Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 74
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 74: Smoothie
Zhou-shi left the courtyard with a porcelain bowl. Her maid wanted to take it for her, but Zhou-shi waved her hand and refused.
She was restless, wondering if she should go to her daughter.
Are there any more failed mothers in the world like her? Her biological daughter prefers her eldest aunt rather than her own mother.
The sun is so hot that the tofu ice cream will melt if she walk slowly, so Zhou-shi hurried to Shouning Hall.
When she walked around the garden, she saw a figure sitting at the arch bridge's bottom. She is thin and slender, sitting upright, holding a book in her hand. Who would it be if it's not Xie Sheng?
She took a few deep breaths anxiously and walked onto the bridge holding the porcelain bowl.
The maids who were standing by Xie Sheng saluted her when they saw her coming.
Xie Sheng heard the sound and looked sideways at her.
Zhou-shi immediately put on a gentle and loving smile on her face, but it was a pity that it didn't suit her and made her looked a little stiff.
Xie Sheng didn't respond, just called "Mother" as usual.
Zhou-shi walked quickly, sat down beside her, and put down the porcelain bowl, "Is it hot? Eat something cold to cool off the heat."
Xie Sheng didn't expect Zhou-shi came to send her snacks. She was a little surprised, frowned, and looked at her suspiciously.
Xie Sheng's looks followed Xie Lang's appearance, and her temperament was also the same as his, with a strong air of elegance and poetry in the cold and noble face.
This type of person is what Zhou-shi likes most in her life, but it is also this type of person that she is most afraid of.
For some reason, she was a little worried that Xie Sheng would dislike it, so she explained, "Your third aunt makes this. The main ingredient is tofu, with milk and sesame seeds. It has a delicate texture. You can try it."
Xie Sheng pursed her mouth and didn't answer. She gently closed the book and placed it down on the stone table. This action made Zhou-shi even more nervous.
She is only six years old, but she likes reading so much. When she was six, she only knew how to play with swords and climb trees.
She tried to say something caring, "Reading is a waste of time. You are still young, don't read all day long, and hurt your eyes at such a young age." After saying this, she felt that her words seemed to hinder her daughter from literacy and would seem ignorant, so she hurriedly give supplementary advice, "But of course, if you like reading, you can read every day. The most important thing is to live comfortably."
After she finished speaking, she felt extremely annoyed in her heart. She thought that she had really failed this time. She tried to ease the atmosphere and looked at the cover of the book, "What is this?" Before she finished speaking, she saw a few words on the cover. She has never heard of this book.
It was even more embarrassing, and Zhou-shi really wished to smash herself with a sword.
When she was embarrassed and uneasy, Xie Sheng suddenly moved. She raised her hand and dragged the porcelain bowl closer to her, breaking the stagnant atmosphere.
When Zhou-shi saw this, she was relieved. Xie Sheng was willing to give her some face.
Xie Sheng picked up the spoon and stirred the creamy tofu ice cream. The texture was amazing, and her face showed a rare innocent look like normal children. She scooped a spoonful to her mouth, her eyes widened slightly, and she hesitated for a few seconds before swallowing the tofu ice cream in her mouth.
The refreshing milky-sweet taste spread in her mouth. Xie Sheng kept quiet for a few breaths and finally said, "Very delicious."
Zhou-shi immediately laughed. She could rarely speak so smoothly in front of Xie Sheng, "Of course, this is made by your third aunt. She is very skilled in cooking, smart, and has a lot of ideas. Remember the market we took you last time? She made all the food on that street!"
After she finished speaking, she realized that she has forgotten to pretend to be gentle and dignified. She bit her lip in annoyance.
Just as she was thinking about what to do, she suddenly heard Xie Sheng speak, "What about you?"
Zhou-shi was taken aback, "What, what?"
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Xie Sheng speaks slowly, completely inconsistent with her immature, childlike voice, "I like to read books, and my third aunt likes to cook. What about you?"
Zhou-shi and Xie Sheng are not close, usually she will ask and Xie Sheng will answer. Xie Sheng rarely takes the initiative to talk.
She was very pleasantly surprised and replied seriously, "I used to like--" Martial arts.
But she can't say this, fearing that her daughter will dislike it. Zhou-shi hurriedly changed her words, "I used to have no hobbies, but now I also like to cook. I have been learning how to cook with your third aunt recently. She taught me a lot and let me study recipes by myself, and praised my knife skills..."
As soon as she opened her mouth, she talked endlessly. After a lot of crackling, she reacted and quickly shut up.
Xie Sheng was brought up by the old madam personally. For young girls in Beijing at her age, when people talk about who knows best, if Xie Sheng is second, no one dares to be the first.
She didn't show a look of disgust or impatience but listened quietly, waiting for Zhou-shi to finish before nodding and saying, "Very good."
