Chapter 180 Steamed Rice Noodles with Chinese Sausage [First Update]
Carp Village became an instant hit, becoming the most popular tourist destination this summer.
Tickets to City X sold out quickly, and the city government mobilized swiftly, not only cleaning the streets thoroughly but also encouraging everyone to provide tourists with a better experience.
[A-Chai: I've started commuting by bicycle now, just in case I get stuck in traffic with tourists. My mom even goes with her senior citizens' dance troupe to help manage traffic.]
[Pinewood: Same here, maintaining traffic order +1. My brother's company has also been having continuous overtime lately. In all my years in X city, this is the first time I've seen so many cars.]
[Jiangjiang: My biggest feeling every time I go out is how many, many, many out-of-town license plates there are... It's terrifying.]
[Tongque: Everything else is fine, but my mom told me not to go to Wenji for a while, and I burst into tears!]
[Pinewood: Same here! Overtime hasn't made me this miserable. The key is that Wenji now gives tourists snacks every day. They're all things I've never tried before!]
[Tiramisu: Me too! I couldn't resist yesterday, so I secretly went to queue up. Luckily, the handsome young man at Wen Ji gave me a small bowl of cold noodles, which barely satisfied my craving.]
[Tongque: What are you babbling about... Is the jelly delicious?]
[Tiramisu: Delicious! It's made with thin, finely scraped jelly using a small spatula, mixed with a sauce that also contains gluten and cucumber strips. Served in a small cup, it's tangy, spicy, and refreshingly cool—super delicious! It's a shame they only give one cup per person, but I brought my thermos, and the staff gave me some herbal tea! So satisfying.]
[Jiang Jiang: ...To be honest, this is the first time I've been looking forward to September.]
[Tongque: Who isn't? Ahhhh, I really want to eat cold jelly!]
...
Wen Fan made many bowls of the much-anticipated cold jelly and kept them on hand.
This stuff doesn't cost much; a little pea flour can make quite a lot. Wen Fan prepared the sauce, and gave everyone in line a small cup to try, regardless of whether they had a number or not.
Even the street workers on duty nearby were fed several times, and they all had smiles on their faces, making their work go more smoothly.
After Wen's mother suggested the sausage issue to Director Hao, Director Hao went back and discussed it, and came back with a compromise solution.
“Powdered ingredients won’t work; they won’t stand out on the shelf. You should find a processing plant to process them, or figure out a way to make them yourself before putting them on the shelf. This will make it easier to price them.”
After thinking about it, Wen's mother realized that she had seen sausage vendors everywhere, but how many vendors specialized in seasoning powder? This stuff was light and unpackaged, so it was definitely more convenient to make it herself.
So, in between her busy schedule, Wen's mother took half a day to visit the processing plant.
Wen Fan went along too, and Wen's mother took her daughter straight to a small local food processing plant.
Because it was Director Hao who introduced us, the person in charge was very enthusiastic and gave us a very detailed introduction.
"We mainly do fine processing here. The scale is not large, but we use the best machines. We also have a workshop for sausages. From sausage stuffing to drying, the whole process takes no more than a week. If you want more, we also have discounts."
Wen Fan stood next to a clearly sealed machine, picked up a box of packaged chicken feet, and was quite surprised.
The person in charge cheerfully said that samples were available.
"This customer is also a local established brand that specializes in spicy chicken feet. In recent years, they have promoted their products more and some customers from other places also want to try them, so they asked us to do the packaging."
Wen Fan opened the lid and smelled a strong, pungent aroma. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that, regardless of the appearance, the broth was about a third full. Wen Fan understood that chicken feet packaged this way would obviously be more flavorful.
How long is the shelf life?
The person in charge pointed to the box: "This can be customized. The shelf life also determines the different processing methods. For example, this kind has a shelf life of only seven days. There is basically nothing added inside. As long as a few ice packs are added during transportation, the taste will be only one or two points different from the store's."
Wen Fan pondered, "You can make this with crayfish and fish too?"
The person in charge smiled and pointed to the goods of another vendor next door: "Isn't that it? We make the most crayfish. With a little broth, it's kept on a cold chain throughout the process, so there won't be any problems. As for the fish, what's the specific cooking method?"
Wen Fan pondered for a moment: "Crispy fish."
"That's no problem, all we need to do is vacuum the system."
Wen's mother asked her daughter, "Are you planning to make crispy fish?"
Wen Fan nodded. Ever since the show aired, many people have been clamoring to eat the same fish dishes featured on the show. It was clear from Director Hao's initial suggestion to Wen's mother that he really wanted Wen's restaurant to open a branch in Carp Village so that people who came specifically to try the dishes featured on the show could do so.
The branch is gone now, but they can still put one or two fish dishes on the menu.
As for crayfish, it's purely a matter of consuming our own production capacity.
The crayfish in that pond are at their peak season now. Even if there were several more branches, let alone one Wenji restaurant, we could still supply them all.
