Chapter 220 (continued)

Chu Yanhuan ate several pieces of potato and bamboo shoots with the dipping sauce, and couldn't help but say, "This is just like eating hot pot! There are so many vegetables, and it's so delicious!"

Qing Mengzhu: "I feel it's more like eating skewers."

Zhao Hexi: "Yes, yes, I also feel it's more like eating skewers. It's a pity you've pulled up all your chili seedlings, otherwise the fresh chili dipping sauce made with your chilies would be the best."

Qing Mengzhu: "A new batch of chili seedlings has already been planted. When the chilies turn red in the summer, they will definitely taste even better than this year's batch."

Zhao Hexi: "I think so too. I went to check on them a couple of days ago, and the chili seedlings are growing really well this year, as are the tomato seedlings. I never expected the seedlings to grow so well in such cold weather."

Everyone chatted casually, and the howling north wind blew through the yard, but it didn't affect the warmth inside.

Chu Yanhuan listened to their conversation and hissed in surprise.

He's the kind of person who can't handle spicy food very well, but he loves it. His lips are already red from the spiciness, and he has to take a few deep breaths to feel better.

Seeing his expression, Zhou Yan took the chocolate-flavored rice wine that was placed to the side and poured him a glass.

With the recent cold weather, chocolate-flavored fermented rice is even more popular than before.

Zhou Yan improved the recipe, adding more smooth chocolate and a stronger milky flavor, while the fermented rice wine brought out a complex aroma, and the chopped nuts were still the finishing touch.

Chu Yanhuan took a big gulp and sighed contentedly, "This is the taste! It's so delicious. After eating something salty, a sip makes it even better."

Zhao Hexi casually remarked, "That's why it's called the 'Sweet and Salty Perpetual Motion Machine'!"

Meeting Chu Yanhuan's puzzled look, Zhao Hexi explained, "It's like eating sweet food followed by salty food, and then salty food followed by sweet food, they cut through the richness of each other, so you can keep eating forever, hence the name 'perpetual motion machine'."

Chu Yanhuan began to understand.

Zhao Hexi also took a sip of chocolate-flavored fermented rice wine, and then asked, "Mengzhu, how much sweet fermented rice wine do you have left? What about the regular wine you brewed before? Are you still brewing it?"

Qing Mengzhu nodded. "There's still half a vat of sweet fermented rice left, enough to drink for a while longer. The regular fermented rice hasn't been touched; it's still fermenting under the stairs."

Zhao Hexi exclaimed in surprise, "Haven't you opened it to take a look all this time? Aren't you even a little curious about what's inside?"

Qing Mengzhu: "It's just in a fermentation stage; there shouldn't be anything else, considering how cold the weather is."

Zhou Yan chimed in, "A longer fermentation time is better; many famous wines require two to three months to ferment."

Qing Mengzhu: "I've also seen the relevant information. It says that a longer fermentation time is beneficial for developing aroma, and the wine will have a more mellow taste after distillation."

Zhao Hexi counted on her fingers beside her. "Even so, it's almost time. It'll be almost a month, and the total fermentation time for your wine should be close to three months."

Qing Mengzhu: "Then I'll take a look when I have time."

Zhao Hexi: "Why not take a look today?"

Seeing his genuine curiosity, Qing Mengzhu readily agreed, "Wash your hands before you go see it, so you don't bring any germs with you."

They had almost finished eating the braised goose and other braised dishes, and when Qing Mengzhu mentioned it, everyone stood up and said they wanted to go see the wine.

After Qing Mengzhu helped them wash their hands, she took Ming Chunxi and led the way.

Their liquor was stored under the stairs, covered with a large, army-green cotton-padded coat.

Zhao Hexi touched the cotton-padded coat with his hand. "Where did this cotton-padded coat come from? Why are you using this to cover yourself?"

Qing Mengzhu: "This is the coat my grandfather wore when he was young. Last time I was chatting with Uncle Wenlei, he casually mentioned that the weather was cold and the wine wasn't fermenting well, so he told me to cover myself with a quilt or something, and that's when I found this military overcoat."

Zhao Hexi chuckled beside him, "That military overcoat is really thick; it's a family heirloom."

Qing Mengzhu raised her chin. "That's right."

