Chapter 52 Tofu with Minced Pork, Green Peppers, Cabbage, Tomatoes, ...
Gu's private kitchen usually uses white porcelain plates to serve meat and vegetables, but this time they used a dark porcelain plate to serve almond tofu, which made the six pieces of almond tofu stacked on the plate look even whiter and more like jade. The pale yellow and translucent osmanthus sauce sprinkled on top in a double zigzag pattern looked sweet and fragrant, and there were also one or two pale yellow osmanthus petals on top as decoration.
The green bell peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes look like ordinary green and yellow vegetables. The green bell pepper pieces, shredded cabbage, and stir-fried tomatoes are mixed together, and everything looks very soft. The sauce is rich and glistening with oil, and it looks like it would go well with rice.
Su Xiaoxiao chose to try the almond tofu, which looked elegant and sophisticated, first.
Because she was worried that the tofu was too delicate and would break easily when picked up, she deliberately used the spoon that came with the sweet and sour yellow croaker to press down on the rice and remove the sauce before scooping out the almond tofu.
Using a spoon in her left hand and chopsticks in her right, Su Xiaoxiao successfully scooped a piece of almond tofu into her bowl. She had been holding her breath the whole time, but now she breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her head to taste the almond tofu.
The almond tofu had a slightly cool taste, indicating that it was refrigerated, brought to room temperature, and then drizzled with osmanthus sauce before being served. It had a delicate and smooth texture, with a rich almond aroma and a mellow milky flavor.
Su Xiaoxiao originally thought that almond tofu was also made from soybeans, but with almonds added. However, she couldn't taste any soybean flavor at all. So, this almond tofu was probably made with almonds and milk.
It is simply named almond tofu because of its delicate and smooth texture and its resemblance to tofu.
Almond tofu is so delicate and smooth that you don't even need to chew it; it crumbles completely with just a gentle touch of your tongue. It's almost like eating double-skin milk pudding, with the same rich milky flavor, but with the added fragrance of almonds. It tastes very sweet and delicious.
Before I could even fully savor the almond aroma of the tofu, it was all gone. The lingering rich milky fragrance, the subtle scent of osmanthus, and the sweet taste still lingered on my tongue, bringing me great joy.
Su Xiaoxiao was very satisfied: "This almond tofu is really good. It's the first time I've ever had such a sweet and refreshing dessert."
Little Qiao Anyan also chose almond tofu from the two dishes to try first, just like her mother.
He only started to imitate his mother after she scooped a piece of almond tofu into a bowl with a spoon and chopsticks, taking the spoon from her and using the chopsticks to scoop a piece of almond tofu.
Unfortunately, little Qiao An'an doesn't usually do this kind of thing, and her hands were a bit shaky. When she was scooping up the top piece of almond tofu, she used a bit too much force and accidentally scooped up some of the bottom piece of almond tofu as well, leaving a missing corner at a glance.
He glanced at his parents discreetly, and seeing that they hadn't noticed him, he quietly put the almond tofu from the spoon into his bowl and placed it on top of the remaining white rice. After putting the spoon back on the plate of sweet and sour yellow croaker, he picked up a small piece of almond tofu with his chopsticks and ate it.
It's icy cold, and the pale yellow, translucent sauce is slightly sweet with a hint of osmanthus fragrance. The almond tofu is smooth and delicate, with the aroma of milk and the fragrance of almonds filling the mouth, like eating a dessert. After swallowing, a sweet and fragrant aftertaste lingers in the mouth.
Hearing her mother's praise, Qiao An'an nodded repeatedly, her lips curving into a wide smile, her dimples peeking out: "This almond tofu is so delicious, even better than my favorite jelly."
Su Xiaoxiao thought to herself, how can your jelly, which costs an average of five cents each, compare to the pure and rich almond tofu? Fortunately, this kid gave her a satisfactory answer.
