Chapter 279 Fruit Canning Workshop
"Master, please have a taste." Madam Ji couldn't help but urge.
After all, it was a feudal era; she could only eat if the master had tasted it.
Master Ji picked up a silver spoon, scooped up a piece of peach petal, put it in his mouth, and savored it slowly.
The peach flesh is perfectly tender and firm, with a delicate and sweet taste that is in no way inferior to fresh yellow peaches, and even has an extra rich sweetness.
"This... how can the fruit be preserved so perfectly?" His eyes were full of surprise.
Madam Ji also took a bite, her eyes filled with undisguised surprise.
"Is this really something we can eat at this time of year? The taste is so fresh, sweet, and pure, without any hint of staleness!"
They tasted the sweet soup again; it was refreshingly sweet without being cloying, and had a rich aroma of yellow peaches that was delightful.
"Miss Jiang said the key lies in the sealing technology," Ji Wensheng explained.
"This product is not limited by season, and it has great advantages for off-season sales or for transporting to places where fruit is not grown."
Master Ji, being a seasoned businessman, instantly sensed a huge business opportunity, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes:
"Wen Sheng! This product has great potential! Not only yellow peaches, but other fruits can probably be made into canned goods as well. If it can be mass-produced, various fruits can be supplied year-round, without being limited by region or season. This business is worth doing!"
He stood up, his tone urgent: "Write to Miss Jiang immediately, ask about the production volume and price of this canned food, and whether she is willing to expand production. My Ji family is willing to cooperate fully, and will provide full support no matter how much money or manpower is needed!"
Ji Wensheng quickly agreed, "Yes, Father! I'll make the arrangements first thing tomorrow morning!"
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Upon receiving Ji Wensheng's reply, Jiang Ling quickly finalized the arrangements for the canned food sales.
Unlike other snacks and treats in the shop, canned fruit is made using a technique that preserves fresh fruit for a long time. This technique was almost impossible in this era, so it could be considered a luxury item, exclusively for high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital.
Especially since glassmaking was still in its infancy at that time, the glass jars from which the canned food was finished were also collectible art pieces.
Ji Wensheng acted swiftly, and while waiting for Jiang Ling's reply, he began preparations.
He first carefully selected several cans of the best-looking yellow peaches and assorted fruit preserves, and discreetly delivered them to several high-ranking families who were on good terms with the Ji family and had considerable influence in the capital, in the name of the owner of "Ji's Treasures Pavilion". As a taste gift, like a "novel tribute from a foreign land", he attached a brief description, implying that the items were rare out-of-season treasures and extremely limited in quantity.
This trial balloon had an immediate and noticeable effect.
Within two or three days, the mansions that received the canned goods began to respond.
First, the housekeeper or a respectable matron would come to inquire where this item could be purchased.
Following this, several noble ladies who were on good terms with Madam Ji casually mentioned this rare item called "canned food" at tea parties and flower banquets, praising its ability to taste like fresh summer fruit in spring, and its sweet and non-rotten characteristics were hailed as a marvel.
"I heard that's a treasure that the Ji family lad brought from the south, it's called... canned peaches? Tsk tsk, to be able to eat such sweet yellow peaches in the middle of spring, it's truly an eye-opener!"
"That's right! My husband tried it and said it was even better than the candied fruit bestowed upon us by the palace. The key is that it's so fresh!"
"When will the Ji Family Shop be released? You must let me know in advance, my girls are really craving it."
Rumors and praises exploded like water into boiling oil in the upper echelons of Beijing.
People are filled with curiosity about these canned fruits that can defy seasonality and remain perfectly preserved.
Especially for those fashionable and competitive young ladies, being able to be among the first to taste these fresh spring fruits is seen as a symbol of status and prestige.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Ji Wensheng immediately spread the word: "Ji's Treasure Pavilion" will release its first batch of "overseas secret recipe" fruit canned goods in three days. There will only be two flavors: yellow peach and mixed fruit. The quantity is limited, so please buy as soon as possible.
On the day of the sale, just as dawn broke, the streets where "Ji's Treasures Pavilion" was located were packed with magnificent carriages from various mansions and eagerly awaiting servants.
Even before the shop opened, there was already a great deal of noise outside.
When the auspicious time came and the doors opened, the crowd surged in, their destination clear: the glass jars on the counter that gleamed enticingly in the morning light.
"Give me five cans of yellow peaches!"
"Assorted! I want three cans!"
"Don't push! There's enough for everyone... Ouch, someone stepped on my foot!"
The situation almost spiraled out of control at one point.
Even the usually meticulous housekeepers and maids, who were usually very particular about their manners and poise, couldn't care less at this moment, fearing that if they were a step too slow, they wouldn't be able to buy anything.
The crystal-clear glass jars, the plump fruit pulp, and the sweet aroma all stimulate people's desire to buy.
In less than half an hour, the first batch of nearly a hundred cans of food were sold out.
Later arrivals could only sigh at the empty shelves, constantly asking the staff when the next batch would arrive.
"Manager Ji, when will the next batch of goods arrive? You must reserve some for our household!"
"That's right, that's right, our lady has been talking about it for days!"
"Price is negotiable, as long as you have the goods!"
Ji Wensheng stood in the private room on the second floor, looking through the window at the bustling scene below, a knowing smile on his face.
He gave the order to register all customers who were unable to purchase the goods, promising to notify them of priority upon delivery.
Canned fruit became an overnight sensation in Beijing, becoming a new favorite on the tables of high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and tycoons, as well as a popular gift.
In the afternoon, even the palace maids came.
It is said that the Empress heard that there were novel off-season fruits in the capital, so she specially sent her nanny to inquire about them.
Ji Wensheng personally greeted them and presented them with two cans of food. The nanny took a bite and nodded repeatedly, immediately ordering fifty cans to take into the palace for the Empress and the princesses to try.
The order from the palace caused an uproar in the capital.
At this moment in Jishui Village, Jiang Ling was busy making canned goods with Xiao Ran, Xiao Qiu, and several women from the village.
Jiang Ling had already bought the small courtyard behind the shop, which she had previously given to Xiao Tao to live in temporarily, but it was now vacant.
They then transformed the courtyard into a temporary workshop, with several large iron pots placed on the stove, boiling sugar water inside; on the wooden table next to it, villagers were busy washing, peeling, and chopping.
Spring plowing has ended. Jiang Ling had previously considered selling canned goods to give the villagers of Jishui Village a job and increase their income.
The first group of people to help were all familiar women: Little Fatty's mother, Aunt Chen, Little Ran's mother, Little Flower's mother, and Sister Zhao. Everyone quietly went about their work.
Jiang Ling said that since this is food processing, hygiene is the most important thing, so you can't chat while working.
Jiang Ling gave them work clothes and masks, covering them up so that not even a single hair could be seen.
They knew Jiang Ling was a clean person and paid her a high wage, so they worked meticulously.
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