After lunch, Xiao Nianzhi followed the cook Aunt Qin to the kitchen.
There are not many servants in the Xiao Mansion. Uncle Qin, the housekeeper, and Aunt Qin, the cook, are a couple. Uncle Zheng, the coachman, has to farm outside the city when he has nothing to do.
The Xiao family has dozens of acres of land and several shops. Otherwise, Xiao Siye's salary alone may not be able to support the family.
After all, after coming to the capital for so many years, he still managed to save some money.
In addition to these servants, there are also two maids who do daily chores in the house.
Walnut, which cannot speak, and Jujube, which talks a lot.
Dazao, who is very talkative, helps Aunt Qin whenever there is nothing to do.
Seeing Xiao Nianzhi following Walnut to the kitchen, Dazao hurriedly stepped forward to salute, and then observed secretly.
When she was cleaning up the study, she heard from the two young masters that the new girl's food was very delicious, and she wondered if they would have a chance to taste it.
Xiao Nianzhi said hello again before lunch, asking him to leave watermelons and peaches, and Dazao's strong curiosity was aroused.
However, she behaved herself without asking any more questions and just looked at him quietly.
Xiao Nianzhi didn't rush to get ice as soon as he came over. Instead, he boiled the milk delivered in the morning and put it aside to cool.
Then cut out the watermelon pulp, then take the gauze, wash it, and put the cut pulp in it.
Without a juicer, I had to use gauze to squeeze out the watermelon juice.
Fortunately, when squeezed like this, there are no watermelon seeds and fiber, and the taste is also very good.
The squeezed watermelon juice was temporarily put into the wooden basin, and Xiao Nianzhi went to get the peaches again.
Wash the peach skin with coarse salt several times to make sure it is clean, then cut the skin and boil it in water, add sugar and stir it, then take out the skin and add the white jelly Xiao Nianzhi took out from the delicious kitchen.
She took out the white jelly in advance and packed it in oil paper.
Now I took a small bag and put it into the peach juice that had been boiled to a tender pink color.
Stir while putting it aside until the white jelly and the pink peach juice are completely blended, and then remove the pot.
The fire in the stove will cook watermelon juice for a while, so it cannot be extinguished for the time being.
The peach flesh that was cut into small pieces before is also put in at this time.
Then, Xiao Nianzhi went to make watermelon juice.
After both are cooked, set them aside to cool, and then Xiao Nianzhi is ready to use his skills.
Saltpeter makes ice!
The two juices after adding the white jelly need to be refrigerated so that they will have a better shape and taste more silky and refreshing.
So, you still need ice!
Xiao Siye is busy and can't take care of Xiao Nianzhi, but Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing are not!
Although the two of them were reading, their hearts were itching.
Dazao said that Xiao Nianzhi was busy in the kitchen. He had only heard that his cooking skills were good, but Xiao Zhou, who had never tasted it, couldn't sit still.
Xiao Qing, who had never heard or smelled it, only heard a few words from her second brother and was moved.
Xiao Qing read for a while. He felt sleepy in the afternoon, but now that it was hot and his mind was wild, he couldn't read at all. Instead of being so inefficient, he might as well go play for a while.
Thinking of this, he asked tentatively: "How about we take a rest first?"
Xiao Zhou's self-discipline is pretty good, and he thinks he can still watch.
But if the efficiency is not high...
Thinking of this, Xiao Zhou sighed helplessly: "Okay, let's go and have a look."
The two people quickly and quietly went to the kitchen.
Xiao Nianzhi was making preparations at this time.
Ice made from saltpeter is actually not suitable for direct consumption.
However, this is not without solutions.
Xiao Nianzhi made a matryoshka move.
She first cleaned a large wooden basin used for daily vegetable washing and put the well water in it. Then she floated a small basin on top and put well water in it.
After a while, Xiao Nianzhi can put saltpeter powder into the big basin.
After such operations, the water in the large basin will most likely not freeze and the temperature will drop at most, but it can be used to hold things.
The water in the small basin will form ice crystals due to chemical reactions. Because it is separated from the saltpeter, it is edible!
They couldn't understand the walnuts, but they moved quickly with their hands and feet, either washing the basin or carrying water.
Anyway, no one is idle.
However, they are full of energy.
because……
Curious!
They really want to know what the big girl is doing!
After Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing came over, they did not disturb them and only stepped aside to watch quietly.
After the preparations were completed, Xiao Nianzhi began to try adding saltpeter powder to the large basin.
When saltpeter powder melts in water, it absorbs a lot of heat.
Using it to make ice is based on this principle.
Although it is hot today, the water drawn from the deep well is actually quite cold.
Coupled with saltpeter, the ice making speed is quite fast.
However, the amount of saltpeter required is also very large, and the final product cannot actually be regarded as a complete ice cube, but can only be regarded as ice liquefaction or ice crystals.
The water temperature in the big basin has only dropped, and the ice can be used for a while, but the water in the small basin has slowly precipitated ice crystals.
Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing watched this process happen with their own eyes. You must know that in recent years, many people have been rummaging through various orphans and ancient books, just to recover what it was that could make ice in the past!
But what do they see now? ? ?
Xiao Nianzhi, their new sister, actually made ice!
Xiao Zhou's pupils were really shaken. His first reaction was to go see Xiao Nianzhi. He saw that the little girl was still calm and serious about adding saltpeter powder.
With just one glance, Xiao Zhou knew that Xiao Nianzhi should be aware that saltpeter could make ice, and might even have tried it before.
Thinking of this possibility, Xiao Zhou couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.
However, he was older and had a flexible mind, so he understood it quickly.
Why did Xiao Nianzhi know it but never show it before?
Because it can't be saved.
Many people have not yet recovered this ancient skill. It is really known that Xiao Nianzhi can recover it. Fortunately, if he meets a good person, he will at least protect her.
But if you meet a bad person...
In order to take the credit and keep this secret, Xiao Nianzhi's family might be killed directly!
The reason why Xiao Nianzhi took it out now was because she felt that their family should be able to save it.
Although Xiao Siye's official rank was not high, he had many classmates, and he had many good friends in the court with colleagues of high rank.
In addition, Xiao Nianzhi now has a master to take care of her, Aunt Yu.
The Xiao family cannot be saved, but Aunt Yu can!
Therefore, Xiao Nianzhi can take it out with confidence.
The little girl looks innocent, but she also has some exquisite thoughts.
Xiao Zhou was originally quite worried about Xiao Nianzhi because of what Zhou Yuxing had caused before, but now it seems that he can feel a little more relieved.
Compared to his calmness, Xiao Qing was young. After seeing Bing, he couldn't control himself and almost jumped up. His mouth was almost knotted with excitement: "...Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing!"
