The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Min Xi took the basket from Gail and saw four corn cobs at first glance. None of the corn kernels on the cobs were full. Some were half grown, and some were half grown. However, the total number of seeds was not small, and there were still hundreds of them.

Diego watched him pick up the cob and examine it, saying, "Boss, I shook it when it was blooming like you said, but it still doesn't seem to be fully grown. I'm sorry!"

Min Xi smiled and said, "It's okay, it's already very good. The main reason is that we planted too few seeds. If you didn't help, there might only be a few seeds. It's very good to have so many seeds. If we plant them next year, we will have a large area. Thank you!"

There was also a large bag of peanuts, and a large number of chili seeds and tomato seeds: "Very good, they are all well preserved, you really helped me a lot."

Diego asked curiously, "Boss, what are these for?"

Min Xi picked up the corn cob and said, "This is a food crop from the New World, just like the wheat and rye here. When I grow more, I'll make delicious food for you."

"Is it delicious?" Diego asked expectantly.

"I don't know either, it should be okay." At that time, there were no cultivated varieties of corn, all of them were primitive species. The sugar content should be relatively low, and it was more effective in filling the stomach. It could be used to make corn tortillas, corn steamed bread, and popcorn.

"What about this?" Diego asked, picking up the peanuts.

Min Xi said: "This is called peanuts, which are similar to nuts. They are very fragrant when fried, and can also be used to extract oil and cook vegetables."

Although in the era when Min Xi lived, many Europeans and Americans were allergic to peanuts and other nuts, and even to milk, eggs, and wheat gluten, which was simply a collection of allergic constitutions. There is a saying that it is because the environment is too clean, which leads to a decrease in human immunity and allergic symptoms to many normal foods.

In this day and age, people are concerned about having enough food to eat, and they don’t even think about food allergies. Besides, cleanliness is not something that Europe has in common at this time, so it is estimated that Europeans would not be allergic to nuts.

Moreover, many Europeans and Americans who come to China find that the foods they are allergic to do not cause allergic symptoms after eating them in China. This shows that the way food is processed is also an important factor causing allergies.

Yun Ji gave the gifts to everyone: "Okay, these three days are off, you can all go back and spend time with your families. Come back to work as usual in three days."

"Thank you, boss!" Everyone happily took the gifts and left.

After Amanda left, she came back and asked Min Xi, "Boss, now that you're back, do we not need to cook anymore?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "You wish! From now on, you and Gail will still be in charge of the restaurant. Yun Dongjia and I will not interfere in the affairs of the restaurant. We have other things to arrange. But I will teach you some new dishes and check them for you. I will also teach you the dishes that you are not good at."

"Yes, boss!" Amanda turned around and left happily. Her boss said that her job content would remain unchanged, which meant that her income would not decrease.

You know, her current income can allow her four children to live a better life. Her children don't have to work as child laborers or pick up dead fish and shrimps at the docks. The whole family can have enough food and warm clothes. Min Xi and Yun Ji are like saviors to Amanda's family. Before finding this job, she was even considering sending her youngest child away because she, a woman, couldn't feed five mouths.

So she was sincerely happy that Min Xi and Yun Ji were able to return safely.

Everyone left, leaving only Min Xi, Yun Ji, and Diego in the store. Diego had always been with them during the holidays, he had no home, and wherever Min Xi and Yun Ji were was his home.

The two washed up and ate the breakfast prepared by Gail.

Min Xi asked: "Diego, do you want to go somewhere to play?"

"Wherever you go, I will go." Diego was like a child who had lost his parents and then found them again. He refused to leave them no matter what.

Min Xi said, "We need to check the accounts today and understand the situation of the two stores. We may not be able to go anywhere. Is it okay for you to stay with us?"

Diego shook his head: "It doesn't matter, I'll stay at home, you don't have to worry about me, I can still help you."

"Okay, then go get the account book of the snack shop and we'll check it together."

"I brought it here early in the morning and put it on the counter." Diego is a very qualified store manager.

"You're very smart. You've grown up and can do things." Min Xi praised him.

Diego smiled shyly. There had been a day in the past when he didn't want to grow up quickly, but now, he felt that he didn't need to grow up so fast.

Yun Ji took out the account book to reconcile the money, and Min Xi went to check the things in the store to see if there was anything damaged that needed to be replaced.

Check how much sauce is left in the jar. He was away in the summer, so he didn't cook beans and dry the sauce this year. I'm afraid the remaining sauce won't be ready until next year. The temperature is too low now, and it can't ferment. I should have made more last year, but maybe by the time the soy sauce is used up, they will be ready to go back.

