"One cup, please." Xiao Zhang pulled out his phone to pay.
If Ouyang has any talent in making milk tea, it must be that he’s strong, quick, and has a high serving efficiency.
Soon, a freshly made, 350-milliliter Blueberry No. 1 appeared in Xiao Zhang’s hand.
Xiao Zhang took a big sip.
This taste, this rich blueberry flavor, this smooth texture, this cold yet not chilling temperature, this perfectly balanced sweetness!
Gosh, no wonder Master Qin recommended this handmade lemon tea shop to him; it turns out this handmade lemon tea shop and Four Seasons Soup Dumplings are a perfect match!
Xiao Zhang wanted to drink something after finishing his first bowl of Four Happiness glutinous rice, but he didn’t like soy milk or mung bean soup, and the soup from the dumplings was tasteless, which led him to endure until he got to the company to drink the free instant coffee.
When he finished his second bowl of dumplings, this urge to drink something reached its peak, which is why Xiao Zhang was so eager to rush and buy a cup of milk tea.
The moment Blueberry No. 1 touched his lips, Xiao Zhang felt he had found the drink that understands Four Happiness glutinous rice the best in this world.
Without any hesitation, Xiao Zhang took out his phone again and said loudly, "Boss, another cup of Strawberry No. 1!"
Xiao Zhang remembered that Miss He at their workstation loved strawberries, so she would surely love strawberry fruit tea too.
Xiao Zhang sent a message to remind Miss He to come to Yunzhong Restaurant early for Four Happiness glutinous rice, then planned to give her a surprise with the Strawberry No. 1 when she arrived at her desk.
Oh, Master Qin is really too considerate, not only making the dumplings so delicious but also recommending the perfect drink pairing to guests.
Xiao Zhang was not the only one who discovered that Four Happiness glutinous rice goes better with fruit tea.
Many office workers had already tasted the fruit tea yesterday afternoon, and after finishing their dumplings and finding some spare time, Yunzhong Restaurant’s opposite Xiao Ou Handmade Lemon Tea was open, so they went over to buy another cup.
And were amazed at the first sip.
Office workers who love to share immediately started posting on their social media, and this way of eating quickly spread in Yunzhong Restaurant’s group order chats, meal gathering groups, and various work groups nearby.
Xiao Ou Handmade Lemon Tea also began to have long queues.
Ouyang was making fruit tea so fast that it was almost sparking, and in order not to delay the office workers’ work, he had to go full throttle. The employees at the shop were reduced to peeling fruit assistants, and Ouyang got a taste of Master Qin’s experience in the kitchen.
By 9:12 a.m., business at Yunzhong Restaurant gradually quieted down.
The companies in the nearby office buildings have undefined work hours, typically between 9:00 and 9:30, though some rare ones start at 10.
Qin Huai couldn’t even remember how many Four Happiness rice balls he had made in the morning, only knowing the "battle" was more intense than during New Year back in the countryside. After all, in the countryside, the relatives visiting the Qin Family were not in a rush, but the office workers coming to Yunzhong Restaurant in the morning certainly were.
With the flow of customers decreasing, Pei Xing and Li Hua finally began their regular work of making snacks. Qin Huai was planning to make more Four Happiness dumplings, as they were more suitable for lunch and dinner compared to breakfast.
After spending so much time at Huang Ji, Qin Huai deeply felt that being a snack master was much easier than being a breakfast master, as they didn’t have to get up so early.
He planned to bring back the identity of snack master to Yunzhong Restaurant, changing the customers’ constant impression of him.
First, conquer the customers with A-level Four Happiness rice dumplings, then tell them Four Happiness dumplings don’t have to be just a morning dish–they can also be enjoyed at lunch and dinner.
Then put up a notice to inform customers of the selling time for Four Happiness rice dumplings, Three Meat Buns, and other snacks, avoiding having customers squatting outside with bowls early in the morning.
Before continuing to make dumplings, Qin Huai instructed Li Hua on the art of filling.
Li Hua specializes in steamed snacks, particularly beef filling, which is why his knife skills are better than Pei Xing’s, making him adept at chopping meat stuffing.
"Making filling often isn’t about addition, but subtraction." Compared to kneading dough, which he couldn’t say much about, Master Level Qin Huai had plenty of real tips to share on filling.
"You’re making beef dumplings, and under normal circumstances, to ensure that a beef dumpling bursts with juice when bitten open and the beef is tender, is considered acceptable. I haven’t tasted your beef dumplings, but haven’t you noticed how the filling looks unattractive?"
"You’ve added too much seasoning, so much that the filling doesn’t have its optimal color."
"You’ve added salad oil, Sichuan pepper oil, salt, seafood soy sauce, green onion, ginger, and bone broth. While such stuffing would undoubtedly be savory at first bite, is it really the natural savoriness of beef?"
"Many times, filling shouldn’t be over-seasoned. When you’ve reached a point where adding doesn’t achieve results, try subtraction instead."
"Use less and let the natural flavor of beef shine through. Be more discerning with your ingredient choices, and perhaps you’ll achieve better results."
"Once the steamed dumplings are ready, bring them to me to taste, and I’ll give you more advice."
Li Hua excitedly said, "I think I’m starting to understand, thank you, Master Qin. I’ll digest this myself."
Didn’t he just heard this from someone else’s mouth?
Whatever, not important.
Qin Huai went back to continue making Four Happiness rice dumplings.
Li Hua happily continued making beef dumplings, planning to adjust the filling using the subtraction method once this batch was steamer-ready.