Chapter 104 Braised Beef Tendon with Dried Tofu Skin + Three-Cup Chicken + Avoiding...
Yu Miaoyin hummed in agreement and asked, "What kind of collaboration?"
The collaboration involved Lu Jingming, so Lu Jingming stepped forward. "Hello, Mr. Yu. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lu Jingming, and I'm the head of Yuncheng Lu's Food Factory, mainly engaged in the production and sales of processed food products. I've come to ask if you'd be interested in contributing your technology as equity..."
Lu's Foods? Yu Miaoyin had seen Lu's Foods canned fish in various supermarkets in Yuncheng, and it was quite popular among Yuncheng residents. In their eyes, it was indeed a good brand.
Lu Jingming hoped that she would contribute her technology as equity, provide the formula, and cooperate in promotion. Yu Miaoyin would not need to worry about raw materials, labor, production and operating costs, as Lu Jingming would provide them.
Yu Miaoyin couldn't think of any reason to refuse. Yang Fang said that if she agreed, it would also boost employment in Yunshui Village. It would allow her to earn money, help farmers, and alleviate poverty, and the risk to her was extremely low. "Of course," she said.
Yu Miaoyin agreed, but cooperation wasn't just a verbal agreement; there would be further discussions about details, signing contracts, and so on. Lu Jingming reassured Yu Miaoyin, saying he would handle everything.
The food festival, spearheaded by Yang Fang, went very smoothly, achieving all the expected results and even exceeding Yang Fang's expectations, earning praise and awards from higher authorities.
Many posts praising Yuncheng have also appeared online, extolling its beautiful scenery, delicious food, and excellent tourist experience.
In addition, the Yuncheng Culture and Tourism Bureau launched a new media video talent program, offering prizes to encourage active participation. Many people posted their tourist photos online, and the photo spot at the suspended wishing tree quickly became a hit, attracting a lot of attention. Others posted photos of food and scenery, all of which were well-received.
Yuncheng has finally gained public attention, and people are starting to consider it when choosing a travel destination.
When Xu Qingyu attended the event, she was interviewed by the media. When asked if she had gone to the Yuncheng Food Festival in the past few days, Xu Qingyu nodded and said, "Yes, I went with Wanwan. She took me to eat a lot of delicious food."
After the video was released, the marketing accounts subtly shifted their focus, actually starting to praise the friendship between the two. Shen Yu secretly liked Lin Xiangwan's post about Yu's Little Restaurant. She felt extremely guilty; she had clearly said she wouldn't go to the restaurant and had even deleted her friends who shared her interests. Now, thinking about it, it was truly embarrassing.
The group chat was also discussing this, and Shen Yu joined in, sharing two photos of delicious food and telling everyone that the food at Yu Ji Restaurant was wonderful. Those who, like her, had vowed never to eat a single bite of rice started planning a trip to Yuncheng to enjoy the local cuisine.
—
On Xiaotangbao's birthday.
Yu Miaoyin took out her notebook and asked her little customer, "What delicious food would you like to eat today? You can order."
After thinking for a while, Xiao Tangbao said, "I want to eat shrimp."
But for a birthday, you should make a few more dishes. Just as I was thinking about what to eat, Grandma knocked on the door and brought over a slaughtered chicken. "It's one we raised ourselves. Let's cook it for Xiaotangbao."
"Okay, thank you, Grandma. Come over for lunch and let's have some fun together. I've also invited Jiajia and Xiaoran. Everyone, please come!"
"Okay." Grandma naturally wanted to come over, her face beaming. "Okay, I'll help you too."
Yu Miaoyin thought for a moment and confirmed the menu. She wanted Typhoon Shelter Shrimp, Three-Cup Chicken, Braised Beef Tendon with Dried Tofu Skin, Stir-fried Mushrooms with Dried Scallops, and a Fish Head Tofu Soup. It would be perfect, with meat, vegetables, and soup.
Yu Miaoyin let Xiao Tangbao watch cartoons while she went to the market with her grandmother to shop. When they returned, Jiajia and Yiling were already there to play with the children. Xiao Ran and Xiao Tangbao both adored the two older sisters and giggled as they entertained them.
They all brought gifts for Xiaotangbao, and the gifts piled up high next to the sofa.
Yu Miaoyin put her things down and went into the kitchen with her grandmother.
He Li came in too: "My cooking skills aren't as good as yours, so I'm here to help you with odd jobs."
