The next morning, Yang and Huo Erhuai got up early, picked out two to four taels of crabs, tied them one by one, and carefully placed them in baskets so that the two children could sell them in the city later.
Huo Xi wanted to raise it for two days before selling it, but her family had no money, so she had to sell it and recycle it in cash to have money to receive the goods.
After breakfast, Huo Xi and Yang Fu went into the city carrying more crabs than yesterday.
The direction we are going to today is Nancheng.
Just like yesterday, it went very smoothly. It only took an hour and it was sold out. I also got a lot of reward money.
Yang Fu was so happy that he took Huo Xi to the outer city dock to earn more copper coins. During this period, Huo Xi illuminated his money-making skills, and his heart grew wild, and his eyes were full of Brother Kong Fang.
Huo Xi grabbed him and said, "We're not going today."
"Don't want to go? Xi'er, do you have a better place to make money?" Yang Fu's eyes lit up.
"have."
"Then let's go quickly!" He was so happy that he rubbed his hands together.
"We can't make any money today. We have to prepare some things and sell them in a few days before we can make any money."
ah?
Yang Fu didn't know why, but when Huo Xi didn't speak, he had to hold his temper.
I followed Huo Xi and bought a lot of things along the way, including onions, ginger, garlic, salt, sugar, and star anise pepper. I also went to the wine shop and bought two jars of rice wine. Not to mention that, I went to Gao Butcher's to cut several kilograms of white flowers.
Pork suet.
Yang Futi was holding it in his hand, glancing at her from time to time, but Huo Xi just refused to explain. He only felt anxious and scratched his heart.
Before this was over, Huo Xi took him to the grocery store and bought a dozen fine white porcelain jars each weighing half a pound. He also went to the blacksmith shop and bought tweezers, scissors, and a small hammer.
The two of them carried and carried the loaded bag towards the ferry.
Passing by a shanty town in the outer city, Huo Xi begged someone for another piece of bamboo.
"Xi'er, do you want to make baskets?"
"no."
"Then why are you begging for bamboo?"
"You'll know when you get back."
Not to mention, Yang Fu was frustrated. After thinking about it, he still couldn't figure out what she wanted to do.
Back on the boat, Yang and Huo Erhuai were both dumbfounded by the pile of things Huo Xi bought.
Huo Xi then explained: "Mom and dad, we paid for those little crabs that are less than two taels, so we can't keep them in our hands."
Well, that's right. I've harvested a lot in the past two days. I caught a lot more today.
But this...
"Xi'er, do you want to sell pickled crabs?" Huo Erhuai saw that there were porcelain jars, star anise peppercorns, and two jars of rice wine among the pile of things. He couldn't buy them for him to drink.
"Ah? Xi'er, do you want to sell drunken crabs?" Yang Fu was stunned for a moment, then recovered and said, "I'll help you!"
Huo Xi smiled: "The ones without yellow crabs are made into drunken crabs, and the ones with crab roe are made into bald butter."
"Bald butter?"
Huo Xi nodded. Bald butter is made by taking out crab paste, crab roe and crab meat and boiling it with fat oil. It can be used with rice, noodles, or as a dish.
There are many dishes made with butter in Huaiyang cuisine, which are delicious and mouth-watering. I don’t know if Suzhou’s famous dish Snowflake Crab Dou is sold in the capital at this time, or if I will have the chance to eat it again.
After hearing Huo Xi's explanation, Yang and the other three all drooled.
"Then we'll boil the butter. We'll be able to sell it. If we can't, we'll keep it for ourselves." Yang Fu swallowed hard.
"Why don't you go to heaven for such a precious and precious thing?" Yang glared at him.
Yang Fu was used to being beaten by his sister and was not worried at all. He pulled Huo Xi and asked what to do.
"Xi'er, how do you know if there is crab roe in the crab?"
Huo Xina glanced at him: "You have been floating on the water for ten years, you ask me?"
"Hehe, there's only half a ounce of meat in that thing. I usually don't bother to fish it out. It means that only the elite in the city like to eat that thing."
Yang also said: "We don't eat much at ordinary times. We put it together with the fish and shrimp, and I didn't even look at it for a moment. The fish and shrimp were bitten all over. I didn't pay attention to how to tell whether it was yellow or not."
"Look at the belly button, pinch it, or shine it with a lamp. The opaque areas are usually yellow," Huo Xi said.
Yang Fu was impatient and hurriedly picked up a crab pot and started choosing.
