Chapter 1434 - 559: Pumpkin Chips and Sweet Potato Chips Fresh Out of the Oven! Chen Shaokang: Sweet Potato Chips Are Delicious!

Chapter 1434: Chapter 559: Pumpkin Chips and Sweet Potato Chips Fresh Out of the Oven! Chen Shaokang: Sweet Potato Chips Are Delicious!

With nothing to do, Lin Xu washed the pumpkin seeds he had just dug out.

After cleaning them, he fetched the salt used for making salt-baked pumpkin in the morning. He didn’t start immediately, but first added some aged tangerine peel and other spices to the pot.

After frying them until fragrant, he fished them out from the salt and added the pumpkin seeds.

The reason for doing this is because if the spices stay in the pot, they might get burnt, so he used a slotted spoon to filter them out once fragrant — can’t afford to be careless.

If the spices burn in the salt, it’s not just the spices lost, but also the whole pot of salt and the painstakingly cleaned pumpkin seeds.

After finishing this, he took the fried pumpkin seeds outside to dry.

Then he squatted in front of the oven, carefully watching the sweet potato chips being roasted inside.

He remembered that when he first put them in, the sweet potato chips were white, but now, they’ve turned into a slightly burnt yellow.

Moreover, the sweet potato chips had shrunk significantly in size.

They not only became thinner but also shrank a lot, making them quite similar to store-bought sweet potato jerky.

However, unlike the store-bought kind that’s close to an orange hue, Lin Xu initially thought it was due to insufficient heat, but now it seems it’s likely because of the food coloring used by merchants.

Once the sweet potato jerky is done roasting, he took it out, put it in a basket to cool, and by the way, put in the pumpkin jerky to roast.

After finishing these tasks, Lin Xu picked up a piece of sweet potato jerky and popped it into his mouth.

Can’t deny, it really tastes sweet, and the texture is chewy and satisfying, with a very rich sweet and fragrant flavor of sweet potatoes.

"Delicious!"

He glanced at the pumpkin cooking in the pot, estimated it would take at least another half hour, packed some sweet potato jerky in a bag, grabbed a handful of pumpkin seeds, informed his mom, and then strolled over to the reservoir.

"Almost at the shore, keep rowing!"

Shen Jiayue, together with her two cousins, had been rowing a boat in the reservoir for half the day, nearly getting stuck in the reeds on the west bank.

Finally managing to get out, all three were exhausted, with only Dundun still proudly standing on the bow, like a pirate captain ready to plunder ashore.

When Lin Xu arrived munching on seeds at the shore, the three finally made it to the bank.

He grabbed the mooring rope, pulled the boat over, and all three plus Dundun disembarked and tied securely onto the wooden stake on the shore.

"The sweet potato jerky is done, give it a try, it tastes really good."

Shen Jiayue: "..."

Xu-Bao, are you doing this on purpose?

We tirelessly rowed just to digest the sweet potatoes in our bellies, and now that we finally feel a bit hungry, you’re tempting us again with sweet potato jerky.

Isn’t this bullying honest folks?

She was about to protest but changed her mind upon smelling the jerky.

Ahem, Xu-Bao made the effort to bring them here, so reluctantly I’ll have to help him taste test, right? After all, I’m the executive head chef of Lin Ji’s Food.

It’s my duty, after all.

She picked up a piece of sweet potato jerky, put it in her mouth, and just after sensing its chewy texture and fragrant taste, her eyes lit up:

"Wow, it’s so delicious, you guys have to try it, it’s super tasty."

Shen Jiayue not only gave one piece each to Xiaolei and Shi Molli but also tore a small strip for Dundun, who immediately ate it blissfully.

While eating, Chen Shaokang and his group finished digesting and wandered over from the sluice direction.

Xiaoxun was still holding several eels in his hand, their method of capture unclear.

"Xiaoxun, Shaokang, the sweet potato jerky is done, it’s super delicious, come try some."

Xiaoxun turned his face towards Chen Shaokang:

"Want to jump in the reservoir?"

"Said I wouldn’t eat, and I won’t, after all, we are honorable fourteen-year-old men, words must count!"

When the group approached, Lin Xu offered them the bag of sweet potato jerky:

"Have a taste, it’s quite good. Xiao Bin, take some to school tomorrow, it’ll help replenish your energy and sugar, good for your studies."

"Thanks, cousin!"

Lin Bin wouldn’t miss out on something good, grabbed a piece and tried it, confirming it indeed tasted good.

Xiaoxun picked up two pieces, placed them in front of Chen Shaokang:

"Are you really not going to eat? These are made by aunt and cousin... Hmm, they taste really good, so satisfying to chew, wow, the more you chew, the tastier it gets."

He deliberately ate making loud smacking sounds.

The exaggerated expression left Chen Shaokang with a face full of dark lines.

You’re on a roll, aren’t you?

Don’t think I won’t push your little tubby self into the water?

After muttering to himself, the so-called fourteen-year-old man took the jerky and started eating.

As soon as he took a bite, Xiaoxun asked:

"Didn’t you say you’d rather jump into the reservoir than have a bite?"

"That’s right, and so I took several bites... Can’t deny, this sweet potato jerky is so sweet and fragrant, luckily, Third Aunt made more. When it’s done, I want to take some to school too, to prepare for the Central Finance exam, all thanks to these sweet potato jerky..."

After finishing a piece of sweet potato jerky, Chen Shaokang grabbed another piece and asked Lin Xu:

"Cousin, are you heading back to Beijing tomorrow?"

"Yes, I’ll be leaving early tomorrow morning. You all study hard at home, and when spring comes, I’ll return once more and make more tasty treats for you all then."

"Thank you, cousin!"

Lin Xu handed the bag to Shen Jiayue, then picked up Dundun in his arms, and the group leisurely walked back.

Back at the restaurant, the pumpkin jerky was also done roasting. Lin Xu served it for everyone to try, and they all agreed it was delicious, nearly rivaling the sweet potato jerky.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much made, not as many as the sweet potato jerky.

Next, Lin Xu made pumpkin candy and taught Shi Wenming the technique for marinating salt water duck and the subsequent steps, also grilling all the carp caught in the morning into small fish jerky, intended to pack in jars to take back to Beijing for Dundun.

Besides the fish jerky, Chen Meijuan also packed some homemade cured bacon, made before the winter solstice, now fully prepared for either soup or frying, tasting great.

The next morning, after Lin Xu and Shen Jiayue got up, they didn’t go for a run but packed up their luggage instead, stowing everything in the car’s trunk, turned off the appliances in the house, locked the door, and left.

"I wonder when we’ll get to stay here again."

Shen Jiayue was somewhat reluctant while locking up.

Lin Xu said:

"We’ll be back soon, driving here when spring returns."

"Okay!"

After securing the lock, the couple got in the car, preparing to head over to the restaurant for breakfast and bid farewell to everyone.

After breakfast, they would take Dundun back to Beijing.

From the wedding to this point, they’d been resting for a good twenty days. Now, with the new year commencing and everything renewed, it’s time to return to Beijing to strive for their careers!

Upon reaching Beijing, they’d first head to MaiShare headquarters to sign the contract.

Then, taking advantage of the few cooking learning cards left in hand, they’d either find their master or Old Qiu to learn a few more dishes, enriching Lin Ji’s Food menu!

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