He Li quickly trimmed the fat and fascia from the raw beef tendon and cut it into evenly sized pieces for later use. Yu Miaoyin blanched the beef tendon and then transferred it to a pressure cooker to pressurize it. At the same time, she soaked the dried bean curd sticks and dried scallops.
Remove the shrimp veins and marinate with cooking wine, pepper, and salt. Grandma helps cut the chicken into pieces, He Li prepares the fresh fish head, and she also quickly slices the mushrooms, adds salt, and draws out the water.
This kitchen is big enough that three people can stand together comfortably.
Once the oil in the pan was hot, Yu Miaoyin pan-fried the fish until golden brown on both sides. She then added chopped scallions, minced garlic, and scallion segments and stir-fried until fragrant. She poured a ring of cooking wine around the edge of the pan, then added water to cover the fish head, covered the pan, and began to simmer.
In another pot, sauté garlic cloves and dried chili peppers until fragrant, then gently slide in the blanched chicken and stir-fry until fragrant. Add rice wine, light soy sauce, rock sugar, etc., in appropriate amounts, first over high heat and then down to low heat.
"Grandma, bring me the shrimp," Yu Miaoyin said, and she immediately started making Typhoon Shelter-Style Fried Shrimp.
"OK."
"I ate this dish at a tea restaurant when I traveled to Hong Kong Island when I was young, and I haven't had it for many years." She had never ordered the Typhoon Shelter Fried Shrimp that the chef here was making. Even after all these decades, Grandma still remembers the taste.
Yu Miaoyin put the marinated shrimp into the oil and fried them until they curled up slightly and changed color. Then she heated the oil in another pot, sautéed minced garlic, chili peppers and scallion segments until fragrant, added breadcrumbs and fried them until slightly yellow, and then added the fried shrimp and stir-fried them until they were coated with seasoning. "I'll try my skills later and see if I can find the original taste again."
The last two dishes were braised beef tendon with dried bean curd and stir-fried mushrooms with dried scallops. While she was cooking the other dishes, the beef tendon was already braised. She poured cornstarch slurry into the casserole, spread the dried bean curd on top, and started braising.
Meanwhile, the Three-Cup Chicken and Tofu Fish Head Soup were ready, and Grandma took those two dishes out first. Yu Miao started preparing the last dish, which was simple. Three minutes later, Yu Miaoyin took out the stir-fried scallops and mushrooms.
The dishes were all ready when Lu Jingming arrived. He knocked on the door and asked, "Is Boss Yu here?"
"Yes, I am." Yu Miaoyin took off her apron and came out.
Seeing that there were too many people, Lu Jingming didn't go in. Instead, he stood outside and chatted with Yu Miaoyin. He had come to discuss the cooperation. Lu Jingming handed over the contract, saying, "This is the draft contract. Please take a look and see if it's acceptable, Ms. Yu. If you have any questions or want to modify any clauses, please feel free to contact me."
"Okay, I'll give you an answer in a few days." Yu Miaoyin casually flipped through the pages.
Lu Jingming asked out of curiosity, "Are there any guests at home today?"
"No, it's my sister's birthday, I'm celebrating her birthday. By the way, I made a lot of food, would you like to come in and try some?" Yu Miaoyin invited him, having bought large portions of groceries so there wouldn't be enough. She had originally planned to invite Grandpa Xu's family over, but they were out having fun today.
Smelling the fragrance, Lu Jingming really wanted to say, "Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" But thank you, Boss Yu, I won't be polite.
But he held back. After all, he and Boss Yu weren't exactly on good terms, and their business relationship was still far from being established. It wouldn't be good to disturb them rashly. "Thank you for your kindness, Boss Yu, but I won't go in. Enjoy your meal. By the way, please give me my birthday wishes. I didn't know it was your sister's birthday today, otherwise I would have brought a gift."
“Okay.” Yu Miaoyin didn’t insist.
Yu Miaoyin turned around only after watching Lu Jingming drive away.
As soon as she turned around, she saw a group of gossipy children peeking through the door to watch the commotion. Little Tangbao asked, "Who was that uncle who just came? He's quite handsome, but not as pretty as my older sister."
Yu Miaoyin thought only children loved watching the excitement, but to her surprise, her grandmother and He Li behind the door also agreed, "Right, I think so too."
"But he's still quite handsome, more so than the guys I've seen at the matchmaking corner."
