Chapter 168: The Secluded Flavor of the New Year

Chapter 168: The Secluded Flavor of the New Year

On the twenty-seventh, chickens and ducks were slaughtered; on the twenty-eighth, paper cuttings were pasted on windows; on the twenty-ninth, ancestors were worshipped; and on the thirtieth, the New Year was celebrated in full swing.

Before dawn on New Year's Eve, the secluded mountain courtyard buzzed with activity. Everyone donned their finest clothes, looking neat and spirited from head to toe.

The children, in particular, woke up to find new clothes prepared by their mothers. Although these were made from old clothes that had been washed clean and didn't have patches, they still showed signs of wear, like frayed sleeves. Nevertheless, from Tie Niu down to Xiao Ya, who could already babble, everyone was overjoyed.

The weather cooperated, and it was sunny. Wei Dahu and Chen Erniu moved the table from the main room into the courtyard. They first placed two plates of malt sugar made by Huang Pozi, followed by a basket of chestnuts retrieved from the cellar the day before. After cooking the chestnuts until soft and sweet, they were taken out of the pot and immediately snatched up by a crowd that hadn't even eaten breakfast yet, each person stuffing a handful into their pockets.

There were also the pig's head and intestines that had been braised in the last couple of days, seasoned with spices as a perfect accompaniment to alcohol. The moment they came out of the pot, several elderly men started drooling and clamored for a taste. But Auntie Da, hands on her hips, scolded them, "Do you think I don't know you? You say you want meat, but what you really want is the alcohol, right?"

She knew their character all too well. Could they eat braised meat without a sip of alcohol? Once they picked up their wine bowls, they wouldn't be able to stop. It wasn't a problem if they ate the meat, but the alcohol had to be saved for the family gathering on New Year's Eve.

Thus, no one had dared to touch the braised pig's head, even after two days.

Early in the morning, a fire was lit in the kitchen. Without even thinking about frying dough fritters, the first thing they did was throw the already-braised pig's head, tail, and intestines back into the pot to reheat. This would serve as a cold appetizer to go with the alcohol, and four large platters were prepared, one at each side of the table.

After emptying the braising liquid and washing the pot, they were ready to start frying the dough fritters. The dough had been kneaded early in the morning and rolled out into a large round sheet on the table. Tao Hua and Cao Xiuhong were both skilled with their hands, cutting the dough into strips and shaping them in various ways.

While they were busy with the dough, Auntie Da took charge of frying. Though they were each occupied with their tasks, there was a remarkable harmony among them.

On the other side of the stove, Zhao Sufen was mixing the flour needed for frying crispy pork. Today, she spared no expense, adding sugar, oil, and eggs. She cracked four or five eggs into the mixture, creating a thick batter. Seeing Wu Zhaodi had already sliced the meat, she placed the batter on the stove and turned to chop fish meat.

These two fish had survived for several days, still lively when taken out of the wooden basin. After gutting and deboning them, the fish meat was placed in a bowl. Only now did she have time to mince it. Mincing the fish meat was a laborious task, requiring it to be ground until there were no lumps left. Afterward, she had to mix in flour, which was no simple task either. One hand held the bowl while the other stirred vigorously, occasionally adding water to moisten the mixture. By the end, her wrist was almost too tired to move.

Once she finished with this, the dough fritters were done frying. Whatever shape they went into the oil, that's how they came out, looking festive. There were so many fritters that they couldn't fit in a bowl, so Auntie Da took out a bamboo tray that had been cleaned the day before and poured the fried fritters into it.

The children circling the stove couldn't resist any longer. Fang Qiuyan, carrying the bamboo tray outside, was immediately surrounded. Even E Dan called out for his mother and father, begging for a taste: "E Dan wants to eat the dough fritter, Mother... E Dan wants the fritter... Father, E Dan wants the fritter!"

"What good does calling your father do when the food is in your mother's hands?" Chen Dashi was roasting a pig leg and saw his youngest son following his wife around like a little shadow. His wife had a playful nature and pretended not to hear the child's pleas, setting the bamboo tray on the table and returning to the kitchen.

