"Holy crap!"
"Aunt Zhang is selling braised meat again?!"
"Where did you buy it?!"
Huang He was shocked, his tone filled with excitement and urgency.
He hadn't tasted this flavor in over twenty years.
Many memories had faded, but the moment he chewed the braised pig's head meat, it seemed everything returned.
From childhood to youth, this flavor had always been there.
In those years, Feiyan Restaurant's braised meat sold extremely well, but most customers didn't know that Feiyan Restaurant didn't actually have a braised meat chef, the meat was all sourced from Zhang Ji Braised Meat in Suji.
Every morning, his cousin uncle in charge of purchasing for the restaurant would drive a horse-drawn cart to Suji, load dozens of jin of braised meat onto the cart, transport it back to Feiyan Restaurant, unload it at the back door, and cover it tightly.
Even the head chef didn't know where the braised meat came from. His grandfather claimed it was a family recipe passed down through generations, with a century old braising pot in the old house. The meat was braised there before being transported to the restaurant, a story that became quite a legend at the time.
Once the braised meat arrived at the restaurant, the best chopping board operator would cut it when a customer ordered.
The ear slices had to be so thin they were translucent, the pig's head meat cut into one qian (approximately 5 grams) thick slices, the beef…
Having grown up in the kitchen, his memories were stirred, and he suddenly remembered everything.
Later, the restaurant was nationalized and used to cater to important guests, allowing the Huang family to continue operating, though they were forced to close for a period.
During those years, Aunt Zhang stopped selling at her stall, and the braised meat disappeared from the Feiyan Restaurant's menu.
Two years ago, the restaurant was returned to the Huang family by court order, and after reopening, with the support of its loyal customers, business flourished, essentially restoring its former glory.
The regular customers still fondly remember the braised meat from back then and often ask about it.
Huang He can only offer the excuse that the century old braising liquid was destroyed, his grandfather has passed away, and although he left behind the secret recipe, it will take some time to maintain the braising liquid.
Two years ago, he went to Zhou Village to find Aunt Zhang, hoping she could continue to provide the braised meat or sell him the recipe.
He offered a price of one thousand, but she still refused.
After that, he ate at every braised food shop in Jiazhou, including every well-known braised food stall in every town and village, but he still couldn't find braised meat that could compare.
It was far inferior!
So far inferior that even he, a capitalist eager to make money, felt he couldn't fool his customers with it.
Who were the customers who asked about the braised meat?
Those were the wealthy and powerful who could afford to dine at Feiyan Restaurant more than twenty years ago.
Even if some were now down on their luck, their palates had tasted good food and could distinguish between good and bad.
Recently, the restaurant had been doing well, business was booming, and its banquet services were thriving.
He was starting to consider hiring a cold dish chef from Rongcheng to specialize in braised meat and cold dishes.
Even if his regular customers weren't entirely satisfied, he still needed to enrich the menu.
This matter has been causing him a lot of worry lately.
Friends in the industry recommended several cold dish chefs, and the couple tried their dishes.
Actually, their braised meat and cold dishes were decent, with some reputation in the industry, but he always felt something was missing.
Because of this, he even got a beating from Zhao Shulan.
She said he was fussy and always finding fault.
Huang He felt wronged and starved himself for a meal.
Feiyan Restaurant had sold top notch braised food, asking him to settle for less was unbearable.
It's like a man shouldn't experience too many stunning women when he's young, otherwise, all the women he meets later will seem lacking.
When Zhao Shulan married into the family more than twenty years ago, Aunt Zhang's braised meat stall had just closed.
She's never eaten it before, she doesn't understand.
But she was ruthless and autocratic enough to force him to make a final decision on the cold dish chef, telling him to hire someone tomorrow.
Then…
Huang Ying returned with four plates of braised meat.
He almost jumped for joy after eating them.
Wasn't this just what he wanted?!
"Why are you so startled?" Zhao Shulan slapped him.
"Try it! After you try it, you'll understand why I didn't want to hire those cold dish chefs." Huang He confidently shoved chopsticks into her hand.
Zhao Shulan took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised pig's head meat, and put it in her mouth. She chewed it carefully, her eyes lighting up.
After finishing the piece of pig's head meat, she picked up two slices of braised pig's ear and put them in her mouth. They made a slight crunching sound as she chewed, crisp and flavorful.
"This meat is so well braised!" Zhao Shulan put down her chopsticks and looked at Huang He with amazement. "It's definitely better than the cold dish chefs. This pot of old braising liquid tastes so authentic! And the heat control for the meat is also very well controlled. The braised pig's head meat is tender and soft, and the braised pig's ears are crisp and refreshing. It's really a great skill."
