novelslam Chapter 183 Summer Special Drinks
Chapter 183 Summer Special Drinks
Just after midnight.
The system voice sounded in Chen Yuan's mind.
To be honest, the cold, impersonal system voice actually sounds quite refreshing in this sweltering weather.
[Congratulations, host. You are now open for business until 12 PM for the first time.]
[The seasonal recipes have been updated, unlocking four summer specialty drinks: Traditional Winter Melon Tea, Tangerine Peel Mung Bean Soup, Osmanthus Plum Juice, and Iced Almond Milk (all are divine!). Traditional brewing techniques and proportions are included.]
[Congratulations, host: All four iced drinks have received a buff. Drinking these drinks can prevent heatstroke. Effect duration: 6 hours.]
I never expected this.
Four drinks were unlocked at once.
He wiped his fingertips on his apron, intending to try it out at home first.
Just as he turned around, he saw the sun outside was scorching, and the temperature was quietly rising.
Volunteers and street staff are still on duty in shifts, and even in the shade, the backs of their uniforms are soaked with sweat.
The mineral water had become warm after being exposed to the sun all morning.
Besides them, there were also electricians helping to repair the circuits, climbing up and down, sweat streaming down their foreheads.
The idea of becoming the top leader welled up in Chen Yuan's mind.
He quickly went through the four recipes in his mind and chose the two that were most thirst-quenching and noise-reducing.
Traditional winter melon tea and mung bean soup.
Without hesitation, he immediately drove to the farmers' market.
The selected variety is a local old-type green-skinned winter melon, which has a thick skin and firm flesh.
After Aunt Li helped wash it, she didn't peel it, but only removed the pulp, and then cut it into evenly thick slices with both skin and flesh.
According to the system's prompts, the secret to making winter melon tea is to simmer it slowly with the skin on.
Winter melon peel is cooling and relieves summer heat, and is far more effective at dispelling summer heat than the flesh of the winter melon.
Put the winter melon slices into the pot, then add an appropriate amount of rock sugar and salt.
Do not add extra water, just turn on the lowest heat.
The moment the sugar comes into contact with the winter melon, the moisture is slowly forced out, and a layer of clear amber syrup gradually accumulates at the bottom of the bucket.
Making winter melon tea is not complicated, but it is quite time-consuming.
You need to keep stirring with a spatula to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
Simmer until the winter melon flesh turns translucent, while the skin remains chewy.
The broth in the pot has turned a deep brown color, and its sweet aroma has been released, which means it has been cooked to perfection.
Aunt Li helped while also learning along the way.
Chen Yuan filtered out the brewed winter melon tea and then added it directly to chilled mineral water.
"Aunt Li, it doesn't have to be so precise. It's about three parts tea to seven parts water. A little less water is fine too. We'll add more ice later."
The mung bean soup was simmering in the pot of rice porridge.
Simmer until the mung beans split open naturally but remain intact, then add a little dried tangerine peel and rock sugar.
The slight spiciness and fragrance of dried tangerine peel blend with the aroma of soybeans over a slow fire, which not only eliminates the beany smell but also enhances the sweetness.
Both of these items should be allowed to cool naturally.
But considering that doing so would take too long, Chen Yuan simply added water and ice.
Anyway, this stuff mainly serves to relieve the heat in large quantities.
Chen Yuan's refrigerator didn't have enough ice, so he went to Lu Xingye's place across the street to borrow some.
Lu Xingye was surprised to hear that Chen Yuan was offering free cold drinks.
She wanted to follow suit, so she said to Chen Yuan.
"Okay, count me in. I'll bring them a bucket of room-temperature barley tea later, just in case someone can't drink it cold."
To be honest, the young girl is more thoughtful.
Chen Yuan hadn't considered that some people couldn't drink cold drinks. He nodded, picked up the ice cubes, turned around, and left, not forgetting to say something before he left.
"Come and try my cold drinks when you have some free time later."
"Okay!"
After adding ice cubes, both drinks instantly became icy cold.
Chen Yuan didn't dare to move it, so he called two volunteers to help him move it.
Volunteer rest area.
The two volunteers shouted to the people who were cooling off inside as they carried the load.
"Boss Chen brought us some cold drinks!"
"Drink it quickly, or it'll be gone in no time!"
Chen Yuan followed as well.
Everyone gathered around, expressing their concern.
"Boss Chen, your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so why are you making such complicated things again?"
"It was just something I did, so I made some mung bean soup and winter melon tea. Don't be shy. It's so hot outside, and you've been running around like this. I was worried you might get heatstroke."
Chen Yuan turned on the tap on the commercial insulated container.
The clear tea liquor is slowly poured into a disposable paper cup.
"Standing for a long time in hot weather can easily lead to qi deficiency and heatstroke. This winter melon tea is brewed with the peel on, which clears heat and promotes urination. The mung bean soup has dried tangerine peel added. Ice cubes are added, making it especially refreshing and cooling."
Finally, Chen Yuan added one more sentence.
"Later, Mr. Lu from Hoshino Tea will come and deliver another bucket of room temperature barley tea. He's worried that some people might have sensitive stomachs and can't drink it cold."
The volunteers were overjoyed to hear this.
People stepped forward one by one to choose their favorite flavor.
Drink it down in one gulp.
The sweet and cool liquid slid down my parched throat, instantly suppressing the heat rising from my heart.
A girl wearing glasses suddenly brightened up.
"This tangerine peel and mung bean soup is so delicious! It's not overly sweet or cloying at all, and the tangerine peel flavor is very authentic. My stomach feels quite comfortable after drinking it."
The security guard, Old Li, standing nearby, filled his thermos to the brim.
"I love this winter melon tea, it's delicious. I've been busy all morning, I'm so tired and thirsty, this sip has really saved my life."
"I also think this winter melon tea is delicious, it would be even better if it were a little sweeter."
"I think this sweetness is just right. If you think it's not sweet enough, ask Boss Chen for some white sugar. You can make it as sweet as you want."
Chen Yuan leaned against the side.
He had previously been in contact with volunteer groups, who received basic subsidies and did the most physically demanding work.
It's not easy.
Thanks to Chen Yuan's arrival, the volunteers finally got a break.
Just as Chen Yuan was about to leave.
A figure quietly crept to the edge of the rest area.
She was a young girl who looked about eighteen or nineteen years old.
He is short and very thin.
Her face was small, her eyes were big, but her other features were rather ordinary.
She was wearing a faded floral print mini-skirt with frayed cuffs, and the edges of her canvas shoes were cracked.
She walked to the rest area without saying a word, clutching an empty mineral water bottle tightly in her hand.
Her eyes were timid.
A volunteer next to her seemed to recognize her; as soon as he saw her coming, he immediately stood up and said something.
"Xia, do you want to drink this water?"
Xia didn't speak, she just nodded.
The volunteer pointed to the two buckets.
"This one on the left is winter melon tea, and this one on the right is mung bean soup. Which one would you like to drink?"