The boiling of Penfu Glue has extremely strict requirements for donkey hides and water quality. The water from A Well is the best.
A Well is formed by the convergence of three underground streams beneath two steep peaks. The water in it contains a very high level of minerals and is rich in trace elements. Long - term consumption of this water has special auxiliary therapeutic effects on various human diseases.
Using the water from A Well to boil glue can not only filter out impurities and make the colloid purer but also assist in the exertion of the medicinal properties. With the so - called "extremely yin water", it can achieve the nourishing and therapeutic effect of "those who nourish yin live long".
Li Ying had carefully examined the topographic map of this world, which was completely different from the world she came from.
Although she couldn't find an identical "A Well", she believed that with the miraculous craftsmanship of nature, as long as she visited famous mountains and great rivers, she would surely find a place with "a river between two mountains"!
Li Ying and Su Buchi discussed for a long time and finally locked in several possible spring sources. However, they were all in the south - western border, far from the fishing village.
Previously, because Old Zheng was dealing tactfully with Lian Ji and the horse caravan couldn't act easily, the production of Penfu Glue had to be temporarily put on hold, and naturally, no one went to explore these spring sources.
Now, the boss's health was deteriorating day by day, so Li Ying had to go there in person.
Although Lu Xunguang seemed to hold a grudge against the boss, Li Ying knew very well that she couldn't just sit back and watch him lose his only relative in the world. She secretly made up her mind.
The businesses of all the shops in the town were on the right track. Mianmian was always a sensible girl, and with the clear autumn sky, it was a good time to travel.
She assigned the work in the shop to several trustworthy fishing girls like Mrs. Li and Mrs. Zhang. She also drew the blueprint of a "caravan". Master Li, the bamboo craftsman, pushed aside all his other jobs and personally built it for her.
A thick blanket was laid under the carriage. The south - western area was bitterly cold, so this could insulate the cold air. Thick curtains were hung at the windows. When the windows were opened, one could enjoy the scenery along the way; when they were closed, all the noise outside the carriage was blocked out, allowing Mianmian and Granny Sun to rest in peace.
Everything was ready. All they needed was to prepare enough dry rations, and they could set off.
The Mid - Autumn Festival was approaching. Calculating the time, they might not be able to return in time. So Li Ying prepared mooncakes in advance. These were high - fat and high - sugar foods that were not easy to spoil. Besides being sold in the dessert shop, they were also very suitable as provisions for the long journey.
She shelled the fresh mountain goods from the market, stir - fried them over a low fire, mixed them together, and slightly crushed them.
Hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, melon seeds, peanuts, almonds, sesame... There were more than a dozen kinds in total. She also added some self - made hawthorn strips, preserved tangerine peels, winter melon candy, and coconut chips. The fragrance of the nuts and the sweetness of the preserved fruits complemented each other. Every bite was both crispy and chewy, sweet and sour, with an endless aftertaste.
She poured in sorghum liquor and syrup. After every nut was shiny with a crystal - like sugar coating, she added stir - fried glutinous rice flour and kneaded all the fillings until they were smooth and formed a ball. Thus, the genuine five - nut filling was made.
Then she mixed alkaline water and self - made invert syrup, poured in peanut oil, and whipped it thoroughly until it emulsified. She kneaded it well into the flour to make a slightly soft mooncake dough.
She wrapped the five - nut filling in the dough, carefully pushed the dough with her thumb and forefinger until the filling was completely and evenly wrapped. Then she used a carved mold to print out a pattern, brushed a thin layer of egg liquid on it. The baked five - nut mooncakes were a bit hard at first and needed to be left for three days for the oil to permeate. Only then would the outer skin be dense, and the filling be sweet, glutinous, and chewy.
These five - nut mooncakes could be stored for a long time as long as they didn't get damp.
A batch of salted duck eggs that Li Ying had pickled in advance had already matured. The egg yolks were as red as the bloody setting sun on the horizon. Sprayed with a layer of sorghum liquor and baked, they were oily, and every bite was like mouthfuls of golden sand.
She steamed and crushed the pitted lotus seeds, added sugar and oil, and stir - fried them into thick lotus paste. She wrapped a layer of dried meat floss around it and added an egg yolk to each mooncake. The lotus - paste mooncakes were sweet and salty, fragrant but not greasy, with a faint fragrance of lotus pods.
The red - bean paste and date - paste mooncakes were made in the same way, with patterns of "flying cranes" and "chrysanthemums and butterflies" printed on them. Each one was a lucky omen that was pleasing to the eye.
Li Ying carefully wrote down the recipes, left a few mooncakes, cut them into small pieces, and put them in the dessert shop for "taste - testing". She also told the shopkeeper that the retail mooncakes would cost only five wen each. There were also exquisite gift - boxed ones suitable for gifting, each box with a calligraphy work by Yan Lianzhi. They were sold in limited quantities at twenty taels per box and accepted advance bookings.
Hearing this pricing, Granny Sun couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
"A Ying, who among us common folk would spend twenty taels of silver just to buy a box of snacks!"
Li Ying smiled and said, "Auntie, the town is no longer what it used to be. Nowadays, there are quite a few noble families coming here for vacations. I'm afraid our mooncake gift boxes will be in short supply!"
Yan Lianzhi wrote reluctantly. It was only with the help of several delicious side dishes for drinking arranged by Li Ying that he did it. Hearing this, he blew his beard and glared, muttering, "My calligraphy works are usually so hard to obtain that many people would break their heads for them! Now they only cost twenty taels. Won't they secretly laugh at me?"
Seeing that both of them said so, Granny Sun could only stop talking doubtfully and went to prepare the travel bags and dry rations.
A few days ago, she had stir - fried some long - grain rice, pounded it in a stone mortar, added water to make a paste, and spread it into a large pancake.
It had dried today, so she cut the rice pancake into square pieces, neatly arranged them, and helped Li Ying put them into the bag.
Li Ying vaguely felt that this thing looked familiar but hadn't had time to think about it carefully when Granny Sun kindly explained, "This is called qiu'er. Every family prepares it for their children going on a long journey. It can last for a month or so. When you're hungry, just take it out, soak it soft in salty soup, and you can satisfy your hunger."
Granny Sun really regarded her as her own child. This kind - heartedness was really touching.
However, this grayish - yellow "qiu'er" looked cold, hard, and unappetizing.
"Auntie, you can just leave the preparation of dry rations to me!"
Li Ying took on the task herself - this "qiu'er" actually gave her an idea.
She tried two bites and didn't taste anything strange. Instead, there was a faint wheat fragrance.
However, traveling was already tiring and one had to eat on the go. With such simple processing, the taste was really not good.
Food was the most important thing for the people, so she naturally didn't want to make do.
As long as it was improved, this so - called "qiu'er" was actually similar to the crispy rice in later generations.
Li Ying made up her mind. She put away the mooncakes, took some self - made dried meat and roasted meat floss, and also collected some sun - dried kelp and laver from the fishing village. While Granny Sun wasn't paying attention, she quietly stuffed some various canned foods, seasonings, and cooking utensils into her space. With everything ready, she soaked a pot of glutinous rice and skillfully started to prepare.