Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Eating Crabs. (First update)...
Next, Linzhi prepared the filling, pinched off a little dough to wrap the filling, and placed the round and plump dumplings on a plate.
"Here, now it's better!"
"It looks like a simple meal, but it requires so many steps." Song Jiaonian only looked at the snow-white and tender cheese, and could hardly imagine that such a seemingly simple meal took nearly half an hour to complete.
Not to mention Madam Yu. Even though she saw the whole process, if you ask her to describe it again, I'm afraid she would only be able to mumble.
Madam Yu shook her head, putting the series of dizzying operations behind her. The most important thing now was to taste it!
Song Jiaoniang seemed to think the same thing. She happily moved the plate in front of her and urged, "Madam Yu, try it!"
After saying that, she took the lead and picked up one.
After taking just one bite, Song Jiaoniang showed a delighted expression: "It's exactly the same!"
Madam Yu didn't even know what the dessert was called, so she put it in her mouth first. After taking a bite, her eyes widened. Both the soft and glutinous crust and the sweet and savory filling hit her favorite spot. It was as delicious as it could be!
"Ohhh! It's really delicious!"
"Right? This is the first time I've eaten this at noon today."
"Wait? This is Juyoulou's dessert?"
"Yes! Didn't I just tell you that we will have lunch at their house--" Song Jiaoniang thought that Madam Yu didn't listen carefully just now, so she said it again with a stern face, but she didn't expect that Madam Yu's eyes almost popped out, and she ate the cheese very cautiously.
Song Jiaoniang was stunned by the sight. She took a bite of the cheese and mumbled, "Mmm?"
Song Jiaoniang swallowed the cheese and asked in confusion, "It's from Juyoulou, what's wrong?"
Madam Yu couldn't help but raise her voice: "What else? Do you know what Juyoulou is?"
"Restaurant!"
"Oh my..." Madam Yu stamped her feet. Thinking that Song Jiaoniang and her family had only just arrived in Bianjing, she hurriedly began to speak in detail, "How many restaurants do you know in Bianjing?"
"Uh...Fanlou?" Song Jiaoniang thought for a moment before finally remembering the largest one. After all, Fanlou was magnificent and majestic. It was said that even the Imperial Palace could be seen from its rooftop observation deck. Various rumors further shrouded Fanlou in mystery.
Not to mention after entering the city of Bianjing, Song Jiaoniang had heard about it even when she was still in Taiping Prefecture.
Madam Yu was at a loss for words: "Besides that?"
Song Jiaoniang said confidently: "Don't know?"
Although Madam Yu was mentally prepared, she couldn't help but feel her vision darken again and again. She looked at Lin Zhi with a last glimmer of hope: "Then - does Sister Zhi know?"
Seeing that the water had boiled, Lin Zhi placed several tightly bound crabs into the steamer. She turned and gave Madam Yu a shy smile, "Madam Yu, could you please help us solve this problem?"
"You guys..." Madam Yu held her forehead and sighed, but she still pulled herself together and asked, "Do you still remember the guild?"
"Of course I remember that!" Song Jiaonian said first. They registered with the government before opening the business, and then applied to join the catering industry. They also got a booklet issued by the catering industry, which contained various business regulations and precautions, written in great detail.
"I don't know about other places, but the head of the restaurant business in Bianjing City is replaced annually," Madam Yu explained to the two of them. "There are also several deputy heads of restaurant business who are in charge of different areas of the city."
Song Jiaoniang was stunned when she heard this, but Lin Zhi suddenly realized that this guild was somewhat similar to the industry associations of later generations, but also different.
For example, the current guilds are established under the supervision of the government. They must not only safeguard the interests of the industry, coordinate competition among peers, organize activities, but also connect with the government and undertake tasks such as collecting taxes.
This also means that the heads of the guilds and upper-level personnel can have in-depth exchanges and communication with the government, and can obtain certain privileges and conveniences, which attracts many people.
