in2ebook Chapter 147 Welcoming Guests
Chapter 147 Welcoming Guests
Sha Zhu received a few children who came to wish him a Happy New Year at his home, but it seemed like there weren't many children there.
After telling my second uncle, I headed towards the address of the small restaurant that the neighborhood office had chosen.
The small restaurant is located right next to the neighborhood office, just 20 meters away.
When Sha Zhu arrived, Li Jianguo was inside directing a dozen or so people to work.
Aunt Hu also arrived early to work alongside them.
When Li Jianguo saw Sha Zhu approaching, he hurriedly said...
"Why did you take so long to arrive? Everyone's waiting for you to assign tasks. Director Wang said you'd be in charge of making arrangements once you got here."
"Me, make arrangements? What's there to arrange? Just do what you're supposed to do."
Don't tell me the people in your neighborhood office's kitchen don't know how to make steamed buns, cornbread, dumplings, fried dough rings, and soy milk.
"Let a few of the newcomers go and help out; those are the apprentices Director Wang found for me."
Li Jianguo immediately called over the three young men who were cleaning with their heads down.
He was about the same age as Sha Zhu, and asked, "Zhu Zi, are we just making steamed buns and cornbread for the New Year?"
"Of course not, it's mutton soup, braised pork, pig's head meat, pig's ears, shredded tofu, chicken gizzards, tripe, eight-treasure sauce cubes, and pork hock."
Boiled peanuts, edamame, salted duck eggs, tofu with scallions, fried meatballs, fried dough sticks...
We just received some drinks, right? Once they're ready,
Guests can choose to eat here or take away.
Sha Zhu asked, "Where did Director Wang go? He's been urging me quite a bit."
"Didn't the government launch a campaign to support the military and give preferential treatment to their families? Director Wang led several people from the subdistrict office to visit and comfort the families of military personnel."
When I get back, I'll be organizing activities like a joint military-civilian celebration. I'll be going there later, so you'll be in charge here for now. Don't let anything go wrong.
"Let me introduce you. The one on the left is called Zhao Xiaohu, he's seventeen years old."
The young man in the middle is named Wang Chaoyang, and he is sixteen years old. The young man on the right is named Zhou Biao, and he is also sixteen years old.
Director Wang has already spoken to them. You can just make arrangements for them; they're all children of military martyrs' families, so you must teach them well.
Li Jianguo called the three young men over and introduced them one by one.
Just as Li Jianguo finished his introduction and was about to leave, Sha Zhu hurriedly grabbed him and led him outside.
He asked, "How are things going between you and Sister Liu Qian? She doesn't seem very happy these past few days."
"It's hard to explain in a short time, but it's not too difficult to solve. It's just a matter of the house and the bride price."
My job is to survey the houses in this area, it's not that difficult, it's just that my family doesn't want me to move out.
Don't worry, my place is pretty cramped too. I've wanted to live in a detached house like you for a long time.
I'll talk to my family when I get back, but in a few days, you'll have to help me out and lend me some money.
“Okay, no problem,” Sha Zhu readily agreed.
After seeing Li Jianguo off, Sha Zhu returned to the small restaurant and called over everyone who was busy there. A dozen or so people gathered in a circle.
“Uncle Cao, aren’t you the head chef in the neighborhood office’s kitchen? Here’s the deal: everyone except these three young men will be under your management,” Sha Zhu said, pointing to his three apprentices.
"You take them and make some noodles, steamed buns, dumplings, fried dough rings, soy milk, fried meatballs, and fried dough sticks, etc."
Hygiene and sales are all things you arrange.
You've arranged these things in the neighborhood office's kitchen before; it's just that the neighborhood office staff have become ordinary citizens—there's no difference.
If there's anything you don't understand or can't do, you can come and ask me. Uncle Cao, do you have any questions?
Uncle Cao chuckled and said, "I'm fine. There are just a few snacks I'm not very good at making."
The taste of what I make can't compare to what you buy outside. Just teach me how later, and I'll be fine."
“Okay, no problem. Uncle Cao, you can get them busy then.”
After Sha Zhu finished speaking, he led the remaining three apprentices to the kitchen.
Upon arriving at the kitchen, the three young men were about to kneel down and kowtow to Sha Zhu.
Director Wang has already told them that he will find them a master to learn the craft.
Seeing this, Sha Zhu quickly stopped them, saying, "There's no need for this now."
We're about the same age, and the disciples I'm taking in now are only nominal disciples, not formal ones.