"Mother, the dough fritter, the dough fritter..." E Dan pouted, close to tears.

Dog Zi, unable to stand it, reached into the tray and grabbed a twisted dough fritter, shoving it into E Dan's mouth. He put on an air of authority and lectured, "Today, crying won't get you anywhere. Hold back those tears. Big Sister is busy and doesn't have time to deal with you. The food is right there. You can't expect someone else to bring it to you and stuff it in your mouth. Use your brain and figure out how to get some. Will crying help?"

"It will," E Dan said, holding back his tears. He sniffled, took a bite of the sweet fritter, and grinned. "I got to eat."

"..." Dog Zi glanced at Ya Dan, who was smarter. He stood on a stool and was happily munching on a fritter, his eyes hidden behind his hands. When he noticed Dog Zi looking, he stuffed the rest of the fritter into his mouth and offered a small twisted one to Dog Zi, mumbling, "Uncle Dog Zi, eat."

Dog Zi didn't eat it himself but instead gave it to his brother-in-law, Wei Dahu, saying, "Sister made these twists. Your twists look so nice, Brother-in-Law. Here, have one."

Wei Dahu was squatting in the courtyard, cleaning fish gills. Apart from the two fish that would be made into fish balls, another large fish would be steamed today. It symbolized abundance, a must-have dish on the New Year's table. The fish he was working on was caught by the stream during a trip to fetch water. It wasn't particularly big, but it added to the festive atmosphere.

"Don't you like dough fritters?" With both hands dirty, Wei Dahu turned his head and bit into the fritter Dog Zi handed him, not picky at all.

Dog Zi chuckled and whispered to his brother-in-law, "I'm saving my stomach for the crispy pork and fried fish balls later. Otherwise, I won't have room." Then he added, "I like the fritters, but I like the crispy pork more. It's so fragrant and delicious."

"You're such a clever little guy," Wei Dahu laughed, his shoulders shaking.

No wonder children looked forward to the New Year the most. During the New Year, there weren't as many rules, and even if they made mistakes, their parents wouldn't punish them. They could play to their heart's content. Food was the same. From the moment they opened their eyes, their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles would be busy in the kitchen preparing food. Dough fritters, meatballs, vegetable balls, crispy pork, and fish balls—these were just snacks. There were many dishes that they wouldn't even dream of having on ordinary days. The cured meat hanging in the kitchen, the fresh pork bought the day before, the fish caught by the river, and the cherished old hen in the coop... No matter how thrifty people usually were, the dishes on the table during the New Year were always more abundant than usual.

Children's stomachs could only hold so much, so they had to save space for their favorite treats.

In the kitchen, after finishing the dough fritters, Auntie Da passed the cooking duties to Zhao Sufen, saying with a smile, "You've already mixed the batter for the crispy pork. I'm starving, so I'm going to have a bowl of porridge."

"Sure," Zhao Sufen took over the pot, which was already heated with oil. She dipped the meat strips into the batter and dropped them into the pot. No matter what was being fried, the most important thing was the heat. In terms of cooking, perhaps Zhao Sufen and Auntie Da couldn't match Tao Hua and the second daughter-in-law, but when it came to frying food for the New Year, they had years of experience.

As soon as the crispy pork hit the oil, a different aroma filled the air compared to the dough fritters. Dog Zi, who had a keen sense of smell, was originally squatting next to his brother-in-law watching him clean the fish. But the moment he smelled the crispy pork, he jumped up and rushed into the kitchen.

Tie Niu, with his sharp eyes, quickly followed. Ya Dan was also quick-witted and hurriedly climbed off the stool, pulling his younger brother along to catch up.

The crispy pork sizzled in the oil, and the stove was surrounded by people, adults included, unable to take their eyes off it. Tao Hua felt her mouth watering. She leaned against Dog Zi, and they huddled together, as if they were back at the Qian household during the previous two years. On New Year's Day, Mother would be busy in the kitchen, and the stove would be surrounded by people.

