Ruan Xianxian took out the letter of introduction personally written by Feng Guang and handed it over with both hands. The beauty took it and glanced at it casually.
Her red lips parted slightly: "Stewed goose in an iron pot, want some?"
"Stewed...stewed goose?" Zhao Di swallowed hard. Could that stuff even taste good?
The beautiful woman led five fledgling chicks into the courtyard. It was a traditional courtyard house, with a corn crib built next to an ancient tree that two people could barely encircle.
Erecting it up not only keeps out rats but also provides ventilation and prevents mold.
Beside the wall was a well, but what caught Ruan Xianxian's eye was that hanging in front of the dyeing workshop were not dyed cloths, but tanned animal hides drying in the sun.
"My name is Mo Yi. You can call me Sister Mo or Comrade Mo, as you like," the beautiful woman said after introducing herself, before answering Chen Zhaodi's question.
"Stewed goose in an iron pot" is a dish that was originally made with goose. However, because hunters had fewer and geese were rare, it was transformed into the stewed goose in an iron pot we know today.
She turned around with a smile.
"What do the little ones like to eat? We're only having one meal today, so whatever we make is fine. Tell me and I'll see if we have the ingredients."
Ruan Xianxian was the first to raise her hand: "Can I use Flying Dragon?"
This guy is quite obsessed with grouse, he can't stop thinking about it. Mo Yi hesitated for a moment: "How about mushroom stewed grouse? The mushrooms were delivered this morning, they're especially fresh."
Mu Xia's request was much simpler: "Di San Xian, the authentic Di San Xian from Northeast China."
Mo Yi gave an apologetic smile. "The venison was all eaten by the old guy who came yesterday, but there's still some bear meat left. Would you like some steamed bear paws?"
Finally, the menu was decided: braised goose in an iron pot, braised grouse with mushrooms, and steamed bear paws as the three main dishes. The rest was up to Mo Yi to arrange.
As they were talking, two weathered old men emerged from a side room, hand in hand. Because their faces were unfamiliar, both of them were somewhat wary.
"You two must be Grandpa Qian and Grandma Qian." Ruan Xianxian walked over, her smile sweet and gentle, and with her harmless face, it was easy to soften people's hearts.
It's easy for her to befriend whomever she wants. "This deerskin was tanned by Grandpa Qian, right? I can't imagine how beautiful it would be if it were made into deerskin boots."
Actually, it was made by Mo Yitan. Ruan Xianxian knew that Gong Ye had introduced her to the Qian family. The only son of the Qian family sacrificed his life on the battlefield many years ago, leaving behind his elderly parents and widow who had lost their only child.
The widow was Mo Yi, who was beautiful and had an outstanding temperament.
After their son died, the elderly couple couldn't bear to see their young daughter-in-law waste her life, so they wanted to use their son's achievements to find her a loving and caring family to marry into.
When the news reached the troops, many of her comrades expressed their willingness, after all, Mo Yi's appearance and temperament were undeniable.
When the news reached Mo Yi, she herself did not have this idea. Instead, she proposed the idea of opening a private kitchen to the military unit where her deceased husband was stationed.
It was quite difficult at first, until Mo Yi's culinary skills amazed the old guys upstairs. With someone protecting her, she moved to this area, and her private restaurant finally gained a foothold in the provincial capital.
Even so, this place only accepts acquaintances.
If you don't know the ropes and want to try this, you either need someone to take you there or an introduction from an acquaintance.
When the old man heard someone praise the tanning of the deerskin, a smile immediately appeared on his face. He proudly raised his chin and looked at Mo Yi, who was bending over picking scallions in the yard with loving and tender eyes.
"The old man doesn't have that skill. He can do odd jobs, but the good animal hides are all tanned by my daughter herself."
"Wow!" Ruan Xianxian exclaimed exaggeratedly, "She has the skills of a state banquet chef and can also tan animal hides. Sister Mo is too amazing!"
