Transmigration: The Peasant Gourmet Chef (穿越之农妇食娘)

Chapter 21 - New Pastries (2)

Li Hehua chatted with Cao Simei about some things while she focused on turning hawthorns into a paste. She added flour little by little and let it blend, then added sugar water and honey water to taste. Li Hehua can do these actions even with her eyes closed so she finished it very quickly. Pieces of regular-size pastries then gradually formed under her hands. These pastries were then placed on the chopping board one by one, just waiting to be steamed in the pot.

It took Li Hehua more than an hour to make the hawthorn cake and lotus seed paste pastry. She put them aside together with the red bean cake and bahulu that was made before to cool, then put them in the basket after they cool down.

Next is the tanghulu (candied hawtorns). Li Hehua removed the bad hawthorns then washed the remaining ones carefully. She pierces them with bamboo sticks, five pieces per stick, then set them aside. She then prepared the syrup. She let it boil until it became foamy then slowly pour it on top of the skewered hawthorns.

The finished tanghulu are very beautiful. They are crystal clear and looks very attractive. Cao Simei was surprised, "Da meizi, your tanghulu looks beautiful. They looks very clean and were not as dark as the ones sold by others."

Li Hehua explained, "Some people selling tanghulu used bad (quality) hawthorns in it. They also didn't wash it before they make it so they're dark. Some of them also didn't know how to heat the syrup so they didn't look good. But of course, the choice of sugar also affects the taste of it."

Cao Simei sighed, "There are so many things that one needs to pay attention to in making candied haws, it's so complicated."

Li Hehua smiled. In fact, there are a lot of particularities in any food that we need to pay attention to. If you want to make delicious food, you have to be careful.

After the tanghulu cooled down, Li Hehua took out three skewers of it and handed them to Cao Simei, "Da jie, this for the three children in your family. You can give it to them."

Cao Simei quickly waved her hands, "No, no, no. This is two cents, it is just a waste for them to eat it. They won't eat it, you can sell them all."

Li Hehua didn't listen and just shoved the candied haws into her arms, "Why can't you give them to the kids to taste? I'm giving this to them so don't say no. If you refuse again, I'll leave."

Cao Simei still want to refuse but have no choice but accept it. After thanking her again and again, she immediately took it out and divided it to the three children. In fact, the children used to follow her down the streets and had always wanted to eat tanghulu when they saw others selling it. However, she was reluctant to buy it for them and ignored their gaze every time. They must be very happy now seeing such beautiful tanghulu.

Sure enough, Li Hehua heard the cheers from the children outside. Cao Simei's youngest son, Xiao San Er (little three/third), ran in after a while. He cheered as soon as he came in, "Aunt Hehua, your tanghulu is very tasty."

Li Hehua looked at him and saw that he was holding the tanghulu in one hand while chewing with this mouth stained with the syrup around it. He looks funny but his eyes were full of excitement. This is how a child behaves when he eats his favorite food.

Li Hehua couldn't help but think of the little guy, Shulin. He was also a child but he was not as lively and cheerful as Xiao San Er. She haven't even heard him make a sound.

Thinking of this, Li Hehua's heart twitched. She lowered her head and silently wrapped the two largest and bast tanghulu with oil paper wraps and then wrapped two pieces of lotus seed paste pastry and hawthorn cake. She then put them in the basket together.

Because there are too many pastries, at least eight basket of what they usually used are needed to fit them all. Not only are there not enough baskets but people also can't carry them. Seeing that Li Hehua is sad, Cao Simei took her to a house of someone that specializes in weaving baskets and bought large baskets. There are exactly four baskets, two baskets per person. Although they were a lot heavier, they could atleast can carry it to the town.

After dinner, with the oil lamp on, Cao Simei took out the money from the pastries sold today. " Da meizi, I sold a total of 44 pieces of pastries today. They are a total of 88 cents, you can count them."

Li Hehua took the money but didn't count it. She instead counted eleven cents and have it to Cao Simei, "Da jie, this is your earning for today. You worked hard."

Cao Simei was very excited. She took the eleven cents and put them in her purse, "Da meizi, thank you."

Li Hehua shook her head with a smile, "Da jie, you deserve it. We will add two new pastries and tanghulu tomorrow. Today's total amount will be doubled and tomorrow's job might be more difficult."

Cao Simei patted her thighs, "What hard work, it is too easy. I even wish to sell as many as possible so I can earn a lot of money."

Both of them laughed.

The next day, the two of them carried two large heavy baskets of pastries each to town, both sweating profusely. Not even taking a break, Li Hehua began shouting and started to introduce the new pastries. Many people are curious and asked when they saw the new pastries. Li Hehua introduce them one by one, then took a piece of hawthorn cake and lotus seed paste pastry and share it with everyone. It goes without saying that the taste is good. Many people choose to buy the hawthorn cake and lotus seed paste pastry to try it out, and some wealthy ones simply buy a little of each.

Everyone knows tanghulu and children especially likes to eat them. They saw that Li Hehua also sells them here are looks very nice. Many children who came with adults are clamoring to eat them. The adults are bothered and have no choice but to spend two cents to buy it. As a result however, the children kept licking their lips after eating and still wanted to eat more. They didn't want to leave unless the adults agreed. This caused some disturbance and some children cried from being slapped a few time. Li Heha was embarrassed.

Today's tanghulu are the fastest ones to be sold out. Li Hehua secretly rejoices. Fortunately, she had hidden two tanghulu in advance or the little guy wouldn't have the chance to eat them otherwise.

Today's business is very good, but since the volume has double, it took an hour longer than usual before everything was sold out. Looking at the time, it was almost noon and it is estimated that the pastries in Cao Simei's place was still not sold out. Li Hehua first went to the old place to buy material and then went to Cao Simei in the west.

Cao Simei's are still indeed not sold out, but there was not much remaining. Seeing Li Hehua coming over, she stood up and said, "Da meizi, yours are already sold out? You are faster than me."

Li Hehua replied, "I've been selling them for so long and there are many old customers so I sold them a little faster. If you sell more, it will be faster after a while."

Cao Simei nodded, "I know. I don't have much left. We can go back soon."

Li Hehua was thinking about the little guy so she said to Cao Simei, "Da jie, I won't go with you. I want to go back and see the child at home."

Cao Simei is a mother and understand a mother's reluctance to give up on her child. Thinking that Li Hehua misses her child, she understandingly nodded, "It should be. You should go and take a look at the child. I will leave you lunch."

Li Hehua nodded in agreement, and then I hurried to Shangshui Village.

***
End of Chapter 21.

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