The cabbage stewed with pork that Su Qingluan had eaten during the day actually tasted much worse than what she cooked, but it aroused Su Qingluan's appetite - the weather was getting colder, and the family had pickled sauerkraut. Calculating the date, it was almost time.
Some people in the village also pickled sauerkraut, but the pickling method was somewhat different from the Northeast pickled sauerkraut that Su Qingluan had learned in her previous life. It was more like the pickling method of the old-style sauerkraut in the south. Because of this, Su Qingluan pickled a few of both.
However, when it comes to "big stew", the more authentic sauerkraut is naturally the pickled sauerkraut method from Northeast China.
Sauerkraut is just like bamboo shoots—they're incredibly oily. If it weren't for the rich, oily broth, both would have a bitter, astringent taste, almost like they were covered in tiny thorns, irritating your mouth.
Su Qingluan thought about the big market in three days, and decided to go there that morning to buy some fresh pork. Butchers usually had pork, but it was always less fatty. Su Qingluan wanted the "fatty pork belly," near the pig's lower abdomen. The meat here is not only distinctly layered but also richer than other pork belly, making it an ideal cut for stewing with sauerkraut.
Su Qingluan made up her mind and led everyone to work as usual the next day.
However, she soon discovered that everyone's enthusiasm for work had increased significantly, and their self-awareness had also increased significantly. If anyone in the group was lazy, everyone would automatically and consciously supervise each other.
As the shopkeeper of "Su Ji", Su Qingluan now only needs to control the direction and quality at critical moments. Most of the time, she does not need to do it herself, but just supervise.
The same is true for Liu Yunniang, as Su Qingluan's assistant - her role is most effective when someone is causing trouble, and usually she only needs to supervise and collect debts.
So the two of them let their subordinates work step by step, and they had some free time to go shopping and chat in the town.
"How are Uncle Liu's preparations for the water stall going?" Su Qingluan asked, "Can his legs support him standing for most of the day?"
"No problem. Dad has been trying to stand all day at home these past few days. Apart from some soreness in his legs, there's nothing serious wrong with him." Liu Yunniang looked relieved. "Finally, Dad is back on his feet. Even if he can't run around like before, as long as he's out of bed, he'll be able to pull through."
Sometimes what destroys people is not the illness, but the hopeless waiting and the sympathy of others - because that means the illness is beyond recovery.
Su Qingluan nodded. "I've already prepared the spices in the right proportions. I'll also write down the specific steps for making the broth. I've prepared a five-day supply at a time. You can come pick up the broth bags every five days, and bring me any spices I need along the way."
Liu Yunniang nodded when she heard this, then looked at Su Qingluan, seeming to be hesitant to speak.
Su Qingluan naturally knew what Liu Yunniang wanted to say: Even if Su Qingluan gave the Liu family the original marinade and the detailed cooking method, some people might think that the taste would be different even if the recipe was the same because the chef had changed.
What's more, if the Su family did not come forward, Liu Sheng alone would not be able to prove that the offal soup he sold was "authentic from the Su family."
Su Qingluan smiled and said, "The big market will be in three days. I'm going to buy some pork and stew it with sauerkraut at home. I'll definitely go and have a bowl of offal soup that morning!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yunniang immediately smiled happily. She understood that the real reason why Su Qingluan went to drink a bowl of offal soup was to support Liu Sheng.
She wanted to say "thank you", but Liu Yunniang always felt that these two words were a little too light, so she just squeezed Su Qingluan's wrist tightly.
However, because everyone's work enthusiasm has reached an unprecedented high due to the distribution of a round of "benefits", Su Qingluan no longer has to keep an eye out for people cutting corners as she did before.
But this was exactly what she wanted - on the day of the market, Su Qingluan had originally planned to buy some pork belly and give it to Yang, who came with her, and then go back to work immediately.
But this way she doesn't have to be so nervous at all. She just needs to go back and check on the progress of each group near the end of work in the afternoon.
The Liu family set up their stall at the same spot where the Su family had previously run their stall, and indeed, they were looked after by Skinny Monkey and Aunt Yang. Liu Sheng, who had always been a straightforward person, quickly became friendly with the three of them.
And with Su Qingluan, the "little shopkeeper" of the Su family, ensuring that the taste remains the same as before, the number of customers coming here to drink the soup suddenly increased a lot.
After completing the "advertising task", Su Qingluan went to the butcher who slaughtered pork - Yang was already waiting.
At this time, another pig was being freshly slaughtered.
In ancient times, there were no automated assembly lines for slaughtering livestock, and people were not shy about doing so. It would be more accurate to say that in the ancient times when there was a lack of entertainment, even activities like "beheading at Caishikou" were considered "lively" in a sense. Therefore, most people did not feel any fear about slaughtering livestock, but only curiosity.
Su Qingluan, however, was thinking of something else: a freshly slaughtered fire pig? Then...
She went over to the stall owner and asked, "Uncle, does anyone want this pig's blood?"
"Pig blood?" The butcher, his face covered in flesh, looked up and saw Su Qingluan. He smiled and said, "Oh, isn't this Madam Su? Even if someone else wants pig blood, I have to save it for you based on what Madam Su said, right?"
There was a reason why the butcher was so gentle and kind to Su Qingluan.
Before the Su family started selling offal soup, pig offal was considered a despised scrap that could not be sold and had to be eaten by the butchers themselves.
However, the special stench of the internal organs always makes it difficult for people to swallow, so even the butchers themselves don’t like to eat these things.
But the Su family's offal soup has gradually turned these scraps into a hot commodity. Slaughtering a few more pigs a day and selling more offal can bring in a considerable amount of money. To them, aren't the Su family members like the God of Wealth? What's wrong with being kind to the God of Wealth?
Although Yang was surprised to hear that Su Qingluan wanted pig blood, she knew that according to her eldest daughter's usual personality, she would probably think about what to cook.
As expected, Su Qingluan bought all the pig intestines and cut off a piece of fat pork belly. She turned to Yang and said hurriedly, "Mother, let's go back first. Otherwise, I'm afraid the pig blood will solidify into a clot if we wait too long."
Having said that, he didn't wait for Yang's consent and ran home without stopping.
Yang was laughing and crying as she trotted after him: "Why are you so impatient, little girl? Wait a minute! Don't fall!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
