"Is anyone there? Come buy something!" A loud and energetic shout came from outside the store.
Xie Da Jiao was secretly stuffing the third piece of flower cake into her mouth. When she heard the noise, she almost choked. She quickly put the remaining half into her pocket, wiped her mouth and rushed out: "Here I come!"
As soon as the door curtain was lifted, I saw Uncle Zhang walking around in front of the shelves with a cane, sniffing.
"Xiao Xie, what delicious food do you have in your store?
I, an old man, could smell the aroma at the entrance of the alley, and I was so greedy that my dentures were trembling!
Xie Dazui, with a broad smile on his face, went forward and said, "Uncle Zhang, you have a really sharp nose!
Everyone knows that the pastries from our Guifangzhai are top-notch!
Our croissants are freshly baked, so crispy that they are falling apart, and the fragrance spreads from miles away!
There's also jujube paste cake, which was just released this morning. It's sweet but not greasy..."
Uncle Zhang waved his hand, interrupting Xie Dazui's boasting, "Hey, Xiao Xie, you have such a big mouth,
I, an old man, have already bought dozens of kilograms of pastries from you. What do your pastries taste like? Do I need you to introduce them to me?
He sniffed, squinted his eyes, and looked straight at the kitchen.
"This scent today is so strange. It's sweet and floral. Have you come up with something new?"
As he said this, he was about to lift the counter cloth.
"Oh my God!" Xie Da Jiao quickly stopped him, and then she realized that Uncle Zhang was attracted by the fragrance of the flower cakes!
Xie Da Jiao slapped his forehead, his eyes narrowed into slits with laughter, "Oh my! Your nose is really that!"
She gave a thumbs-up and lowered her voice mysteriously, "To be honest, we at Guifangzhai have come up with something really new today—"
Before she could finish her words, Li Guifang came out from the kitchen carrying the few remaining flower cakes.
The golden crust was still steaming, and the sweet smell went straight into people's noses.
When Uncle Zhang saw the pancake, his reading glasses slid to the tip of his nose and he pounded his walking stick on the ground: "That's the smell! I was wondering why this aroma is so particularly tempting today!"
He took a closer look. "Is this... a flower cake?"
"You are so knowledgeable!" Xie Da Jiao gave a thumbs-up. "This is our Guifangzhai's new pear blossom cake. It uses the blossoms from the old pear tree at the door. Today is the first batch!"
Uncle Zhang couldn't wait to take a piece, took a bite, and the crispy crust fell down.
He squinted his eyes and savored it carefully, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Wonderful! This pear blossom has a true fragrance, sweet but not greasy. It's even more authentic than the flower cakes I used to eat in the southwest!"
When Uncle Zhang was young, he traveled a lot and saw the world.
I worked as an apprentice in Beijing and did business on the Bund. I have tried all kinds of palace pastries and foreign cakes.
Now, if he says the pear blossom cake is good, then it is really good!!!
Uncle Zhang devoured the entire pancake in just a few bites, with some crispy crust still hanging on his beard. He couldn't wait to give a thumbs-up: "Good! Good! Good!"
The pastry is layered and crispy, even more exquisite than the Fuling cakes in Beijing; the filling is sweet and fragrant, even more authentic than the rose cakes in Suzhou!
Xie Da Jiao winked proudly: "That's why they say you're an expert! You're the first one to try something new in our store!"
"What are you waiting for?" Uncle Zhang took out his handkerchief and wiped his hands. "Pack me three pounds... no, five pounds! I want to open the eyes of those old guys!"
Li Guifang wiped her hands on her apron and said with an apologetic smile, "Oh, what a coincidence!
In this first pot, we baked just a few experimental products. What you just ate, Uncle Zhang, was the last piece!
Now, not to mention a few pounds, not even a single piece is left!"
Uncle Zhang was so anxious that he stamped his crutch: "Guifang, you are just trying to make me greedy!"
He pointed at his beard, which was shiny from eating so much, and said, "I'm so hungry, how can I eat lunch?"
After a long argument, Li Guifang looked at the situation and saw that it was still early in the morning.
His eyes rolled: "This way, this way!"
She slapped her thigh and said, "It's only noon now. I'll start the oven again and make sure it's hot and fresh for you before 3 pm!"
"It's a deal then!" Uncle Zhang held up his pinky finger. "Let's make a pinky promise! At three o'clock in the afternoon, I want the first pot!"
Over here, the commotion was incredible! In no time, the entrance to Guifangzhai was completely blocked.
Originally, Guifangzhai's business was very good. At this time, customers who happened to come to buy snacks, neighbors who heard the noise and came to watch the fun, and a few aunts passing by with vegetable baskets, all gathered at the door to watch the fun, blocking the store entrance tightly.
Old Liu, the tofu seller, leaned over and asked, "Old Zhang, is this really that weird? Is it even more fragrant than my tender tofu?"
"How could it be true?" Grandpa Zhang patted his chest. "I've traveled all over the country for so many years, and I've never tasted such a fresh, sweet, and crispy pancake!"
Who doesn't know that Uncle Zhang has the pickiest taste? If he gives you a thumbs-up, you can't go wrong with any dim sum!
Aunt Wang, who was carrying a basket of vegetables in front, took out her wallet and said, "Give me ten pounds! My daughter's blind date is coming the day after tomorrow, and this will be a perfect gift for them to use as a treat!"
"Then I'll join in the fun," Old Liu said, not wanting to be left behind. He took out his wallet and said, "Guifang, leave me half a pound too! I want to see what kind of pastries are more delicious than my tofu pudding!"
On the other hand, the young wife who was waiting in line to buy croissants asked curiously, "Is this true? Is it better than the signature croissants?"
"How can they be compared?" Uncle Zhang slapped his thigh, "One is as far apart as heaven and earth!" As he said this, he smacked his lips as if savoring something, making everyone drool.
Seeing this, Xie Da Jiao's eyes rolled. He picked up the gong and banged it twice: "Attention everyone! Our new pear blossom cakes go on sale at 3:00 PM. Pre-orders are open now!"
This shout really stirred up a hornet's nest.
As we pushed and shoved each other, twenty or thirty items were recorded in the account book in a blink of an eye.
"I want a pound!"
"Give me two pounds!"
Amid the constant barrage of orders, Li Guifang smiled widely. While writing down the orders, she called out to the kitchen, "Fengzhi! Quickly move all the flour out of the warehouse!"
After seeing Xie Dazui record dozens of orders, Li Guifang immediately stopped the process, saying that she couldn't do any more today!
This move naturally caused dissatisfaction among those who wanted to place orders later. Li Guifang quickly appeased them: "Don't worry, neighbors!
I'll start the oven right away and bake it right away. I'll work all night tonight and make sure everyone can buy it tomorrow morning!"
Dong Dongdong had just finished unloading the goods and was squatting in the backyard, panting for air, when he heard Li Guifang shouting in the kitchen: "Dongdong! Don't rest! Hurry up!"
He ran in bewildered, and was met with a large bamboo basket.
Li Guifang, her hands stained with flour, pointed hurriedly outside the door: "Go! Pick all the flowers from that old pear tree at the end of the alley! Fresh ones, preferably with dew on them!"
"Huh?" Dong Dongdong was stunned, holding the bamboo basket. "Aunt Li, I just delivered 30 kilograms of flour..."
"Thirty pounds is nothing!"
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