[Pride and Prejudice] Lady Makes Money

Seeing how happy Manli agreed, Jean was also very happy.

He immediately made an appointment with Manli, and came to talk to them after he had booked a restaurant.

Finally he said: "I know that there is a restaurant that cooks stewed deer tendon very well. I remember that when you were in Netherfield Gardens, you once praised the cook there for the delicious stewed deer tendon. That was the only thing you praised. The dishes of this restaurant. Then you must try this restaurant, I am sure you will not be disappointed."

Hearing what Gene said, Manli couldn't help being a little amused.

She didn't expect this person to remember such a small thing.

In fact, the deer tendon made by the cook at Netherfield is also average, not well stewed, and a little hard.But it was the first time she ate at the same table with everyone after she got there, so she had to show politeness, so I just praised a few words.

"Speaking of deer tendon, if it's convenient, Mr. Gene and Mr. Bingley can stay and have dinner together at noon today. Although our family did not prepare deer tendon, it is a coincidence that the kitchen stewed beef tendon at noon today. Please also You have a taste of what our home cooks are good."

Seeing the smile on Manli's face, and the faint complacency in her eyes, she didn't need to guess that Jin knew that the recipe for that dish must have been made by the girl in front of her again.

A trace of pampering quickly flashed in his eyes, and he nodded without hesitation: "It's a great honor."

Jane and Bingley didn't talk for long in the study, they walked out after just a few words.

From her sister's rosy cheeks that have not faded, and Bingley's uncontrollable expression, which is about to float when she walks, anyone can guess that the two of them are talking relatively harmoniously.

Manli didn't ask any more questions, but just like before, she also invited Mr. Bingley to stay and have lunch together.

Of course the other party immediately agreed.

Leaving her uncle and eldest sister to entertain the guests, Manli walked into the kitchen again.

I discussed it with my uncle yesterday, and today she wants to make some food that can be sold in fast food restaurants.

It is natural to choose those things that can withstand being simmered on the fire, and the more they cook, the more delicious they are.

After walking to the counter and taking a look, Manli nodded in satisfaction.

The cook in my uncle's house is a good cook, even a little sharper than Martha.

Not only have I bought back all the vegetables I need according to the list she made yesterday, but I have also washed, cut and cleaned them all according to her instructions.

Manli walked to the stove and opened the lid of a clay pot that was simmering on a low fire. Suddenly, a strong aroma of beef came out, making everyone in the kitchen swallow their saliva together.

For the meal at noon today, Manli has spent a lot of effort.

She got up before seven o'clock in the morning and worked in the kitchen for a long time.

Using the fragrant leaves brought back from the grocery store, aniseed ingredients and rock sugar, with the soy sauce I brought, I also asked for a glass of wine from my aunt, and stewed the beef tendon early.

At this moment, it has been stewed until soft and rotten. It can be seen from the appearance that it must taste soft and glutinous.

Manli lifted the lid of another earthenware pot that was simmering slowly on a low heat, and with a burst of white mist, the unique fragrance of chicken soup came out.

She leaned her head to the mouth of the pot and looked at it. There was already a thick layer of butter floating on top of the soup, which made people salivate.

If you don't tell people, who would have thought that the stew of this pot of soup is not two plump hens, but just two chicken frames, chicken feet, chicken skin, chicken brains, these bits and pieces that are usually discarded ?

Looking at the chicken soup that was stewed until the chicken skin seemed to be melting, Manli recalled the way her uncle blew his beard and stared when he saw the two sisters coming down the stairs in the morning.

She couldn't help laughing secretly.

Alas, I still don't understand them!

My uncle would never have guessed that before he got up, he had already been in the kitchen for almost two hours, and my sister had already written a long travel essay.

Thoughts were rambling in her mind, but she did not delay her work. After watching the beef tendon and chicken soup, Man Li returned to the case again.

At this moment, all kinds of plates and bowls were neatly placed on the table, and the things she asked for were neatly placed, while the cook stood aside, looking at her expectantly.

Manli was so familiar with this look, she had seen it countless times on the faces of Kitty and Martha.

The cook of my uncle's family was married with my aunt back then, and she is also an old man who has been with her for many years.

Manli didn't mind teaching her a few tricks.

"Let's make the beef tendon first. The more it is stewed, the more delicious it will be. It doesn't matter how long it takes." She said softly.