She smiled and nodded, seeing Qiao Wenjun eating green peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, and rice with gusto, and couldn't help but say, "Qiao Wenjun, stop eating that stuff all the time, try this almond tofu, it's really amazing!"
Qiao Wenjun agreed: "I'll try it. You two should also try this vegetable dish. It's really fragrant and goes perfectly with rice. It's amazing! We can make this dish at home often from now on."
Su Xiaoxiao agreed. She had originally wanted to eat another piece of almond tofu, but she thought it would be good to try the green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes first. The dish looked quite delicious.
Qiao An'an listened to her father and didn't pick and choose. She directly reached over with her chopsticks and put a lot of food into her bowl. The salty and thick sauce flowed down the green peppers, cabbage and tomatoes, making the rice, which was already stained with orange-red sweet and sour sauce, even more colorful.
He took a bite with his chopsticks. The shredded cabbage was oily, salty, and slightly crunchy, while the tomato was juicy and sweet.
The green peppers were mixed in and I accidentally ate them along with the food. I was prepared to stick my tongue out from the spiciness, but it wasn't very spicy. It was just a little bit spicy, and the thick sauce made it very delicious.
He subconsciously mixed a mouthful of rice with it and ate it. The flavor became even richer as he chewed, and even the rice became salty and fragrant.
Qiao An'an ate two mouthfuls of rice before finishing the dish of green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes with her chopsticks, and then let out a satisfied burp: "Delicious, this dish is delicious too!"
Su Xiaoxiao also tried the dish. The shredded cabbage was salty, fragrant, oily, and slightly crisp, the tomatoes were sweet and sour and juicy, and the green peppers added a slight spiciness to the two. The ingredients themselves tasted good.
When you eat all three together, the flavors are rich and savory, crisp, oily, sweet and sour, and very satisfying to chew. It's so flavorful that you can't help but mix it with rice. It's truly a perfect dish to eat with rice.
After mixing a mouthful of rice, she immediately picked up a piece of green pepper, cabbage, and tomato and put it in the bowl.
This dish is stir-fried evenly, with the three ingredients mixed together. Each portion of each ingredient is quite generous when picked up with chopsticks. It becomes more and more delicious as you eat it with rice, and the thick, savory sauce adds a lot to the flavor.
Qiao Wenjun also ate a piece of almond tofu, and he didn't expect it to taste so good.
Picking up a small piece of almond tofu with chopsticks, the first taste is a faint fragrance of osmanthus and a sweet flavor. Biting into it, you feel its silky smoothness, the fragrance of almonds spreading in your mouth, and the rich aroma of milk surging within. It's quite sweet and delicious.
The tactile and gustatory sensations in the mouth are transmitted to the nerves, causing the brain to release dopamine, which increases a person's overall sense of happiness. This almond tofu is in his top 5 of all the desserts he has ever eaten.
The family of three's attention was completely focused on the almond tofu, green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes. They ate the sweet and mellow almond tofu for a while, and the savory and delicious green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes for a while.
Qiao Wenjun couldn't resist asking the shop assistant for another bowl of white rice, specifically to eat with green peppers, cabbage, and tomatoes.
At his wife and children's insistence, he had to share some of the bowl of white rice, piled up in a round shape, with them so they could continue eating together.
As they savored the various delicious dishes, halfway through lunch, their stomachs gradually swelled up; they were actually quite full.
Su Xiaoxiao leaned back in her chair, feeling the curve of her stomach, and secretly regretted not having the self-control to eat so much.
On second thought, I realized that the meat dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen are so delicious, and countless people online are craving them. It would be a shame not to eat more than usual.
She looked towards the store entrance. The customers who had been eating earlier had finished their meals, paid their bills, and left one after another. New customers were constantly coming in to dine, and there were still quite a few people queuing outside.
Qiao Wenjun and his son Qiao Anyan leaned back in their chairs in similar poses, touching their round bellies through their clothes.
Qiao Wenjun's words revealed his still-unsatisfied appetite: "Let's rest and catch our breath first, then we can continue eating. If we pack all this meat and vegetables back and reheat it, it won't taste as good."
