harleyscars Chapter 30 Bean-Flavored Salty Shortbread
Chapter 30 Bean-Flavored Salty Shortbread
The midday sun shone on the wooden sign outside the door that read "Sold Out," which Zhang Qiang had just hung up.
Those two words stood out starkly in the light and shadow. The few newcomers glanced at them reluctantly but had no choice but to turn and leave.
The twenty or so diners at the end of the line had very downcast and complicated expressions on their faces. Some were dejected, staring at Lin Muyuan's tweet on their phones and sighing repeatedly;
Some people looked regretful, wishing they could slap themselves, and even blamed themselves for not running in the middle of the day, since it would only have been a little sweat anyway.
Even worse, some people would stare longingly at the lucky ones in the shop who were eating with rosy cheeks and practically licking the steamer clean, their envy, jealousy, and resentment almost tangible.
Chen Feng stood behind the counter, watching the group of diners who had come all this way for that "taste." He gently wiped his hands on his apron.
Finally, there's nothing left to do.
But he turned around and glanced at the kitchen counter.
There were still some soybeans left over from grinding soybeans in the morning, and a small jar of red beans left over from making rabbit shadow cakes. On one corner of the cutting board, there were about two or three pounds of pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat. That was the tip of the front leg that he had specially reserved, as the meat was the most tender.
Chen Feng's mind raced. The rich aroma of soybeans, the sweetness of red beans, the savory flavor of pork... plus some dried shiitake mushrooms and a handful of fresh green onions left over from making breakfast that morning.
An idea quietly took shape in his mind.
He stepped out from behind the counter, meeting the complex and eager gazes of the people inside. His voice was clear and steady, instantly drowning out the noise in the store.
Everyone's attention immediately turned to him.
"Everyone, I'm truly sorry." Chen Feng bowed slightly, his tone sincere.
"On the first day of our 'Human Fireworks' opening, in order to ensure the quality of every little rabbit bun, I can only make 100 servings by hand each day. If I make more, my hands will lose their strength and the taste will change."
So, there are no more bunny-shaped steamed buns available today.
Upon hearing this, a low buzzing sound arose, and several young girls even began to dejectedly put away their cameras.
"However," Chen Feng changed the subject, a gentle smile appearing on his face,
"Thank you all for waiting here for so long. You all appreciate my cooking skills, and I can't let you go home on an empty stomach."
I still have some ingredients I prepared this morning. Although I can't make steamed buns, I plan to make everyone a small snack. It's on me; no money will be charged. Consider it a gesture of friendship.
The previously deathly silence exploded the moment Chen Feng finished speaking, as if injected with a burst of scorching life force.
"Holy crap, the boss is really generous!"
"Not taking money? Boss, this isn't business, it's charity!"
"It was worth the trip, really worth the trip! Lin Dada's tweet said the boss has a strong personality, I originally thought it meant a bad temper, but I didn't expect his personality to be so generous!"
A cheer erupted from the queue, and the previously gloomy faces now beamed with bright smiles.
Chen Feng turned his head and looked at the diners who had already bought the steamed buns and were sitting there slowly savoring them, and added with a smile:
"As for those of you who have already had the buns, I have some extra 'Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Rabbit Shadow Cake' left over. Please take one with you as a way of thanking you for your support of 'Human Fireworks'."
This completely engulfed the store in an almost frenzied atmosphere of joy.
"Boss, you're a truly 'god-like boss'!"
"No way! I'm not only coming by myself tomorrow, I'm bringing my parents too! With this kind of success, it would be an injustice if it didn't become a hit!"
"Long live the boss! Long live Mengmeng!"
Zhang Qiang, who was listening nearby, was grinning from ear to ear. Although he was exhausted and almost collapsed, he felt very proud to hear everyone praising the boss for being so generous.
Chen Qiang said loudly:
"Please have a seat, everyone! It's a bit cramped, but please bear with us! With Boss Chen in charge, even if it's not steamed buns, it's absolutely delicious!"
Chen Feng winked at Zhang Qiang, then gently patted Mengmeng's head as she curiously peered out from behind the counter, and whispered, "Mengmeng, isn't this dangerous? Can you help your godfather get some water for everyone?"
"Okay, Daddy!" Mengmeng responded crisply, carrying the cute little teapot from the shop, and weaving between the tables and chairs.
Chen Feng took a deep breath, turned around, and stepped into the kitchen.
The curtains hanging down in the back kitchen blocked out most of the noise from outside.
Chen Feng stood in front of the control panel, his eyes gradually calming down.
He first grabbed a handful of the soaking soybeans in the basin. The soybeans had absorbed enough water, each one so plump it looked like it was about to burst. Chen Feng then took out the small blue stone millstone that his grandfather had left behind.
He held the millstone handle with one hand, his movements gentle yet rhythmic, and the dull sound of the millstone rang out.
As the stone mill turned, streams of milky white, extremely thick soybean juice flowed out from the cracks in the stone. This soybean juice carried the raw, raw smell of soybeans. Chen Feng collected it, filtered out the excess liquid, leaving only a layer of fine, paste-like soybean residue.
This soybean residue is the essence of soybeans.
Next, he grabbed the small jar of red beans. The red beans had been cooked until soft beforehand. He took out a fine-mesh copper sieve and gently pressed them with the back of a spoon.
During this process, the skins of the red beans are completely peeled off, leaving only a fine, sandy red bean paste. To enhance the texture, he deliberately kept some broken bean kernels in the paste.
The most crucial step is processing that piece of pork.