Huo Xi and Yang picked up a basket and steamed it in a pot. Yang Fu followed his instructions and cut bamboo slices.
After steaming, Yang cooked the pork suet and opened the crab meat with them. Huo Erhuai rowed the boat to an open water area and stopped to help.
The oily aroma of lard fat, mixed with the fresh aroma of crab, lingers for a long time.
Everyone on the boat, including Huo Nian, had their noses twitching. The feeling was really excruciating.
Fortunately, there are no boats nearby, so no one is attracted. Living on a boat is not as stable as living on the shore, but it also has the advantage that no one is prying, so it is very convenient to do something behind your back.
The pork suet boiled into an earthen pot, and the meat residue filled a large bowl.
For the first time, Huo Xi did not dare to open too many crabs. There were more than 20 crabs in one basket, and her fingers became stiff when she opened them, and then she got a bowl of crab roe and crab meat.
Add lard, stir-fry ginger and garlic, add crab roe and simmer slowly, add rice wine and other condiments, add crab meat, and simmer again...
Chandler!
Huo Nian drooled and pointed with her little finger, oh oh, but she couldn't coax her.
The family took advantage of the daylight to steam crabs, cook crabs, and boil suet and butter. They even forgot to cook dinner, and now they felt hungry.
Just smelling this fragrance makes me feel more and more hungry, with my chest pressing against my back.
After it was boiled, put it into a half-pound fine white porcelain jar and let it cool down. There was still a shallow layer left at the bottom of the bowl. Yang Fu kept licking his lips against it.
"These twenty or so crabs only cost half a catty of butter." Yang sighed and wondered how much money would have to be sold to recover the money.
"We can't sell it for less!" Yang Fu stared at the porcelain jar. The crab meat was not worth much, it was mainly labor-intensive.
Seeing everyone looking at her, Huo Xi made some mental calculations and said, "How about selling half a catty for two taels of silver?"
hiss……
"What, is it cheaper?"
"No, Xi'er, these twenty or so crabs don't cost more than a hundred cents, so you're selling them for two taels of silver?" His heart felt a little dark. Yang Fu wanted to make money, but he was embarrassed to ask such a high price.
Huo Xi rolled her eyes at him: "You only count the cost of crabs. There are lard, rice wine, and seasonings here, but they are not money? There are four of us laborers. This is a delicate job, and we can't produce more than a few in a day."
Can. It’s a waste of time.”
Huo Xi looked at her fingers, which were still stiff and had not recovered from stiffness, and felt heartbroken. These little fleshy hands would feel like they were beaten by frost.
It's cheap, but she won't accept it.
Yang and Huo Erhuai looked at each other. Who wouldn't be happy to sell it for more money? Then they said, "Then let Xi'er go and sell it. If it doesn't sell, it won't be too late to adjust the price."
Yang Fu rushed to speak: "Then I'll follow suit! Someone must know the goods for such a fragrant thing."
Then I thought, what if I can’t sell it?
"Xi'er, how long can this be kept?" If someone else buys it, they can't finish it in one sitting, right?
"Don't worry, it's made from lard. After it cools, the surface will solidify, blocking out the outside smell and keeping it fresh and anti-corrosive. It won't be a problem to store it for a month or two in this weather. If you have an ice cellar, it can be stored for longer."
Yang and Huo Erhuai both breathed a sigh of relief. A month or two was enough time to shout.
Yang Fu was even more relieved. If a can of half a catty was sold for two taels of silver, the family would be able to save a lot of money. Thinking about it makes me happy.
"Brother-in-law, hurry up and set off the boat. Let's collect some crabs along the way!"
Huo Erhuai nodded: "Okay. Later we will plant a few crab pots in dense areas with water plants and collect them early tomorrow morning."
"Okay, then I'll prepare the crab pots." Yang Fu was confused.
When the crab pots are ready, dinner is ready. The extra steamed buns made at noon are steamed and hot. The family eats pickles, rolls a piece of butter into the steamed buns with chopsticks, and takes a bite...
Niangle, so fresh and fragrant! There is still oil dripping from the corner of the mouth, and the tongue is curled up, not wanting to waste it at all.
So delicious!
It will definitely sell!
If he couldn't sell it, he would keep it for his own consumption. He would be happy with the steamed buns, porridge, and butter every day. Yang Fu thought and secretly glanced at his sister. He was so surprised that his sister was staring at the butter and didn't even look at him. Otherwise, he would