Chapter 340 - 186: Driven to Tears by the Braised Meat Wrap

Chapter 340: Chapter 186: Driven to Tears by the Braised Meat Wrap

Who doesn’t love golden ginkgo leaves? He loved pressing them in his books as a child.

It was as if preserving the leaf meant he could hold on to autumn itself.

After playing for a while, the children began to cry out that they were hungry.

Several baskets full of food were set out on a long stone bench: a bowl of sliced, braised pork head; a bowl of assorted braised vegetables; a basket of corn pancakes; and a basket of sourdough steamed buns.

"Should we heat up the pancakes? I brought a small pan," Zhou Jie said, pulling a flat-bottomed iron pan from his back basket. "I’ve tried it before. They’re much more aromatic when they’re warm."

"Great idea, Jie! You’ve thought of everything!" Zhou Ming said with a laugh, pointing to a spot nearby. "We can build a small stove, gather some dry wood to start a fire, and eat the pancakes warm."

"I’ll get the stones!"

"I’ll go gather some branches!"

The young men immediately jumped into action, and in no time at all, they had built a simple little stove.

"Stove" was a generous term. It was really just a three-sided enclosure built from stones and broken bricks, just high enough to hold the pan level.

Zhou Lihui came back with a few of the children, carrying the dry branches they had gathered.

"Alright, that’s enough. No need to get more," Zhou Yan said with a laugh, stopping the children. "How much wood do you need to heat up a few pancakes?" He looked at the corn pancakes, the braised pork, and the braised vegetables, and an idea struck him. "Let me do it. I’ll make you all some braised pork and corn wraps."

"Alright, you’re up." Zhou Jie immediately yielded his spot, stepping to one side and pulling out matches to light the fire.

Forest fire prevention wasn’t as strict back then. As long as you weren’t deep in the mountains setting fires, nobody bothered you for cooking outdoors or having a barbecue. People burned crop stubble all over the countryside, yet the sky remained a brilliant, clear blue.

The fire caught quickly. Zhou Yan chose a few larger sticks and fed them into the makeshift stove. Once the flames were steady, he washed his hands, took a corn pancake from the basket, and placed it in the pan.

The pancake was thin and golden. You could tell it had been made in this very pan—it was a perfect fit. As it heated up, the aroma of corn began to drift through the air.

With a light flick of his wrist, the pancake flew into the air and flipped over in the pan. Its underside was already a light, crisp golden-brown. Zhou Yan used chopsticks to spread a portion of the braised pork head and vegetables over the pancake. The heat made the fat on the pork glisten and SIZZLE, and the rich, savory aroma of the marinade and meat immediately wafted across Laoxiaoding.

"That smells amazing!"

"Zhou Yan is so creative. Just what you’d expect from a Chef."

The eyes of everyone in the Zhou Family instantly lit up.

Other visitors, drawn by the scent, turned to look, their mouths watering.

It was nearly noon, and for people of that era who were used to three square meals a day, the aroma instantly made them feel hungry.

Suddenly, the cold, dry rations and steamed buns in their own hands seemed much less appealing.

Using his chopsticks, Zhou Yan folded the edges of the pancake, creating a wrap filled with the braised pork and vegetables. He enclosed it in a sheet of wax paper and handed it to the old grandmother first. "Grandma," he said with a smile, "have a taste and tell me what you think."

"Alright then, let’s see." The old grandmother accepted it, blew on it to cool it down, and took a bite.

The warmed pancake was soft and chewy. The first bite revealed a generous filling of braised pork head and tofu skin.

The pork head, rich but not greasy, had become tender with the heat. It was paired with tofu skin that was soft without being mushy, and bursting with the flavor of the marinade. A single bite was incredibly savory and deeply satisfying.

The satisfaction of eating such a hot, savory wrap out in the wild was simply unparalleled.

The old grandmother nodded again and again. "Delicious! The braised pork head, tofu skin, and corn pancake go so well together. Heating it up makes the flavor even better. Zhou Yan is really talented; he knows just how to pair things. And this corn pancake Haiyan made is wonderful, too. The moisture is just right, so the texture is both chewy and soft."

Hearing the praise, Second Aunt Wu Haiyan rubbed her hands together, her face beaming.

A crowd of kids surrounded the pan, swallowing hard as they stared eagerly at Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan quickly finished another wrap and handed it to his grand-uncle, Zhang Zhengping.

"It smells just as good as they say." Zhang Zhengping took the wrap and bit into it without hesitation. His eyes lit up. After swallowing, he looked at Zhou Yan in admiration. "Delicious! You’re a clever one. This braised pork head and corn pancake are a perfect match! It’s fragrant and soft, with a hint of sweetness from the corn. It absolutely hits the spot!"

The praise from the old grandmother and the grand-uncle thoroughly whetted everyone else’s appetites.

The heated aroma of the braised pork drifted farther and farther, and the other visitors on Laoxiaoding were growing restless, glancing over again and again.

"Dad, what are they eating? It smells so good!"

"Mom! I want some too!"

One child was so overwhelmed by the tantalizing smell that they burst into tears, demanding to have a wrap.

"Alright, why don’t you make a few for the kids now," Eldest Uncle Zhou Qing said with a smile. "Look at them, they’re practically drooling."

The others laughed and nodded in agreement. It was only right for the two elders, the grandmother and Zhang Zhengping, to be served first.

At this, Zhou Yan handed the wrap he had just finished to Zhou Momo.

Among the children, Zhou Momo had the highest seniority in her generation, despite being the youngest in age.

Although the other children were dying for a taste, this was their family’s most beloved Little Aunt, and not a single one of them thought it was unfair.

"Wow, Brother, is this an egg-filled pancake?" Zhou Momo asked curiously, her eyes shining as she reached out and took it, holding it carefully with both hands.

"This isn’t an egg-filled pancake," Zhou Yan replied with a smile, his hands never pausing. "If we have to give it a name, we can call it a Braised Pork Wrap."

Zhou Momo blew on it gently, then opened her mouth for a big bite. Her eyes immediately shone, and she couldn’t help but bob her head in delight.

’It’s so soft! And sweet! And when you bite it, there’s meat inside!’

’It smells so good!’

She didn’t know how to describe it. It was completely different from the sweet, egg-filled pancakes she was used to.