Zhou Yan said with a smile, "I took a look from afar. The cow that First Uncle slaughtered today has very long meat fibers and the color of the meat doesn't look red enough. This means that the cow is too old and doesn't have much vitality. The meat will be dry and tough. If use it for blanching, the taste will be not as good as good sirloin."
Zhou Miao nodded in agreement. His son certainly had a good eye.
Today, Zhou Yan bought eight pig heads, two more than yesterday. Zhang Laosan had brought him three extra from other butchers—truly a core supplier.
"Zhou Miao, why are you here buying meat? Aren't you slaughtering a cow to sell today?" Zhang Laosan asked, looking at Zhou Miao with surprise as he helped load the pig heads into the basket.
Zhou Miao is a well-known iron man; except for three days off during the Chinese New Year, he basically works all year round slaughtering cattle.
Zhou Miao explained, "I don't slaughter cattle and sell meat myself anymore. I help out at Zhou Yan's shop now. I only slaughter cattle when someone calls me."
"That's right, your son is a very capable child. You and your wife are going to have a good life in the future." Zhang Laosan said with a hint of envy.
During this period, Zhou Yan has been taking a significant amount of meat from him. He's been ordering a lot of second cut pork, and from one pig's head to four. Today, he even ordered eight pig's trotters. This business is probably too hot to handle.
This was just one of the suppliers he used to get the meats. Zhou Yan was also getting meat from Xu Laoer, probably in a similar quantity.
Zhang Laosan's eldest son was about the same age as Zhou Yan, spending his days wandering the streets, either fishing or catching eels, living a carefree life.
The only problem was that he was constantly worrying about how to get his son a job at the factory.
Look at Zhou Yan, he could already get a job for his father.
No, he still has to give that unfilial son a good beating when he get back!
A son is better than a son, he'll drive his father crazy.
He still needed four chickens. The current demand for cold chicken dish was probably around four. It was better to have a slight shortage than to rashly increase the supply; unsold chicken would result in a direct loss.
In addition, Zhou Yan bought twelve jin of pork liver.
One serving of spicy stir-fried pork liver uses six liang of pork liver, which is enough for twenty servings.
New products launched today, let's test the customers reaction.
After buying groceries and returning to the restaurant, Aunt Zhao was already up, and Zhao Hong and Zhou Lihui had just arrived.
"Didn't I tell you to sleep in a little longer and get a good night's rest?" Zhou Miao asked Zhao Tieying, somewhat puzzled.
"I wanted to sleep too, but it wasn't comfortable. People who get up at this time everyday to work, lying on bed staring blankly is even more torturous." Zhao Tieying laughed. "But I've slept two hours more than before, and it was very comfortable. Go kill the chicken, Zhao Hong and I will handle the offal; we're much more skilled than you."
"Okay." Zhou Miao picked up the chicken and went out to bleed it.
"Let's get the chicken blood ready! We'll make some chicken blood pudding for lunch, it'll be delicious." Zhao Tieying took a big bowl and followed out, sprinkling a small handful of salt into it.
"Then get the chicken giblets too, I'll make stir-fried chicken giblets for lunch." Zhou Yan called out.
Four large roosters, their blood and giblets, enough to make two dishes.
After mastering the skills of spicy stir-fried pork liver, Zhou Yan became increasingly interested in trying other ingredients.
Chicken giblets hold a place in Sichuan cuisine; he particularly enjoys Qianjiang chicken giblets, finding them especially delicious with rice.
Of course, pickled pepper chicken giblets and stir-fried chicken giblets are also quite flavorful.
Anyway, it's just family eating for lunch, so at worst it might be overcooked and lack texture.
He'd seen his master make stir-fried chicken giblets before, and he still remembered some of it—the cutting method, the order of adding ingredients, the general control of the heat—so he wouldn't mess it up too badly.
Comrade Old Zhou is a skilled worker. He cleaned up the four chickens perfectly and also took care of all sixteen pig trotters and eight pig heads, saving Zhou Yan a lot of trouble.
Zhou Yan began to understand why top chefs all wanted a highly skilled assistant.
It was so convenient!
How wonderful it was for a chef to be able to focus on cooking without worrying about the basic preparation of ingredients!
"Dad, you don't have any work to do this morning. Take your fishing rod and go sit by the river to fish. Just remember to come back for lunch." After breakfast, Zhou Yan stuffed a ten yuan note into Comrade Old Zhou's hand and said in a low voice, "Take this to buy fishing hooks and lines. Sharpening your knife won't delay your work. We can't skimp on the money we need to spend, otherwise how will we catch any big fish?"
"Okay." Comrade Old Zhou immediately stuffed the money into his pocket, then went to ask Aunt Zhao for permission before happily carrying a small bucket and a small hoe out the door.
Men's happiness is that simple.
Excellent employees deserve deep investment.
"Mom, aren't you going to stop my Dad from fishing?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.
"Your Dad doesn't slack off at all when he's working, so it's his turn to relax after he's done." Aunt Zhao said with a smile. "Fishing doesn't cost money, let him go have some fun."
"Mom, you're such a good wife." Zhou Yan gave her a thumbs up.
Fishing isn't entirely free, it's just that her son quietly pays for it.
Before the factory closed at noon, Zhou Yan cut half a pig's trotter for Zhou Momo and moved her special little stool so she could sit and eat at the restaurant entrance.
Then a sign was placed behind her that read: "New Braised Pig Trotters! Shocking Price: 1.2 Yuan Each! Each trotter weighs approximately 1.2 jin (600g)."
