Chapter 72 The day the ice cream shop opened...
When Lu Qiong entered the shop, Wu the stonemason was squatting in front of the stove, examining it closely. Then he tapped the stone brick with the back of his hammer, producing a solid thud.
Upon seeing her arrive, Stonemason Wu rose from the stove and pointed to the stove: "This house has just been renovated, and there's still a smell. It'll probably be a while before we can open for business... And this old stove, I just took a look at it, and it's quite sturdy. It's just that the flue hasn't been used for a while, and I don't know if it's clogged."
Many of the original gray square bricks were broken, so the broken ones were dug up and new ones were laid. Since the kitchen was prone to water accumulation, a layer of celadon glaze was specially applied to the surface of the square bricks in the kitchen.
There's a small courtyard outside the back door, where the old broken bricks are piled up, waiting for a new batch of pebbles to be bought and mixed together to pave the ground.
Wu the stonemason followed behind, chattering on and on. Lu Qiong just nodded, touched the wall, and tapped the bricks, but she didn't understand the intricacies of the process; she just felt that this was how it should be done.
Although the yard wasn't big, she inexplicably felt it was a good place to set up a stove and have an outdoor barbecue, chatting and eating at the same time.
Later, Wu the stonemason gave her a lot of instructions, and Lu Qiong picked out some to write down. After all, she had experience running a shop, and it was nothing more than cooking pots and pans, which were not difficult.
Because they had to wait for the smell to dissipate, the opening was postponed for several days. However, Shi San Niang did not urge them to move the shop; instead, she still cared about them.
However, this matter is already settled and cannot be reversed.
Before they knew it, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived. People in Bianjing were busy rowing dragon boats, hanging mugwort leaves, and wearing colorful ropes... and people were constantly coming and going to enter Lu Ji's shop.
The shop was filled with the aroma of glutinous rice. They made zongzi with fillings such as jujube, red bean paste, mutton, and salted egg yolk, with the mutton and red bean paste fillings being the most popular.
Triangular rice dumplings with the same flavor are all tied together with straw rope, making it easy for diners to remove them after ordering.
To make zongzi, everyone got up early to work, and didn't even have time to eat breakfast. When they had some free time, they each took a zongzi to eat.
The jujube filling was soft and glutinous, and the jujubes were sweet when you ate them. The portion was also generous; Lu Qiong was full after eating just one. Lu Xuan and the other two shared it, just to try different flavors.
Someone said, "Meat filling is still the best..."
*
After the Dragon Boat Festival, it rained again in Bianjing, just like in previous years, and the rain was quite heavy, with water accumulating on the stone bricks in the streets.
Sister Yang lifted the wooden lid, and a wisp of mist rushed out, revealing a small osmanthus cake. She chatted with someone, "When will this rain stop? It's been raining for days, and the clothes at home won't dry. The Bian River has also risen a lot, and I heard that even pleasure boats can hardly pass through."
On the table were newly bought goat milk and glutinous rice wine. Lu Qiong first poured the goat milk into an earthenware pot, put it on a small stove to boil, and the aroma of milk became rich.
"As long as it doesn't rain on the day the shop opens, I don't care if it's been raining for the past few days."
When the new shop was mentioned, Sister Yang couldn't help but smile, looking forward to the day she would be cooking in the new kitchen. She heard that the floor tiles were glazed, and wondered what it would feel like to walk on them. She nodded and agreed, "Young lady is right. When will the ice cream be ready? And when will we use the ice?"
The ice was broken into pieces and placed in a wooden basin, which was then placed quite a distance away from the stove, so that it wouldn't melt too quickly.
The goat's milk in the earthenware pot had also boiled. Lu Qiong agreed and turned off the heat, saying, "Ice is needed only after adding fermented rice water."
After boiling the goat milk and letting it cool, she used bamboo chopsticks to remove the skin floating on the surface, then poured in the cloudy fermented rice water, stirred it well, and put it back in the pot to steam over water.
The aroma of milk, mixed with the scent of wine, grew stronger. Lu Xuan, who was still washing fruit, came in carrying a bamboo basket of loquats, exclaiming, "What a wonderful milky aroma!"
