Handmade noodles are indeed not easy to make. There can't be too many crumbs in the flour, otherwise it will affect the elasticity.
Nowadays, flour isn't ground by machines; it's all done by hand using millstones. This results in coarser flour, which is fine for everyday noodles that you can just roll out by hand. However, if you want to make dried noodles, it's a bit more difficult, as you have to filter it through a sieve.
This is the trouble Grandma was talking about: from grinding the flour to every step, it all requires patience.
She had eaten these handmade noodles before. They were very salty, but very chewy. Even the thinnest ones were very chewy and didn't clump together. They were quite delicious.
However, it is more expensive than regular noodles, since it is handmade and cannot be compared with machine-made noodles.
The wild vegetables picked last spring were dried and used in stews during the winter. Some were also taken to the county town and used as a secret filling for the steamed buns at their snack shop. This made the buns taste better and more unique, so they were completely eaten up by the first month of the lunar calendar.
Now that the weather is warming up, the family has joined the ranks of those digging for wild vegetables. Even though they can only dig up a small amount each day, their large family means they have plenty of resources, and little by little, they can add a touch of spring to their family's dining table.
When Zhao Di suddenly had the idea to use peach blossoms to make dumplings and steamed buns, Grandma shook her head and refused before Xiao Jiu could even speak.
"Silly child, not everything can be eaten. You can't eat peach blossoms, it will cause serious problems. At least normal children like you can't eat just anything."
The second sister was about to ask, "Why? I saw you picking these peach blossoms to make wine, didn't you?"
Grandma nodded. "Peach blossoms do have medicinal value in clearing the meridians and moisturizing the skin, but they also have a laxative effect, promoting bowel movements and reducing swelling. You see, when your grandpa is constipated, he drinks some peach blossom tea, which helps him relieve constipation, but the taste is really awful. It makes you want to gag. I certainly can't stand the taste. Let alone using this stuff to make dumplings or buns, it definitely won't taste good. Don't try it yourself, you might even get diarrhea!"
This isn't just that it will cause diarrhea, it will definitely cause diarrhea.
Don't be fooled by how beautiful and sweet the peach blossoms look now. If you actually use them to make dumplings, you'll probably get dehydrated!
The ancient Chinese medical text "Qianjin Yaofang" mentions: "Three peach blossoms, taken on an empty stomach, will result in a slender waist."
The "Mingyi Bielu" also states: "Peach blossoms are bitter and neutral in nature. They are mainly used to remove water retention, promote urination and defecation, and expel three types of parasites."
Because she studied traditional Chinese medicine, she has a very deep memory of peach blossoms.
Ancient Chinese people recognized the beauty value of peach blossoms very early on. So, around the time of the Qingming Festival, when the peach blossoms were still buds, they would pick 250 grams of peach blossoms and 30 grams of angelica root, and soak them in 1000 ml of white wine for 30 days. They would drink 15-30 ml of the wine each morning and evening. At the same time, they would pour a little wine into their palms, rub their palms together until they were warm, and then rub their face with the wine. This method was said to have a good effect on facial pigmentation diseases such as chloasma, dark spots, and dull complexion.
If Xiao Jiu found this method too troublesome, she couldn't help but suggest a recipe to her beauty-loving second and third sisters.
"Second sister, I also heard people say that peach blossoms have beauty and skin-nourishing effects. The method is very simple. I heard some pretty ladies around our house say that because our peach blossoms are blooming so well, they saw them and said, 'Do you want to try it?'"
The two sisters perked up at the mention of this, and even their grandmother curiously joined in: "My little Jiu is so clever, she can remember all this? Grandma has also heard that peach blossoms can beautify the skin, but she's never tried it. Tell me about it, and I'll try it sometime."
Xiao Jiu chuckled, "It's very simple. Just mash freshly picked peach blossoms, apply the juice to your face, and massage gently. Alternatively, you can mix dried peach blossom powder with honey, apply it to your face, wait a while, and then wash it off. However, I think the second method is a bit difficult to implement. I've heard that honey is very expensive, and we don't have any at home!"
The nutrients in fresh flowers can moisturize the skin and improve the vitality of facial cells, thereby achieving a rosy complexion, smooth and supple skin, and a cosmetic effect.
The two sisters perked up immediately: "Can it really beautify the skin? Can it remove the spots on my face?"
Despite their young age, their faces already have some freckles due to sun exposure.
"Then let's drink peach blossom tea. Fresh peach blossoms are dried in the shade to make peach blossom tea. Yes, it's the kind Grandma was talking about earlier, the kind that tastes a bit nauseating. I heard that drinking it regularly can treat blemishes on the face."
The specific method involves placing winter melon seeds and white poplar bark in a cup, adding boiling water, covering the cup to prevent the aroma from dissipating, and drinking it after 10 minutes. It can be consumed as tea, one dose per day. It is suitable for those with facial dark spots, pregnancy pigmentation spots, age spots, and those with darker skin in areas with strong sunlight.
Most people would find it hard to drink, even with added sugar they still couldn't stand the taste. She just couldn't drink it, let alone her grandmother, she felt nauseous too.
Therefore, people who can consistently drink peach blossom tea are definitely not ordinary people.
The two older sisters immediately got excited. "I'm also a bit constipated. I'll try this peach blossom tea later. Grandma, let's go outside and pick some, not at home."
Her family planted two peach trees, mainly for making peach blossom wine. Peach blossom wine is very popular among women because it has beauty benefits, so it sells quite well. However, they only make a few jars each year, so the peach trees don't bear many peaches each year. Therefore, if you want to drink peach blossom tea, you have to go outside to pick them. Anyway, there are quite a few places with peach trees!
Grandma watched them fussing around with a smile: "If you ask me, you two are just wasting your time. If you don't believe me, let's try it and see."
Xiao Jiu naturally knew that Grandma was referring to the taste of peach blossom tea, but the older sisters, for the sake of beauty, didn't take it to heart.
Xiao Jiu didn't mind at all, and even accompanied the two of them to climb the peach trees. There were quite a few wild peach trees. These unattended peach trees did bear fruit, but they weren't sweet enough. They were all fuzzy peaches and not very tasty. But if you were really thirsty or hungry, they could at least keep you going. They were better than tree roots and grass, right?
But when the peach blossoms are in bloom, it doesn't matter what variety they are. Once you climb up the peach tree, you can smell the refreshing fragrance. Xiao Jiu sniffed and exclaimed.
"Spring smells the best!"
Someone watching them pick peach blossoms couldn't help but ask, "Why are you picking these? If you want to make peach branches, just break them off and take them home!"
Find peach blossom branches that are about to bloom and bring them home. Put them in a water bottle, and when the peach blossoms bloom in a few days, the whole house will be filled with their fragrance. It's so beautiful! Many pretty girls like to come to the woods in the suburbs to find peach blossom branches to take home.
But I've never actually seen anyone pick only the flowers and leave the branches behind!
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