Guozijian little cook

Chapter 44 Saltpeter Ice Making
After lunch, Xiao Nianzhi followed Aunt Qin, the cook, to the kitchen.

There are not many servants in Xiao's residence. Uncle Qin, the housekeeper, and Aunt Qin, the cook, are a couple. Uncle Zheng, the coachman, has to farm outside the city when he has nothing to do.

The Xiao family has dozens of acres of land and several shops, otherwise Xiao Siye's salary alone may not be able to support the family.

After all, after coming to the capital for so many years, I still saved some money.

In addition to these servants, there are also two maidservants in the house who do chores every day.

Walnuts that can't talk, and jujubes that talk a lot.

Dazao, who is very talkative, helps Aunt Qin every day when she has nothing to do.

Seeing Xiao Nianzhi follow Walnut to the kitchen, Dazao hurriedly stepped forward to salute, then observed secretly.

When she was tidying up the study, she heard from the two sons that the new big girl cooks delicious food. I don't know if they have a chance to taste it.

Before lunch, Xiao Nianzhi said hello again, asking to keep watermelons, peaches, and jujubes, and his exuberant curiosity was drawn out.

However, she politely looked at it quietly without asking any further questions.

Xiao Nianzhi didn't rush to get ice as soon as he arrived, but first boiled the milk that was delivered in the morning and put it aside to cool.

Then cut out the watermelon pulp, then took out the gauze, washed it, and put the cut pulp in it.

There is no juicer, so I can only use gauze to squeeze out the watermelon juice.

Fortunately, this way of squeezing does not contain watermelon seeds and fibers, and the taste is also very good.

The squeezed watermelon juice was temporarily put in the wooden basin, and Xiao Nianzhi went to fetch peaches again.

Wash the peach skin several times with coarse salt to make sure it is clean, then cut the skin and boil it in water, add sugar, stir it, then take out the skin, then put in the white jelly that Xiao Nianzhi took from the delicious kitchen.

She took out the white jelly in advance and packed it in greased paper.

Now I took a small packet and put it into the peach juice that has been boiled to a pink color.

Put it aside and stir until the white jelly and the pink peach juice are thoroughly blended, and then remove the pot.

The fire in the stove will be cooking watermelon juice for a while, so it cannot be extinguished for the time being.

The peach meat that was cut into small pieces before is also put in at this time.

Then, Xiao Nianzhi went to boil watermelon juice.

After both are cooked, put them aside to cool down, and then Xiao Nianzhi is ready to amplify his moves.

Saltpeter to make ice!

The two kinds of fruit juices after adding the white jelly need to be refrigerated, so that the shape will be better and the taste will be more silky and refreshing.

So, still need ice!

Xiao Siye was busy and couldn't take care of Xiao Nianzhi, but Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing couldn't do it!

Although the two of them were reading, their hearts were itchy.

Hearing from Dazao that Xiao Nianzhi was busy in the back kitchen, he had only heard that the other party was good at cooking, but Xiao Zhou, who had never eaten before, couldn't sit still.

Xiao Qing, who had never heard or heard of it, only heard a few words from the second brother, and her heart was moved.

Xiao Qing read the book for a while, and was sleepy in the afternoon, but now that it's hot today, his mind is wild again, and he can't read it at all. Instead of being so inefficient, it's better to play for a while.

Thinking of this, he tentatively asked, "Why don't we rest for a while?"

Xiao Zhou's self-discipline is good, he thinks he can still watch.

But if it's not efficient...

Thinking of these, Xiao Zhou sighed helplessly: "Success, then go and have a look."

The two quickly and quietly went to the kitchen.

Xiao Nianzhi is currently making preparations.

The ice made from saltpeter is actually not suitable for direct consumption.

However, this is not without a solution.

Xiao Nianzhi made a nesting doll move.

She first cleaned a large wooden basin for daily vegetable washing, put fresh well water in it, and then floated a small basin on it, and put well water in the basin.

After a while, Xiao Nianzhi can put saltpeter powder into the big basin.

After such an operation, there is a high probability that the water in the big basin will not freeze, and the temperature will drop at most, but it can be used to calm things.

The water in the small basin will form ice crystals due to chemical reactions. Because it is separated from the saltpeter, it is edible!
The walnuts and the others couldn't understand them, but they moved their hands nimbly, either washing the basin or carrying water.

Anyway, no one is idle.

However, they are full of energy.

because……

Curious!
They really want to know what the big girl is doing!

After Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing came over, they didn't bother them, they just stepped aside and watched quietly.

After the preparations were over, Xiao Nianzhi began to try to add saltpeter powder into the big basin.

When saltpeter powder dissolves in water, it absorbs a lot of heat.

Using it to make ice is to use its principle.

Although it is hot today, the water drawn from the deep well is actually quite cool.

Coupled with saltpeter, the speed of ice making is still fast.

However, the amount of saltpeter needed is also very large, and the final product can't be regarded as a complete ice cube, but can only be regarded as ice slush or ice crystals.

The temperature of the water in the big basin has only dropped, and it can be used to freeze things for a while, but the water in the small basin has slowly precipitated ice crystals.

Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qing witnessed this process with their own eyes. You must know that in recent years, many people have been searching for various orphans and ancient books, just to restore, what is it that can make ice in the past!

But what do they see now? ? ?
Xiao Nianzhi, their new sister/sister, actually made ice!
Xiao Zhou's pupils were really shocked, his first reaction was to look at Xiao Nianzhi, seeing that the little girl was still quiet, and she added saltpeter powder into it seriously.

With just one glance, Xiao Zhou knew that Xiao Nianzhi should know that saltpeter can make ice, and maybe even tried it before.

Thinking of this possibility, Xiao Zhou couldn't help taking a breath.

However, he was older and quick-witted, and soon understood.

Why did Xiao Nianzhi know, but never showed it before.

Because, you can't keep it.

Many people have not recovered this kind of ancient technique, but people really know that Xiao Nianzhi can recover it, and it's good if he meets a good person, at least he will protect her for a while.

But if you run into a villain...

In order to take this credit, to keep this secret, it is possible that Xiao Nianzhi's family will be directly killed!

The reason why Xiao Nianzhi took it out now was because she felt that their family should be able to keep it.

Although Xiao Siye's official rank is not high, he has many classmates, and he has many good friends in the court, and his colleagues are not low in official rank.

In addition, Xiao Nianzhi now has a master who takes care of her, Aunt Yu.

The Xiao family can't keep it, but Aunt Yu can!
Therefore, Xiao Nianzhi can take it out with confidence.

The little girl looks innocent, but she also has a bit of exquisite thoughtfulness.

Originally, Xiao Zhou was quite worried about Xiao Nianzhi because of Zhou Yuxing's incident before, but now it seems that he can feel a little relieved.

Compared to his calmness, Xiao Qing was young. After seeing Bing, he couldn't control himself, and almost jumped up, his excited mouth was about to knot: "... Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing Bing!"

(End of this chapter)