She casually placed the loquats on the table, then peered intently from the stove, her eyes practically yearning: "Can we eat them now?"
Lu Qiong laughed at her for being greedy, but still replied, "It's still hot, go and bring some ice water."
The ice cubes collided, making a crisp and pleasant clanging sound. Lu Qiong placed the bowl containing the ice cream into the ice. There wasn't much water, so it wouldn't overflow into the bowl.
Finally, a few osmanthus flowers are placed on top of the snow-white, creamy cheese as a garnish, making it even more tempting.
"I want to try it first!" Lu Xuan couldn't wait to scoop up a big spoonful, and the rich aroma of goat milk spread. Wei Pan and Li Jie'er behind her also swallowed their saliva as they looked at the remaining ice cream.
Seeing that Sister Yang was doing the same, Lu Qiong smiled, turned around and went to the wooden shelf near the back alley to find a new bowl, washed it with water, wiped off the water stains, and served each of them a bowl.
"Iced cheese tastes best when it's cold. If you think the goat milk flavor is too strong, add more fermented rice water next time. However, too much alcohol will make it difficult to set and the taste will not be good either."
Li Jie'er's eyes lit up. After thanking her, she accepted the ice cream she was offered. The coolness from the cup soothed her inner restlessness.
The aroma of milk was also rich. She scooped up a spoonful, and it melted in her mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste and a faint hint of wine.
Sister Yang also took a sip and exclaimed with delight, "I've always found goat milk to be fishy, but now that I've added wine, I can accept it."
The aroma of the ice cream was so overpowering that even diners couldn't help but ask, "What kind of food is this?" They could only get a smile from the shopkeeper: "You'll find out on the day we move to the new shop!"
As soon as the weather cleared up, they asked someone to move the shop. The original tables and chairs were left untouched, but the newly made wooden utensils, boiler, bowls, dishes, seasonings, and other miscellaneous items were moved away.
Seeing the shop gradually being emptied and restored to its original state, Lu Qiong recalled what it looked like a year ago. The signboard seemed to have been hung up just yesterday, and now it had been taken down again.
"Sister! Everything's ready, let's go!" Lu Xuan followed behind the cart, her face beaming with excitement.
Sister Yang was also carrying several things in her hands, saying she was afraid they would break on the way, and she refused to let go of them no matter how much Lu Qiong tried to persuade her.
Wei Pan also became close to Li Jie'er, each carrying one side of a bamboo basket, swaying as they walked.
The new shop was not only spacious but also cool. Perhaps because the roof beams were higher, walking on the newly paved floor tiles made the group feel as if they were entering the Grand View Garden.
The tables and chairs in the lobby were made by Pei Yu. Fortunately, he had apprentices to help him, and it took several days to complete. There were about ten tables, which the shop could fit.
"The kitchen floor is so beautiful! I don't even dare to step on it."
Sister Yang was most attentive to her own territory, after all, it was a separate kitchen: "Just like in a restaurant, I'm the head chef, with several assistants. When I stand here, I just stretch out my hand, and they know to bring me a bowl..."
Lu Qiong could only smile and nod as her hands were tightly entwined: "Yes, I'll hire a few more helpers for you then, one to chop vegetables, one to pick vegetables, and one to carry plates."
"Serving dishes is my job!" Lu Xuan didn't even have time to wander around and quickly ran over.
Seeing that this was all she could do, Lu Qiong said irritably, "Then you might as well wash the dishes too!"
Lu Xuan started shouting again, and the noise in the shop never stopped. The remaining people just watched and laughed.
The shop was to open the next day, and Lu Qiong still had a lot of preparations to make. The customers had already informed her, and she had also communicated with the owner of the grocery store so that fresh ingredients could be delivered early in the morning.
But she always felt that something was missing, so she wandered around the shop, but all the items had already been set up.
The kitchen has three large pots, as well as a separate stove for cooking porridge, a large steamer for steaming cakes, and firewood piled up in one place for easy access.