Little Qiao Anyan nodded: "Yes, my mochi pudding hasn't been served yet."
When we were ordering, the waiter asked if the mochi pudding should be served as soon as it was made, or as the last dish after the meal. My mom asked for his opinion, and he thought that since we had his favorite dry pot shrimp earlier, we should have it served after the meal.
To my surprise, every dish at Gu's Private Kitchen was so delicious that I ate a lot of rice and became completely stuffed.
But the mochi pudding he wanted most hadn't been served yet; he had to eat it later!
Su Xiaoxiao then remembered that there was still this dessert: "It should be served soon. We agreed that it would be the last dish served, so you can eat it after you've rested for a while."
Qiao An'an nodded: "Okay." He simply stood up, "I'll digest faster if I stand up."
He often saw his mother standing against the wall playing on her phone for half an hour after meals, saying that it would help with digestion.
Su Xiaoxiao nodded: "Whatever you say."
Qiao Wenjun shook his head with amusement. This kid was really going all out for mochi pudding; he usually wouldn't even walk a few extra steps.
After a while, when Qiao An'an felt her stomach wasn't so bloated anymore and there seemed to be some room left to eat something, just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks to eat a piece of fish or a shrimp, the waiter came over to serve the last dish, mochi pudding.
"Wow! This mochi pudding is so cute, it's Hello Kitty!" Qiao Anyan exclaimed excitedly.
Su Xiaoxiao and Qiao Wenjun were also surprised by the shape of the mochi pudding. It was very cute and childlike. They didn't expect the chef to have put so much thought into the design.
Sister Zhou smiled when she heard Qiao An'an's exclamation: "Happy Children's Day, little one! This mochi pudding is a limited-time giveaway today, only fifteen servings are available during lunch and dinner hours."
Little Qiao An'an exclaimed again, her face beaming with joy: "Wow! Thank you, Auntie! It's a free gift! I love Gu's Private Kitchen. Every meat dish smells so good. I'll definitely come back with my mom and dad to eat here again!"
Su Xiaoxiao and Qiao Wenjun were genuinely surprised this time. When they ordered earlier, they noticed that the price of the mochi pudding wasn't listed on the menu on the wall, and they wondered if the staff had forgotten or something.
Anyway, a dessert can't be that expensive, and my son likes it, so I'll just have some. I didn't expect it to be a limited-edition free dish for Children's Day.
The couple both said, "Thank you."
Sister Zhou was charmed by the child and responded to the two customers' thanks by saying, "You're welcome. You're welcome to come and eat anytime."
"Please enjoy your meal. I won't disturb you any longer."
She turned around and saw another table of customers finish eating and get up, so she quickly went over to the cashier to help them pay.
Qiao An'an, Su Xiaoxiao, and Qiao Wenjun, a married couple, all turned their attention to the newly served mochi pudding on the dining table.
On a white porcelain plate are four light cocoa-colored mochi. Unlike the usual round mochi, these mochi have a beautiful cross-section on top, filled with creamy yellow pudding, and decorated with cute Hello Kitty patterns that seem to be smiling at those gazing at the dessert.
The Hello Kitty design was probably drawn with melted chocolate, and perhaps other colors of cream as well. The chocolate-colored eyes and smiley face, the pink bow, the light pink blush, and the creamy yellow nose combine to create a cute and childlike appearance.
Not to mention Qiao An'an, who practically had stars in her eyes as she leaned over to take a look, Su Xiaoxiao and Qiao Wenjun also liked it. It felt like a soft spot had collapsed in their hearts, and they had the illusion that they were celebrating Children's Day.
After regaining her senses, Su Xiaoxiao quickly took out her phone and snapped a picture of the mochi pudding, marking her first visit to Gu's Private Kitchen.
