Chapter 49
Chef Li's eyes lit up and he opened the box. The braised food inside was still hot and had been thoughtfully cut and poured with sauce.
"You're such a good deskmate! You really give me good things!"
Chef Li happily picked up a piece of pig heart and put it in his mouth: "Fragrant! Rich! Delicious!"
His wife slapped him speechlessly: "What are you talking about! Take it in and put it on a plate and let's eat together!"
Yuanyuan's mother said, "Yuanyuan, why are you taking so many things from others? This is not good."
"I just said I wouldn't take it, but Miaomiao and uncle were very welcoming. It's okay. Miaomiao and I are best friends. I'll share my delicious food with her in the future."
Chef Li brought out a large dish of warm braised food and said, "It's okay. We can just promote their business and support them. You know what? I've met so many business people who are really more generous and open-minded than those of us who work in the office."
Chef Li's wife, who works in purchasing for the cafeteria, also shares this sentiment: "Yeah, people used to say businesspeople are shrewd, but I think they're shrewd but also open. They're just being clear-headed. My goal in business is to make money. If I make money and you're satisfied with your purchase, then it's a win-win situation."
"Of course! It's much easier to get along with than those cunning people at work who are sweet-mouthed but treacherous. Besides, the monthly salary at work is fixed, and you can count the days. Those who are good at business can really make money! They are also much more generous."
Yuanyuan's father stared at the two bottles of wine that Chef Li treasured and said, "Cousin, this braised food looks like it would go well with wine. Otherwise, I'll risk my life to accompany you and have a couple of drinks with you."
"Go! You've been staring at my wine all afternoon since you walked in. Alright! Since Yuanyuan brought back some braised food, I'll let you have a couple of sips!"
…
The Su family has been eating braised food for the fourth consecutive day, but today is different from the previous ones. This time the base flavor of the braised sauce is really perfect.
Su Yuanzheng asked his daughter: "Miaomiao, our pot is done, right? I don't think we need to change anything else."
"That's the recipe for the spices. I think we can also make a chili oil. If you want it spicy, you can pour some on it. That way the flavors will be complete."
"So are we going to eat this pot ourselves or can we sell it?"
Su Miao thought about it. Although this pot tasted much better than the previous ones, she couldn’t stand eating braised food every day. She wanted to eat some stir-fried dishes tomorrow.
"Dad, let's save some for tonight, and give half of the rest to our good neighbors, and the other half to our guests when you deliver the pork offal tomorrow."
Su Yuanzheng also agreed. After doing business for some time, he felt that he was not so petty anymore. If he wanted to launch new products, he had to invest in advertising. This little bit of braised food was just a drop in the bucket for them!
"Yes! Let everyone try it and give their opinions. This stewed food, with its heavy salt and ingredients, won't go bad overnight. So, should we keep it in the pot or take it out like we did a few days ago?"
"The taste is just right now. It won't be overcooked if it's soaked any longer. Dad, let's take out the stewed food and put it in a big basin. Tomorrow, we'll heat it up in the pot, cut it up, and take it out. I'm going to filter the marinade and save some for the old braising sauce."
"Old braising liquid? What does old braising liquid mean? Do you always use the same pot?" Su Yuanzheng still didn't quite understand the intricacies of making braised food.
Su Miao explained, "Old brine does refer to aged brine that is reused repeatedly, but it doesn't have to be used from just one pot. It needs to be filtered and properly stored after use. The next time you make braised food, add an appropriate amount of new brine according to the original proportions. This way, the flavor will become more fragrant over time."
Su Yuanzheng suddenly realized: "Oh! So those century-old brands not only have recipes, but also need the traditional braising liquid to make their braised dishes so delicious."
"Yes, not only do braised dishes have their own brine, but pasta dishes also have their own noodles. These are all the secrets of time-honored brands! We were unlucky in the past few years, and many of our products were lost. This has given us new opportunities. Dad! Let's start preserving our brine from now on, and we'll become a time-honored brand in the future."
"Okay! So what do we need to do? You tell me, and Dad will do it!"
The used marinade needs to be filtered to remove the ingredients and condiments. First, remove the foam and grease on the surface, then filter it several times with gauze to ensure that all the impurities inside are filtered out.
Then boil it to sterilize it. The old brine must be boiled regularly regardless of whether it is used or not. Boil it every other day in spring and winter, once or twice a day in summer and autumn. Do not boil it for too long, just boil it until it just boils.
After the brine cooled down again, it was put into a ceramic jar. The mouth of the jar could not be sealed, but it had to prevent the invasion of mosquitoes and water vapor, so Su Miao used several layers of gauze to seal it.
The location of the old brine is also important. It should be away from the stove and places with frequent temperature changes. It also needs to be ventilated and air-permeable. It should be supported off the ground with a shelf to ensure air circulation at the bottom of the brine tank and keep it away from the ground.
Finally, the father and daughter decided to put the brine in a corner of Su Yuanzheng's room. He spent a few minutes nailing a shelf with firewood to put it on.
Su Miao thought that it was really troublesome to preserve this old brine. It couldn't be left without people for a long time and had to be taken with him wherever he went, otherwise it would easily go bad.
However, as far as she knows, if the brine is well sealed and placed in a clean refrigerator, it can be stored for 2 to 3 days, and there are no requirements for the storage environment.
You can buy one after you get to Nanning. Now I’m at home every day and use brine every day, so it’s okay not to buy it.
Su Yuanzheng and Su Miao went to deliver braised food to their neighbors just for tasting, so they definitely wouldn't pack as much as they did for Li Yuanyuan, and they tried to save on disposable lunch boxes whenever possible.
Pack the food into the large bowls you usually eat in and put them in a basket. After you go to someone's house and explain your purpose, pour the braised food into the host's bowls.
The aroma of their braised food lingered for several days, and everyone was already craving it.
The auntie next door said, "Oh my! It really is your family! I was saying that only your family in this alley could make something so fragrant."
My neighbor's sister-in-law said, "I've been craving it these past few days. I even told my family this morning that I'd go to your house and ask if you have any new food for sale. If you do, I'll buy some. If not, I'll order pork offal for tomorrow!"
The uncle immediately pinched a piece of pig tongue and threw it into his mouth: "Delicious! Really delicious! Xiao Su! This is perfect for me to drink with. Come over tonight for a drink?"
…
It is very common for neighbors to send food to each other, but the Su family was so generous as to send braised food directly, which really surprised everyone. They discussed privately that it was not easy for the father and daughter to depend on each other, and they were generous and good-natured. Everyone should help each other in the future when there is something.
Su Miao's act of sending braised food not only served as an advertisement, but also won him a lot of favor.
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