The county transported the livestock back and slaughtered them. The pork, chicken, duck, and goose meat didn't need any salt; they were simply buried in the snow and frozen solid in less than two hours.
Now that the heavy snow has blocked the roads, supplies have been cut off everywhere. Fortunately, their county magistrate made arrangements in advance, and everyone has stored some grain. However, it is not as easy to eat meat as before.
This time, even the pig's blood, which is usually looked down upon, was kept. Eggs and various seasonings were added, it was steamed, cut into pieces, and stewed with sauerkraut. There was no fishy smell.
He Zifeng was in charge of cooking the sauerkraut this time. They used a huge pot, supposedly made with a large iron ladle used during military campaigns. One person couldn't stir it all; it took three or four people, each with a spatula as big as a shovel, to prevent it from burning. They also cooked a pot of sauerkraut, blood sausage, and pork belly. The county had its own tofu workshop, and they had frozen over two hundred blocks of tofu beforehand, adding them in batches. The huge pot simmered for several hours. Once cooked, they ladled it out, then added fresh tofu to speed up the process.
Even the county magistrate stopped eating at home and waited to eat from this communal pot.
Soon, a steaming bowl of stew was served, and the aroma alone made his eyes light up. The magistrate's small kitchen had steamed rice, and he picked up a piece of pig's blood cake, tasting its tender and smooth texture. He then added some pickled cabbage. Apparently, more than ten cooks had been chopping it all night yesterday. The crisp, slightly sour flavor whetted his appetite, and he immediately ate some rice.
After taking this bite, I wanted another.
The magistrate picked up another piece of frozen tofu. The frozen tofu in the county was made from firm tofu. It was honeycomb-like, with sour soup inside. After eating it, he immediately followed it with a big mouthful of rice. It was so satisfying!
The communal cooking wasn't as refined as the individual cooking, but it was much more appetizing. The continuous snowfall had cast a shadow over the county magistrate's heart. He hadn't had a appetite for several days, but today, the aroma of the food made him crave it. He couldn't stop eating, and by the time his stomach felt full, he had already had three refills.
Even with the pickled cabbage soup rice and a few soy sauce chili peppers, he felt he could eat another bowl.
This is so delicious with rice.
The soy sauce and chili sauce were brought by He Zifeng; he initially brought them for himself. But these yamen runners kept trying to mooch off him. Having no other choice, he took a small jar, which he finished in two days. The spicy, crispy texture was particularly delicious. Hearing that the yamen runners were even pooling their money to buy some, they wanted him to buy some too.
He Zifeng took another jar, saying he didn't have much of his own. This time, the constables were reluctant to eat it, limiting each person to two chilies. They weren't allowed to take more; Constable Zhu had told this as a joke to the magistrate, but the magistrate took it seriously. He even made some pickled chilies and ate them in a rather serious manner. Who knew that once he started eating, he couldn't stop?
In winter, without the salty, savory, and fiery flavor of chili peppers, it always feels like something is missing.
If only I had known the county was paying for it, I would have stockpiled several vats. The county magistrate knew He Zifeng had a talent for cooking, and this time he was the one who made the pickled cabbage stew at the yamen. It certainly didn't disappoint. The county magistrate even wouldn't let us throw away the half-bowl of pickled cabbage soup left over from lunch!
With food shortages these days, as the county magistrate, he couldn't afford to waste food, and he also loved this dish. It's a pity he didn't have a big appetite, otherwise he could have eaten more.
The stew prepared by He Zifeng was so delicious that even the county magistrate, who was used to good food, loved it, let alone the yamen runners. Since the continuous snowfall, the routes for transporting goods from outside had been cut off, and all the restaurants were closed. There was nowhere to buy vegetables.
The vegetables stored up for winter are mostly radishes and cabbages; eating them every day, even by a skilled cook, would become tiresome. This stewed sauerkraut is just right. These people are like piglets buried in their troughs, eating with their heads down and eyes half-closed.
The cook made steamed buns for them, meant for two meals a day, breakfast and lunch, but they ate them all in one go. They'd heard beforehand that this was for snow removal. The supplies were being delivered to the tofu shop, the tailor shop, and even to the poor village.
They're the kind of people who usually throw around a tael or two of silver without a second thought, but now they've developed a bit of a food-guarding instinct, afraid that if they share it, they won't get any. Their mouths have been bland for so long, it's a rare treat to eat something so delicious.
Seeing his brothers eagerly approaching to ask, He Zifeng said, "Don't worry, there's plenty." The big iron pot was still simmering. There was still a large pot of sauerkraut that hadn't been cooked, and quite a bit of frozen tofu. The pig's blood cake and pork belly were gone, but they could throw in some pork bones to enhance the flavor. If the fire in this big pot was kept burning, they could keep adding ingredients and it could cook for three to five days.
The constables beamed with joy upon hearing He Zifeng's words.
The constable next to him laughed at him: "Is that all the grit you've got? You used to say that the food at Juxianlou was terrible. Now a bowl of stew makes you so excited?"
The person who was embarrassed was thick-skinned and didn't care at all, saying, "Aren't you the same?"
People who can be friends have some similarities; they're both pretty much the same, so neither should laugh at the other.
Having eaten such a big breakfast, I feel lazy and comfortable all over, and even a little sleepy.
Now that they have more people working for them, they're not as busy as before. But it's strange, though; they used to always want to be idle, but now they can't stand being idle. It's more reassuring to be doing some work.
In the past, everyone addressed them as "officials," but people avoided them like the plague. Now, wherever they go, people bring them wild vegetables as a token of their gratitude!
This was a feeling they had never experienced before; wearing the yamen runner's uniform made them very proud.
Even that coward Xie Rui is now standing up straight. This change was something they hadn't even realized, but it had definitely happened.
Before long, the large buckets of stewed pork bones and sauerkraut, which had been portioned out, were distributed to various places.
"Oh, you really gave it to me?"
"I smelled it this morning, it smells so good."
"Hey, I have a sixty-year-old mother at home. Can I not eat this and take it home with me?" This is a dish that money can't buy.
The person in charge said, "Okay."
Everyone was even happier; taking this dish home would delight both adults and children.
...
Inside the yamen, a yamen runner approached Constable Zhu, asking him to assign some tasks. Constable Zhu was busy talking to the county magistrate and the merchants under him, and had no time for this. He said, "Go ask He Zifeng."
So the yamen runners all came looking for He Zifeng.
He Zifeng said, "If you have nothing else to do, why don't you sell pickled cabbage soup along the street? One copper coin a bowl." Put less pickled cabbage and more soup. You can buy a bowl to taste it. It's made with bone broth as a base, with bone marrow oil, so it's not greasy and it's nourishing.
Let the poor people in the county also taste the flavor; the pickled cabbage soup is easy to make. It comes out quickly, pot after pot.
Upon hearing this, the constables said, "Alright." Then, several of them pushed a cart loaded with four buckets of pickled cabbage soup out to sell.
Since the snow, money has become worthless. The county magistrate has tried his best to control prices, but some people are still raising them slightly. A single penny can't buy anything.
Being able to drink the same soup as the county magistrate for only one copper coin was met with great enthusiasm; four buckets of sauerkraut soup sold out in one alley. People from the next alley even asked if they could buy some from them. Several yamen runners, their cheeks red from the cold, were in high spirits: "Sold!"
Everyone in the city, as long as they don't mind, can enjoy the first bowl of sauerkraut soup of winter.
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