Zhou-shi was at a loss for words and didn't know what to say. She played with her palm, thinking about whether she should go and not hindering her daughter from reading.
Just when she thought the atmosphere was going to be a stalemate, she suddenly heard Xie Sheng ask, "Then do you often cook?"
Zhou-shi raised her head and hurriedly answered, "Lately, I practice cooking every day and think of some recipes." At this point, she looked at her daughter's clever face, and she said, " How about I make something delicious for you to try?"
She wanted to be close to her daughter in her heart, and she blurted out some words, only to realize that it was not appropriate after she said it.
She quickly changed her words, "I just said casually--"
"Okay." Xie Sheng suddenly interrupted her.
Zhou-shi is stunned and looked at Xie Sheng.
Xie Sheng lowered her head and continued to eat ice cream. Zhou-shi couldn't see her expression clearly.
Xie Sheng ate the ice cream quietly, and Zhou-shi looked at her on the side. The more she eats the ice cream, the more lovely she becomes. Zhou-shi wished that this bowl of ice cream would never be finished.
It's a pity that the reality is not what she expected. Suddenly, a figure flashed in the corner of her eyes. When she looks carefully, it was Xie Lang coming towards them.
Zhou-shi suddenly stood up. Although she wanted to accompany her daughter very much, she really didn't want to see Xie Lang. She was afraid that she couldn't control herself and beat him because of the heat and her impulse.
After explaining a few words to Xie Sheng, she ran away in a hurry. Xie Lang walked over, looked at her back from a distance, and asked Xie Sheng, "Is that your mother?"
Xie Sheng ate the ice cream in the bowl without raising her head, "Yes."
Xie Lang asked again, "She came to you just now? What are you two talking about?"
Xie Sheng paused, looked up into the distance, and said in a flat tone, "Nothing."
Xie Lang couldn't help but laughed when he saw her little lord's look and sat down in front of her, "Who do you think you look like? You look neither like your mother nor me, but you are very similar to your third uncle when he was a child. It's just that when he was a child—"
Before he finished speaking, Xie Sheng interrupted him, "I am like my mother."
Xie Lang was taken aback and laughed, "You are not like her."
Xie Sheng ignored his smile and still seriously said, "I didn't think I look like her before, but lately, I understand that I am like her."
Xie Lang rubbed the top of her head, "Little girl, don't keep your face cold all day long." His gaze fell on the porcelain bowl in front of Xie Sheng, "What is this? Did your mother bring it?" At this point, his tone was a little stiff. Zhou-shi loved to bring him some soup every day before, using the most awkward way to ask for warmth. But now, she has become a different person, and she doesn't want to see him at all.
"Yes." Xie Sheng nodded.
Xie Lang's expression softened and sighed, "Your mother has always put you on the cusp of her heart. It's just that she is not good at speech and can't speak with soft-spoken manners. Don't hurt her, yeah?"
Xie Sheng listened quietly.
Xie Lang was a little sad after speaking but didn't want to show it in front of his daughter. He changed the subject and pretended to be happy while said, "What are you eating? Give Dad a bite."
Xie Sheng's personality is very quiet, so quiet that she is a little cold. Even Xie Lang doesn't know how to get along with her.
He tried to be more intimate, reaching out to touch Xie Sheng's porcelain bowl.
Xie Sheng dragged away the porcelain bowl suddenly, lowered her head, and muttered, "No."
Xie Lang thought she was unwilling to share her snack with others. He was a little happy; she finally looks like a child. He smiled and said, "Well, well, if I can't eat it, I won't eat it. Is this what your third aunt made?"
Xie Sheng ignored him, give the bowl to her maid, and stood up.
She likes to follow etiquette and rules. She never quarrels with other children, respects her elders, and treats her servants kindly, to the point where even the old madam thinks she is rigid.
Xie Lang thought she stood up to salute and withdraw. But just as he was about to speak, Xie Sheng said first, "Father, anyone can tell me what you said before, but you can't."
Xie Lang blinked without realizing what was happening.
"What?"
Xie Sheng said, "You understand." After finishing speaking, she turned and left without saluting him for the first time in her life.
Xie Lang looked at her back, sitting on the stone chair for a long time without moving. The cold wind blew his flowing robe and awakened him from a daze. He laughed at himself. The gentle and romantic aura had disappeared in his tone, and he said bitterly to himself, "Even children can understand better than you."
＊
Before, Xie Xun rushed back to catch up with meals, but now it is because he wants to see Jiang Shuyao sooner.
Although the home is still the same, and the person is still the same person, after mutual understanding, it feels different. It seems that the air in the courtyard tastes sweeter.
Jiang Shuyao came out of the room and happened to see him coming back, so she quickly waved to him, "Come here!"
