Chapter 51: Eat and Drink
At this moment, in this ordinary and quiet village, Zhao Chunhua's courtyard is also bustling with activity.
A table was borrowed from a caring neighbor. This rectangular table, made of solid wood and with a smooth surface, has been placed in the center of the yard.
God seems to be fulfilling this joy, the weather is particularly good today, with blue sky and white clouds, and occasional breezes blowing across our faces.
The women chose to stay inside to help clean the dishes or look after the children, while the men sat outside, enjoying the fresh air and the delicious food that was about to be served.
Although the courtyard is not big, it is very cozy. There are three main houses arranged in a line on the north side, and the main door faces south.
The space originally planned to build the side rooms is now temporarily vacant. Various green vegetables are planted on this open space, adding a bit of vitality to the daily life. In the corner behind the left side of the main house is a specially set up kitchen and a small space for storing firewood. At the end of the right side is a winding path leading to the back garden. Along this path, you can also find a simple living room in the corner for the whole family to use.
There are makeshift toilets and simple bathing areas.
A large clay pot of chicken soup has been simmering slowly on the red stove for more than an hour. As time goes by, the soup becomes more and more rich and tempting.
The delicious smell gradually spread, almost filling the entire small courtyard, making everyone who passed by here couldn't help but stop and take a deep breath.
At this moment, amidst the laughter and joy, all the children gathered in a safe corner to play and frolic. They were sitting or crawling, and were carefully taken care of by several kind sisters-in-law to prevent any danger.
Zhao Chunhua, wearing a neat and clean floral apron, was busy preparing dishes.
She carefully poured a proper amount of cooking oil into the boiling iron pan, and when the temperature was right, she sprinkled in a handful of plump and round peanuts that had been cleaned in advance and stir-fried them.
Put the peanuts into the pot while the oil is still cold, and take them out quickly when they still have a slight raw smell.
At this time, relying on the residual heat left from frying and the thin layer of oil in the peanuts themselves, you can just get rid of the unpleasant astringency, making the fried peanuts crispy on the outside while retaining a natural fragrance on the inside.
Next up is a dish of fatty meat and dried fern.
The emerald green and vibrant fresh ferns picked from the mountains in spring are simply cooked and then dried for long-term preservation.
Before eating, soak the dried ferns in hot water until they become soft, then add various seasonings according to personal preference and stir-fry them carefully.
Cooking with fatty and fragrant pork belly allows the bracken in this dish to absorb excess fat and thus become more mellow and have a richer flavor.
The satisfaction brought by this perfect blend of meat and vegetables is incomparable to ordinary ingredients.
Paired with diced lean pork stir-fried with bright red but not too spicy green peppers, and handmade bean products that have been carefully and slowly grilled on both sides to give off an alluring aroma.
Plus a braised river fish that is freshly caught locally and carefully stewed in traditional way until the soup turns golden and shiny as the main dish;
In addition, there are small steamed buns that are soft, delicate and slightly chewy, made from two healthy coarse grains, corn flour and sorghum flour, which are carefully mixed and then kneaded, fermented and steamed by hand. We also specially prepare a portion of sweet potato porridge that is warm and nourishing.
Such a table of six simple yet nutritious home-cooked dishes is more than enough to entertain friends and family, and will surely satisfy everyone who comes to taste them.
Zhang Mingfeng sat together with Zhao Chunhua's four brothers, two respected elders of the clan, and the village chief.
They sat around a large table, everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.
There was a harmonious and warm atmosphere in the room, and the sound of conversation and laughter could be heard everywhere, making the room seem particularly intimate.
The other table in the room was reserved for women. Only Zhao Chunhua, her eldest sister-in-law, her second sister-in-law, and the wives who came with the male guests, a total of six people, sat there.
These women were all dressed simply and elegantly, chatting and laughing with each other, as if they had endless topics to talk about.
Sometimes they whispered, sometimes they laughed out loud, and the atmosphere at the table was warm and lively.
"I guess you spent a lot of money today."
The village chief’s wife’s surname is Zhang, and everyone affectionately calls her Aunt Zhang.
She sighed softly, a hint of concern in her words.
Aunt Zhang was wearing plain clothes, and her eyes revealed sincerity and kindness.
Normally, she is one of the most respected people in the village, not only because her husband is the village chief, but also because of her considerate heart.
Aunt Zhang and Zhao Chunhua usually get along well. After all, Zhao Chunhua is introverted and doesn't like to talk much, while Aunt Zhang is a talkative person. Sometimes she always feels that she and Zhao Chunhua can't get along.
But this difference in personality did not hinder their friendly relationship, but made the relationship more real.
Today, Aunt Zhang seemed attracted by the food prepared by Zhao Chunhua, and couldn't help but develop a new curiosity about her.
However, seeing that all these delicacies were prepared by Zhao Chunhua today, it is obvious that she put a lot of thought into preparing this banquet.
From the brightly colored stir-fried meat to the golden chicken soup, every dish looks very tempting.
The various delicacies on the table all show Zhao Chunhua's passion for cooking and her respect for her guests.
“The most important thing is that everyone has enough food and drink.”
Zhao Chunhua asked everyone to start eating quickly.
Although her tone was calm, it made people feel very comfortable.
In such occasions, Zhao Chunhua is not good at using too many words to express her thoughts. Instead, she prefers to convey her feelings through delicious dishes.
She was not good at expressing herself in such social conversational terms, so she let the food fill the language gap.
After all, in traditional Chinese culture, a sumptuous banquet is often more substantial than any words.
Especially in such a warm gathering, sharing food can bring people closer together.
To be honest, eating is the least stressful thing. At least you don’t have to rack your brains to find topics to talk about.
Seeing all kinds of dishes in front of them, both adults and children were extremely excited.
Everyone couldn't wait to taste the delicious food made by Zhao Chunhua, and the atmosphere on the scene became more and more lively.
The scorching summer heat and the stuffy kitchen made Zhao Chunhua, who thought she would lose her appetite, realize that she had underestimated the charm of natural ingredients without the influence of pesticides and fertilizers.
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