There's a hot pot restaurant in Beijing. It's not a big place, but the food is novel and fresh. It's called hot pot, and it's so delicious that I've never heard of it before.
Most people were unaware of the connection between this hot pot restaurant and Zhaixinglou; word spread because of the novelty and unique flavor of the hot pot. Suddenly, the streets of Beijing were filled with talk of this hot pot restaurant.
"Manager Tao, I heard that there are long queues over there. This hot pot is really addictive!" Lu Neng joked. He had helped run errands earlier, and Tao Wanniang had given him a nice red envelope, which made him quite satisfied.
"This hot pot business is seasonal. From now until the beginning of summer, business will generally be quite good." Tao Wan's mother had already thought about this. This was also a test for her son and daughter-in-law. She believed that she would grow a lot as the manager.
"Manager Tao, why don't we sell this in our restaurant too?" It was Yang Lian who spoke up; he really loved hot pot.
“That’s not good,” Luneng said. “Our restaurant isn’t an ordinary place. If we have hot pot together, the whole area will smell like that, and then our other dishes won’t look as appealing.”
Tao Wan's mother nodded. The restaurant's positioning was different from the hot pot restaurant. In the future, they could expand the hot pot restaurant.
"Today I'll be bringing something new to my estate: sweet potatoes. Everyone in the estate has already eaten them," Tao Wanniang said, mentioning it when Lin Zhuangshi brought vegetables last time.
Another new crop? Shandong Luneng was both surprised and excited, as the potatoes and tomatoes from last time sold very well.
"How do the people in the village feel about it?" Lu Neng asked. "Manager Tao, why don't you give us a hint first? Can this compare to potatoes?"
Potatoes and sweet potatoes, if anything, belong to the same family, the tuber family.
"Pretty much!" Tao Wanniang said casually, "The sweet potatoes are a bit sweeter."
"Sweet, can sweet things be used in cooking?" Luneng couldn't help but ask, but then added, "If it's naturally sweet, can it be used to make pastries?"
"It should be fine, it all depends on Liu Yueniang's skills," Tao Wanniang replied, just as she saw Lin Zhuangshi's carriage approaching.
"Here they come, Yang Song. Take some men and move the things to the kitchen!"
Soon, a basket of sweet potatoes was presented to everyone in the kitchen, and they were all very curious about this thing they had never seen before.
"This lump looks really unappetizing, Manager Tao. How are we supposed to eat it?" Yu Shizhao couldn't help but ask.
“When I was in the village, I roasted it and ate it. I must say, it was so soft and sweet. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water,” Tao Wanniang said. “And several days have passed, and no one who ate it has had any problems.”
Tao Wanniang's words greatly encouraged the people in the kitchen; they had already eaten there, so nothing would happen.
"So... what are you planning to do this time?" It was Yang Yongsheng who spoke.
"You wash a few, I'll think about it," Tao Wanniang said casually, not revealing anything.
Sweet potatoes become soft when cooked, so they can't be shaped. However, Tao Wanniang has already come up with a few ideas.
First, take a sweet potato, peel it, cut it into strips, coat it with cornstarch, and fry it in oil. A plate of sweet potato strips is ready.
"Come and try it, see how it differs from potato fries."
"Mmm, sweet and chewy, not as crispy as potato strips, but the texture is still very good." Tang Ruyue said after picking one up and tasting it first. "This doesn't even need any dipping sauce, it's delicious!"
Seeing that Tang Ruyue had tasted it, everyone else started eating as well.
Tao Wanniang put two sweet potatoes into the fire, and placed a small pot in the stove to boil water, steaming two pieces of them.
In just one day, several ways to eat sweet potatoes were discovered, which also confirmed to everyone in the kitchen that this stuff is indeed edible.
Soon, news of the new dishes at Zhaixinglou spread again.
The candied sweet potatoes and the shredded sweet potatoes with lantern sauce were both eye-catching, and they made Shi Tianbao come over with great interest, just like a dog that had caught a whiff of the aroma.
"Manager Tao, first of all, the Ministry of Revenue highly approves of your millet. Next year, we will select fertile land to plant it and observe its growth and yield. If it is stable, then we will gradually encourage the people to plant it."
"And then, the potatoes? But the timing isn't right. The potatoes that have grown this time are small, and there aren't many on the roots. Next time, it'll be better to wait until spring to plant them."
"Those tomatoes are quite good. The imperial kitchen has grown a lot of them, and the nobles in the palace all like to eat them. We can also let the farmers grow some next year."
Shi Tianbao first praised Tao Wanniang's several new dishes, and then chuckled as he also praised Tao Wanniang.
"Manager Tao, you are truly a living bodhisattva of our Great Yue. In the future, when Great Yue will no longer suffer from hunger, everyone will think of you."
"No, Bodhisattvas are meant to save all sentient beings, I have no interest in that," Tao Wanniang said. "Come and freeload, here are two sweet potatoes for you."
"Hehe, Manager Tao is a wise man. Can these sweet potatoes be eaten directly?" Shi Tianbao, his skin thickened, asked with a smile.
“Based on what the people on my estate and the people in my own restaurant have eaten, about two sweet potatoes are enough to fill you up with a bowl of rice,” Tao Wanniang replied. “If we’re really talking about what ordinary people eat, I think growing sweet potatoes is a good option. If we had this back then, I wouldn’t be afraid of famine.”
Upon hearing Tao Wanniang's words, Shi Tianbao immediately became interested.
"Then...can I try two sweet potatoes?"
"Then let's wait," Tao Wanniang said decisively. "Choose two big pieces, all you can eat!"
After eating the sweet potatoes, Shi Tianbao was truly amazed by their taste. He ate two and couldn't eat anything else. Thinking of what Tao Wanniang had said, he now felt a deep sense of agreement.
"Manager Tao, give me a sweet potato. I want to take it back and talk to my superiors about how this stuff is worth promoting."
"Lord Shi is really busy. There are so many things to plant next year," Tao Wanniang teased. Shi Tianbao's eyes shone as he said this.
"It's all thanks to Manager Tao. Youzhou is truly a wonderful place. It makes me want to go there too. Are there any more of these foreign seeds there?" Shi Tianbao said, sounding eager.
"I don't know then." Tao Wanniang smiled gently and innocently. She didn't know if there were any in Youzhou. If she were to bring out some new species again, she really should find another place. Otherwise, the imperial court might actually send people to Youzhou to ask foreigners for seeds!
Speaking of Youzhou, a letter arrived from Youzhou the very next day. The Zhaixing Tower there was almost completed, and Tao Wanniang was asked to send over the menu and recipes from the capital.
"Manager Tao, I've learned enough, and I want to go back to Sifang City," Yu Shizhao said, bidding farewell. "However, could I take the potato, tomato, and sweet potato seeds back with me? If we can't plant them this year, we need to plant them next year. We can't keep coming to the capital to buy these every time!"
“You’re right, I’ll give it to you.” Tao Wanniang said readily. Once the imperial court has mastered the methods of planting these things, it will be promoted among the people, so there’s no need for her to keep it a secret.
So, who should we send to Youzhou?
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