Because he was inexperienced, it took him a long time to finally touch a long and slender thing, and then he gently pulled it out.
A lotus root ribbon wrapped in mud, about thirty centimeters long, was taken out of the water.
"Yes, yes, that's it!"
Cheng Wanwan was so happy that she quickly took it and washed it in the water, revealing the white lotus root strips, and she took a bite directly.
This is the freshly grown lotus root strip. It is very tender, sweet, and very crisp. You can also eat it raw.
These things only last about ten days. If left alone, they will expand and grow into lotus roots. Of course, lotus roots are delicious, but the lotus root strips also have a unique flavor.
Seeing Cheng Wanwan's face full of enjoyment, Zhao Dashan worked even harder.
After gaining experience, he soon took out a dozen of them, washed them and placed them on the shore. They were as white and tender as fingers, very eye-catching.
"Smoke another twenty or so." Cheng Wanwan has already had more than a dozen recipes in her mind, "Let's make spicy and sour lotus root strips tonight."
The most famous ways of making lotus root strips are stir-fried and hot and sour, both of which are delicious, but she would rather eat something with a strong taste.
When she brought back thirty or forty lotus roots, the children in the yard gathered around to watch, all very curious.
"You will know if it tastes good when it is ready." Cheng Wanwan said with a smile, "Hongyan, you cook other dishes, I will cook this one."
Wash the lotus root strips and cut them diagonally into sections, soak them in a light salt water, and then prepare the ingredients.
The peppers planted in the yard have grown some small ones. Pick three or four and chop them into small pieces. Then prepare green onions and garlic.
Put oil in the pot, pour in the seasonings and sauté until fragrant, then pour the lotus roots into the hot pot, stir-fry for a while, then add vinegar, add more to make it taste better...
The door of the kitchen was crowded with people. Zhao Sidan swallowed his saliva. It had been a long time since his mother cooked delicious food in person. The lotus root strips this time must be super delicious. He couldn't wait...
