Chapter 214: Steaming gift buns and making dumplings to celebrate the New Year
“Why are Maisuier back?”
“Send some meat to my mother, the couplets were posted quite early, rich and noble.”
"Yes, put it up early. After finishing it, there are still New Year buns to be steamed."
On the morning of the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, when Chen Ling came out with paste to put up the Spring Festival couplets, a young man The little daughter-in-law came over wearing a bloated cotton coat and carrying a basket.
This is Wang Maisui, the youngest daughter of Aunt Wang’s family. She and Chen Ling were often in the same class when they were in school. Later, they married in Taoshugou, not far from her mother’s home. She is also very filial to her mother. She is a must during every new year and festival. Gonna come for a visit.
"I heard you were talking to Maisui'er just now. It's going to snow again now. Why is she coming back?" Wang Susu came out with the Spring Festival couplets and glanced at Aunt Wang's house. .
"What if I don't come back? I can't count on a good year or a good harvest. Can I let my second aunt steam New Year buns and post couplets alone?"
Chen Ling said and looked up. Judging from the sky, it’s still groggy after nine o’clock. It’s going to snow again.
“That’s true.”
Wang Susu nodded.
The two sons of Aunt Wang's family, like the two old guys from Wang Chunyuan and Chen Erzhu's family, moved to the county town early and rarely returned to the village, and their mother didn't care much about them.
Wang Susu thought about it, if her two brothers ignored their parents like this, she would definitely not be able to let go, and would brave the wind and snow to return to her parents' home.
But fortunately my two brothers are very good, my two sisters-in-law are very good, and now my husband is also very good.
Thinking about it this way, she already felt that her life was better than most people.
"What's wrong, are you homesick too?"
"No, I just think it's not easy for wheat ears."
Wang Susu smiled, picked up the brush made of sorghum ears, and dipped it in Paste, help Chen Ling put up Spring Festival couplets.
After pasting the Spring Festival couplets, paste the character "福". After pasting the character "福", then paste the New Year pictures.
Not long after, the yard, under the eaves, on the walls, in the kitchen, in the barn, in the sheepfold, in the cowshed, etc., were all covered with stickers. At a glance, they were all bustling with activity. It's very gratifying.
At noon, light snow began to fall in the sky again.
"Sister-in-law Dongmei posted couplets..."
Mai Suier's voice came from outside the hospital again, but there was no response.
After two or three seconds, Wang Chunyuan's slightly embarrassed laughter rang out, "Maisuier came back to see your mother, why don't you stay here when it snows?"
At this time Chen Mr. and Mrs. Ling were kneading dough in the kitchen. When they heard the voices outside, Wang Susu said softly to Chen Ling: "Dongmei has a grudge. She had a fight with her second aunt, and now she doesn't even pay attention to Maisui'er..."< br>
Chen Ling shook his head and sneered: "She won't even let her sister enter the house now, let alone Mai Sui'er."
Having said this, she looked up at Wang Susu and hooked her with her hand stained with white flour. The little nose: "Comrade Wang Susu, who did you learn this from? How come you are like a village woman now and like to gossip?"
"Bah, no." The little daughter-in-law wrinkled her nose and stared. He glanced at him, and then used his hands stained with flour to tug his ears.
The young couple had a laugh, and Wang Susu rubbed her face and said, "It's not just me, but Dongmei always has something to say. I'm afraid she also has bad thoughts towards our family. She has done it before. She keeps peeking at our house.”
“Hey, don’t worry, she doesn’t dare to do that now.”
The smile on Chen Ling's face showed that he was really confident.
When he was building a farm a while ago, he hired the city's engineering team, and Liang Yuemin's Jing brand car also came and went frequently. Not only did the news spread throughout the village, Wang Chunyuan and Qin Dongmei were also secretly frightened. Wang Chunyuan now saw He looked like a pug.
That is to say, Chen Ling didn't care and didn't tell Wang Susu about it.
Also, even if it doesn’t happen.
The dogs and cows at home don’t eat dry food either.
