1980: I have a spiritual spring

Chapter 33: Delicious Food on the Tip of the Tongue
As soon as dawn broke, Qiao Erhe, whose biological clock was very accurate, opened his eyes.

After getting up and washing up, Qiao Erhe saw that his third sister had also gotten up. He reminded her, "Sanduo, you don't need to cook breakfast today. I'll go to the commune to buy it for you later."

Qiao Sanduo asked in confusion, "Second Brother, what day is it today?"

Qiao Erhe said, "It's not a special occasion, I just had a craving for guokui (a type of flatbread), so I brought some for you guys too."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Sanduo exclaimed with delight, "Second Brother, are you serious? You're going to the commune to buy us guokui (a type of flatbread)?"

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "Of course it's true. I'll go to my second uncle's house to borrow a bicycle right now. You can just wait at home for your meal."

Qiao Sanduo nodded hurriedly and said, "Okay, Second Brother."

When Qiao Erhe arrived at his second uncle's house, his second aunt was already up. He greeted her, "Good morning, second aunt."

Aunt Qiao asked, "Erhe, what brings you here so early?"

Qiao Erhe laughed and said, "It's nothing, I just had a craving for guokui (a type of flatbread), so I borrowed a bicycle to go to the commune to buy some."

Aunt Qiao suddenly realized and said, "I thought it was something serious. The bicycle is inside; go and push it out yourself!"

Qiao Erhe responded and went inside to push the bicycle out. He then said, "Second Aunt, you don't need to cook breakfast. I'll bring back a few guokui (a type of flatbread) for you too."

Aunt Qiao smiled and declined, saying, "No need, you can just buy it and eat it yourself if you're craving it."

Qiao Erhe said, "Second Aunt, please don't refuse. I'm going to bring some for my eldest brother and the others anyway, so I'll bring a few for you as well."

Aunt Qiao said, "Alright then, you wait here, I'll get you the money."

Qiao Erhe waved his hand and said, "No need, this thing isn't worth much money. I'm leaving."

After saying that, Qiao Erhe didn't wait for his second aunt to say anything more. He pushed off hard and rode his bicycle away from his second uncle's house, heading towards the commune.

On his way to the commune, Qiao Erhe thought that once he had money, he must buy a bicycle as soon as possible, otherwise it would be too inconvenient to go out. Although he could borrow his second uncle's bicycle at will, it was still not as good as having his own bicycle.

In less than ten minutes, Qiao Erhe arrived at the commune and headed straight for a mobile stall selling guokui (a type of flatbread) on the main street.

Guokui is a traditional snack with a long history. It is well-known in Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hubei and other places. This delicacy is also one of the most down-to-earth folk foods.

The guokui (a type of flatbread) from different places are completely different in both their preparation methods and taste.

For example, Shaanxi's guokui (a type of flatbread) is known for its crispy exterior, chewy interior, and rich wheat aroma.

Qianzhou Guokui is a representative of Shaanxi Guokui. It is about one foot in diameter and two inches thick. It is made by slowly baking wheat flour over a low flame. It is characterized by being "dry, crispy, white, and fragrant". It is often used as an ingredient in "Yangrou Paomo" (lamb stew with bread) or eaten with chili peppers and braised pork, reflecting the culinary character of the people of Guanzhong.

(Qianzhou Guokui)
Gansu Guokui is known for its "crispy and fragrant" texture.

Xihe Guokui is a representative of Gansu Guokui. It is about a foot in diameter and 10 centimeters thick. It is slowly baked in a three-layer hanging oven, and the heat is controlled entirely by the experience of the master baker. When it comes out of the oven, the crust is golden like amber, and the inside is soft and chewy like a sponge. The aroma of wheat is mixed with the spiciness of Sichuan peppercorns and fennel. The more you chew, the more addictive it becomes.

(Xihe Guokui)
This Xihe Guokui (a type of flatbread) can be preserved for half a month in winter without spoiling, and it won't go bad for two or three days in summer. It is known as the "crispy and fragrant shield of the Loess Plateau".