Jiajia's focus was quite different: "The car he was driving seemed to be xx, and that car seems to cost over a million."
It's no wonder they're gossipy; everyone has a natural curiosity!
Yu Miaoyin put the contract in the drawer and invited everyone to eat, "Stop chatting, let's eat first."
"Yes, yes, eating is the most important thing." Grandma sat down and stared intently at the Typhoon Shelter Fried Shrimp.
Of course, besides the tempting golden-yellow Typhoon Shelter-Style Fried Shrimp, the other dishes were equally appealing. The fish head and tofu soup was milky white, with a rich and flavorful broth, featuring whole fish heads and chunks of tofu nestled in the soup; the three-cup chicken was coated in a thick, dark brown sauce, making it incredibly appetizing; the beef tendon was stewed until translucent and glistening, while the dark brown tofu skin looked heavy; the stir-fried mushrooms and scallops were even better, with tender and plump mushroom slices and shredded scallops interspersed throughout…
"Happy birthday, how about we have cake again tonight?" Yu Miaoyin said.
"Okay, thank you, sister, mua~" Xiao Tangbao gave Yu Miaoyin a kiss on the left cheek. Yu Miaoyin turned her head to the side, and Xiao Tangbao kissed her right cheek.
"Little Tangbao is another year older! Happy birthday! May you grow up healthy and safe." Jiajia, Yiling, Xiaoran, and Grandma all wished the child a happy birthday before they started eating.
Grandma picked up a piece of Typhoon Shelter-Style Fried Shrimp and put it in her mouth. After chewing a few times, she concluded that it tasted just like the Typhoon Shelter-Style Fried Shrimp she had eaten on Hong Kong Island before, or even better. The breadcrumbs were fried until dry and crispy but not greasy, and the shrimp meat inside was slightly crispy yet tender. To make good Typhoon Shelter-Style Fried Shrimp, you also need to fry the "golden garlic" well. The "golden garlic" releases a caramelized and oily aroma, which, when mixed with the breadcrumbs, creates a wonderful flavor.
"This dish is good, not bad at all compared to those chefs who have been making it for decades." Grandma gave a thumbs up and praised the dish, saying that the garlic flavor, breadcrumbs, and shrimp were dry, fragrant, and delicious.
"It smells so good, Sister! This shrimp is so delicious!" She took a big mouthful of rice and chewed on a large piece of shrimp.
Xiao Ran also praised, "It's delicious! Sister Ayin's cooking smells so good." Children don't pay much attention to eating elegance. Xiao Ran held the bowl, her head almost buried in the rice, and only her hands could be seen sticking out as she kept shoveling rice into the bowl.
Yu Miaoyin served the two of them extra dishes.
A piece of richly browned Three Cup Chicken landed in Xiao Tangbao and Xiao Ran's bowls, glistening with its color. "Thank you, Sister! This chicken smells so good!"
"Grandma, have a taste too, it's the chicken you raised." Yu Miaoyin put another piece on her grandma's plate. The others didn't need Yu Miaoyin to put any on them; they just glanced at it and quickly put a piece on their own.
"I helped Grandma feed it, so if this chicken is delicious, I deserve some credit," Jiajia said, trying to take credit, though she wouldn't admit that she was scared away by the chicken.
Grandma put a whole piece of tender chicken into her mouth. The skin on the chicken was smooth and bouncy. Even the fat was just right, seeping into the chicken and making the whole piece taste even more tender. From the skin to the meat to the bone, everything was crispy and fragrant.
“At the food festival a couple of days ago, I kept hearing people mention Xiaoyin’s cooking, saying they really wanted to try it. Xiaoyin has really become famous now,” He Li said, adding that it’s a good thing.
Speaking of this, He Li asked, "Wasn't that the owner of Lu's Food Factory who came just now? Was he here to talk to Xiao Yin about a collaboration?"
She had also eaten food from Lu's Food Factory, especially the canned fish, which was quite delicious and convenient. Most importantly, their production process was transparent and open, so the people of Yuncheng could eat with peace of mind.
"Yes." Yu Miaoyin took a sip of the fish head soup. Even the tofu was so delicious. The milky white soup base was smooth and delicate, and neither the fish head nor the tofu had any fishy smell.
"He wants me to collaborate with him, with me contributing my technology as equity, to make mushroom sauce," Yu Miaoyin explained in general terms.