The cook's eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at the clay pot in disbelief.

Isn't this already stewed?It's so fragrant...what else can I do?

As if she didn't see her doubts, Man Li motioned for her to fish out the whole beef tendon from the stewed soup.

Then he took the beef tendon and skillfully cut it into small pieces on the chopping board.

Then she quickly cut a washed carrot into slightly larger hob pieces.

A handful of leeks cut into two long pieces.

Pick up the oil pan, sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, add small pieces of beef tendon and stir-fry, season again, add water, boil the pan, add carrots and simmer over low heat...

Just put the chives in the pot when it's ready.

This time, the taste is different from the previous one. It is no longer just the pure beef aroma, but more of the strong and exotic aroma produced by some compound seasonings.

This is the effect Manli wanted.

The smell of wine is also afraid of deep alleys. If a restaurant wants to make a name, the easiest way is to have delicious dishes.

She couldn't believe that on a cold winter day, a hungry person could walk past such a jar of steaming and fragrant stew in complete disregard!

Putting the tendon on the fire to continue to simmer, Manli picked up the breast of a chicken that the cook had sliced ​​in advance and started dicing it.

This time she is going to make Kung Pao Chicken.

The dish of Kung Pao Chicken is recognized as the favorite Chinese delicacy of foreigners. Of course, besides this, there is also sweet and sour pork.

Pork was not easy to buy, but Manli didn't want to miss it. After finishing the Kung Pao Chicken, she used the breast meat of another chicken to make sweet and sour meat.

Because it has been beaten beforehand, and the chickens at this time do not grow up on feed, and the meat is not firewood.

Therefore, although it will not look fat, sweet and sweet like sweet and sour pork, it will make people mouth watering.

But the color and fragrance are also complete.

As for the chicken legs and chicken wings that were left in advance, they were directly boiled by Manli together with a few other peeled boiled eggs in the marinade prepared in advance to make marinade.

These dishes are said to be stewed, but the time is basically spent in the morning.

And what really needs to be fried are actually some quick dishes.

So the food was on the table quickly.

Sure enough, the steaming beef tendon stewed with carrots, sweet and sour meat and Kung Pao chicken all received unanimous praise from everyone.

Even braised chicken wings are not as popular as chicken legs and braised eggs, but because they have been cooked for a long time, the bones have already been removed, and the meat can be peeled off immediately after being put on a plate. The three gentlemen ate it alone. One, also eat with relish.

Until Manli asked the servants to serve everyone a bowl of clear chicken soup.

The aroma of chicken soup is overflowing.

But I put a spoon in and scooped it up, and there was no chicken except for some chopped greens.

Mrs. Gardiner flushed suddenly.

That way obviously thought that his servant didn't buy enough vegetables when he went shopping in the morning.

Even Mr. Gardiner's expression became embarrassing, and he gave Manli a depressed look.

It seemed that she had lost face in front of the guests.

Manli didn't explain, but looked at everyone with a smile and said: "Everyone, don't underestimate this pot of soup. I watched the cook stew it for a whole morning. It tastes very good."

With that said, the first one picked up the spoon and took a sip.

Everyone also followed her, tasted the chicken soup in front of them, and even ate a few mouthfuls of vegetables.

Everyone felt that what Manli said was right, the soup tasted very good.But—the chicken soup without even a little bit of meat is a bit too bland.

Manli didn't speak, she lowered her head and ate the food on her plate, without any intention of explaining.

Although she was the one who kept these two gentlemen for dinner, in Manli's heart, they were actually just a coincidence.

The ultimate goal of her making this table dish today is to show it to her uncle.

If you want to open a fast food restaurant, you have to calculate the cost. For a small business, how can it be possible to make big fish and meat, delicacies of mountains and seas for you?

But there is still time to talk about these words with my uncle later, there is no need to tell outsiders at the dinner table.

But Jin slowly tasted it.

Just now he was tentatively communicating with Mr. Gardiner. When he talked about the rise, Mr. Gardiner mentioned that this meal was actually made by Manli for everyone to try. They have some ideas and want to open a fast food restaurant.

Mr. Gardiner didn't mean to say that, at best he wanted to show off how good his niece is.

After all, he had confirmed in the previous conversation that these two gentlemen did not dislike girls from making profits for the family, and also admired their intelligence.

