Free Web NovelChapter 1107: Chapter 451: A Record-Breaking Giant! Making a Sweet Dish—Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus Root!
Hmph, making me write in English as a check? I’m going to tease you, foodie.
After sending it out, she happily picked up her fishing rod and continued fishing, while Xie Yufei and Xie Yuhang saw this and realized there was another way to play. They each took a photo with their fish.
After Uncle Lin caught a fish, we also caught one each. Makes sense, right?
Soon, the brothers also posted their catch photos. Chen Yan, who was visiting relatives in West City, saw them and immediately asked in the group:
"Did you guys hit the motherlode of bighead carp? How come everyone has one? Even fishing at a Black Pit isn’t this exaggerated, right?"
Chen felt she missed a chance to prove herself.
With a place this easy to fish, I definitely have to try it next time and enjoy the thrill of reeling in big fish!
After packing up the fishing gear, Lin Xu slung his fishing bag over his shoulder and carried the big fish towards the house. He planned to put it in the pool first, dig some lotus roots later, and then officially start cooking lunch.
As he walked, Dundun followed behind with its little butt sticking out, occasionally wanting to reach out a paw to slap the fish, but ultimately held back.
Probably still remembered last time getting soaked back home.
Mi Lan, holding her phone, frantically sent messages in her best friends’ group:
"Hurry to Ginkgo Garden, Boss Lin just caught a huge bighead carp. We’re having fish for lunch."
A few of them didn’t react at first.
Just about to ask what dishes there were, they suddenly remembered it was made by Boss Lin. Everything he cooks is delicious. So they packed up, planning to head to Ginkgo Garden for a big feast.
Lin Xu arrived at the kitchen and put the fish into the pool.
He was going to start preparing the fish once the lotus roots were dug out.
Mi Lan came in and said:
"The meat is in the fridge, and most ingredients are in the storage room nearby. This bowl has the glutinous rice that was soaked since yesterday... I wanted you to make some glutinous rice lotus roots to taste. I heard glutinous rice needs to be soaked in advance, so I had someone soak it yesterday to avoid delays."
Lin Xu opened the bowl beside him and saw it was half full with glutinous rice.
If he made all of it into glutinous rice lotus roots, it would make a big pot.
He laughed and said:
"Once I dig up the lotus roots, I’ll get started."
He put the fishing bag in the car, grabbed a shovel, and went with Dundun and Shen Jiayue to dig lotus roots.
Mi Lan carried a bamboo basket, following behind, ready to help as well.
By the pond, Han Shuzhen was originally waiting to see Old Shen catch a fish.
But the float didn’t move at all.
When Lin Xu and the others came to dig lotus roots, she completely gave up on Old Shen and went to play with Dundun near the lotus pond.
Initially planning to experience fishing, Granny Sun also gave up and went to watch the lotus root digging with them.
This time, the water in the lotus pond was mostly drained, resembling barren land. While digging, it felt like digging for sweet potatoes in the soil, which looked quite interesting.
Meanwhile, Xie Yufei and Xie Yuhang were strolling with Su Peipei in the Ginkgo Forest, taking photos.
In no time, the originally bustling pondside was left with only three fishing enthusiasts.
It was fine when there were companions, but now Guofu was somewhat bored with no one around.
Seeing the motionless float and comparing it to Xie Baomin and Old Sun’s, he felt that waiting around aimlessly wasn’t productive, so he tied a slip rope, grabbed a cigar, and went to chat with the two.
Soon, the three giants of the Air Force squatted by the pond with cigars in their mouths, staring at the water in a daze.
Finally, Old Sun was the first to speak:
"Maybe we’re not in harmony with the Feng Shui here, and the temperature hasn’t risen yet. Let’s wait a bit more; the winter fishing usually picks up in the afternoon, plenty of hope left."
"Right, even if there’s no fish in the morning, we can continue after lunch."
"Fishing requires patience. Can’t do it without patience."
They encouraged each other and continued fishing.
On the other side, Lin Xu, with a shovel, dug up a whole slender crispy lotus root with five or six joints. This was to be used as an ingredient, and five or six joints were more than enough, maybe even excessive.
As for the flour lotus roots, because he planned to make glutinous rice lotus roots, he dug several, each with multiple joints, more than a meter long, and they were hefty in his hand.
"These lotus roots are of good quality. I’ll dig some more when we leave, to eat at home."
Mi Lan said:
"Dig more; they can only rot in the ground if not eaten... Xiao Lin, how do you think we should plan our meals here throughout the year?"
Lin Xu thought for a moment and said:
"Spring should focus on various wild vegetables. There should be plenty of wild vegetables in this garden in spring, right? Besides wild vegetables, various mushrooms, Chinese toon leaves, bamboo shoots, money tree leaves, locust flowers, etc., are all popular with customers."
Mi Lan thought it made a lot of sense and asked:
"What about summer?"
"Summer is usually for escaping the heat. You can make some refreshing small dishes and some uncommon ones, like lotus root tips, fried pumpkin flowers, fried lotus flowers, cicada pupae, various grilled meats, and seasonal dishes."
He brushed off the soil from the lotus roots and continued:
"As for autumn and winter, they’re all about various harvest dishes, sweet potatoes, taro, etc., paired with lotus roots, ginkgo, chicken, duck, fish, geese, and iron pot stew... Each season has its own theme. With unique themes, tourists will naturally want to come."
The best way to manage a place like this is to find someone who understands ecological gardens and transform the whole Ginkgo Garden into a place for eating, drinking, and having fun.
What’s lacking most in Beijing now is short-distance leisure spots.
If Mi Lan can get this Ginkgo Garden right, business will definitely explode.