At the same time, such benefits inevitably make people worry about being controlled by others for a long time, which is why the rule of changing it every year was established.
Linzhi pondered and kept track of the time.
When a quarter of an hour was up, she immediately opened the lid of the pot and took out the crabs. Each one was golden and shiny, and the thick yellow paste seemed to be overflowing from the shell. They were so plump.
She was untying the knot and said casually, "Will it be my turn again in a year?"
"Good question!" Madam Yu gave Lin Zhi a thumbs-up. "Didn't I just say there are several deputy heads? Actually, the position of head is rotated among the deputy heads."
"Isn't it still held by a group of people?" Song Jiaonian couldn't help but ask when she heard this.
"That's the key point," Madam Yu said excitedly, "The deputy guild leader is first selected by the government, and then the guild members vote on the list."
Lin Zhi placed the steamed crabs on the table, then lifted the curtain and called Lin Sen and Shopkeeper Wu to come over and help peel the crabs.
As they entered, they heard Madam Yu say, "When the government selects the list, they only look at one factor: the tax revenue each restaurant has collected in the previous year."
Song Jiaoniang frowned upon hearing this. "Isn't this unfair? I've seen many restaurants and hotels run other businesses, and they don't rely solely on food."
"The government only cares about the results." Shopkeeper Wu understood after hearing a few words and continued with a smile, "But the government also has similar concerns, so the list has fifty names."
"Are they the 50 stores with the highest sales last year?" Lin Zhi asked.
"That's right." Shopkeeper Wu unpacked the crab and clumsily used the crab shavings to remove the meat and roe. In the time it took him to peel one, Lin Sen had already peeled three.
Shopkeeper Wu looked at the mess in front of him and stopped awkwardly, then focused on explaining to the Linzhi family: "Then the guild will vote internally to select the top 20 as deputy heads. The bottom 20 deputy heads will then select the head."
"So, the old shops still have the advantage?" Lin Zhi thought about it. Even if the new shop's annual revenue broke into the top 50, it still had to go through two rounds of selection. There was almost no hope of becoming the head of the industry back then.
Maybe the revenue will fall out of the top 50 next year, not to mention the follow-up.
Shopkeeper Wu smiled and said, "The position of guild leader is reserved for the most prestigious, most capitalized, or most experienced merchant in the industry. A newcomer might be great this year, but disappear next year. Furthermore, with their lack of experience, how can they benefit the guild members? Naturally, it's unlikely they'll be selected."
"In Bianjing City today, there are several shops that have consistently ranked among the top 50 for 20 to 30 years, and have been ranked second in the industry every year," Madam Yu continued. "Among them is Juyoulou."
Song Jiaoniang finally realized the significance of Juyoulou and couldn't help but gasp. However, these matters had nothing to do with her, so she quickly calmed down and asked curiously, "What about Fanlou?"
"Fan Lou is indeed in the top 50, and even always in the top three, but he has never been selected as a vice-leader. In fact, in recent years, he has even been ranked last in the guild voting."
"How come?"
"Many people in the guild say that Fanlou is more like a collection of taverns inside a restaurant than a tavern," Madam Yu said meaningfully. "Even a few years ago, some members of the catering industry have been suggesting that Fanlou be removed from the catering guild."
Linzhi listened and gradually realized that although restaurants can use singing and dancing entertainment to increase their sales and enhance their competitiveness.
But this is a double-edged sword. It can increase the store's turnover, but it can also reduce the store's reputation.
The head of a guild is a role model for the guild and a leader recognized by both the guild and the government. How can he be allowed to take on this role by an opportunist?
Linzhi took a few eggs, beat them into a bowl, added a little salt, and then beat them quickly with chopsticks, then added water and filtered until it became a fine egg liquid.
Then put it in a bowl and steam it.
While Linzhi was busy, the speed at which everyone peeled crabs increased as their proficiency increased.
