Chapter 114 It's Mid-Autumn Festival Again
The most important thing is to open up sales channels.
Through the Zhao family's connections, Shen Lingning successfully introduced his products to other major shopping malls in the provincial capital.
Good news also came from the foreign trade department. After strict inspection, her tea seed soap and black tea obtained export licenses due to their unique natural concept and excellent quality. The first batch of orders will be sent to overseas Chinese stores in Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia!
This means that the "Songtaogou" brand has truly stepped out of Qinbei and into a wider world.
The career is thriving and the family is happy.
Zhou Weiguo thrived in his new position and became even busier, but he would try to find time every day to go home for dinner, play with Fubao, and check on the progress of the tea plantation.
The couple has gone through ups and downs, and their relationship has become deeper and more tacit.
As Fubao grows up, he becomes smarter and smarter. His unique "intuition" seems to become clearer as he grows up, and sometimes he even says some insightful words that are far beyond his age.
Shen Lingning and Zhou Weiguo were secretly amazed and paid more attention to protecting and guiding her.
Time quickly came to 1974. After a year, Shen Lingning not only took root in the Songtaogou base, but also sprouted new buds.
In the autumn in southern Qin, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the wind carries the fragrance of dry grass and the faint sweet scent of osmanthus.
The family compound at Songtaogou base is a bit more lively than usual.
The stone mill turned gurglingly, and the air was filled with the burnt aroma of freshly roasted flour and sesame seeds. The sweet smell of syrup attracted the children to hang around the makeshift oven and stove in the yard.
This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is particularly different.
The elderly couple Zhao Changhe and Wang Xiulan came with their son Zhao Xiangdong; what was even more surprising was that Shen Yuchuan also brought his parents who had come from Shanghai to visit relatives.
With the addition of Old Stubborn, a permanent family member, the courtyard of Shen Lingning's family was packed to the brim, and the laughter and joy almost blew the roof off.
Wang Xiulan was wearing a coarse cloth apron with her sleeves rolled up high, and was directing the kneading of dough and mixing of fillings. She was an expert in making traditional Qin Province five-nut mooncakes.
When she heard that Shen Lingning didn’t know how to make northern mooncakes, she immediately became excited and taught her step by step: “Ning, look, this is how you have to knead the dough.
It’s crispy only when it’s risen… The fillings—walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, rock sugar, green and red shredded vegetables—are essential. It needs just enough oil and sugar for it to be fragrant!”
The warm autumn sun shines on the courtyard, and the air is filled with the dry aroma of new wheat flour and the unique rich meaty aroma of melted lard.
In the basin, Shen Lingning was carefully handling a ball of oily and smooth dough.
She followed the example of her godmother Wang Xiulan, rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair but strong wrists, and pinched off small, evenly sized dough pieces from the large dough.
Her movements were a little awkward, but she was extremely serious.
Dip the palm of your hand in some dry powder, gather the dough in the palm of your hand, and rub it gently in circles until it becomes a smooth and round ball.
Then place your palm downward and press firmly, and a round pancake crust with moderate thickness and regular edges will be formed.
Your fingertips can clearly feel the softness and slight elasticity of the dough, as well as the smooth touch brought by lard.
In order to make this authentic puff pastry, I spent a lot of money on kneading the dough. I used only refined white flour and plenty of lard. The kneaded dough was shiny and exuded an attractive original aroma.
This is the only way to eat it in Songtaogou. In other places, with so many people, it is impossible to get enough refined white flour, let alone black sesame seeds, peanuts, red dates, red and green silk... all these good things.
On the other hand, Wang Xiulan showed off her unique skills and a set of "exclusive tools".
She picked up a white porcelain bowl and deftly pressed the edge of the dough pressed by Shen Lingning in circles, and immediately a neat arc-shaped ruffle appeared.
Then change the bottom of the bowl and buckle it in the center to form a circular depression.
The most amazing thing was that she took out a shiny thimble from the sewing basket, held her breath, and carefully pressed out a series of closely connected small circles in the center of the pastry, forming a cluster of exquisite patterns.
The edges of the round buns are decorated with lace by hand, and Artemisia annua, a coriander-like wild vegetable, is dotted on top to symbolize the laurel tree on the moon...
"This is called 'Winning the Laurel in the Toad Palace'..."
Wang Xiulan explained as she did it, her tone carrying the attention to detail and expectations of the older generation.
"I used a thimble to press out the shape of a cassia tree. I hope the children at home will eat it and study hard in the future and have a bright future!"
The sunlight shone on her slightly sweaty forehead and focused face. The wrinkles of the years seemed to contain the wisdom of life and good wishes.
Shen Lingning was so engrossed in watching that his hands were inevitably covered with oil and dry powder. He seemed a little flustered, but he was learning meticulously.
This respect and seriousness for traditional craftsmanship was seen by Zhou Weiguo, who was helping to move the heavy stone mill and handing over tools from time to time. It turned into a deep warmth and almost overflowing tenderness in his eyes.
He rarely saw his wife, who was so decisive and calm at work, acting so homely and even a little clumsy. This made him feel particularly real and precious, and his heart seemed to be filled with something.
"Mom's pancakes are round! Grandma's pancakes have flowers! I want to make some too!"
Fubao rushed over like a little cannonball, standing on tiptoe to take a look, his little hands still stained with traces of playing in the mud.
Wang Xiulan was so frightened that she quickly hugged her away with a smile: "Oh my little ancestor, I dare not let you do this. When you are older, grandma will teach you!"
In the yard, people are kneading dough, mixing stuffing, lighting the fire, and looking after children. The noise and laughter are everywhere, and the steam mixed with the aroma of various ingredients constitutes a reunion picture full of the flavor of life.
However, amidst this extreme warmth and busyness, no one noticed that in the corner, in the bag of walnut kernels that had been opened and were ready to be used to make the five-nut filling...
There seems to be a small amount of particles mixed in with a slightly dark brown color, which are almost invisible if you don't look carefully... They are lurking quietly, waiting for the moment to explode with joy.
In the yard, Fubao, wearing a red cardigan with small floral patterns and two small buns on her hair, was like a happy little sparrow, rushing back and forth with a group of children, big and small.
She is now the real "king of children" in Songtaogou, and the former "leader" Goudan is willing to follow her and call her "little commander".
The children were playing hopscotch and throwing sandbags, with screams and laughter coming one after another.
"Mom! The steamed buns smell so good! The walnuts are so delicious! Grandma is so awesome!"
Fubao ran over and stole a walnut, but was attracted by other interesting things and ran away.
Amidst the peaceful and bustling atmosphere, Shen Yuchuan's father, Shen Zhizhi, who had a gaunt face, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and had an elegant temperament, frowned slightly and looked at some of the dried fruits piled in the yard that were prepared to be used as mooncake fillings.
He whispered to his son, "Yuchuan, the quality of these walnuts and peanuts doesn't seem uniform. Some of them look... like they've been stored for a long time."
Shen Yuchuan took a look and found that some of the walnut kernels were indeed darker in color.
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