"Don't even mention one condition. Even if there are ten, just name them. As long as it's within our capabilities, we'll surely comply!"
Qi Lebang had tasted the benefits of the crystal pork trotter roll and trotter soup. Seeing that Li Ying was willing to give guidance, he quickly and eagerly agreed.
Song Heng also nodded repeatedly. Seeing that all three of them had no objections, Li Ying then calmly got to work.
She chopped the pork ribs into small pieces, added scallions, ginger, and yellow rice wine, blanched them in boiling water, then washed off the blood foam and drained them.
She heated oil in a wok, added rock sugar, and stir - fried until the sugar turned caramel - colored. Then she poured the ribs into the wok and stir - fried them evenly.
She fished out the scallions from the wok, added soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fresh hawthorns. Then she added the broth, brought it to a boil over high heat, and then turned to medium - low heat to simmer until the ribs were well - flavored.
The acid in the hawthorns further softened the meat. The ribs were so tender that the bones came off easily. The rich, sweet and sour sauce coated every piece of meat. Sprinkled with white sesame seeds and osmanthus flowers for extra fragrance, the ribs were bright red and shiny, as if wrapped in a layer of crystal amber.
This Hawthorn Pork Ribs dish had just the right amount of sourness to tickle the taste buds. The sauce was thick when it entered the mouth and then melted into sweetness. The sourness was lively, and the sweetness was lovely, hitting just the right spot.
Next, she chopped the duck into small pieces. After blanching them in boiling water to remove the fishy smell and washing them clean, she poured them into the wok and stir - fried them until the duck skin was golden and crispy.
She used the remaining duck fat in the wok to stir - fry scallions and ginger until fragrant, then put the dry duck meat back into the wok and seasoned it with salt and homemade scallop sauce.
After each piece of duck meat was evenly coated with the sauce color, she added enough perilla leaves and chili rings and stir - fried them. Then she poured in yellow rice wine and simmered it.
Perilla is pungent in flavor and warm in nature. It can relieve exterior syndrome and dispel cold. Eating it with duck can not only dispel the coldness but also add a unique flavor. It was extremely appetizing.
Following the same method, one could also stir - fry Perilla Stewed Chicken or Perilla Braised Fish. Both were fragrant and delicious dishes to go with rice.
Li Ying taught the recipes of Hawthorn Pork Ribs and Perilla Braised Duck to Qi Lebang and Song Heng respectively. Finally, she turned to look at Bao Guiyou.
Most of the buns launched by Yufengxiang in recent days were meat - based. This time, she would use pumpkin as the main ingredient to make some light and delicious steamed dumplings.
She peeled the pumpkin and shredded it. Then she sprinkled a thin layer of salt on it, pickled it slightly, and drained the water from the pumpkin shreds.
The small dried shrimps caught by the fishermen were carefully washed to remove the fine sand. Then, together with the shredded vermicelli, they were gently mixed into the pumpkin shreds.
The dried shrimps were already salty and delicious. When making the filling, one only needed to add sesame oil to lock in the moisture of the pumpkin, and then the filling could be wrapped into wheat - ear - shaped dumplings.
When making the dumpling wrappers, pumpkin juice was added to the dough, making it a faint golden color. After being steamed, the dumplings were like bright moons, with thin skins and large fillings, almost too delicate to touch.
Although the filling was extremely simple, the refreshing taste of the pumpkin shreds brought out the deliciousness of the dried shrimps, and the slight saltiness of the dried shrimps in turn set off the sweetness of the pumpkin. The shredded vermicelli absorbed all the juice of the filling. The three complemented each other perfectly.
All three of them got the recipes and were extremely satisfied, as if they had obtained precious treasures.
Only then did Li Ying instruct, "My condition is also very simple. The ingredients you three are using, hawthorn, perilla, and pumpkin, correspond exactly to the three special drinks in the coffee shop."
"I want you to go back and launch a seasonal limited - edition set meal. Pair the Hawthorn Pork Ribs with the coffee shop's signature special drink, Island No. 7; the Perilla Braised Duck with Endless Summer; and the Pumpkin Steamed Dumplings with Gentle Scholar. All the set meals will only be available in small quantities in autumn and will be sold at a 20% discount."
She added, "The coffee shop will launch special drinks according to the seasons, and I will also provide you with new products each season. Limited availability creates a sense of scarcity. Only in this way can customers be tempted and rush to buy."
The three of them were already convinced by Li Ying's cooking skills. Hearing that there would be new products each season, they were even more eager and readily agreed.
It was just the beginning of autumn. Hawthorns, osmanthus flowers, and pumpkins could be seen everywhere in the town and the villages.
Coupled with Li Ying's unremitting efforts to cooperate with various restaurants to launch various seasonal dishes, with such extensive publicity, almost everyone, as soon as they saw these ingredients, would immediately think of the special drinks in the coffee shop.
When they smelled the faint aroma of coffee lingering everywhere, influenced by such an environment, drinking Lu Xunguang's special coffee suddenly became the most fashionable and elegant thing to do in the town.
Lian Ji's unremarkable lily soup was no match for Li Ying's "all - out offensive." The tea house was deserted and rather desolate.
She sat alone in the middle of the shop. There were broken teacups all over the floor in front of her, and she gritted her teeth in hatred.
"A bunch of ignorant fools! My tea snacks are supposed to be tributes sent to the capital! These country bumpkins don't know a good thing when they see it!"
"Quick, send someone to take the snacks to the posthouse! I don't believe it! These are the snacks personally praised by Inspector Lin. Can it be that they don't want to try them?"
The little maid sent by her was holding the snack box with a panicked face and carefully reported, "Madam... you forgot... these snacks were already sent to Inspector Lin the day before yesterday..."
"Sent already? Then why is there still no one coming to my shop!"
Lian Ji was extremely angry. Just then, she heard an announcement from outside the door.
"Madam, Boss Li is here to see you."
Before she could give her permission, Li Ying was already standing in front of her, neither overbearing nor humble.
"What do you want!"
Lian Ji looked up at her, with hatred blazing in her eyes.
Seeing Lian Ji in such a flustered state, Li Ying looked down on her and said indifferently,
"Nothing much. I just wanted to see you in a fit of rage."
"Lian Ji, I've told you before. Lu is no longer someone you can bully at will."
"Now, Lu has me, Master Yan, Uncle Su, the fishing village, the town, Yan Island, the mermaids, and all the common people. They are all our backers."
"The ruler is like a boat, and the people are like water. Water can carry the boat and also capsize it. Even Inspector Lin wouldn't dare to easily offend the public. All the merchants in the town are united as one. Lian Ji, you've already lost this battle for the family leadership."
"Your backer has fallen. I advise you to act wisely."
She left these words and turned to leave. Lian Ji stared at her back, her hands tightly clenched into fists. Her ten fingernails dug deeply into her palms, leaving crescent - shaped marks.
But she seemed not to feel the pain at all. Two burning flames suddenly appeared in her once dull eyes.
This woman was truly not to be underestimated.
She had been careless all along and too soft - hearted.
Lian Ji took a deep breath and murmured to herself, "Backers? These common people, as humble as ants, dare to call themselves backers?"
A strange smile curled up on her lips.
Since this little bitch had joined forces with that bastard and put her in a difficult situation, then don't blame her for being ruthless. She would have to take drastic measures!