Especially the two dogs, who had been bullied by Qin Dongmei since they were young, and later became very familiar with her family.
Even the chickens raised by Qin Dongmei were killed by them.
In the past, Chen Ling, like everyone else, thought it was weasels, especially after his own home was also attacked by weasels.
But later, the two dogs grew up. Although they barked when they saw Qin Dongmei, they didn't act like they were enemies. They were more like going through the motions and trying to scare people.
So Chen Ling was surprised.
He knows best whether the trees he plants grow straight or not, and the dogs he raises naturally know their tempers as well.
That is to say, revenge must be taken. No matter it is a wolf or a tiger, if it is provoked, it will rush forward and fight.
Qin Dongmei has bullied them both since they were young. There is no reason not to hold grudges when they grow up.
Until that time Hei Wa brought back a shotgun from Qin Dongmei’s house, and Xiao Jin brought back a jar of explosives, and they knew the waterways in their house very clearly...
Chen Only then did Ling realize that these two guys had probably avenged themselves and had already avenged them.
After all, day and night, there are always times when you are not paying attention, and your dog has done many bad things to Qin Dongmei's house.
As for those chickens, two weasels took the blame.
No wonder Wang Laishun bought Qin Dongmei’s two chickens with money and brought them to his house. They were so shy that they had droopy eyes.
……
“That’s right, our dog is not a decoration either.”
Wang Susu felt relieved after hearing Chen Ling's comfort.
"Yes. We'll have lunch early, make noodles, and steam two pots of steamed buns in the evening. We'll have another busy day tomorrow and we'll steam the New Year's steamed buns. What's the rest?" Chen Ling held up his hand. After the dough was mixed, he washed his hands and served the pot for dinner.
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, I made my face hairy after putting up the New Year pictures.
On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, chop meat, steam cakes, and steam buns.
After the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, time is like a frightened wild donkey, running faster and faster day by day.
Busy here, busy there, the New Year will be here in the blink of an eye.
So on the afternoon of the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Chen Ling and his wife kneaded the dough in two large porcelain basins. After steaming two pots of steamed buns, they continued kneading the dough. On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, the two of them carried a thick and long rolling pin, each holding one end, and pressed it back and forth on the chopping board, still making the dough to steam the steamed buns.
The steamed buns steamed at this time are called steamed New Year buns.
There are a lot of steamed buns.
Generally steamed buns, small steamed buns, flower rolls, various flower buns with birds, animals, insects and fish printed on them, gift buns, etc.
Some food is eaten at home, and some are used as offerings to gods and Buddhas.
On the day of steaming New Year buns, outsiders are generally not allowed to come in. If someone comes in accidentally, they must add some firewood or burn a pinch of salt in the stove, otherwise the "ghost" will pinch the buns.
In case the steamed buns are damaged, you have to "send ghosts" before steaming them again.
By doing this, you can avoid disasters and take refuge, and turn bad luck into good luck.
On the 28th and 29th, in the past two days, almost every house in the village was steaming New Year buns, and no one came to visit the house. Chen Ling and Wang Susu were busy from morning to night, steaming several pots in a big pot, and finally Put it all into a clean snakeskin bag.
As for whether you can finish all these steamed buns?
No need to worry at all.
According to northern customs, these steamed buns are eaten throughout the first month.
Because there is no work in the first month, it is a leisure month. People only eat and play. They can take a break from the fatigue of a year of hard work and steam it early. It also saves trouble and allows them to relax and have fun.
……
After steaming the New Year buns, it was too late to steam the rice cakes, and it was already New Year’s Eve.
Chen Ling had yesterday's freshly steamed white flour buns in his mouth early in the morning, and was chopping meat on the chopping board in the courtyard with two knives. He was chopping the meat filling for dumplings.
After chopping for a while, he stopped for a while and took two bites of the steamed buns. The fragrant and sweet white flour steamed buns were both noisy and chewy. After Chen Ling finished eating, Wang Susu handed him another one, and then went there by himself. Scrape the radish and cut the sauerkraut on the side.