She opened the photo she had taken. The mochi pudding, taken with the original camera without any beauty filters or editing, looked just as exquisite and cute as it did in person. The cocoa-colored mochi had some cracked patterns, and the creamy yellow pudding had a cute Hello Kitty on it. It was a beautiful photo that could be posted on Xiaohongshu and get a lot of likes.
Su Xiaoxiao simply took individual photos of the sweet and sour yellow croaker, dry pot shrimp, green pepper, cabbage and tomato, lychee chicken soup, and the almond tofu with only one piece left, and finally took a group photo of all the dishes on the table.
She looked back at the photos she had taken, and even though there was only a small portion of each dish left, they still looked and smelled delicious.
Qiao An'an was already itching to eat. Seeing her mother still taking pictures and looking at her phone, she couldn't help but urge her, "Mom, stop looking and let's eat the mochi pudding quickly."
Su Xiaoxiao put away her phone: "Okay, I'll try it now."
I just caught my breath and rested for a bit, so I barely have enough room in my stomach for this dessert.
She and Qiao Wenjun carefully used chopsticks to pick up a mochi pudding and put it into a bowl.
Because the mochi pudding was too round and large, it was difficult to pick up with chopsticks. It took the chopsticks to spread them at the maximum angle to barely pick it up. They quickly moved the bowl closer to let the mochi pudding go into the bowl smoothly, and then they each tasted it.
Little Qiao Anyan reached out and grabbed the mochi pudding. For a moment, she hesitated to eat it because of the cute Hello Kitty on the pudding, but then compromised and ate the mochi shell first.
The mochi is soft and chewy with a slight chewiness, and the sesame seeds on the surface add a bit of texture. As you bite into it, you can feel the chocolate aroma slowly spreading out.
After taking two bites of mochi and chewing them, you can then eat the pudding.
The pudding is silky smooth with a sweet aroma and a slightly cool feel, like eating ice cream. Gradually, you can taste the milky aroma and the refreshing lemon scent. It's smooth yet bouncy, and the sweet aroma fills your mouth as you chew.
Qiao An'an chewed it in small bites, quickly chewing and swallowing the pudding that was almost as tender as jelly, and then continued to bite into it.
This time, eating mochi and pudding together, the soft and chewy mochi and the silky and delicate pudding blended together, creating a stronger sense of layering. The chocolate flavor, milky aroma, and lemon fragrance all mingled together, making it all his favorite flavors. It was pure bliss.
After taking so many bites, Qiao Anyan was about to bite into the cute and pretty Hello Kitty. She thought that such a beautiful design could make her so happy on Children's Day, which was Hello Kitty's greatest contribution.
If he leaves it uneaten, the Hello Kitty on the pudding will eventually spoil and go bad. He might as well eat it directly, so that Hello Kitty can die a worthy death and stay in his stomach.
After thinking about it for a moment, Qiao An'an took a big bite, biting off a lot of mochi pudding and half of Hello Kitty's cheek.
He chewed frantically, and in addition to the soft and chewy mochi and the smooth and delicate pudding, he also tasted the chocolate sauce with Hello Kitty on it. It was rich, sweet, and delicious!
Once you take the first bite, you'll take a second and a third. Qiao An'an no longer felt guilty. Instead, she thought that it was indeed worthy of the beautiful and cute Hello Kitty, and it tasted delicious. She enjoyed the dessert in a wonderful mood.
Although Su Xiaoxiao and Qiao Wenjun also appreciated the cuteness of the Hello Kitty on the mochi pudding, they were not as reluctant to eat it as their son was. In fact, they felt a great sense of accomplishment eating this artistic mochi pudding.
She picked up the bowl with her left hand, used her right hand to poke the top of the mochi pudding into the bowl with chopsticks, and then took a bite of the mochi first.
The mochi is soft and chewy with a slight bouncy texture. As you bite into it, you slowly taste the rich chocolate flavor with a hint of sweetness. It's neither too sweet nor too bland; the sweetness is just right.
After a piece of the mochi pudding was bitten off, there was a gap left. The pudding inside was still bouncy and jiggling, but it didn't slide out along the gap.