Zhou Yan said from the side, "Open it and take a look."

The wine needs to be sealed for fermentation. Qing Mengzhu opened the lid of the wine vat, and there was a layer of plastic film sealing the bottom of the vat. The rope had to be untied and the plastic film opened to see the true contents of the wine vat.

The rope had been tied for a while, Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi worked together to untie it, though it was a bit difficult.

However, as soon as they peeled back the plastic film on top, a rich aroma of wine wafted out.

It's truly a case of "you smell its fragrance before you see it."

Once the plastic film was completely removed, revealing the fermented rice inside, they discovered that not only was the pit in the middle of the fermented rice filled with off-white liquid, but the entire vat was also filled with off-white liquid, and the fermented rice was floating in the vat.

Qing Mengzhu was somewhat surprised to see this. "So much wine was served?"

Zhou Yan examined it carefully. "The amount of wine produced is more than usual. Do you have a clean spoon? Let's taste it."

Qing Mengzhu immediately replied, "There's some in the kitchen, I'll go get it."

Zhou Yan emphasized, "The spoon must be free of oil and water."

Qing Mengzhu had already run out, and her voice came back. "I know."

Qing Mengzhu quickly returned, bringing up a ceramic spoon and five clean bowls.

Ming Chunxi took the bowl from his hand, and he then used a spoon to scoop a spoonful of wine into each bowl and distributed it to everyone.

The newly brewed rice wine smelled wonderful, but tasted both fragrant and bitter, unlike sweet rice wine, yet it was surprisingly good.

Qing Mengzhu took a small sip, then another small sip, and felt the flavor was a bit bland. If it were stronger, it might be more stimulating.

He looked up and met Ming Chunxi's gaze.

Ming Chunxi guessed what he was thinking and said, "It's a bit bland; it would taste better if distilled."

Zhou Yan, who was listening to their conversation, asked, "Do you know how to distill alcohol?"

Qing Mengzhu really didn't know, and shook her head. "I only watched my grandparents distill liquor when I was a child."

Ming Chunxi: "I don't know either."

Qing Mengzhu: "Brother Zhou, you know how to distill liquor?"

Zhou Yan: "I've seen others distill alcohol, but I've never tried it myself. If you want to find someone to distill alcohol, I'll ask around to see if anyone knows how."

Qing Mengzhu: "It shouldn't be necessary. I'll ask the elders in the village, and I can borrow the necessary tools from them."

Many villagers work for their company, and even those who don't work for them have used their seeds and have done odd jobs at their company.

Qing Mengzhu is much more popular in the village now than before; asking her about distilling liquor is no problem for her.

Qing Mengzhu was just wondering who to ask when Qing Guozhi, having heard the news, contacted him. "Mengzhu, your family needs to distill liquor, why didn't you contact me?"

Qing Mengzhu laughed, "Aren't you not in the village?"

Qing Guozhi, "It's not far; I can take a taxi and get there quickly. Do you need to distill alcohol? If so, I'll come and take a look."

Qing Mengzhu: "Do you know how to steam?"

Qing Guozhi, "What are you saying? I'm a genuine old man from the countryside, how could I not know how to distill alcohol? I still have a complete set of distillation equipment at my old home. You don't have any there, do you? You can use my tools then; they shouldn't be broken, just need to be washed and used."

Qing Mengzhu immediately agreed, "That would be a great help."

Qing Guozhi hadn't distilled wine for many years. When he heard that Qing Mengzhu and the others were really going to distill wine, he rushed back excitedly, personally went home to fetch the tools, and moved them to Qing Mengzhu's house.

Qing Mengzhu was worried he would hurt his back carrying such a big steamer.

Qing Guozhi himself felt it was alright.

Distilling alcohol is not difficult. It involves using the fact that alcohol has a different boiling point than water to distill it out, and then condensing it into alcohol.

Under Qing Guozhi's command, Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi quickly distilled the first drop of wine.

Qing Guozhi took another small bowl to collect the wine and said to Qing Mengzhu and the others, "We insist on discarding both the first and last distillations when distilling wine."

Qing Mengzhu nodded repeatedly. "I've heard of that. The first brew contains low-boiling-point impurities, and the last brew contains high-boiling-point impurities. Drinking either is bad for your health."