Seeing Li Ying staring intently, Su Buchi also looked at the basket of fruits and introduced, "The people in the South Seas call this fruit 'pineapple'. It gets its name because its green spiky leaves are layered one on top of another, looking just like a phoenix's tail."
"I thought that since you've been entrusted to prepare the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, the symbol of 'pineapple' is very auspicious. It can bring good luck. So I brought some for you to use."
Su Buchi had thought so comprehensively. Naturally, Li Ying was touched. She thanked him repeatedly and vowed to personally make a genuine 'Longquan Seal Paste' that had gone through 'three winters and nine periods of extreme heat' as a gift for him.
Su Buchi saw her out of the mansion and said with a smile, "Then I'll thank Miss Li in advance."
He stopped walking, changed the subject, and stared steadily at Li Ying. Her graceful figure was clearly reflected in his eyes.
"Miss Li, have you set the date for your wedding with A Xun? As his uncle, I should at least know the date so that I can prepare the wedding gift in advance."
His words were sincere. The word 'uncle' completely distanced himself, showing his lofty character.
Li Ying blushed. How could she not know Su Buchi's feelings for her? And how could she not know his gentlemanly act of intentionally facilitating her happiness?
"Uncle, what are you saying..."
However, when it came to the matter of marriage, she couldn't help but feel a bit gloomy.
The emperor had his eye on the Lu family's business. Although he hadn't issued an imperial edict to marry Lu Xunguang to a princess, he never gave up this idea.
That was why, although Lu Xunguang and she were in love, if he wanted to secure his position as the imperial merchant and further become the 'red - topped merchant' personally appointed by the emperor, this marriage had to be approved by the emperor.
Li Ying showed a bitter smile. Su Buchi also knew the stakes involved and comforted her, "Miss Li, don't be anxious. Man proposes, heaven disposes. I will surely speak well of you in front of the emperor."
Li Ying thanked him for his kindness. She was an open - minded person. There must be a way out when the car reaches the mountain. Lu Xunguang relied on the emperor's support, but the emperor also feared the Lu family's wealth. Neither side dared to act rashly for the time being. So why should she worry about something that hadn't happened yet?
Thinking of this, Li Ying gave a sweet smile. She told the servants to carry the baskets of fruits and vegetables, bid farewell to Su Buchi, and headed back home.
The basket of pineapples emitted the unique rich and sweet fragrance of tropical fruits. All the way, the fragrance faintly surrounded the people from the Li Mansion. It was fragrant but not cloying, making people feel happy.
The moment Li Ying saw them, she had already made up her mind. The main ingredient for the dish to be presented to the little princess from the South Seas should be this pineapple.
Grandma Sun also came after hearing the news. She curiously examined the strange yellow fruit in Li Ying's hand that looked like a hedgehog.
"A Ying, what kind of new delicacy is this? It does smell good, but it's so spiky all over. How can one eat it?"
Mianmian was at an age when she was greedy for food. Hearing that her mother had brought back fresh fruits, she waved her little arms like lotus roots and wanted to eat. Grandma Sun doted on the child. She took a small knife and started to peel the pineapple.
However, under the yellow skin, there were still many pitted black spots on the juicy pulp. When she licked the juice on her hand, it tasted sweet and sour at first, but after careful savoring, she felt a tingling pain on the tip of her tongue.
Was this strange fruit... poisonous?
Li Ying understood.
Although this fruit was also called 'pineapple', it must be different from the sweet and delicious pineapples in later generations. Without thousands of years of artificial cultivation and selective breeding, it was probably closer to 'pineapple'.
She took a horn - shaped knife and scraped along the round body of the pineapple in a spiral pattern, getting rid of all the remaining spots.
Then she cut it into small pieces and gently explained, "Mother, this 'pineapple' contains irritating substances in its pulp. It's not poisonous. We just need to soak it in light salt water for two quarters of an hour before eating."
After the mother - daughter duo coaxed Mianmian, who was eager to "eat sweet fruits", Li Ying sorted out the remaining pineapples, peeled them, and washed them.
She cut the juicy pulp into fine shreds. The hard core was separately ground in a stone mortar, then poured into a pot. She added broken pieces of yellow rock sugar and slowly simmered it over a low fire.
It took more than two hours for the pineapple juice to dry up. The pineapple pulp also gradually melted during the cooking process.
At this time, she added maltose and stir - fried it repeatedly until the fruit paste became golden and sticky.
The pineapple filling cooked in this way was as shiny as amber. The pulp was in fine threads, crystal - clear, sweet but not cloying. When chewing, one could still taste the texture of the pineapple pulp. It was thick and had a bit of chewiness, not like mashed pulp that was a formless paste.
Then she poured the egg liquid into the butter in batches and whipped it. She sifted in powdered sugar, almond powder, and milk powder. After mixing them slightly, she sifted in the flour.
She wrapped the kneaded dough around a sufficient amount of pineapple filling, slowly closed it with her thumb and forefinger, then stuffed it into a square mold. She pushed the dough to fill the four corners of the mold and put it in the kiln to bake until it turned a light golden color.
The baked pineapple pastries had a crispy and fragrant outer skin and a strong milk flavor. With each bite of the filling, one could easily pull out strands of golden silk. The sweet fruit fragrance rushed towards one's face, giving a strong feeling of tenderness and passion. Then it left a slightly sour aftertaste on the tip of the tongue. The combination of sweet and sour lingered between the lips and teeth.
Grandma Sun and Mianmian were beaming with joy while eating. All the servants in the mansion also praised them.
Li Ying smiled slightly. She carefully wrapped the pineapple pastries with the most beautiful color in oil paper and put them in a food box.
Girls usually like sweet foods. Although she wasn't sure if there was a way to eat 'pineapple pastries' in the South Seas, her pineapple pastries perfectly retained all the mellow and strong fragrance of the pineapple. As long as the little princess from the South Seas took a bite, she would surely be deeply homesick.
This alone was not enough. Li Ying cast her eyes on the remaining pineapples. She frowned slightly, and a plan had already formed in her mind.
According to Su Buchi, the word 'pineapple' sounded the same as 'wanglai' in the language of the South Seas, which meant prosperity for future generations.
As the mistress of the harem, the Empress Dowager valued most the prosperity of the imperial descendants. The symbol of the 'phoenix's tail' was good, but the meaning of 'wanglai' might make her even happier.
In this regard, the pineapple was simply the perfect ingredient custom - made for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet!
She made up her mind. Since she wanted to use pineapples in the dishes for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, she had to test the dishes in advance to avoid any mistakes.
Li Ying calmed herself down. She cut another pineapple, soaked it in salt water, then slowly turned around and carefully selected the dishes to be stir - fried with the pineapple.