How did they even grow those hands?!
"Right! Let me tell you..." When Mo Yi was mentioned, the old man talked on and on, from being wary and defensive at the beginning to considering her a close friend.
A pot of tea, two people, a father and son sitting under a tree chatting enthusiastically.
The four, already used to this social tyrant, rolled their eyes and, led by Grandma Qian, began to tour the rather unique courtyard house.
As the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, the lights in the courtyard came on, and a delightful aroma of food wafted from the back room behind the main hall.
Smelling the aroma of freshly cooked food, the old man smacked his lips and got up, still wanting more.
"The food is ready. Children, please choose a room to sit in."
The five of them chose a room with a heated brick bed, a room with a distinctive style of the current era. They unceremoniously slipped on their slippers and sat cross-legged on the bed.
The kang table on the kang was spotless. Ruan Xianxian grinned, showing off her white teeth, "Authentic Northeastern cuisine tastes best when eaten sitting on the kang."
The old man raised an eyebrow. After talking with her, he had already realized that although the little girl was young, she was a gourmand.
He walked out of the room with his hands behind his back, and after a short while, he returned with a jar of wine in his hand and placed it on the table. The old man patted the mud seal on the wine jar and smiled smugly.
"It's a good deal for you, little girl, with the elm seed wine we brewed ourselves. I didn't even have the heart to take it out when Old Zhao brought his men over the other day."
See the elm tree in the yard? The raw material for brewing wine comes from the elm seeds on the tree. We only brew these few jars all year round. Honey, taste it and give me your feedback!
The old man chuckled and personally broke the clay seal. Instantly, a delicate fragrance filled the room, and Chu Li's nose twitched.
He exclaimed, "Excellent wine!"
Ruan Xianxian scratched her head awkwardly. She could talk about drinking culture in great detail, but when it came to drinking... the best drink she had in her previous life in modern times was Jiang Xiaobai from a convenience store.
The old village chief, who usually felt depressed, would finish his six-yuan bottle and then go to sleep.
He's a person who's addicted to vegetables but doesn't know how to appreciate fine wines.
The wine was poured out, its liquid clear and transparent. The old man filled everyone's glass and gestured with a hopeful look to have a taste.
Chu Li glanced at her niece, Ruan, with a smile, seemingly oblivious to her embarrassment, and commented with a smile:
"It has a full-bodied and smooth taste, with a mellow flavor that reveals a sweet and refreshing quality, making it a fine example of baijiu." He turned the wine vessel around.
"It would be even better if it were sealed for a longer period of time."
The old man slapped his thigh, as if he had found a kindred spirit, and abandoned Ruan Xianxian to immediately start chatting with Chu Li.
As the leader of the children in the compound and the youngest son of the Chu family, Chu Li had tasted all of Grandpa Chu's treasured wines. He didn't talk much, but he always hit the nail on the head.
When a table of authentic Northeastern wild game, with its perfect color, aroma, and taste, was served, the five of them forgot all about chatting and picked up their chopsticks to savor the delicious food.
The old man left the room with his hands behind his back. As he closed the door, he glanced back and saw the children eating heartily, his wrinkles crinkling into a smile.
After a hearty meal, with three main dishes and three side dishes, the five of them finished everything. Anyone who has eaten Northeastern Chinese food knows how generous the portions are...
Looking at the clean bowls and dishes, the five people exchanged an awkward glance, then tacitly looked away.
No, they definitely didn't sweep it all up.
"Come on, children, have some digestive tea."
The old lady knocked on the door and came in carrying a pot of fruit tea. When she saw that almost all the food had been eaten, she was first surprised, then smiled so much that her eyes narrowed.
Not wasting food is the highest respect you can show to a chef.
At this moment, Ruan Xianxian had already slipped over to Mo Yi, who was resting under a tree, and asked her directly:
"Sister Mo, do you sell tanned animal hides? I want a white tiger skin."
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