Then a small arrow pointed to Zhou Momo: "She ate half a trotter!"
Final note: 15 available today, 8 already pre-ordered.
The workers erupted in excitement upon seeing the sign.
"Braised pig's trotters, 1.2 yuan each! That's 30 cents cheaper than what Aunt Zhao said yesterday!"
"Half a trotter is this big, it'll be so satisfying! Sister Wu, let's buy one together?"
"Only seven left after just opening?"
"Aunt Zhao, I want a pig's trotter!"
Limited quantity, first come, first served, someone immediately placed an order.
The price of 1.2 yuan shattered most people's expectations.
They originally wanted to eat them for 1.5 yuan each, but now they're only 1.2 yuan each. This price gives them the illusion that they're earning 30 cents just by buying them.
These braised pig's trotters weigh 1.2 jin (approximately 600 grams)!
The price is truly a bargain!
Look at Zhou Momo, engrossed in eating the braised pig's trotters, her expression one of pure bliss.
Seven braised pig's trotters were practically sold out in seconds.
Zhou Momo hadn't even taken a few bites of her trotters before the braised pig's trotters she was endorsing were already sold out.
This speed shocked Zhao Tieying.
What?!
Seven pig's trotters, gone in a minute?!
Zhou Yan came out and wrote on the sign: Braised pig's trotters sold out today.
The customers who arrived a little later, seeing Zhou Momo engrossed in eating pig's trotters and the words written on the sign, felt like the sky had fallen.
What happened?
What did they miss?
How come they're sold out so soon after they got off work?!
It felt like they'd been tricked by capital.
"Aunt Zhao, is there still half left?" A female worker pointed at Zhou Momo and whispered to Zhao Tieying.
Aunt Zhao looked at Zhou Yan, who hadn't yet entered the kitchen. There was indeed half left.
"Sorry, we offer a service to cut it, but we don't sell half." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
Half a pig's trotter is the hardest to sell because you can never cut it perfectly in half. Customers will always have the misconception that their half is smaller, which could lead to disputes with the restaurant.
Cutting it for the guests is different.
Once the braised pig's trotter is served, who eats which half is a matter of internal conflict.
"Okay…" the female worker said, a little disappointed.
Zhou Yan smiled and said, "If you want some, you can make a reservation for tomorrow. I'll consider the number of trotters reserved to determine the amount to braise, prioritizing those who have made reservations."
The female worker's eyes lit up: "Great! I'll reserve one for tomorrow noon!"
"Sure, I'll remember." Zhao Tieying replied.
The customers began ordering, and Zhou Yan went into the kitchen to get busy.
Wang Wei arrived quite early today; she'd been thinking about the braised pig's trotter she'd reserved all morning.
She was surprised to see the sign at the door—braised pig's trotters were only 1.2 yuan each?
She felt like she'd already earned 30 cents before even eating them.
"Momo, your braids look so pretty today." Wang Wei greeted Zhou Momo.
Zhou Momo looked up and gave Wang Wei a greasy smile: "Sister's been very good today too."
Her little face was all greasy from eating, but she still looked so cute when she smiled!
Wang Wei entered the restaurant and smiled at Zhao Tieying, saying, "Aunt Zhao, I made a reservation for braised pig's trotters yesterday, and I'd also like a small bowl of rice and a dish of pickled radishes."
"Okay, good girl, please have a seat first, I'll arrange it for you right away." Zhao Tieying replied with a smile.
Wang Wei sat down, and a bright red braised pig's trotter was quickly brought out from the kitchen and placed in front of her, still steaming.
Next came a bowl of rice and a dish of pickled radishes.
This way of eating was quite tasteful.
The guests at the next few tables immediately cast envious glances!
One of the fifteen lucky ones!
The delicious braised pig's trotters unexpectedly fell into her hands.
Indeed, a woman with guts enjoys the braised pig's trotter first!
Wang Wei ignored the stares of others, her gaze completely captivated by the pig's trotter in front her.
This pig's trotter…it's huge!
The bright red color, the steaming heat, the aroma of braising and meat mingling and wafting towards her—it must have been drizzled with broth when it came out of the pot, glistening with oil, looking incredibly tempting.
A pool of braising liquid in the center of the plate, glistening with oil, would be delicious with rice!
She picked up her chopsticks, preparing to separate the braised pig's trotters and then eat them with chopsticks, thinking it would be more elegant that way.
After all… this was a restaurant near the factory gate, and her colleagues and superiors were sitting next to her. As an accountant, and a young woman at that, she needed to maintain a certain image.
But when her chopsticks touched the pig's trotter, the trembling sensation made her stop abruptly.
Wait!
What am I doing?!
I'm actually going to have to use chopsticks to eat a whole braised pig's trotter that's all mine?
Does eating it like this still feel like gnawing on braised pig's trotters?
It's soulless! What's the point of elegance?!
This braised pig's trotter cost me almost a day's wages!
The other customers also widened their eyes. How could she enjoy braised pig's trotters without grabbing them and gnawing on them? They almost wanted to go up and help her take a bite.
Wang Wei put down her chopsticks, then solemnly picked up the braised pig's trotter by both ends with her hands, and took a big bite.
The skin falls off the bone with a gentle touch, and the tendons between the meat and bone are soft and chewy, infused with the rich aroma of the braising sauce. One bite, and her soul trembles.
So fragrant! So satisfying!
The pig's trotters are slightly warm, specially heated before serving.
Not greasy at all!
Hot braised pig's trotters!
Who understands?!