Xie Xun immediately strode to her.
Jiang Shuyao grabbed his sleeves, "You came back just in time. You could shave ice for me."
She led Xie Xun to the kitchen and explained the principle while pointing to the blender.
Xie Xun was interested and studied the ironware carefully.
During this period, Jiang Shuyao mixed ice cubes with a little milk and directed Xie Xun to operate the blender.
Xie Xun had a large appetite, and his strength was not small, so he smashed all the ice cubes after three rounds.
The ice blended with milk is just like smoothies. It is delicate and thick. The ice crystals are transparent and shiny and look like tiny snowflakes. After pouring it out, it is piled up in a small bowl into a mountain shape. Jiang Shuyao puts honey and red bean paste on the top of the smoothie, sprinkles with raisins and hazelnuts, and finally tops it with a spoonful of mulberry sauce.
At the end of spring, mulberries were made into jam and sealed, and now it comes in handy. The mulberry sauce was not boiled too finely, and it retains a little graininess. Red, purplish-black jam runs on the smoothie, giving the bright smoothie a layer of rouge.
Jiang Shuyao couldn't wait anymore, so she handed the spoon to Xie Xun, planning to share a bowl with him.
Xie Xun was a little embarrassed, but he thought that the two had already confessed to each other, and they were husband and wife. There seemed nothing wrong with doing so.
He felt relieved and learned how to stir the smoothie like Jiang Shuyao. The cold air instantly spread on his face, which was very refreshing. After mixing the jam and nuts, he scooped a spoonful of smoothie into his mouth.
When the smoothie touches the tip of the tongue, it instantly turns into water. The sweet milky and refreshing fruity fragrance blooms between the mouth and nose, with rich layers, accompanied by soft and strong coldness, instantly refreshing and dissipated the heat.
The smoothie has a fine and firm texture, with a bit of chewing, it makes a "crack" sound when biting, but it is not too laborious. It turned into ice water while chewing. The red bean paste and raisins have a soft and firm chewy texture, and they are wonderful when paired with the soft smoothies.
The mulberry granules are full of flesh. After touching the teeth, the berries burst, and the juice is overflowing. It is sour and sweet, adding a hint of wild fruit to the already sweet and cool smoothie.
When Xie Xun looked at Jiang Shuyao again, his eyes changed, "In the past, I only thought that you were superb in cooking, but now that I think about it carefully, you are obviously brilliant."
Look at this weird-shaped ironware, and then eat this magical and wonderful smoothie. Where is the rumor that Jiang-shi is stupid came from!
Jiang Shuyao quickly denied, "No, no, no, you praised too much." This is the wisdom of modern people.
Xie Xun chewed and remembered something, "By the way, didn't they say that you can't buy ice lately?" There was no more ice basin last night.
"Yes, but you can make it yourself if you can't buy it." Jiang Shuyao said with a vague expression on her face.
Xie Xun suspected that he had heard wrong, "Make it yourself?"
At this time, people usually stored ice in the cellar. During winter, people would gather ice, put it in the cellar, spread it with straw, and then seal it with soil. When it is needed in summer, dig the cellar to get the ice.
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After hearing that there was no ice yesterday, Jiang Shuyao asked people to find saltpeter. Saltpeter is often used to make black powder, fuse, glass, matches, etc., and it can also make ice because of its ability to absorb heat when it dissolves in water.
Although Emperor Taizu sounds like a standard transmigrator, he only focused on the military industry and improved the social system but did not care about all details. So people did not know that saltpeter could be used as ice.
Xie Xun looked at Jiang Shuyao's improper and relaxed appearance, and felt complicated for a while, and asked, "May I see how you make ice?"
"Of course." Jiang Shuyao didn't think this was a great thing.
She led Xie Xun to the small kitchen's area, which was shaded and had a large space, and convenient for making ice. In the corner was a large copper tank with a jar in it, and both containers were filled with water.
Jiang Shuyao explained to Xie Xun while demonstrating. Put the saltpeter into water in the larger tank. When the saltpeter meets the water, the water in the smaller jar will gradually condense into ice.
Xie Xun watched her demonstration seriously, and when the strange water freezing phenomenon occurred, he stared at the ice for a long time without saying a word.
After a long while, he came out from his surprise and calmed his mood. He raised his head and looked at Jiang Shuyao with a weird tone, "You made ice, just so you can make smoothies?"
Jiang Shuyao said in a puzzled manner, "Uh, what else can I eat?"
Xie Xun, "...Forget it." He felt that he had praised Jiang Shuyao just now, but now he shook his head helplessly, "You have to be rewarded for this method."
He patted Jiang Shuyao on the top of her head and looked at the sky, "Now the palace gate is not locked yet. I will enter the palace to see the prince."
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