Song Jiaoniang finished peeling the last crab and chuckled, "It doesn't matter how big a brand Juyoulou is. We're just diners visiting anyway."
"That's not necessarily true!" Madam Yu said with a smile, "Do you know about the New Year's Newcomers' Party?"
"New Year's party? What's that?"
"The New Year's Newcomer Fair is a chance for new merchants to showcase themselves. During the New Year's holiday, there will be a space at the Zhouqiao Night Market for invited merchants to showcase their cooking skills and sell food, so that the winner can be selected."
"And these merchants were selected and reported by the head and deputy head of the bank." Madam Yu thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Although your family came a little late, your business is so good, maybe they will be reported this year!"
Song Jiaoniang perked up now: "Rookie King?"
Madam Yu's face was full of longing as she nodded and said, "It is said that the winner will not only receive a bonus, but may also be selected for the Imperial Food Bureau!"
"The Imperial Food Bureau?" Song Jiaoniang had heard Doctor Dai mention it before and had a vague impression of it. "But I also heard Doctor Dai say that the Guanglu Temple selects a group of culinary experts from the public every year. The outstanding ones can be recommended to the Imperial Food Bureau. Isn't this necessary?"
"Really? I don't know that either." Madam Yu was stunned when she heard this, and hesitated, "But I do know one thing: any meal that wins the top three prizes at the Newcomers' Meeting will most likely become popular throughout Bianjing City!"
"Wow—" Song Jiaoniang's mouth dropped open at the thought. Just thinking about it made her excited. If this became a hit throughout Bianjing, how much money could their family make in a single day?
Linzhi glanced at them and knew without hesitation that her mother's imagination had begun to wander again. She shook her head and picked out a few more live crabs from the basket. She rinsed them, cut into their bellies, opened their shells, removed their gills, and placed the yellowed crab legs on a plate.
Heat the pan with cold oil. When the oil temperature rises, Linzhi also coats the meaty part of the crab legs with a layer of flour, and then puts the crab legs into the pan one by one.
With a sizzling sound, golden oil bubbles rise. When the crab legs turn orange-yellow and the part covered with flour turns golden, you can remove them from the water, drain the oil, and set them aside for later use.
Next, Linzhi poured out most of the oil and added onions, ginger, garlic and bean paste into the remaining oil in the pot.
At the same time, the poached eggs are also steamed.
Linzhi took out the steamed egg and used the boiling hot water inside to blanch the rice cake.
When the iron pan turns red, pour in the crab legs, add rice wine and water, and finally put in the blanched rice cake slices.
Finally, add some salt, pepper and oyster sauce, a little sugar to enhance the flavor, and finally sprinkle with green onions.
When the sauce thickens slightly, you can remove from the heat.
Linzhi served the crab fried rice cakes, changed the pot, and threw the crab shells that had just been cleaned of crab meat and crab roe into the pot. He cooked it over low heat for a while, then poured in carrots, crab meat and crab roe, added a little seasoning, thickened with starch sauce, and finally poured it on the steamed egg that had just been taken out.
In the blink of an eye, three crab dishes were ready. Lin Zhi first instructed a few people to take them out, then turned his attention to the remaining crab shells, crab meat, and crab roe in the basin.
Of course she would not waste a single cent, so she put all the crab shells back into the pot, poured in enough rapeseed oil to cover the crab shells, and then simmered it over low heat for two cups of tea.
As for the other crab meat and crab roe, well, cover them with a towel first and use them later.
Lin Zhi finished what she was doing, turned around, lifted the curtain and walked out. She looked at the four people who were waiting quietly and said, "What are you waiting for? Come and eat!"
"How can we start eating when the chef hasn't even taken his seat yet?" Madam Yu covered her mouth with her hands and chuckled. She quickly pulled Lin Zhi to sit down: "Come on, come on, sit down quickly."
Linzhi responded with a smile and sat among the others.
Everyone had the same goal and reached out to the steamed crabs.
When eating crabs, the first thing to do is naturally steamed.
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