“This is a good thing. People in Yuncheng really like their products. It’s good to be able to cooperate with them. Xiaoyin can earn more money, so she won’t have to work so hard to run the shop…” Grandma said while eating a piece of dried bean curd that had soaked up the beef tendon juice and sauce. As soon as she swallowed it, she quickly changed her words: “Running a shop, you still have to run a shop, but you can’t overwork yourself.”
Xiaoyin is closing her shop. What should she do?
Yu Miaoyin understood the implication in her words, "The shop will definitely continue to operate, but I might really slack off."
He Li also thought this was a good thing, "With Xiao Yin's recipe and reputation, this mushroom sauce will be sold out in no time."
She could even imagine scalpers reselling the goods at inflated prices. For example, during this food festival, Xiaoyin probably didn't know that scalpers were lining up to buy chicken biscuits and then reselling them on a certain online marketplace.
"Mushroom sauce, when I go to college, I won't be able to eat Sister Ayin's cooking anymore, so I'll take mushroom sauce with me to college. Whenever I miss home, I can have a bite."
Everyone is looking forward to this collaboration.
Yu Miaoyin chewed on the beef tendon. The beef tendon was stewed for a long time but it was not soft and mushy. The meat juice was locked inside, and the rich sauce had all seeped into the beef tendon. It was very chewy and delicious. She put a piece on each of the two children's plates.
After dinner, Yiling and Jiajia helped clear the dishes, best friends Xiaotangbao and Xiaoran were reading storybooks together, Grandma Heli was chatting, and Yu Miaoyin went to look at the contract.
After reviewing the contract and confirming there were no hidden pitfalls, Yu Miaoyin felt it was feasible and contacted Lu Jingming to say they could sign the contract when they had time.
Yu Miaoyin put away the contract and asked Xiao Tangbao, "Baby, do you want to go to Lingyu Mountain? Do the grandmas want to come along?"
Lingyu Mountain has been very popular online recently. Yiling and Jiajia have both seen it online. Grandma climbed it when she was young, but she hasn't been there for so many years. She wonders if it has changed.
The group immediately decided to go and see Lingyu Mountain.
The closer they got to Lingyu Mountain, the worse the traffic became. The driver, mistaking them for tourists, struck up a conversation, "Traffic is worse here than usual, aren't you in a hurry?"
Grandma nodded: "No rush, no rush. Yuncheng is so beautiful, and the air is so fresh. It's worth visiting."
The excited driver slapped his thigh: "Isn't it beautiful?"
...
Although it was a mountain, it wasn't very high, so they could exercise while walking. Xiao Tangbao, Xiao Ran, and two high school students were very excited and ran up the mountain as soon as they reached the foot of the mountain. He Li and Yu Miaoyin accompanied their grandmother as they walked slowly.
They chatted and laughed all the way to the top of the mountain, enjoying the scenery. Jiajia bought a wishing plaque and started making a wish. Xiaotangbao called out to Yu Miaoyin, "Sister, sister, I'm writing a wish for you."
She asked Jiajia to teach her to write, and wrote down that she wished her sister health, peace, and happiness. She also drew two crooked little hearts next to it.
Since she was already there, Yu Miaoyin bought a wishing plaque. She was rather greedy and wrote several wishes on it, such as family and career.
The scenery of Lingyu Mountain is indeed beautiful. Yu Miaoyin just stood there and looked at the scenery. Every plant and tree was so vibrant. Standing there and not having to do anything made people feel at ease.
Nature possesses boundless power.
"This photo is so beautiful! I'm going to post it on WeChat Moments later. Yuncheng is so pretty! Let's enjoy the scenery!" the girl said. After taking the photo, the rest of the time was spent admiring the scenery.
Yu Miaoyin took two steps outside, giving the spot to the tourists to take photos.
Another girl looked at the photo and said, "This trip to Yuncheng was so worthwhile! I just don't know when Yu Ji Restaurant will open. I really want to go and eat there."
"Me too, wait a minute..." Before the girl could finish speaking, she looked at Yu Miaoyin with a mixture of disbelief and shock: "Are you Boss Yu?"
She would recognize Boss Yu even if he turned to ashes. Although Boss Yu didn't show his face often, she had a deep impression of him because he was fair-skinned, young, and beautiful, and you couldn't tell at all that he was a chef.
"Yes, hello."