I'll give you two or three years. After I come of age, I'll test your academic performance.
Whether you can become my formal disciples then depends on your efforts.
I'll teach you how to make some braised dishes, cold braised dishes, and mutton soup. Once you learn them, you'll have a skill.
When you get off work, come to my house. I'll give each of you a cookbook.
Go back and see for yourself. If you can't read, then try your best to learn to read.
Next, you'll watch how I do it and memorize it.
If you can read, it's best to prepare a notebook to write things down; a bad pen is worse than a good memory.
Sha Zhu started preparing the ingredients he had bought in advance.
While they were helping, they were asked to handle some simple tasks.
But his mind was filled with the names of three people: Zhao Xiaohu, Wang Chaoyang, and Zhou Biao.
Zhao Xiaohu, Wang Chaoyang. Zhao Hu, Wang Chao.
My own steel rolling mill already has a disciple named Zhang Long, and now... Zhang Long, Zhao Hu, Wang Chao, and Ma Hua.
The way they named it—should we give them this nickname? MCA should change their name to Ma Han too, so they don't become Bao Zheng (a famous judge in Chinese history).
It's like Bao Zheng, the upright judge of the culinary world, sending himself a Zhan Zhao.
I quickly banished those thoughts from my mind and decided to teach them these simple braised food techniques first.
I don't want to stay here every day; the factory is about to start operating.
These methods aren't difficult at all; it's just a matter of finding the right recipe.
Making the braising liquid, preparing the cold seasonings, adjusting the braising liquid, processing the ingredients, and controlling the heat.
Practice your knife skills more, cutting the braised ingredients into slices or strips, and then placing the cut ingredients in a bowl.
Add the dressing and mix well to allow the ingredients to absorb the flavors, making them easier to eat.
Moreover, the brine can be reused after filtering out some impurities each time it is used.
Just remind them a few more times, and have them come over for a check-up occasionally, and there won't be any problems.
Making brine generally requires bringing it to a boil over high heat, then reducing to a simmer and cooking for two hours.
Braised meats typically take half an hour to an hour to cook, while beans and some vegetables only take about ten minutes.
Sha Zhu, with his three apprentices, operated several stoves and would occasionally run over to Uncle Cao for pointers.
I was busy until noon, and then I was almost done with the work.
I started work a little late today, and it's the first day I've made so many delicious foods and snacks.
This was also the first time Uncle Cao had ever made so many different kinds of food.
Despite not coordinating the time well, thankfully everything was finished before noon.
A large crowd had already gathered in front of the small restaurant, drawn in by the delicious aroma.
"Zhu Zi, the customers outside are all asking us when we're going to open a shop and start selling things. What do you think?"
Uncle Cao, sweating profusely from his busy schedule on the first day of the Lunar New Year, came over and asked.
"Okay, I'll go to the neighborhood office to see if Director Wang has returned."
"The red cloth on the signboard at the entrance of the small restaurant hasn't been removed yet, so we dare not make the decision to sell now," Sha Zhu said after thinking for a moment.
As the two were talking, Director Wang, accompanied by several street office staff, led the waiter inside to open the door of the small restaurant and come in.
Sha Zhu hurriedly went over and said, "Director Wang, I was just about to go to the subdistrict office to find you."
Director Wang observed that the small restaurant was already staffed and the food was neatly arranged.
Satisfied, he said, "We just came back from outside. We saw a crowd gathered in front of the small restaurant, so we came over to take a look."
Now that everything is ready, let's open the doors and welcome guests. Zhu Zi, why don't you go to the door, say a few words, and unveil the signboard?
Sha Zhu hurriedly shook his head, "No way, I'm just helping out. I'll be going back to work at the factory in a couple of days. I'm not an employee here."
"Alright, I won't make things difficult for you. However, you haven't prepared enough tables and chairs. Look at all the people outside; there are definitely not enough."
"Director Wang, I'm not a superhero either. There are still some unfinished products in the factory. They'll all be delivered in a day or two," Sha Zhu said with a bitter face.
"Alright, remember to bring it over early." After instructing Sha Zhu, Director Wang turned to look at the people he had brought with him.
"Li Gang, find a few people later and move the tables and chairs from the street office over for use. Once the pillars are finished, we'll move them back."
Li Jianguo, go outside and say a few words to everyone, and remove the red silk cloth from the plaque.
During the Spring Festival, our small restaurant is offering a 10% discount to welcome guests from all directions.