Manager Miao felt that the first half of his life was truly regrettable!
Who knew that these rotten fish and shrimp could taste so good!
When he was a child, his mother saw her son crying from hunger, so she went with others to the river to catch a few fish, but she didn't know how to cook them.
After a few neighbors discussed it, they decided to just put the fish directly on the fire and grill it without scraping off the scales or removing the innards. As a result, some parts of the fish were burnt while others were still raw.
The adults looked at each other, unsure if it was safe to eat.
But the aroma of the fish made his stomach rumble. Ignoring the heat, he grabbed a piece of fish and stuffed it into his mouth.
What does that taste like?!
That taste was unforgettable for him.
fishy!
So unfashionable!
Then countless tiny thorns pierced his throat like needles.
Finally, the adults stuffed the prickles with cornbread and poured hot water down the throat, and it took them quite a while to get rid of the thorns.
After Manager Miao's actions, no one else dared to touch the grilled fish anymore. In the end, the grilled fish was all eaten by the spotted dog, whose thick throat meant that the small bones couldn't pierce it at all.
(This is just hearsay, and I don't mean to insult the people of Shaanxi. According to my grandfather, in the 1940s and 50s, the people there didn't really eat fish and shrimp. At first, they didn't know how to cook them, but later they learned and loved them! This can also be corroborated by excerpts from Lu Yao's "Ordinary World" and Yan Geling's "The Ninth Widow"! *doge*)
From then on, Manager Miao avoided fish and shrimp altogether.
Being able to enjoy this delicious and visually appealing feast today is like opening the door to a whole new world.
However, Manager Miao still had some concerns.
"Your cooking is delicious, but the people here don't know how to cook it in so many ways!"
Li Xiangdong thought about it and realized it made sense. "Why don't you keep some canned goods to try selling? Our Baiyanghe Food Factory's 'Delicious Food' series of canned goods sells very well in Beijing and Tianjin."
"That's good!"
Canned fish that's already cooked can be eaten right out of the box.
You can also fry salted fish in a pan with a little oil and it's good with rice. Dried shrimp and loofah or cucumber can be used to make soup. These are simple things that most people can accept.
So, Manager Miao wrote a long order and placed an order for 3,000 bottles of canned fish, 1,000 catties of salted dried fish, and 1,000 catties of dried shrimp.
After signing the contract, before leaving, Li Xiangdong left Manager Miao ten catties each of dried freshwater shrimp and salted dried grass carp, ten bottles each of canned anchovies, braised grass carp, spiced fish, and spicy fish.
He whispered, "You can keep it for yourself, or give it away or something."
Manager Miao nodded in satisfaction and personally saw him out.
By this time, it was already quite late, and the streetlights were on. Walking onto the main street, one could occasionally see pedestrians hurrying by on bicycles.
The four of them found a state-run hotel that looked relatively clean and hygienic and checked in, two people to a room.
Looking at the snow-white sheets, the green thermos and patterned teacups on the small coffee table, and then sitting down on the soft sofa, Li Xiangchao said contentedly, "Finally, I can get a good night's sleep. Hey, Xiangdong, we sold so much on the first day, it really exceeded my expectations."
Li Xiangdong poured a basin of hot water to soak his feet. "Today's first battle was quite successful, but we haven't finalized the deal for the baby lobsters and freshwater prawns yet. There's another tough battle to fight tomorrow!"
Despite having an oxygen tank in their vehicle due to the cold weather, the giant freshwater prawns and baby lobsters were still on the verge of death.
If we can't sell them quickly, they'll really become worthless.
I had a good night's sleep, and in the morning I went to the street and ate roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), meatball hot and sour soup, and fried dough twists with oil tea. I gulped down a bowl and felt warm all over.
Li Xiangdong took Yu Xia and Li Chang directly to the largest state-run restaurant in Chang'an City. After sitting down, he looked at the menu and confirmed that the main dishes were mostly beef and mutton with very little seafood. Then he called over the waiter and subtly expressed his desire to see the manager.
So Li Chang cooked another round of stir-frying and braising, while the chefs in the kitchen watched him intently.
The restaurant manager took only one bite and immediately decided to order fresh baby lobsters and freshwater prawns.
Li Xiangdong hadn't expected business to go so smoothly. The restaurant manager noticed this and said with a smile, "Although we love beef and mutton the most, we also enjoy other delicious foods!"
Finally, he earnestly tried to persuade Li Chang to stay, saying, "This is a state-run restaurant with permanent positions. You can come and work as a chef; the benefits are excellent."
Li Chang waved his hands repeatedly, "It's hard to leave my homeland, it's hard to leave my homeland!"
The restaurant manager said with particular regret, "Could you teach our chefs? I'm afraid their cooking won't taste as good as yours!"
What's the big deal? It's not some secret recipe. Li Xiangdong's original plan was to teach everyone how to make it, and sell fish and shrimp while also giving away recipes.
In fact, there are many migrant workers and educated youth in Chang'an City now. They love to eat fish and shrimp, but the local chefs don't know how to cook them, and there is no fresh fish or shrimp available. Whenever they see the various suggestions in the suggestion book to add fish and shrimp dishes, the restaurant manager is very scratching his head.
The arrival of Li Xiangdong is like a perfect match, a perfect partnership that hits the mark immediately.
Li Chang stayed behind to teach Li Xiangchao and Li Guoqing how to cook ten dishes, while Li Xiangdong took Li Xiangchao and Li Guoqing to the textile factory in the western suburbs.
This is a large factory with more than 5,000 workers. It has staff dormitories, a large canteen, a factory hospital, a nursery, and even a primary school.
Li Xiangdong used a packet of Golden Leaf coffee to establish a relationship with the gatekeeper and then went directly to the canteen manager.
Without Li Chang having to lift a finger, Li Guoqing, who had inherited his father's skills, won over the taste buds of the canteen manager and the head chef with just a few simple moves.
The head chef in the cafeteria looked at Li Guoqing with eyes that practically lit up. This kid is a real talent!
"Young man, you're so young but you have such a skill. Come work for us!"
Well, another poacher!
Although he declined the invitation from the cafeteria chef, Li Guoqing still said he would teach the chef how to cook fish and shrimp.
The head chef was so excited that his face turned red. He insisted on making a special mutton stew with bread from Shaanxi Province to entertain Li Guoqing and the others.
After finishing the delicious mutton stew, Li Guoqing stayed in the kitchen to teach others how to make it, while Li Xiangdong took Li Xiangchao for a stroll around the factory to digest.
Rather than calling it a factory, it's more like a small society where some of people's basic needs can be fully met without leaving the factory.
Li Xiangdong and Li Xiangchao strolled around, curiously observing everything around them.
Then they wandered over to an abandoned warehouse filled with colorful fabrics.
Why are such good fabrics just piled up like trash?
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