The only difference was that back then, the ones surrounding her were the chattering Qian Chuanzi and Qian Louzi, as well as the eldest sister-in-law Sun Shi, who did nothing but wait for food. Her personality wasn't one to win others' favor. Every year, she would stand by the stove waiting for food, grabbing a handful of meat as soon as it came out of the pot and hugging it to her chest, acting as if she hadn't eaten in centuries. It was unpleasant to watch.

When the crispy pork came out of the pot, the children cheered, and E Dan bounced up and down, calling out for Grandma Zhao. She was delighted and said, "Oh, my dear grandson, just give him a piece of crispy pork to send him away. Otherwise, he'll run around the house and get in the way."

"Don't talk about sending him away when you clearly dote on him," Zhao Sufen said with a laugh. She took two bowls and filled them with crispy pork. "E Dan, Ya Dan, Tie Niu, Dog Zi, take your bowls outside to eat. Don't stay in the kitchen. We still need to fry fish balls and vegetable balls. Don't let the hot oil splash on you." She handed the bowls to Dog Zi and told him to take Tie Niu outside to play. The kitchen wasn't spacious, and with so many people, it was hard to move around. It wouldn't be good if someone got hurt on such a beautiful day.

"Come on, follow me outside to share the meat!" Dog Zi carried the bowl contentedly and led Tie Niu and the others out to the courtyard.

"Wait for me, Uncle Dog Zi!" E Dan had short legs and stumbled over the threshold. Seeing the others running away, he didn't cry but dusted off his hands and hurried after them.

Tao Hua and the others also received half a bowl each. The sisters huddled by the fireplace, roasting firewood and eating. The crispy pork was hot and scalded their mouths, but it was so fragrant, a unique flavor that only appeared during the New Year. Each bite oozed with oil, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was simply irresistible.

San Hua especially loved it and whispered to her cousin-in-law, "It's better than what my mother makes."

"Don't let Auntie Da hear you say that, or you might not get to eat it in the future," Tao Hua tapped her little head gently, her eyes smiling. "Auntie Da's dough fritters are unparalleled. Have you tried them? They're so crispy."

"Mmm hmm." San Hua smiled secretly. Her mother was good at making dough fritters but not crispy pork or meatballs, which often ended up burnt and tasted wrong. Auntie Zhao's cooking was similar—her dishes didn't quite match those of Cousin-in-Law and the second daughter-in-law in terms of flavor, but her fried small fish was incredibly fragrant. Everyone had their specialties.

San Hua wanted to learn how to fry small fish and meat from Auntie Zhao, make dough fritters from her mother, and cook from her cousin-in-law. She thought to herself, embarrassed, that there was no girl greedier than her.

Liu Daocao buried her head in her food and chimed in, "You two are so lucky. You get to eat so well during the New Year. Ever since my father died, my home hasn't been this lively. You don't know my mother. People in the neighboring villages say she has a pair of skillful hands, perfect for midwifery, but when it comes to cooking, she's hopeless. She can even burn vegetables. Forget about the New Year; we rarely had decent meals even on ordinary days. And I'm not much help either, hehehe, I can't do this kind of work."

Any initial dissatisfaction she had about being dragged into the mountains had long dissipated after tasting the communal meals and the culinary skills of the second daughter-in-law and the aunts. Now, she had no complaints whatsoever.

This life was so beautiful that she dared not even imagine it. She woke up to a bustling scene every morning, with no quarrels or conflicts within the family. Everyone worked together harmoniously, using their strength for the common good. It was truly a carefree life.

She liked the Chen family, the life in the mountains, and this New Year.

The fragrant crispy pork, crispy fried fish balls, sweet fried dough fritters, bubbling chicken soup, chopped duck meat, slices of cured meat ready to be cooked, and the freshly cleaned fish...

Laughter echoed throughout the courtyard, and wisps of smoke rose above the dense forest in the mountains.

The secluded flavor of the New Year was a taste unique to their own home.