The next morning, the dock was still bustling with people.
Ganli arrived earlier than usual today. As soon as she set up her stall, she saw many people holding bowls and eagerly crowding around her, their eyes like those of wolves that hadn't eaten for three days and three nights seeing meat.
"Gan family girl, you've finally arrived today! I've prepared this bowl, just waiting for your braised pork!" A burly man, holding a large bowl, grinned at Gan Li.
Behind him, a petite woman quickly asked, "Yes, yes, but Manager Gan, how much does this braised pork cost per pound?"
She had never actually tried braised pork before, but her son ate a piece here yesterday, and when he got home he threw a tantrum, begging to eat more, urging her to go out and buy some early this morning.
But she had some doubts about this braised pork. How delicious could it be if it was made with pork?
Unfortunately, her little darling was throwing a tantrum, and she couldn't appease her without buying some. She decided that if the price was cheap, she'd buy a small amount to try. If it was too expensive, she'd lie to the child and say it was sold out…
The question she asked was one that many people were also concerned about. As soon as she said this, the surroundings quieted down a bit, waiting for Ganli to state the price.
Seeing this, Gan Li didn't hesitate and said loudly, "Don't worry, our braised pork is delicious and inexpensive, only thirty coins a pound."
"Thirty coins?" The woman's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but mutter, "Raw pork is only ten coins a pound, and you're selling it for thirty coins in the blink of an eye? That's outrageous!"
She looked disgusted, thinking that others shared her opinion and would join in the commotion to lower the price... However, to her surprise, the others breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Yesterday, Ganli shared her recipe for braised pork, and many of them went to buy pork and followed Ganli's steps at home. And let me tell you, the porky smell was reduced quite a bit, but compared to Ganli's, it was like heaven and earth.
Having tasted the delicious food, their cooking became rather unpalatable.
It was only because I had made it myself that I knew how complicated it was to make this dish. Now that I heard it was only thirty coins a pound, I immediately felt that Ganli was such a good deal!
"A pound of mutton costs eighty or ninety coins. If you eat meat in one meal, it will cost at least one or two hundred coins, and you have to cook it yourself."
This tastes even better than mutton, and you don't even need to cook it yourself, and it's only thirty coins? Manager Gan, you're not kidding, are you?
At this price, you can buy it and try it without having to tighten your belt.
"Of course not, it'll only cost thirty coins."
As Ganli spoke, she smiled and looked at the woman again:
"Raw pork is indeed cheap, but making it into braised pork requires a lot of effort. So this price is already very reasonable."
She gave an explanation.
While the woman was still hesitating, the others couldn't wait any longer: "Manager Gan, if others think it's too expensive, they can just not buy it. We don't think it's too expensive! Stop talking and start selling now!"
Gan Li indeed turned her head and said with a smile, "Alright, let's start selling then. Let's stick to the old rules, one at a time, don't push."
As soon as he finished speaking, the previously somewhat crowded crowd instantly formed a long line. The scene was so impressive that anyone who didn't know better would think that a porridge distribution had taken place.
Seeing this, Gan Li didn't delay any longer. She lifted the pot lid, and the rich aroma of meat filled the air, causing a stir among the people in line.
"Oh my, this smells so good! It smells even better than yesterday!"
"Absolutely! It's ten times better than the signature dishes at Baishunlou!"
Ganli ladled out a bowl and handed it to the man who had just spoken: "Try it and see if it suits your taste."
The man counted out thirty copper coins and handed them to her. Then, he eagerly picked up a piece of meat, the marbled fat and lean meat glistening temptingly in the sunlight.
He took a bite, and the aroma of the meat exploded in his mouth. It was fatty but not greasy, soft, sweet, and delicious—even better than the mutton his mother made!
He chewed vigorously, giving the pear a thumbs-up: "Delicious! It's fucking delicious!"
Ganli specially brought a stove to heat the food while selling it. The braised pork, which had been soaking in the broth overnight, was even more fragrant and flavorful than when it was freshly made.
Those who managed to buy some started drooling at the aroma, and like the man, they grabbed a piece to satisfy their cravings. They were immediately captivated by the taste, and their praises were endless.
Hearing everyone's praise, Gan Li was overjoyed.
Yesterday, she deliberately published the recipe to whet their appetites. When they went back to make it themselves and found that they couldn't recreate the taste, their disappointment only made them miss it even more.
On the other hand, it's also to let everyone experience firsthand how troublesome it is to make this braised pork, so they won't feel that the price is too high.
In retrospect, it seems to have worked quite well.
With everyone's enthusiasm, the braised pork sold out in less than half an hour, and many people were so anxious that they stomped their feet in frustration that they couldn't buy any.
"Gan family girl, please prepare more tomorrow. This little bit is hardly enough to eat."
"Exactly, I queued for so long, and I didn't even get to taste a single drop of the broth."
Faced with the crowd's enthusiasm, Gan Li smiled so much that her eyes narrowed into slits, and nodded repeatedly in agreement.
...
Wanshunlou.
Master Zhao spat out the braised pork in his mouth and rinsed his mouth several times, but the taste still lingered.
He frowned in disgust: "This is the braised pork you were talking about? What is this? It smells like fish, is this even fit for human consumption?"
Actually, when the dishes were served, Butler Zhao had a feeling things were going to go wrong. Now, seeing his master angry, he quickly frowned and looked at the cook, asking:
"Did you do it the way I told you to?"
The cook quickly replied, "That's right, not a single step off!"
Butler Zhao said in confusion, "That shouldn't be the case! I saw it with my own eyes at the dock yesterday. Everyone who tasted the braised pork made with sweet pears said it was delicious, and the aroma was rich and tempting... It didn't taste like this at all."
"Fool! That woman Ganli is cunning and treacherous. How could she possibly tell you this recipe so easily?"
After cursing for a while, Master Zhao snorted coldly and said disdainfully:
"Besides, our chef was brought back from the capital, and even he couldn't get rid of the porky smell. What can a country bumpkin like her do?"
"Sir, but yesterday I saw those who ate it, and they all praised the meat highly..."
"It's normal for country folk to not have eaten anything good."
Butler Zhao frowned.
He felt that wasn't the case, but he didn't know how to convince the master. Just then, the man he had sent out returned, carrying a food box. Steward Zhao smelled the familiar aroma, his eyes lit up, and he snatched the food box away.
"Sir, you won't believe me even if I tell you. Why don't you taste it for yourself and you'll know that what I said is true!"
With that, he yanked open the lid of the food box.
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