The chestnuts from Henan County are indeed large and plump, but because they are too big, they are difficult to ripen and are not as easy to open as the small chestnuts from Hebei County, which are also sweeter and softer.
The quality of the tea from Qianxi County is particularly outstanding.
"You wouldn't believe how delicious it is. The chestnuts are piping hot when they're freshly caught, with a little pointed tip on top. You can peel them open with just a touch of your hand. The chestnut meat inside is smooth and clean. When you put them in your mouth, they have a sweet and fragrant taste. After a couple more bites, the soft, sweet flavor melts on your tongue. It's so irresistible." As Zheng Ruqian described it, he seemed to smell the aroma and swallowed several times.
Aunt Zhang opened her eyes wide, her face full of surprise.
Even Xu Mo curiously flipped through the books, seemingly trying to find related delicacies in the descriptions of the ancients.
Not to mention the long banquet hosted by Wen Zhiyun.
Jiang Sheng swallowed hard, her big, round eyes darting around, and said with her hands on her hips, "I don't believe it... unless you let me try it."
Zheng Ruqian chuckled, walked over and pinched his little cheek, "Try it, then. This time I not only bought chestnuts, but also brought sand for roasting them."
With just a glance from him, Wang Xiaosong darted out and soon returned carrying a bag of sand and gravel.
Aunt Zhang went over to help wash it, wiped it dry, and then put it in an iron pot to stir-fry until there was no moisture left.
Add two tablespoons of sugar and stir well, then pour in two tablespoons of oil, and finally add one pound of chestnuts. Stir-fry until cooked through.
"Why add sugar and oil?" Jiang Sheng muttered.
Zheng Ruqian fiddled with her little bun hairstyle, "Roasted chestnuts, sugar is definitely essential, and oil is used to melt the sugar."
Jiang Sheng was afraid of him, so she quickly covered her two little balls and hid behind Xu Mo. "But the sugar is all stuck to the shell, and you can't eat the shell. Wouldn't it be a waste to add sugar?"
Zheng Ruqian also had this question.
The owner from Qianxi County replied, "Because the sugar will gradually caramelize during the roasting process, the aroma of caramel will waft for miles, attracting more customers and making the chestnuts look more delicious and appetizing."
That makes a lot of sense.
As Aunt Zhang continued frying, the aroma of caramel gradually wafted out, clinging to everyone's mouths and making them even more eager to taste it.
About half an hour later, Aunt Zhang, drenched in sweat, scooped out a chestnut, peeled it in front of everyone, and put it into Xiao Jiangsheng's mouth so that she could taste whether it was raw or cooked.
Although the roasted chestnuts didn't have any caramel flavor, their natural sweetness and soft, chewy texture instantly filled the mouth. The sandy yet fluffy texture was simply irresistible.
Jiang Sheng chewed only two or three times before tilting her head back and swallowing.
"How was it? How was it?" the brothers all asked.
Zhang Xianglian looked over with a smile, "Is it ripe?"
Jiang Sheng twirled her fingers shyly and told the truth, "I couldn't taste it..."
The soft and delicious chestnuts were so good that she forgot to taste whether they were raw or cooked.
The brothers all facepalmed.
Only Aunt Zhang nodded and scooped out all the chestnuts, saying, "They should be cooked. Little Jiang Sheng wouldn't have swallowed them if they weren't cooked."
Chestnuts, uniformly sized, glistening with oil and exuding a caramelized aroma, were transferred to the table. Everyone rushed over, disregarding master and servant, employer and laborer, grabbing a few in their hands, peeling and tasting them.
If they were already drooling just from hearing the description, then after actually tasting them, they understood why Zheng Ruqian insisted on bringing back chestnuts from Qianxi County in Hebei Prefecture.
"This thing will definitely be welcomed by the people of Fengjing."
"It sells even better than glutinous rice and jujube cake."
"The people of Fengjing are in for a treat."
Some people nodded and tasted it, while others discussed it aloud.
Jiang Sheng didn't say anything, just kept her head down peeling the shells.
Roasted chestnuts are easy to peel, but you still have to do it yourself. The first few times are fine, but you can easily lose patience as you peel more.
Just as Jiang Sheng was getting tired of peeling chestnuts and was about to shake off her hands and continue, a fair hand reached out, holding four or five peeled chestnuts.
She had just taken it and hadn't even looked up when another hand offered her five or six chestnuts.
Next came a slender, small hand, and a clean, calloused hand, both offering five or six whole, peeled chestnuts.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Sheng, who was still struggling with the shell, had harvested a large handful of chestnut meat.
She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, then covered the rest of the chestnut and chuckled to herself.
Wang Xiaosong, who was standing next to him, peeled more than ten of them, put them in his pocket, and ran towards the backyard.
There, his younger sister, Wang Xiaozhu, was picking out medicinal herbs.
Everyone was delighted.
Zhang Xianglian hesitated, then swallowed her words, remembering it was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Some things are not suitable to be said on such a day of family reunion.
By the time all the chestnuts had been eaten, it was completely dark.
Everyone busily began preparing dinner.
The dumplings had been made long ago, and the braised mutton had been chopped into pieces long ago. All that was needed was to stew it until it was tender. The other dishes, such as the roast chicken and side dishes, had already been torn apart and arranged on a plate.
That's why they say there's strength in numbers.
Aunt Zhang usually cooks by herself, with Xiao Zhu helping out. It takes half an hour to cook just five or six simple dishes.
Now, with the whole family pitching in, the fire in the stove never stops, constantly licking the bottom of the pot, transferring heat, boiling the broth, and stewing it until it's tender and delicious.
When it was completely dark, all the dishes were brought to the large round table in the main hall.
All the old and young, the farmhands and servants, sat together at one table, without distinction of rank or social status.
They have no home, no parents, and nowhere to go back.
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