The courtyard in the back alley was also paved with broken bricks and pebbles. Seeing that she couldn't find any problems, Lu Qiong closed the door.
Moving the shop took a whole day, and by the time they came out it was already evening. Looking out from the Zhou Bridge, the red-tinged sunset sank into the Bian River, illuminating Bianjing in a twilight.
Street vendors pushed their wheelbarrows, stopping by the bridge to call out their wares, while the lights of the restaurants lit up, and enchanting music drifted from the painted boats below the bridge.
The painted boat drifted towards the setting sun, and the sound of the zither faded away with it.
*
On the opening day, all the people I knew came.
The kitchen window faces east, so the sun shines in early in the morning, landing on the glazed floor tiles.
Sister Yang put all the pastries on the steamer, and with a "heave-ho," she stacked the bamboo steamers on top, while the stove below crackled and popped as it burned: "These steamers are much bigger now, it's much more difficult than before..."
"How about I hire you a taller helper?"
Lu Qiong was preparing today's mutton, cutting it all into chunks, marinating it with seasonings, and then skewering it onto bamboo sticks.
Sister Yang covered her mouth and laughed: "That's not necessary, it's enough."
The newly hired helpers were already busy. There were two of them: one helped in the kitchen and the other greeted the diners in the main hall.
If it weren't for meeting the young lady, Sister Yang would never have dared to imagine that one day she would become the head chef, especially in such a large shop.
A number of people had gathered in the hall. Just as Lu Qiong was about to go out, Jin Niang came with Shuang Jie'er and Pang Qiao Niang, carrying a plate of jujube cakes.
"This was made by Qiaoniang. I originally wanted to come empty-handed, but she said that wouldn't be right, as it would make me look like I came here to freeload."
As soon as Jinniang said this, Lu Qiong laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight, while Pang Qiaoniang was in trouble, constantly telling Jinniang to shut up: "That's not what I meant."
As they were talking, the young man who used to follow Xie Xun arrived, but he didn't see Xie Xun himself.
Several servants followed behind Qingxian, carrying potted plants. They bowed to Lu Qiong and said, "My lord has something to attend to today, so he asked me to deliver this congratulatory gift. I wish Manager Lu a prosperous business!"
Lu Qiong felt a little disappointed. After asking them to place the food outside the door, she took out a food box from the kitchen and said, "Please be sure to give these newly made pastries to Xie Lang for me."
After they left, Jinniang, whose eyes were shining, stepped forward and clung to her hand, refusing to let go: "Who is Xie Lang?"
Lu Xuan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, peeled a loquat and popped it into her mouth: "He's just not a very bright person, and he even falls into a ditch!"
Jinniang immediately shook her head: "You absolutely must not choose someone with a bad brain as your husband..."
Lu Qiong grabbed Lu Xuan by the back of the neck and said angrily, "You promised to serve the dishes, why are you sneaking food again?"
"Sister, everyone's watching!"
Lu Xuan, holding a plate of loquats with both hands, slipped into the backyard and quickly disappeared.
Because of this commotion, they forgot about the previous topic. Lu Qiong told them to go in and cook, and brought out a fruit platter full of fresh fruit, with crushed ice on it.
The new employee rushed over, his nose smeared with ash, looking anxious: "The chimney seems to be blocked!"
Lu Qiong didn't have time to pay attention to Jin Niang and the others, and followed them into the kitchen.
Unfortunately, all three stove openings are blocked and are now smoking, so we dare not add any more firewood.
Sister Yang was choked twice: "Perhaps it was raining heavily a few days ago, and a lot of water got into the chimney."
Lu Qiong then remembered that Wu the stonemason had also mentioned that the flue would get clogged, but she had completely forgotten about it.
Seeing a bamboo pole on the wall, Lu Qiong reached into the stove and poked around inside for a while, as if he had made a breakthrough.
She was delighted and immediately told someone to put firewood in. The smoke from the firewood decreased, and just as she was about to move on to the next firewood, the smoke from the previous firewood increased again.
At this moment, Ah Yao, who was serving customers in the lobby, also ran in: "The customers are getting impatient and are all asking when the food will be served."
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