While Min Xi was doing these things, Diego followed him, worked and chatted with him, asked about the situation in the UK, talked about things in the store, and talked about the new things in Lisbon in the past few months.

Diego mentioned something: "By the way, Boss, last month the old Xius who makes shoes sent two pairs of shoes to you and Boss Yun."

"Why did he send me shoes again? The ones he made for me last time are not worn out yet." Min Xi was very surprised.

Diego said, "Old Hughes's shoemaker shop has closed down. He won't make shoes anymore."

"Have you retired? You're old, it's time to take a rest." Min Xi thought that old Xius was at least in his sixties and it was indeed time for him to retire and enjoy his old age.

Diego shook his head. "No, it seems something happened to his hands. He couldn't make shoes anymore, so he had to stop. He's not married, and he doesn't have any children. He didn't save much money from making shoes, and he couldn't even live in the small hotel he rented, so he moved to the slums. Maybe he can survive there longer. When he came over that time, I took the shoes for you and gave him the money to buy shoes, but he didn't want it. He threw the money down angrily and left."

Min Xi frowned when he heard this. He imagined the old man was angry at that time, just like when he gave him money. He felt insulted: "Do you know where he lives now? I want to go see him."

Diego said, "I don't know exactly where it is, but I know the approximate location. I'll need to ask around when I get there. But it shouldn't be hard to find."

After checking the conditions in the two stores, Min Xi wrote down the items that needed to be replaced and those that needed to be purchased. He returned to the hotel and told Yun Ji about Old Hughes: "Diego and I will go see Old Hughes, you stay home and look at the account book."

Yun Ji said, "I'll go with you."

"If you feel tired of watching, let's go together." Min Xi said.

Yun Ji looked at the account book, which was still a thick stack, but he still closed the account book: "We can finish reading the account book. I'll go with you." They were going to the slums, and he was a little worried. Poverty can breed a lot of crime, and he didn't dare let Min Xi take the risk alone.

So the three of them packed up, took some biscuits, cakes and other pastries from the pastry shop, took some money, bought some fruits outside, and went to visit old Zeus together.

The slums are located in a corner far away from the city center. The environmental sanitation here is very poor, the houses are low and dilapidated, and the streets are narrow and dark. The streets elsewhere in Lisbon are paved with stone slabs, but here a thin layer of gravel is covered on the original dirt road. There are many potholes on the road and sewage everywhere. I don’t know if it is rainwater or spilled domestic water, which emits a bad smell.

Min Xi and Yun Ji walked in the streets and couldn't help covering their noses with their hands. The people here were ragged and dull-eyed. When they saw someone dressed in fancy clothes coming over, their eyes lit up, just like a hungry beast seeing meat. Some people even made provocative remarks, which caused bursts of laughter.

Diego tried to keep a straight face and cursed at those people with bad intentions.

Min Xi and Yun Ji tried their best to ignore these malicious attitudes. They were just worried that old Xius was so old, living in such a harsh environment, would his body be able to withstand it?

Diego asked as he walked, and after asking seven or eight people, he finally found out the whereabouts of old Zeus.

"That old guy lives in a hotel in Elden. He has a bad temper and thinks everyone is a bad person." This is how the person who told them the news evaluated old Hughes.

Diego didn't say much, just thanked him, then accompanied the two hosts towards the Elden Hotel.

It was an old building that was almost dilapidated, with only a small door that was barely enough for people to enter and exit. It was very dark inside the door, and I was temporarily blinded after entering. It took me a while to adapt and I could barely see things.

The landlord, Elden, lived on the first floor. When he saw the guests coming, he thought they were staying at the hotel at first, but after seeing the three people's fancy clothes, he changed the words on his lips to: "Who are you looking for?"

Min Xi said, "Are you the landlord? I'm here to see Old Hughes. Is he here?"

The landlord looked at the two foreigners, Min Xi and Yun Ji, with great interest: "Old Xius, he is here. He lives on the second floor. He lives in the first room on the right hand side when you go upstairs. He came downstairs this morning, so he should be here."

After Min Xi thanked them, he went upstairs with the two of them. Diego reached out and knocked on the door: "Mr. Hughes, are you there?"

After a while, a voice from inside answered: "Who is it?"

Min Xi replied: "Mr. Hughes, we are the owners of the Chinese Restaurant. We have just returned from England and came to see you."