Chen Feng took a heavy, dark-colored kitchen knife from the knife rack.
He placed the foreleg tip horizontally on the cutting board, and with a knife, he cut the meat into extremely fine strips, as if slicing butter with a hot knife, and then cut it into small cubes the size of sesame seeds.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap..."
The sound of the knife tip striking the cutting board was extremely dense and steady, like a rapid yet orderly drumbeat. This sound reached the ears of the diners outside, causing them to unconsciously lower their voices.
Everyone turned to watch how Chen Feng operated the kitchen.
"Listen to that knife work, that rhythm... the boss is definitely a top-notch chef." A young man who also loves to study cooking was listening intently.
Chen Feng added a handful of finely chopped dried shiitake mushrooms, which had been soaked in warm water, to the minced meat. He also casually sprinkled in a handful of bright green chopped scallions and a little bit of ground ginger juice.
The seasoning is extremely simple: a spoonful of sea salt, half a spoonful of Shaoxing wine, and a few drops of aged soy sauce.
Chen Feng rolled up his sleeves and dipped his hands into the porcelain basin. He didn't use any tools, but instead used the warmth of his palms to sense how well the ingredients had been prepared.
He mixed together delicate soybean paste, sandy red bean paste, and tender minced pork. It was a bold attempt; it was his first time making this kind of pastry.
The rich aroma of soybeans, the delicate fragrance of red beans, and the savory fat of pork are constantly kneaded and slapped in Chen Feng's magical hands.
As he moved, the distinct colors of the ingredients gradually blended together, transforming into a wondrous hue with hints of dark red and pale yellow.
"Fire."
Chen Feng gave a low shout, and the flames on the stove instantly leaped up, the blue-purple flames licking the bottom of the iron pot.
He poured a thin layer of pork fat into the pot. As the oil heated up and the aroma of oil began to fill the air, Chen Feng quickly divided the kneaded filling into small balls the size of billiard balls, then gently pressed them into thick little cakes with his palm.
"Sizzle—"
In that instant, the diners who were chatting and laughing in the restaurant were instantly captivated by the burst of aroma.
It contains a blend of aromas: the smoky, nutty scent of soybeans after being roasted at high temperatures; the soft, sweet flavor of red beans after being soaked in oil; and the rich, aromatic flavor of pork as the fat melts and is locked in at high temperatures. These three flavors are perfectly complemented by the freshness of shiitake mushrooms and the crispness of scallions, creating a powerful and dominant "aroma field."
"My goodness... what kind of divine food is this?"
A customer who was biting into a bunny-shaped steamed bun suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on the direction of the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Chen Feng's wooden spatula moved swiftly. Each bean-flavored savory pastry was fried until golden brown on both sides. The outer crust was slightly crispy due to the presence of soybean residue, with a layer of fine bubbles, while the inside remained moist with red beans and tender with pork.
He timed it perfectly, sprinkling in a small handful of finely ground roasted sesame seeds just one second before it was done cooking.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
The sound of plates hitting the countertop filled the air. Chen Feng carried out plate after plate of these golden, crispy pancakes, still glistening with tiny oil droplets.
The moment Chen Feng walked out carrying the plate, the air in the entire restaurant seemed to become thick and sticky.
At this moment, where is there any trace of disappointment in the eyes of those diners who didn't get to buy steamed buns?
I don't know if it's because it was lost and then found, but the anticipation was even stronger than when I was queuing.
"Everyone, we have limited materials, so just one piece each, so you can have a taste." Chen Feng smiled slightly, his forehead glistening with sweat.
Zhang Qiang and Chen Feng immediately got to work. Zhang Qiang carried the box containing osmanthus glutinous rice cakes and distributed them to the customers who had finished eating the buns; while Chen Feng carefully distributed the freshly baked bean-flavored savory shortbread to the customers who had been waiting for a long time.
The first people to receive the pancakes didn't even care that they were burning their hands.
The young man who had been sighing at the back of the line earlier wrapped the pancake in a tissue, took a deep breath, and then took a big bite.
"Click."
The crispy outer shell cracked instantly, and the aroma of roasted soybeans exploded between your teeth. Then, your tongue touched the quicksand-like red beans and the bursting pork filling.
"Ugh—!!!"
His eyes widened suddenly, as if he were frozen in place, his breath steaming in the air, yet he couldn't bear to exhale. That wonderful taste, salty with a hint of sweetness and umami, was like countless gentle little hands, instantly soothing all his anxiety and regret.
"Boss... will you continue selling this pancake?" He swallowed the last bite, looking at Chen Feng with an almost pleading gaze. "If you do, I'll come every day! I live in the north of the city; it's worth crossing half the city every day to buy this pancake!"
Those around him echoed his sentiments, all letting out satisfied sighs.
Those diners who had received both steamed buns and glutinous rice cakes were now completely satisfied. Holding their small boxes, they watched Chen Feng and Zhang Qiang's busy figures with admiration in their eyes.
It's like a living room where old friends gather, a warm neighborhood workshop. Everyone has a smile on their face; some are sharing their restaurant experiences, some are playing with Mengmeng, and some are discussing ingredients with Chen Feng.
Chen Feng stood behind the counter, looking at the small shop filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
He knew that his grandfather's insistence on the phrase "the simple pleasures of life" was not about making expensive dishes that would go down in history.
What Grandpa wanted was this kind of simple snack, made with leftover ingredients, that could make strangers from afar feel respected, warmed, and healed—the true taste of life.