Su Xiaoxiao leaned over, opened her mouth wide, and took another bite. This time, in addition to mochi, she also bit into pudding, which was delicate and smooth like tofu.
Unlike almond tofu, this pudding offers the rich aroma of milk and a hint of lemon, combined with the soft and chewy texture of mochi, making it a high-quality dessert.
Su Xiaoxiao really liked the texture and sweetness of the mochi pudding. She didn't expect that Gu's Private Kitchen was not only amazing at making meat dishes for main meals, but also so skilled at making desserts.
She took another bite of the mochi pudding, eating Hello Kitty's mouth and whiskers along with it. This time, in addition to the soft, smooth, and sweet taste, she also tasted an even sweeter chocolate sauce flavor, and her sense of happiness continued to rise.
Qiao Wenjun doesn't usually like desserts, but he was attracted by the cute and childlike pattern. Plus, the meat dishes served at Gu's Private Kitchen were of such high quality that he was looking forward to this mochi pudding as well.
After eating some, I felt that it truly lived up to Gu's private kitchen reputation and did not disappoint my expectations. The soft and chewy mochi and the smooth and delicate pudding were perfectly combined, with just the right amount of sweetness, and not at all greasy.
He suddenly understood the happiness his wife and son usually felt; occasionally eating dessert could indeed stimulate dopamine secretion and bring them joy.
The family of three was completely absorbed in the delicious sweet aroma of mochi pudding, taking bites of it as the round dessert disappeared visibly from their bowls or hands.
Qiao Anyan became happier and happier as she ate, and she no longer felt sorry for Hello Kitty. She just thought the chocolate sauce with Hello Kitty on it was really delicious. The eyes and smiley face were chocolate flavored, and the blush and bow were strawberry flavored, which made the mochi pudding even more delicious.
After finishing a whole mochi pudding, he felt his stomach swell up again, but he still wanted to eat more.
Qiao An'an looked at her parents, who had almost finished a mochi pudding, and gave them a flattering smile: "Mom and Dad, do you like this mochi pudding?"
He pointed with his little finger to the last mochi pudding on the plate and smiled, "There's one more here, can I have it?"
Qiao Wenjun really liked the mochi pudding. He ate one and was quite satisfied, so he didn't want to eat any more. He could give it to his son instead.
But he didn't say anything, he listened to the child's mother.
Su Xiaoxiao ate one mochi pudding and actually wanted more; she could eat two or three of these desserts!
But today is Children's Day, so let's give An'an a break and I'll just treat it as a chance to lose weight.
She nodded: "Okay, your dad and I have had enough, you can have the last one. Consider this Gu's Private Kitchen's Children's Day gift to you."
"Yay!"
Qiao Anyan laughed heartily, even clapping her hands in joy.
Seeing that the mochi pudding was definitely going to end up in his stomach, he relaxed and leaned back in his chair, continuing to rub his stomach to try and help it digest faster: "Ah, I ate such a wonderful lunch today."
Su Xiaoxiao shook her head with amusement: "I can't even bear to look at you."
Qiao Wenjun also saw through his son's little scheme: "You little devil."
Qiao An'an chuckled, stood up to stretch and aid digestion, as there was a mochi pudding waiting for him.
When his stomach was a little emptier, he sat down to eat the last mochi pudding. Su Xiaoxiao and Qiao Wenjun also picked up their chopsticks again after catching their breath and ate the remaining sweet and sour yellow croaker, dry pot shrimp, green peppers, cabbage and tomatoes.
That way we won't need to pack it up later.
Today's meal far exceeded their family's expectations. The couple has decided to add Gu's Private Kitchen to their list of restaurants they can frequent from now on. A meal there can make them happy for three days!
Little Qiao An'an has mentioned it several times, saying that she wants to come to Gu's Private Kitchen for meals more often in the future.
He said happily, "Mom, the restaurant you chose for me to celebrate Children's Day is really wonderful!"
