Others are fleeing famine, but I am a salted fish

Soon the group was brought to the backyard, where they saw more than a dozen earthen stoves stacked in a row under a simple shed outdoors.

Although there were only two distillation tools covering the burning iron pot, four women were taking turns watching the fire, pouring wine into the pot from time to time, and their faces flushed from busyness under the heat wave.

Farther away, there were many women busy moving wine jars. Everyone was sweating profusely, but their faces were full of joy.

It seems that in this hot weather, working hard and sweating profusely is not tiring at all, but rather it seems as if there is endless energy.

They hurried to see the county magistrate and were both surprised and delighted. When the county magistrate came to inspect them, they were so nervous that they didn't know what to do with their hands and feet.

Grandpa called on everyone, telling them to keep distilling the liquor, and the rest of them to hurry up and prepare lunch for the county magistrate, the officials, and the people who came to learn distillation.

“No, no.” The county magistrate tried to stop them but failed, because after hearing the grandfather’s words, everyone quickly withdrew, fetched water, carried firewood, and went to the kitchen to prepare food.

Seeing everyone so enthusiastic, the county magistrate politely bowed to the grandfather, then stepped forward to carefully check the distillation steps.

Grandpa had already memorized the steps and process of distillation from Lin Xiaoyue's repeated instructions, and he can now explain it quite clearly.

The county magistrate and the legal advisers and runners who accompanied him listened attentively and called on the people who followed behind to learn well.

The people who had gone to the town to get the customized distillation tools back hurriedly put all five sets of tools on the stove, picked up the wine jars placed against the wall, and poured all the wine into the pot. While turning on the fire, he demonstrated the production process to everyone in accordance with the steps given by the grandfather.

The magistrate listened attentively, like a curious older schoolboy, interrupting to ask questions when he encountered something he did not understand.

At this time, he was curiously pointing at a condenser tube immersed in an ice basin on one side, asking what it was?

Although the county magistrate had read the detailed production book submitted by Lin Xiaoyue, there was still a certain gap between theory and reality before seeing the real thing. Now, with the grandfather explaining it one by one, he soon matched it with the production book he had read in his mind. This is an ice basin made for condensing wine.

Driven by curiosity, the county magistrate unconsciously stretched out his hand and felt the coolness constantly released from the ice basin. The coldness of his touch made his fingertips numb.

ice?

Is this ice?

It was a hot day, and it was extremely scorching outside, but we could still use ice in the village.

It can't be bought, right?

The county magistrate remembered that Lin Xiaoyue had reported to him before that the person who stole the secret recipe demanded 50,000 taels of silver.

But they had just settled in Wanbao Town. In such a short time, it was impossible for them to find out where to buy ice cream right after they arrived. Even their families in the county might not be able to buy it. It was obvious that the ice vendors had already sold out their stocks.

Even if there is any left, it will definitely be kept for personal use. Who would be willing to sell it?

After thinking about it, the county magistrate quickly realized that this ice basin was another secret recipe.

When he asked Grandpa in further detail about the principle of the ice basin, Grandpa was stuck.

What's the principle?

He only knows how to do it, but if you ask him about the principle, how can he know? He turned around and wanted to find Lin Xiaoyue to ask her to explain it to the county magistrate.

Well, I don’t know where the person disappeared to.

As early as entering the manor, Lin Xiaoyue quickly took advantage of the crowd and escaped from the rear.

She had no sense of obligation to accompany the county magistrate for a chat. Her custom-made tools had just arrived home and she was busy assembling them. How could she have time to chat with a middle-aged man?

It's quite a beautiful thought.

However, not long after returning to the room and before he had even started to assemble it, Miao, who was worried about what dishes to prepare for the county magistrate, came over.

Why is it so troublesome? We can just prepare what we want to eat for the county magistrate. Do we have to prepare a huge banquet with 108 dishes, including salty and sweet, meat and vegetables, and exquisite cooking?

Miao didn't understand the long string of luxurious and exaggerated sentences coming out of her third daughter's mouth, but she could still understand the teasing tone.

You naughty girl, he's the county magistrate, don't be so disrespectful to him. Give your mother some advice quickly, the aunts in the kitchen are getting very anxious.

Seeing that Miao was really anxious, Lin Xiaoyue didn't dare to make trouble with her mother anymore. She thought that the county magistrate was really troublesome. He could come at will, but he had to choose a time for dinner. Her mother and several aunts were all country women. In their eyes, the county magistrate was just a big official.

Well, not only the county magistrate, but even the yamen runners could make them feel terrified.

After thinking about it, the county magistrate was probably tired of all the delicacies from land and sea, and the best fish and meat. Let's not try those fancy things. It would be tiring. The county magistrate would think that the food was not as good as the one in the restaurant in the town, so let's just go for something simple and down-to-earth.

Walk, walk, walk! Lin Xiaoyue pulled Miao, who was frowning with worry, and coaxed her all the way to the kitchen. While walking, she told her mother about the most suitable delicacy for the hot summer - cold noodles.

When it comes to preparing food, she is not very good at hands-on work, but she has experience and can cook and talk. She starts by adding water to the dough to mix it into a floc, and then gradually adds water to knead the dough until it is smooth...

Actually, she wanted to get away with it with instant noodle paste at first, but firstly, it was too simple and she was afraid that her mother would be the first to disagree; secondly, this thing is only good to eat occasionally, and it would be too greasy to eat it for every meal in such hot weather.

She wants to eat cold noodles.

Therefore, the county magistrate and his companions had a great treat.

So when Lin Xiaoyue and Miao entered the kitchen, they saw several aunts who were as anxious as donkeys in the kitchen, their eyes lit up as if they had seen a savior. After Lin Xiaoyue's simple comfort, the aunts did not hesitate and immediately rolled up their sleeves to start kneading the dough.

Compared with the ladies and young ladies from the city, farm wives are still very capable in kitchen work.

Just looking at the way the aunties kneaded the dough, their movements were not elegant or beautiful, but they had a special rhythm and coordination.

After kneading the dough, they start to pull it. The dough becomes incredibly well-behaved under the actions of the aunties. As their arms extend, they pull and stretch it at a uniform and fast speed. They keep turning and shaking it back and forth until the noodles are formed and then put into boiling water.

The boiling water in the pot was not simple either. Since they were entertaining the county magistrate and his runners, they used the bone soup that had been simmering over a low fire since morning to cook the noodles.

Lin Xiaoyue: Wow..., so luxurious.

Then, she brought in the ice water that had been made in the morning but had not yet been frozen, and asked the aunts to scoop out the cooked noodles and put them into the ice water to swing them, so that the noodles would become more flexible and chewy in the interaction between hot and cold.

The most important thing is that in hot weather, a bowl of icy cold noodles is both appetizing and a heat-reducing drink.

After that, he taught the aunts to mix minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili oil, and pour it on the chilled noodles. Then sprinkle a handful of chopped green onions and crispy peanuts.

It’s sour, spicy, fresh, cool and refreshing, simply perfect.

……