To make bamboo shoots taste good, the steps are essential. You must peel, slice, and blanch them, then spread them out to dry, turning them periodically to ensure they dry evenly on both sides.
In the front yard, the men were hard at work: some peeling, some slicing, some blanching, and some drying the shoots. The women in the kitchen were just as busy.
"Grandmother, stop for a second and listen to me," Ke Xiaohong said. "The mugwort cakes we used to make were too coarse to fetch a good price. This time, we need to make them more refined. Mugwort cakes exist in the city, too, but if we want to stand out, we have to make something others can't. That’s how we raise the price and make them easier to sell. Refined goods look good and taste better; they're impressive whether you're giving them as gifts or eating them yourself. So, we can't use the old method this time."
Chapter 49