But the listener has a heart.

When Gene heard that Manli was interested in developing in London, his heart began to thump uncontrollably.

He knew that meant the girl wouldn't be coming home, at least in the short term,

Then, does he have a little more chance to get close to her?

He looked at all the dishes in front of him thoughtfully, calculated slowly in his heart, and asked, "Miss Manli, if I'm not mistaken, you only used two or so dishes in total. A chicken, right?"

Everyone raised their heads in surprise, followed Gene's example to look at the table, and then thought about it in their hearts...

Mrs. Gardiner was on the verge of tears of embarrassment.

When did my family become so poor that they could only afford two chickens?

And Mr. Gardiner also reacted.

Anyway, he is also a grocery store, and he knows the price of everything.

He counted in his heart, two chickens, a piece of beef tendon, a few eggs, and some vegetables are all worthless.

But let Manli do this, how many big plates are full!That price, how much has to be doubled!

"Is this the dish you said you wanted to open the shop?" He asked in surprise.

Manli froze for a moment.

Looking at the two guests next to him who didn't look surprised at all, they couldn't understand for a moment that they just went to the kitchen for a while, what exactly did uncle say to them?

But since her uncle had spoken out, Manli felt that there was nothing to hide.

She nodded, and then pointed to the chicken soup in the bowl with her hand again: "This is made from chicken skeletons, and it can be given away as a daily soup. Of course, you can also put more vegetables in it to cook, Sold separately. In this way, the price can be set very low, such as one or two pennies. In this way, those apprentices or poor people on the street can also buy a bowl of warm body, or match it with the black bread they brought from home. It can be eaten as a meal."

Manli's words made everyone in the room quiet.

There are no poor people who can sit here today.

Even the Gardiners, although their status as businessmen is a bit low, they have never tasted the feeling of being without money.

So they never think of thinking about how the bottom people spend their days.

After listening to Manli's words, Jane remembered the disabled child squatting on the side of the road begging at the door of the clothing store before, and her eyes could not help showing a moved expression.

And Mrs. Gardiner thought more.

Those newspaper boys who braved the wind and snow to sell newspapers, those gangsters who were controlled by the Mafia, did petty theft on the street, and occasionally helped run errands.

Also, she was very familiar with the numerous boys who were apprentices in the shop.

They are usually sent by their families as apprentices at the age of seven or eight. After a few years, after the little wages they earn are handed over to the family, I am afraid that there will be no surplus at all, so that they can have another meal among them.

But if you bring a piece of black bread from home in the morning and exchange it for a bowl of thick vegetable and chicken soup for a penny... It will warm you up and make you full and nutritious. I am afraid that many people will be willing.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Gardiner looked at Manli with more admiration.

She felt that her niece deserved to be kissed on the cheek by an angel, she could not forget the weak, and she was a kind and pure person.

The others probably thought a lot about it, and all of them looked at Manli with more serious eyes at this moment.

Actually... they... all thought too much.

Manli really didn't think about charity at all.

What she thinks is - waste utilization.

Clear chicken soup can be said to be basically cost-free.

At most, it is firewood, vegetables, and a little manpower, which is almost negligible.

However, for fast food restaurants, it can turn waste into treasure!

If it is sold at a price of one penny per bowl, there will be hundreds of bowls in a large pot.

It looks inconspicuous, but it is sold in pots, and it must be enough to pay the salaries of the shop assistants.

Even if you don't sell it, give it away.

Who in the winter can't help but praise such a bowl of fragrant, warm and appetizing chicken soup?

Can't come back the next day?

Fast food restaurants are in the business of frequent customers, and what they want is word of mouth.

A bowl of soup for a regular customer, is there anything cheaper in the world?

In addition, she has a longer-term plan, which is to deliver meals.

Manli wanted to discuss with her uncle, and let those idle children on the street be his food delivery staff.

She knew there might be an organization behind them.

But even those organizations don't want to watch these children survive the cold and hungry, do they?

A bowl of hot soup is delivered once, and a piece of bread can be given after several deliveries.

It doesn't cost much.

The store does not need to hire a special person to deliver the goods, and these children may have an extra chance to survive.

Of course, this is just her rough idea, and the specific operation has to be perfected by her uncle in the later stage.