This New Year’s Eve, I will make two kinds of dumplings, one filled with radish and pork and one filled with sauerkraut and pork.
The young couple mixed the dumpling fillings and sat in the kitchen, talking and making dumplings.
The work didn't stop for a moment, but the two of them didn't feel tired.
While making dumplings, I talked about some small prospects for the coming year. Unknowingly, I even made a small part of the dumplings.
"This time next year, I'm afraid I will have just finished my confinement. If the baby is good, that's fine. If the baby is not good and makes a fuss, you can steam New Year buns and make dumplings. I did it alone."
Wang Susu smiled and winked at him.
Chen Ling smiled helplessly when he heard this: "What's the point? If it really doesn't work, call your parents and the eldest and second brothers over. Let's spend the New Year together as a family. That would be great."
< br>"Hmph, that's so good, you just want to be lazy." Wang Susu curled her lips and snorted at him, but she was already looking forward to it in her heart. If her parents could really come over to celebrate the New Year, the whole family would be together. It would be nice to be lively.
She is pregnant this year and her belly is getting bigger and bigger. It is not convenient for her to go back to her parents' home during the first month of the year.
A while ago, when my eldest brother Wang Qingwen sent me the photos they took while rushing to the venue, he said in the letter that their parents didn’t want to cause them any more trouble. If not this year, then next year. Health and children are more important.
When Chen Ling sent Wang Zhenzhen home, his father-in-law and mother-in-law said the same thing in front of him, just let them stay at home well, and the road was difficult, so there was no need to travel all the way.
I have told my daughter and son-in-law that they definitely don’t have to go back to their parents’ home this year.
Chen Ling saw his daughter-in-law in a trance, so he knocked her little head, patted the flour on her forehead, stood up and said with a smile: "I'm going to light the fire, and I'll cook dumplings for the offering later."< br>
On New Year's Eve, at noon, after cooking the dumplings, they are eaten first by the gods and Buddhas enshrined in the family.
It is similar to the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is also held by women in the family.
……
After cooking the dumplings and adding incense, Wang Susu said to Chen Ling: "Okay Aling, you can set off the firecrackers."
Chen Ling slipped out the firecrackers and two kickers.
The cannons were set off with crackling, banging, banging, and the village was very lively at this time, with the sound of cannons filling the air.
Smelling the strong smell of fireworks after the firecrackers exploded and eating hot dumplings, this year can be considered a real life.
"Well...it's the Chinese New Year after all. The dumplings taste better than usual, the pickled cabbage ones are delicious, and the radish ones are also delicious." Wang Susu tasted a dumpling and squinted her eyes to savor the contents carefully. the taste.
The flour on the forehead that Chen Ling slapped in a bad way has not yet been cleaned off, making the little daughter-in-law look cute.
"It's delicious, so sit down and eat more. You've been busy these days. I'll get two dipping dishes." Chen Ling walked out of the kitchen, not only getting the dipping dishes, but also a Jar of wine.
He said to Wang Susu: "You eat dumplings, and I drink. You eat one dumpling, and I drink."
"Okay, I will get you drunk today."
The young couple finished their lunch laughing and joking.
In the afternoon, we started preparing for the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Chicken, duck, fish, pork, everything is available, but it is obviously not enough for two people.
But it’s okay, I’m not afraid of damage in winter.
……
On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, the young couple was preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner, and light snow started to fall in the sky again.
The snow has not stopped these days, but it is just light snow. It falls and stops for a while, and it has no impact.
The Chinese New Year is coming. The two of them fed the chickens, ducks and livestock at home to fullness. The two dogs had a meal of meat. Chen Ling tied red ropes around their necks, and also hung up the little white cows. After getting the new bell, the whole family was very happy.
In the evening, after the New Year's Eve dinner was finished and the meal was full, Chen Ling took his wife's hand and walked around the village.
On New Year’s Eve, every household in the village is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and there are people beating drums and performing lion dances on the old stage.
The firelight and lanterns reflected the face red in the night.
The whole village is filled with a kind of boiling joy, and it can really be said that it is a joyful New Year.
(End of this chapter)