Monopoly crisis
Li Yinzhu's fragrance is indeed effective.
The old saying goes that good wine needs no bush, but simply waiting for the aroma to waft out is too passive.
Nowadays, if someone lights an incense stick, the enticing aroma of fresh flower cakes can be smelled from a few steps away. If the person happens to be hungry at that moment, it's the perfect advertisement.
And indeed, that proved to be true.
Su Shan Xiao Ji already had a good reputation, and with the added benefit of snacks and incense, Wu Niang would do the accounting after closing each day and say that the income was much higher than before.
With more customers, products need to be updated.
After much deliberation, Pei Qingwu chose the five-spice clove cake, a famous intangible cultural heritage pastry from modern Fujian.
It tastes good, and the ingredients are readily available these days.
She first purchased the finest wheat flour, sesame seeds, sugar cubes, and red beans.
The most crucial ingredient is still those few spices.
The cloves purchased from the Hu merchants were ground into a fine powder, and then mixed with Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, star anise, and other spices to make a mixed spice powder.
To make it, first dissolve the sugar cubes in boiling water to form a thick paste, then carefully mix it with cooked red bean paste and a little lard to form a smooth filling.
Take another wheat flour, mix it with warm water to form a dough, roll it into a thin sheet, spread a thin layer of oil on it, and then sprinkle it with the pre-mixed clove powder and five-spice powder.
Roll the dough into long strips, cut them into small pieces, flatten them, wrap them with red bean paste filling, pinch them into flat round shapes, pinch the edges to make delicate pleats, and then sprinkle a layer of sesame seeds on top.
A flat-bottomed griddle was set up on the wood-fired stove, and Pei Qingwu carefully placed the raw dough into the griddle and slowly cooked it over a low flame.
In a short while, a rich and complex spicy aroma rose gently.
The aroma blends the penetrating power of cloves, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the sweetness of cinnamon, and the lingering aftertaste of star anise, layered with the fragrance of roasted wheat and sesame, filling the entire kitchen.
Once cooked, the pancakes are removed from the pan, their color turning golden brown with browned cloud-like patterns.
Pei Qingwu summoned Gu Heng and the others to share the food.
Upon first bite, the crispy crust crumbles, releasing a burst of hot red bean paste with a rich five-spice flavor and a unique clove aroma. It's sweet but not cloying, savory and slightly spicy, with distinct layers and a lingering aftertaste.
"Delicious! It tastes different!"
"If any customers don't like sweet things, this is the perfect recommendation!"
After tasting it, everyone's eyes lit up, and they exclaimed in amazement, saying that they had never tasted such a uniquely flavorful dessert before.
Because everyone said it was good, the next day when the store opened, the freshly baked five-spice clove cakes were cut into delicate small pieces and placed on a fine porcelain dish with the words "New Product for Tasting" written next to them.
It's the same marketing strategy Pei Qingwu often uses: offering free samples of new products to attract customers and build a good reputation.
The hot, exotic aroma was extremely invasive, like an invisible hand that easily caught the noses of passersby.
"What fragrance is this? It's so tempting!"
"These are our boss's newly made spiced clove cakes. Guests are welcome to try them; it's free."
Qian Tao, who was waiting nearby, handed over a piece with a smile.
As the guest takes the bite, the first sensation is the crispy and fragrant sesame seeds on the outside, followed by the hot and spicy red bean paste. The sharpness of the cloves and the richness of the five-spice blend together on the tongue. The sweetness of the sugar and the smoothness of the red bean paste perfectly envelop the wonderful spiciness, invigorating the spirit and whetting the appetite.
"Excellent! This tastes just right for me! Quickly, pack two jin for me!"
Those who tried it found it novel and delicious, and eagerly bought it.
As the crowds gathered in front of the Sushan market, the clinking of coins falling into the jars filled the air, and the new products attracted a constant stream of customers as soon as they hit the shelves.
For several days in a row, the business of spiced clove cakes has been good.
This snack has a novel and delicious taste, and many people want to try it. In addition, its reputation is indeed very good, so word spreads quickly, and the shop is always packed with customers.
"Boss, these clove cakes are indeed the best-selling items."
After dinner, Wu Niang fiddled with the abacus beads and happily reported to Pei Qingwu.