Su Xiaoxiao didn't bring up how he threw a tantrum when he left, but just smiled and said, "As long as you're happy."
When Gu's Private Kitchen is open for lunch, there are indeed quite a few tables of customers with children coming to eat.
Many of them were regular customers of Gu's Private Kitchen, such as Lele's family, Lao Yang and his grandson, Grandma Lin's family with Xiao Yuan and Xiao Mei, and Zhang Hong and his wife with their children.
Some unfamiliar customers brought their children to eat.
Sweet and sour yellow croaker, dry pot shrimp, lychee chicken soup, and green pepper, cabbage and tomato dishes are all popular, while almond tofu is loved by both adults and children.
The first fifteen tables of customers were pleasantly surprised to learn that the mochi pudding was a free Children's Day gift when the staff served the food.
The tables with children thanked Aunt Zhou, saying they really liked the Children's Day gift. The adults were also very happy, saying they had planned to bring their children to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal to celebrate Children's Day, but they were surprised to receive this unexpected gift. They were very grateful.
Customers who originally just came to eat whenever they had time were pleasantly surprised to receive the complimentary mochi pudding. One person exclaimed, "Only Gu's Private Kitchen treats me like a child; I can even celebrate Children's Day like this!"
Sister Zhou smiled and said that there was no need to be polite, as long as everyone was happy. She then turned to the glass window and relayed these words to Gu Qingqiu, who was also very pleased to hear them.
This mochi pudding was an idea she came up with after seeing a related video on Xiaohongshu yesterday. She thought that Children's Day is a holiday full of fun and love, so she decided not to make a separate dish, but to give it to customers as a free gift.
Because ingredients are limited, the limited-quantity event is more attractive, so she set a rule that the first fifteen tables during lunch and dinner would receive a free gift, and it seems to be working quite well.
Gu Qingqiu returned to the stove with a smile and continued working. Sister Zhou was serving customers in the dining area, serving dishes, helping customers settle their bills, wiping the tables clean, and welcoming new customers to dine in.
Later customers saw a Hello Kitty dish on other tables and asked Sister Zhou what it was, since they hadn't seen it on the menu on the wall.
Sister Zhou explained apologetically, "I'm sorry, this is a limited-edition Children's Day gift of mochi pudding that our store offers. There are only fifteen servings available for lunch and dinner. Since we've already sold out, we've removed this dish from the menu on the wall."
The customer was disappointed: "Oh, they're all gone already? Couldn't you have given us more? We were only a little late, and that mochi pudding looked so delicious!"
Sister Zhou said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, but due to limited ingredients, we can only guarantee 15 servings each for lunch and dinner. We really can't give away any more. If we have any more promotions in the future, we will try our best to prepare more ingredients so that all customers dining in can enjoy our promotional gifts."
The customers understood after hearing this; mochi pudding like this could easily be served as a dish, and it was already quite generous to be given away for free to fifteen tables.
Many stores offer limited-edition freebies during promotions.
Undeterred, she asked, "Then can we pay for one serving?"
Sister Zhou shook her head sincerely and helplessly: "I'm sorry, we don't sell these right now because of limited ingredients."
"Alright." The customer sighed and turned to look at the meat dishes on the menu, discussing with the people at the table what to order.
Once they started enjoying the delicious and visually appealing dishes—sweet and sour daylily, dry-pot shrimp, almond tofu, green pepper, cabbage, tomato, and lychee soup—the customers who were initially disappointed at not being able to get the free mochi pudding instantly became excited. They completely forgot about the mochi pudding and focused solely on eating.
Around 12:45, the restaurant was still full of seven tables of customers, all of whom had ordered their dishes and were enjoying their meals.
A wooden sign reading "Ingredients Sold Out" was hung outside the restaurant. Customers who arrived a little late suggested to Sister Zhou that the owner prepare more ingredients before leaving with no choice.
Some people casually found a restaurant on Suli Street, sat down, and ate to get by, while others simply left to find another restaurant they wanted to eat at.
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