"This is the number one braised food in Jiazhou I told you about, the Zhang Ji Braised Food that was famous throughout Suji back in the day, wasn't I right?" Huang He said smugly, arms crossed. "Huang Ying, Huang Bing, tell your mother where you bought this?"
"Zhou Erwa Restaurant."
The two said in unison.
"Huh?"
Huang He and Zhao Shulan simultaneously turned to look at Huang Ying.
One was shocked, the other surprised.
"It's the restaurant we ate at yesterday. Zhou Yan braised all this meat. I had a braised pig's trotter for lunch, and also ordered braised pig's ears and braised pig's snout.
After eating it, I thought it was the best braised meat I've ever had. Remembering you've been struggling to find a braised meat chef lately, I specially packed some back for you to try." Huang Ying said with a smile.
"Mom, I brought you that braised pig's trotter. It's super delicious! But it's a bit cold. I'll steam it for you in a bit. Eating a whole hot braised pig's trotter is just wonderful."
Huang He and Zhao Shulan took a moment to process what they heard.
"You're the best, always thinking of mother." Zhao Shulan smiled and patted Huang Ying's head, then withdrew her hand after finding it sweaty and rubbed against Huang He's back.
Huang He, completely oblivious to this, frowned and said, "The braised meat was made by Zhou Yan, but it tastes exactly the same as Aunt Zhang's. What does that mean?"
"It means Zhou Yan inherited Grandma Zhang's skills and made the braised meat that was all the rage in Jiazhou back then." Huang Ying chimed in. "He's amazing!"
"No wonder you're my daughter! You have both a keen sense of taste and a sharp problem-solving ability. Bringing back these braised meats has solved a big problem." Huang He praised.
"Speak plainly, what are your plans now?" Zhao Shulan asked.
"Our goal at Feiyan Restaurant is to become the number one restaurant in Jiazhou. If we're adding braised meat, we'll definitely add the best." Huang He said, looking at Zhao Shulan. "I plan to head to Suji now to discuss a collaboration with Zhou Yan, so he can supply braised meat to Feiyan Restaurant like Aunt Zhang did."
As he spoke, he started to walk towards the door.
"Stop!" Zhao Shulan grabbed him, glancing left and right. "Come on, follow me to the private room on the second floor."
Huang Ying followed with small, quick steps.
After closing the door, Zhao Shulan took out an abacus from the cabinet and did some quick calculations. Looking at Huang He, she said, "This braised meat is indeed quite good. It tastes better than other restaurants. But have you considered what would happen if we used a large quantity, for example, fifty jin a day?
Hiring a cold dish chef would only cost two hundred yuan a month, but with an extra 50 cents profit per jin of braised meat, that's twenty five yuan a day, seven hundred and fifty yuan a month, and five thousand yuan more a year."
Huang He shook his head with a smile after hearing this: "Shulan, your calculations are better than mine, but this isn't how you do it."
"Then how do you calculate it?" Zhao Shulan pushed the abacus in front of Huang He.
"I don't need an abacus for this. Just tell me, if you just hire any cold dish chef, how can you guarantee that customers will order fifty jin of braised meat a day?" Huang He said with a smile, "But I've personally witnessed this phenomenon. A hundred jin of braised meat a day can be sold out completely, half for dine in and half for takeout. Some families even send their servants to the restaurant to pack up the meat for their banquets."
"Why?"
"Customers crave that delicious taste, they can't find it anywhere else. After going around in circles, they still come back to your place."
"Let me give you an example. Braised pig's head meat sells for 2.2 yuan per jin outside. If we use this braised pig's head meat, cut off a plate of four liang (approximately 200 grams), arrange it on the best plate, and put it on the table in this private room, we can sell it for 2 yuan."
"If customers like the taste, they'll come back next time and order more. If they have important guests at home, they are also happy to come to the restaurant to take away for their banquet. If customers think the food is good and ask about it, they will come to our restaurant to eat next time."
"If the braised meat is good, it's the main dish on the table. You think customers are only thinking about our private room? Wrong, it's the taste."
"This is a business that can't be calculated."
"My Dad's biggest regret back then was not being able to buy Aunt Zhang's braised meat. Now that Zhou Yan has inherited that taste, I'll definitely continue to use it."
Huang Ying listened thoughtfully.
Zhao Shulan pondered for a while and nodded: "I think you have a point, but selling a serving of braised pig's head meat for two yuan is still too hasty."
Huang He's upturned lips were almost wide enough to hold a teapot. It was rare to hear the first part of Zhao Shulan's sentence.
"To give you an example, you'll definitely be the one to set the price, you're more professional." Huang He didn't dare to be too proud. "If we take more, we can definitely negotiate the price with Zhou Yan. Back then, my Dad got it from Aunt Zhang, and the price was 20% cheaper than her retail price. We should be able to negotiate based on that ratio."