"Boss Yu, we like you so much, can we take a picture with you?" The young girl went up to him with her phone in hand.
"all right."
After the photo was taken, the girl held her hand and said with expectant eyes, "Boss Yu, when will you open? We are from Haishi, and we came to Yuncheng specifically to eat your cooking."
"Let's rest for another day, the day after tomorrow," Yu Miaoyin said.
The girls were thrilled to receive a definite reply.
—
Yu family.
These past two days, Xiaoming has been locking himself in his room to study. Yu Guang looked at the tightly closed door, pacing back and forth, and said, "Do you think our son is going to become stupid from studying?"
At first, his son was addicted to video games, and he was very worried. But now that his son has become engrossed in studying, he's even more worried!
Yu Guang pressed his ear close to the door, and a string of chicken intestines slid smoothly past his brain without leaving a trace.
Yu's mother kicked his butt, "What are you doing, disturbing your son's studies?"
Yu Guang rubbed his backside. "He's been studying for five hours straight and hasn't come out even once. Could he have gone mad from practicing? This isn't my son, Yu Guang's son."
Mrs. Yu nodded. "Let's ask him to come out and get something to eat."
The first time he was asked, Xiaoming said he didn't want to eat. The second time he was asked, Xiaoming still refused. Yu Guang snorted and secretly took out a chicken biscuit. "Son, do you want some chicken biscuits? They're made by Boss Yu."
"Eat, eat, eat! Thank you, Dad!" In a flash, Xiaoming rushed out of his room and snatched the chicken biscuit from Yu Guang's hand.
Yu Guang was reluctant to eat it even though he was hiding it. He was really going all out to get his son to come out. Yu Guang wanted to invite his son to eat hot pot together.
He was so focused on studying that he didn't notice anything, but the aroma of the chicken biscuits made him suddenly see stars with hunger. One bite, and the oily, crispy chicken biscuit crumbled in his mouth, the nuts crunchy, the meat juicy and flavorful, and the aroma filled the air.
"Thank you, Dad. I will definitely study hard. I'll go back and study now." After eating the chicken biscuits, Xiaoming was full of energy. He was determined to get into the top high school so he could eat delicious food every day!
"Hey, hey, hey, you child." Yu Guang couldn't stop him. Why did he feel like his son had really gone mad?
After finishing a chicken biscuit, Xiaoming's voice became even louder as he recited his lessons.
On his day off, Lu Jingming came to sign a contract with Yu Miaoyin and brought Lego as a birthday gift for Xiaotangbao. The child was embarrassed to accept it, so Lu Jingming joked, "It's not a gift from me, it's from your older sister. You should thank your older sister. I'm working with your older sister, and I bought you Lego to please you."
Yu Miaoyin said a few other things, but ultimately didn't mention him. Anyway, at that moment, Xiao Tangbao was huddled in a corner building Lego. It was cold outside, so she decided to stay home and play with the child.
She was having a great time, but her customers were getting impatient. The day after tomorrow, some people lined up at the store early in the morning, afraid they wouldn't get a table.
Grandpa Xu got up cursing. This group of people was too annoying, preventing him from sleeping in. He had to wrap himself in his military overcoat early and wait with everyone else for Boss Yu to open the door. It was only 7:30 in the morning. This was elder abuse.
It's all the fault of these people. Just like in the old exams, the passing score was clearly 60 points, but in one paper, the score suddenly became 120 points.
Yu Miaoyin went to the market first. When she came back and saw the group of diners shivering in the cold wind, she was startled: "Uncle Xu, what brings you here? Is there something you need?"
"These little brats insisted on getting up so early to line up. I was just worried I wouldn't get to eat."
Yu Miaoyin glanced at the man at the front of the line, who asked her, "Boss, could you open earlier? I'm waiting for your food. My flight is at 1:30 PM, and I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I don't get to eat at your place..."
He came here as a tourist, specifically to visit Yu's Restaurant.
"Wait a little longer, I'll write down a number for you, so you don't stand there in the wind," Yu Miaoyin said.
After writing down the number plates, Yu Miaoyin handed them out to everyone. The man holding the number one plate grinned and asked, "Boss Yu, around what time do you open the shop today?"
"Around 11:30," Yu Miaoyin said.
"So what's good to eat today?" the older brother asked again.
Yu Miaoyin carried the ingredients into the kitchen. "Today, we're making lion's head meatballs."
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