“Master Ji from the east of the city ordered more than ten servings at once.”
"Also, Madam Zhao has ordered quite a lot."
"The princess also agreed."
Everyone chimed in with their own words, their joy and encouragement at making money evident.
only……
“Master, the ingredients we have now are only enough to make fifteen trays of clove cakes,” Yu Yi said.
After being framed twice for food-related issues, Pei Qingwu became more cautious and tried her best to ensure that the pastries were steamed and made fresh every day. If there were any unsold pastries, they were either shared among her own family or fed to stray dogs outside. Even if they were all thrown away, she would never sell any that had been kept overnight.
As Yu Yi had said, there were indeed not many raw materials left at this moment.
"I'll buy some more tomorrow," Pei Qingwu said, not taking it to heart.
The following morning, in the western market of Qinzhou.
The Persian Residence was a place in the city that specialized in selling exotic ingredients. Pei Qingwu arrived early in the morning, and as soon as he lifted the curtain, the unique and rich aroma of spices wafted out.
The tall, bearded merchant Said immediately smiled knowingly at Pei Qingwu, his shrewd, deep blue eyes widening with a knowing smile: "Master Pei! My old friend! You've come again for those precious lilac buds?"
“Exactly. Please ask Mr. Said to prepare enough for ten days at the old price.” Pei Qingwu got straight to the point.
The smile on Said's face froze instantly, then turned into exaggerated regret and embarrassment.
“Oh dear, Master Pei! This is really…unfortunate!” He spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. “As you know, our goods are all shipped by sea. The sea is unpredictable. A lot of the last batch of cloves was swallowed up by the waves. The journey from Lingnan to Qinzhou is really long. Very few can be transported.”
As he spoke, he took a step closer and lowered his voice: "These days, fine lilacs are more valuable than gold, but for the sake of our old friendship..."
He held up three fingers: "Three times! Just this much, and I'll immediately prepare the finest cloves for you! I guarantee every single one will be plump and intensely fragrant!"
Three times? Pei Qingwu sneered inwardly.
That greedy face of demanding exorbitant prices, does she really think Pei Qingwu is a fool?
Said continued to emphasize the dangers of the journey and the preciousness of the lilacs, while Pei Qingwu remained calm and composed, though a layer of ice had formed in her clear eyes.
She raised her hand to stop him from speaking: "I appreciate Mr. Said's kindness. But this lilac, which is more valuable than gold, is something I can't afford to offer with my small business."
Having said that, he didn't even glance at Said's face, which had turned grim after his initial shock, before turning away resolutely.
Gu Heng, carrying an empty bag, followed closely behind.
All I could feel was that my boss's upright back and his neither humble nor arrogant attitude were simply...
So handsome.
Back in the shop's backyard, the oppressive atmosphere made the air feel heavy.
When Qian Tao, Yin Lan, and the others heard that Said dared to ask for three times the exorbitant price, they were all outraged.
"This is outrageous!" Shi Dayong slammed his fist on the table. "Someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes. They saw that our clove cakes were selling well and wanted to cut off our livelihood!"
“That’s right, how can you do business like that?” Jinniang also said.
Pei Qingwu, however, had already calmed down and walked straight to the pile of books in the corner.
She casually flipped open an old, yellowed copy of "Newly Revised Materia Medica"①, her fingertips quickly skimming over the lines of ink, her gaze finally settling on the words "Gan Song Xiang" (a type of spice).
"Spicy ginseng, sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic... It is used to treat foul odors, sudden abdominal pain and fullness, and to relieve bloating."
There is also a small note next to it: "Its fragrance can promote qi circulation, relieve pain, and invigorate the spleen and stimulate appetite."
Spikenard?
Pei Qingwu's heart stirred.
This is the root of a medicinal plant commonly found in the local mountains and fields. It has a unique spicy aroma. Although it is not a flower bud, its fragrance is also spicy and invigorating.
A sudden idea flashed through her mind, and she stood up abruptly: "Aheng, go to the pharmacy quickly and buy some top-quality nardostachys. Qiantao, come with me to the storeroom and find the wild chili peppers and dried costus flowers we bought for tasting earlier!"
It's just lilacs. If she can't have lilacs, she can easily use something else to replace them.