Zhao Shulan nodded slightly and looked at Huang Ying, asking, "Huang Ying, how much does it cost?"
"Braised pig's head meat is two yuan and fifty cents, braised pig's ears and snouts are three yuan each, and braised pig's trotters are one yuan and twenty cents each." Huang Ying quickly replied.
"The price is similar to several large braised food shops in Jiazhou. Our restaurant sells by portion, achieving a gross profit of 50%." Zhao Shulan nodded. "Moreover, we don't need to hire a separate cold dish chef, the chopping board operator can handle the chopping as well. We also don't need to add so many miscellaneous items to our purchasing. The revenue from the braised meat is essentially extra income."
"That means there's potential!" Huang He clapped his hands, excitedly saying, "I'm setting off right now!"
"What are you panicking about? Did you eat chicken droppings?" Zhao Shulan pressed him down, saying with a hint of helplessness, "I know how excited you are to eat this braised meat, but we need to have a clear idea in mind before we talk about cooperation. For example, how much do you expect a jin of braised pig's head meat to cost, one yuan and eighty cents or two yuan? If you don't think about those twenty cents beforehand, you won't be able to take it back once you say it."
"You're right. I am indeed a little nervous." Huang He pulled out a chair and sat down, asking Huang Ying to bring paper and pen, and instructing Zhao Shulan to calculate the prices of several braised meats, reducing the selling price by 20%.
"Come on, I'll go with you." Zhao Shulan grabbed her bag from the side, slung it over her shoulder, tore off the price list, and stuffed it inside.
…
"Guo Guo, are you going to mail a letter to Sister Yaoyao?" Zhou Momo ran over excitedly when she saw Zhou Yan holding an envelope.
"Yes, do you have a new painting?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.
"Look." Zhou Momo pulled a painting out from behind her back and handed it to Zhou Yan like a treasure.
The painting depicts a kitchen with a large stove and a large pot. A man in white shirt stands in front of the stove, holding a spatula and stir-frying vegetables.
The figure is painted somewhat abstractly, yet surprisingly beautiful.
The color scheme was superb.
The little girl, who couldn't draw straight lines, had precisely found suitable colors, making the picture look harmonious and pleasing.
It was a busy yet warm kitchen.
"It's so well drawn! Is it a gift for me?" Zhou Yan examined it for a long time before looking down at the little girl and asking.
The little girl shook her head, "It's for Sister Yaoyao."
"But you drew me." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
The little one nodded, "Yes! Yes! I was afraid Sister Yaoyao would forget you, so I drew you and gave it to her so she could see you everyday."
Zhou Yan looked into Zhou Momo's bright eyes and felt inexplicably touched.
What?
Is she going to help him woo sister in law?
He really couldn't do anything with her.
"Okay, I'll send it to her along with yours." Zhou Yan walked to the table, carefully folded the drawing paper, took out a letter, and added one sentence at the end with his pen.
Final note: This wasn't something he had Zhou Momo customize!
After writing this, he regretted it a little.
It felt like he was trying to cover something up, like he was trying too hard to hide something.
Ugh!
Forget it, he was too lazy to copy it again. He folded it up with the drawing and stuffed it into the envelope.
He took Zhou Momo out the door, first stopping at Zhang Ji's shop to buy three jin of rice candy and one jin of peanut candy. Then he went to the post office and mailed them, along with the letter, to Xia Yao.
It was a matter of reciprocity, she gave Zhou Momo crayons, and he gave her a bag of snacks in return.
Zhou Momo sat on a bench outside the post office, clutching a bag of rice candy, half a piece in her hand, crunching away happily.
Even the old man guarding the gate looked on with envy.
The little one, not wanting to eat alone, grabbed a piece, got up, went over to the grandpa, and said in her childish voice, "Grandpa, you eat too!"
"You eat, you eat, Grandpa doesn't want any." the old man waved his hands repeatedly.
"Eat, I have so many more." Zhou Momo shoved the rice candy directly into his hand, smiling smugly, "It smells so good~"
"Okay." The old man chuckled.
Zhou Yan came out of the post office and took her hand. "Let's go home."
"Goodbye, Grandpa." Zhou Momo turned back to wave goodbye to the old man.
"Goodbye." The old man waved, his eyes crinkling with laughter. Only after the bicycle disappeared around the corner did he take a bite of the rice candy.
Mmm, sweet!
He is going to give that brat a good beating when he get home today, see how he can't produce a granddaughter!
…
Zhou Yan knew Huang He would come, but he didn't expect him to come so quickly.
He had just returned to the shop when Huang He and his wife's bicycle arrived at the restaurant entrance.
Huang He got off his bicycle and stood at the door, smiling. "Zhou Yan, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."