Sichuan Guokui is famous for its "Sichuan peppercorn and numbing flavor".

Juntun Guokui is a specialty of Sichuan, known for its crispy exterior and soft interior, and its enticing aroma. The unique Sichuan Guokui production process involves fermenting the flour, shaping it, and baking it, taking only 20 minutes to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior, resulting in a delicious and fragrant treat. (Juntun Guokui)
Hubei-style guokui is characterized by its thinness, crispness, and aroma.

Jingzhou Guokui is a prime example. It is shaped like a disc, only half a centimeter thick, and sprinkled with sesame seeds on the surface. The inner layer can be filled with fillings such as brown sugar and beef.

Jingzhou Guokui (a type of flatbread) is made by repeatedly rolling and pressing the dough until it becomes translucent, then baking it against the wall of a charcoal oven. When it comes out of the oven, it is crispy and crumbly. Jingzhou people often eat it for breakfast or as a snack, paired with soy milk or rice noodles, showcasing the delicate flavor of the Jianghan Plain.

(Jingzhou Public Security Bureau Guokui)
Qiao Erhe had eaten all of the above-mentioned guokui in his previous life, and each one had its own unique flavor. However, perhaps because he was from Jingzhou, he still felt that the guokui from Gong'an County in Jingzhou was the best.

Upon arriving at the stall selling guokui (a type of flatbread), Qiao Erhe asked, "Comrade, how much are your guokui?"

The stall was run by a middle-aged couple. The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "Three cents each, comrade, would you like to try one? Our guokui is fragrant and crispy, I guarantee you'll want to eat it again and again."

Qiao Erhe smiled and said, "If I buy a lot, could you give me a discount?"

The middle-aged woman asked, "Comrade, how many do you want to buy?"

Qiao Erhe said, "I want to buy 30."

The middle-aged woman asked in shock, "How much?"

The middle-aged man who was busy at work also looked up, a hint of shock in his eyes. He had been selling guokui (a type of flatbread) for some time now and had encountered quite a few customers. A customer who could buy several guokui at once was considered a big customer.

This young man in front of them bought 30 items at once; this was the first time they had ever encountered such a super-large client.

Qiao Erhe repeated, "I said I want to buy 30, I wonder if you can give me a discount?"

The middle-aged woman, regaining her senses, nodded quickly and said happily, "Of course! Our flatbread is 3 cents each, so 30 would be 9 cents. I'll only charge you 8 cents, how about that?"

Don't think that 80 cents is a small amount. In those days, an ordinary worker only earned 34 yuan a month, which averaged out to a little over one yuan a day. Now, Qiao Erhe spent 80 cents on breakfast, which is quite a lot of money.

Qiao Erhe nodded and said, "Okay, 80 cents it is. Make it for me now, and brush it with chili sauce when it's done."

The middle-aged man had a big smile on his face: "Okay, please wait a moment, I'll do it right away."

After saying that, the middle-aged man got busy. The guokui was stuck to the inside of the oven wall and slowly baked with charcoal. However, because their guokui was indeed made very thin, and several guokui could be stuck to the inside of the oven wall at the same time, the production speed of the guokui was still very fast.

In just over ten minutes, the 30 guokui (a type of flatbread) that Qiao Erhe needed were made.

These flatbreads were all wrapped in oiled paper.

After paying, Qiao Erhe put the 30 guokui (a type of flatbread) into the net bag he had brought, and then hurriedly rode his bicycle home.

When he got home, his mother and siblings were all up. When they saw that Qiao Erhe had brought back a net full of guokui (a type of flatbread), they couldn't help but widen their eyes.

Qiao Erhe parked the car, took out half a guokui (a type of flatbread) from the net bag, and said, "You guys eat first, I'll take some for my second and third uncles to try."

……

PS: This is a transitional chapter to introduce a local traditional snack. This Guokui (a type of flatbread) from Gong'an County, Jingzhou, is really delicious, and the author personally loves it.

(End of this chapter)