For the sake of research and development, the stove fire burned day and night, and the air was filled with all sorts of strange smells.
For the first attempt, the main ingredient was wild chili peppers ground into powder.
As soon as the griddle heated up, a pungent fumes shot up, causing Wu Niang to cough repeatedly.
The baked cakes, with their red bean paste filling infused with a scorching spiciness, felt like swallowing fire. After just one bite, everyone gulped down water, shaking their heads and smiling wryly.
The second time, I used dried rosemary flowers with a rich and sweet aroma, ground into powder.
The cake was baked to a tempting golden brown. When you bite into it, the initial taste is full of floral fragrance and too sweet. However, the aftertaste is subtly sour and suffocating, like an over-pile of perfume and powdery fragrance that is so sweet that it makes you dizzy and nauseous.
The repeated failures did not discourage Pei Qingwu; she turned her attention to the spikenard she had bought from the pharmacy.
The twisted, dark brown rhizomes have a very unique aroma. At first, they smell like a rich earthy scent with a sweet, pine-like fragrance. Upon closer inspection, there is a slightly medicinal, spicy undertone, which is incomparable to sweet and cloying perfumes.
"It is worth a try because of its pungent and invigorating properties."
"But how do we tame this bittersweet feeling?"
As Pei Qingwu pounded the nardostachys into powder, he pondered deeply, recalling the method of pickling fruit from the "Essential Techniques for the Common People."
She asked Fifth Sister to bring a small jar of fine rice wine, carefully soaked crushed nardostachys powder into it, and added a little rock sugar to balance the sweetness and bitterness.
The wine is infused with spices, and the subtle aromas of herbs blend slowly with the rich fragrance of wine and honey.
A day later, after filtering the wine, the moist spikenard powder had lost its raw, grassy smell and abrupt bitterness, revealing a complex spicy aroma with a hint of sweetness.
The aroma invigorated Pei Qingwu, who immediately adjusted the recipe, using the wine-soaked spikenard powder as the base.
The numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns has been reduced by half, the sweetness and warmth of cinnamon have been slightly increased to balance it, and the amount of star anise for added aroma has also been carefully adjusted.
And so, the new dough was placed on the hot griddle.
This time, the rising aroma was completely different.
It lacks the crisp, sharp scent of cloves that hits the nose instantly, but instead possesses a richer, more mellow woody spiciness that gently diffuses.
The aroma, like a warm current or a gentle breeze through the pines, is steadily supported by the caramelized scent of the baked wheat cakes. The sesame seeds sizzle under the heat, releasing a rich, nutty, and oily fragrance.
When the first batch of flat, round cakes sprinkled with sesame seeds, bearing enticing golden-brown cloud-like patterns, came out of the oven, the entire back kitchen fell silent.
Everyone held their breath, watching as Pei Qingwu carefully pried one open.
The crispy crust shattered, revealing the steaming, dark brown red bean paste filling inside. A rich, spicy aroma, accompanied by scalding heat, burst forth.
Pei Qingwu took a bite first.
Upon first bite, you're greeted by a crispy crust, followed by a burst of sweet red bean paste in your mouth.
The flavor is a blend of the sweetness of cinnamon and rice wine, the slight numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, and the lingering aftertaste of star anise, all cleverly combined with the unique aroma of wine-soaked pine nuts, perfectly enveloping the smooth and sweet red bean paste.
It not only lacked the expected bitterness, but after the initial spiciness, a clear, lingering sweetness rose from the back of the tongue, with a salty, slightly spicy flavor, distinct layers, and a long aftertaste.
"It's done!" Pei Qingwu's eyes shone with the brightest light he had seen in days.
"Let me try it!" Wu Niang couldn't wait to pick up a piece and put it in her mouth. After chewing it carefully for a while, her eyes suddenly widened.
"My God! This...this taste! Master, it's amazing! It's even better than clove cakes!"
Yu Yi also took a small bite, and then a surprised smile bloomed on her face: "Really! The pungent smell is gone, but the aroma is more lingering! It makes my stomach feel warm and comfortable!"
After everyone shared the food, they all praised it highly.
Pei Qingwu made a quick decision: "This is it. It will be available tomorrow."
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