Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 141: Crush the spices, grind them finely to make the bacon taste better

Xiaoyu looked at the position of the sun in the sky and said, "Don't worry, the sun hasn't risen yet. Let's go when the sun is higher. Now we can prepare the spices needed for curing the bacon."

Xiaoyu then led everyone to the kitchen, where various bottles and jars filled with spices were placed.

Xiaoyu opened a jar, revealing white salt. "This salt is essential for curing bacon. We need to mix the salt with the other spices and then apply it to the pork."

She picked up a small cloth bag and opened it, revealing peppercorns inside. The aroma of peppercorns filled the air: "Peppercorns can remove fishy smells and enhance fragrance, giving bacon a unique flavor." Then, she took out star anise, cinnamon and other spices, and introduced to everyone one by one their roles in pickling bacon.

Yuyu picked up a piece of cinnamon out of curiosity, put it under her nose and sniffed it: "Mom, this smells so special, a little sweet."

Xiaoyu smiled and said, "Cinnamon has a unique flavor. It makes the bacon taste even better. Each of these spices has its own use, and when mixed together, they make our bacon incredibly delicious."

Li Hao helped mix the spices according to the proportions. "Mom, should we grind these spices first? Will it be easier to apply them to the pork that way?"

Xiaoyu nodded in praise. "Hao'er is really smart. We need to grind these spices slightly, but not too finely. We want them to have a granular texture so that the flavor of the spices can better penetrate the pork during marinating."

So everyone started grinding the spices.

Cheng Chumo was strong, so he was responsible for crushing the spices with a stone mortar, while Qin Huaidao helped pass the spices on the side.

Yu Yu and Li Hao watched from the side, occasionally reaching out to help stir.

For a moment, the kitchen was filled with laughter and joy. Everyone was immersed in the preparation of making bacon, full of anticipation for the upcoming delicacy.

While grinding the spices, Xiaoyu also told everyone some stories about bacon: "Did you know? This bacon has a very long history here."

"In the past, people invented the method of making bacon to preserve pork in the winter. Gradually, bacon became a popular delicacy."

"Also, different places have different ways of making bacon. Some prefer to smoke it, while others simply dry it in the sun. Our method combines the advantages of multiple methods."

Yuyu listened intently: "Mom, what are the advantages of our approach?"

Xiaoyu smiled and replied, "Our method not only gives the bacon the dry and crisp texture of drying, but also gives it a rich flavor through the use of spices, without having a strong smoky smell, making it taste more refreshing."

As the spices were gradually ground and mixed into a bowl of spice powder with an enticing aroma, everyone felt a sense of accomplishment.

Although they have not started to marinate the pork yet, the preparation alone has already made them feel the fun and anticipation of making bacon.

The sunlight shines through the window onto the kitchen floor, illuminating their busy and happy figures, as if this small kitchen is a magical place where mouth-watering delicacies are about to be born.

Cheng Chumo looked at the bowl of spice powder and said with a smile, "Xiaoyu, this spice powder looks good. I feel like the bacon is already halfway done."

Qin Huaidao also nodded in agreement: "Yes, now we just have to wait to buy the pork and start pickling it. I can't wait to see the pork wrapped in these spices and slowly turned into delicious bacon."

Xiaoyu looked at everyone's excited expressions, feeling warm in her heart. "Don't worry, wait until we buy the pork and marinate it properly. We'll make sure everyone can enjoy the most delicious bacon."

Yuyu cheered on the side: "Great! I really want to eat bacon soon!"

Li Hao also smiled and said, "We will definitely be able to make the most delicious bacon. When the time comes, we can share the bacon with our neighbors and let everyone taste our cooking skills."

Chef Mi came out of the kitchen and saw everyone busy with the spices. He smiled and said, "You guys grind the spices. Let me do it. I'm afraid your method won't be uniform, and it will affect the taste of the bacon."

As he said this, he reached out to take the mortar.

Xiaoyu quickly waved her hands and replied with a smile, "No, no, Chef Mi, we're almost done. Besides, it's quite fun for everyone to work together."

Chef Mi disagreed, frowning and looking serious: "Yes, grinding spice powder is a delicate job. I've been tinkering in the kitchen and have a better grasp of the weight and coarseness. Let me do it. I guarantee I can grind the most delicate and appropriate spice powder to make our bacon more flavorful."

Yuyu stuck out her tongue and said crisply, "Chef Mi, it's already ground. Look, this spice powder smells so good."

As he spoke, he moved the bowl of spice powder closer to Chef Mi, and the unique aroma of the spice powder instantly spread.

Chef Mi leaned in to smell it, a look of surprise and relief on his face: "Wow, I didn't expect you guys to grind it so well. It smells really good."

"Well, it seems I underestimated you. Now that everything is ground, we can prepare for the next step. Once we pick out the pork, we can start pickling it."

After hearing what Chef Mi said, everyone smiled at each other, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Just as everyone was discussing the spice powder excitedly, a familiar dog bark was heard. Everyone turned around and saw that it was Yu Yu's Husky staggering towards them.

It walked with a brisk pace, its tail wagging like a rattle, and soon came to the crowd. It first circled Xiaoyu twice, sniffing with its nose.

Then he came close to Yu Yu, rubbed his head against Yu Yu's legs, and made a whining sound with his mouth.

Yuyu smiled and squatted down, reaching out to touch the Husky's head: "Dog, why are you here too? We are preparing to make bacon. When it's done, maybe we can give you some to try."

Cheng Chumo also came over and patted the Husky's back gently: "You Husky, you only know how to get into busy places. Don't spill this spice powder."

The Husky tilted its head and looked at Cheng Chumo, its eyes full of innocence. It ran around everyone twice before lying quietly aside.

Xiaoyu nodded: "Really? Wherever there is food, the Husky will immediately go there."