After deciding on the type, the mother and daughter asked about all the details and then went home to consider it carefully.
The shop's employees already knew that the owner had gone to discuss sausage processing, and as soon as she returned, they started asking her all sorts of questions.
Wen's mother said she was considering it.
Wen Fan went into the kitchen and began tasting the dishes. Dishes that needed to be packaged would definitely require some modifications based on the restaurant's existing offerings.
Considering how the diners would like to take the food home, Wen Fan finally selected four dishes: spicy crayfish, fried crispy fish, fried shrimp balls, and egg yolk dumplings.
Just as Wen Fan was busy with the food tasting, online discussions about the show shifted to another topic.
When the show first aired, everyone's focus was on how entertaining it was. It wasn't until a few days after the show ended that people belatedly realized that one person was missing from the excitement.
[TaoTao: I told you Zhou Xuanli was just a pretty face, he was totally out of place this episode! Everyone else was giving him hints, but he just wouldn't respond, it's hilarious. Was he only thinking about his persona when he was on the show? The production team went to great lengths to give him the role of the oil seller monopolizing the courtesan, and guess what? He didn't even go in!]
[Nono: Honestly, I skipped him the whole time; he was just so boring. How could someone be so dull? Everyone who encountered him tried to lead him to the main group, but he just insisted on selling oil! And even selling oil was so unoriginal; it was so boring I fast-forwarded.]
[Mianhuhu: So boring I had to fast-forward +1. On the other hand, Su Tiantian really knew how to find the right rhythm. Seeing her running around carrying the fish made me laugh so hard. If Su Tiantian wasn't in this episode, the effect would be halved! It was hilarious.]
[Water Sprite: Check out Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform), there's a behind-the-scenes rant. Zhou Xuanli left right after the show ended, while the others had dinner plans the next day. The funny thing about him is that even though he left voluntarily, many people misunderstood and said he was being ostracized, and he didn't explain a word, causing everyone else to be criticized. Su Tiantian was especially criticized... With this kind of character, no wonder someone exposed him.]
[Xiao Zhou, keep it up! The production team is bullying us and they think they're justified? The editing is in their hands, so of course they can edit it however they want! And about the script, our Xiao Zhou is an honest kid, what are the production team's intentions in deliberately arranging such a script?]
[Mianhuhu: What's his motive? He's just giving him a chance to shine. When he's bragging, he's all about being cultured and well-read, but when given the opportunity, he's useless.]
...
The online arguments were deafening. Zhou Xuanli lost some fans, and the remaining fans started attacking him everywhere, which made Zhou Xuanli's manager lose his temper.
"Didn't I tell you to be more careful? Look what you've done!"
Zhou Xuanli couldn't help but feel regretful. At that time, all he could think about was forming a couple with Su Tiantian. Later, when he realized he couldn't form a couple, he thought about winning instead. Now that he thinks about it, it turns out that several people had hinted to him to go together.
But it's too late to say anything now.
After being scolded by his agent, Zhou Xuanli belatedly went to Su Tiantian's account to reply.
Wow, this looks delicious! If I hadn't been so busy with work that day, I definitely would have gone too. I'm so envious!
After the comment was posted, Su Tiantian replied with a smiley face only after a long time, without saying a single extra word.
Others also felt that Zhou Xuanli's actions were undignified.
Why release it now of all times? Why not earlier or later? And then try to cover it up after being proven wrong? It's full of holes.
Even the production team kept quiet, clearly handling the matter quietly.
Zhou Xuanli's anger intensified, and he attributed everything to the sudden emergence of Wen Ji.
If it weren't for this restaurant, where would all this trouble come from?
Remember...
Zhou Xuanli glared fiercely at Wen Ji's account on his phone.
****
The first batch of sausages was unexpectedly made in just a few days. Wenmu divided it into two parts: one half was sent to Liyu Village, and the other half was sold in the shop at a low price. The sausages were packaged in gift boxes and sold for eighty-eight yuan.
Ji Baiyi distributed the prepared and cut sausages to the waiting customers, and many of them took a bite and then asked if there were any more.
Ji Bai pointed to the shop: "Yes, we have gift boxes for sale, and we also have a few new dishes."
When Chinese sausage is prepared well, it tastes delicious whether it's used in rice or stir-fries. This time, Wen Fan chose to make steamed rice noodles with Chinese sausage.
Fresh, thin rice noodles are soaked in boiling water, mixed with sauce, and steamed. Marinated tender meat slices and sausage slices are placed on top of the rice noodles. The steamed rice noodles are fragrant, soft, and chewy. Eating them with sausage and meat slices is more refreshing and less greasy than stir-fried rice noodles.
Every customer who walks in orders a bowl.
The rice noodles are oily and savory, the sliced meat is tender and smooth, and the sausage is sweet, salty, chewy and fragrant. Add a little bit of fried garlic, and anyone who has tried it will take a sausage gift box with them when they leave.
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Author's Note: The second update will still be tomorrow at noon.
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