Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Delicious Little Pudding, The Marshmallow that Melts in the Milk!
Jiang Feng specially found a chef from the restaurant to help make ice cream. He had no choice; one person couldn’t handle it all. Having an apprentice made things much easier. Besides, he now had many apprentices.
Ho Tian and Whang Hao were the ones who came. Knowing they were going to make ice cream didn’t bother them at all; instead, they strictly followed Jiang Feng’s procedures.
With this arrangement, Ho Tian could be in charge of the large orange-flavored ice cream buckets, and Whang Hao could take care of the White Rabbit Milk Candy ice cream.
After all, the ice cream recipe wasn’t difficult. Handcrafting ice cream was less profitable at the time, so few people were in that line of work. Consequently, he wasn’t worried about them starting their own ventures.
After all, it was rare to see an executive chef like Jiang Feng who wasn’t short on money.
Jiang Feng then started to contemplate other desserts. Little puddings! The reward for that day’s mission was the recipe for little puddings.
The cost of making little puddings was low; even selling them for one yuan each would be profitable.
Jiang Feng planned to price them at one yuan and fifty cents.
This type of ice cream wasn’t expensive to begin with.
He approached the stove, heated the pot, and then directly poured in a large pile of white marshmallows.
Making little puddings was quite romantic. This step was very classy.
Soon, the marshmallows showed signs of melting. Then, Jiang Feng poured in fresh milk and added high-quality milk powder, simmering and stirring them simultaneously.
His control of the temperature was excellent. An ordinary person attempting this step could easily burn the marshmallows, resulting in a scorched smell and a ruined batch of ice cream. That would mean complete failure.
He had to maintain a low flame, simmering slowly until the marshmallows completely dissolved into the milk.
The air filled with the sweet scent of milk.
Jiang Feng kept stirring, and after a while, only a thick milk mixture remained in the pot.
Then, he placed a strainer over a container and poured all the milk mixture through it, rendering it incredibly silky smooth.
Next, he poured it into molds, covered them, and inserted the ice cream sticks.
Once frozen, they would become little pudding ice creams.
A simple recipe, yet a unique taste.
Making ice cream was fun. In Jiang Feng’s eyes, this could even be considered a leisurely recreational activity. All it took was good control of the heat to achieve the right consistency; it was remarkably simple.
With two apprentices helping out, they made a lot of ice cream this time. Jiang Feng constantly supervised, strictly controlling every step to ensure the ice cream tasted the same as when he made it himself.
The refrigerator in the food truck couldn’t hold any more, so Jiang Feng brought an additional large refrigerator to store all the ice cream.
With such ample stock, he wasn’t afraid of selling out too quickly the next day.
A man shouldn’t be too fast; he needs to last. The longer, the better.
Jiang Feng calculated that this time, he could last for at least an hour. That’s how confident he was.
「The next day.」
The streets were still bustling.
Customers quickly formed a long line. The previous day’s large orange-flavored ice cream had been a hit, and many people came specifically to check it out.
People looked at the words on Jiang Feng’s sign:
Today’s Specials: Homemade Ice Cream, Homemade White Rabbit Milk Candy Ice Cream, Homemade Little Puddings, Homemade Large Orange-Flavored Ice Cream Buckets.
Everyone was overjoyed.
"There are so many varieties today!"
"I see the freezer is packed full of ice cream!"
"Executive Chef Jiang’s output has increased!"
"He must have worked so hard for all of us to have ice cream. I think he might have worked all night! I’m moved to tears!"
"So wealthy yet so hardworking—respect!"
Jiang Feng was setting things up and heard the crowd’s praise.
He was taken aback. Worked all night? Hardworking? Are they talking about me? Didn’t I have two apprentices helping out?
Jiang Feng remained unfazed. When out and about, one’s reputation was something one earned and maintained oneself.
Facing the misunderstanding, there was no need to explain; he would just silently bear it.
Jiang Feng finished setting up the food truck and finally began to serve customers.
"Don’t worry, everyone, one at a time! Please form a line!" Jiang Feng shouted to the crowd.
People quickly lined up, ready to spend their money on one of his treats.
The line started moving swiftly, and Jiang Feng began collecting money rapidly. Notifications for transactions of a few yuan each kept popping up on WeChat and Alipay, and the small drawer was also stuffed full of cash.
"They’re launching little puddings today; I must try one."
"Boss Jiang, give me two little puddings," a young mother said as she placed her order.
"Sure," Jiang Feng replied, handing over two little puddings.
The refrigerator’s temperature was adjusted perfectly. It prevented the little puddings from freezing and sticking together, while also ensuring they didn’t melt from insufficient coldness.
The little puddings were stacked neatly, easy to grab.
The young mother took the little puddings; she had bought one for herself and one for her son.
She tasted hers first.
The little pudding initially felt firm, but as soon as a bite entered her mouth, the ice cream instantly began to soften.
The refreshing taste of milk spread between her teeth.
"Wow!" The young mother’s eyes lit up with a hint of amazement. This ice cream is really delicious!
The ice cream was densely packed. When she bit into it, it had the melting sensation of a milk candy, but it was even more refreshing.
With each bite, she felt a refreshing comfort spread through her.
It didn’t take long for the young mother to finish an entire little pudding. One little pudding was simply not enough.
She threw away the ice cream stick and started on her second one.
This ice cream wasn’t just loved by kids; adults enjoyed it too.
She had just finished, tossed the ice cream stick into the trash can, and then saw her son bouncing over.
"Mom, where’s the ice cream you bought?" her son asked, his face full of expectation.
"Mommy arrived late, and we missed the line. Let’s go queue up again."
"If you had been here, we could have bought two ice creams," the young mother said.
"Yeah, let’s go." Kids were so gullible.
The two of them rejoined the line, advancing steadily.
The ice cream sold rapidly. Due to the previous day’s trending topic, many locals made a special trip just to buy ice cream.
Especially the orange-flavored ice cream.
The area was filled with people taking photos and checking in on social media.
The scene was bustling with excitement.
Luckily, this spot was some distance from the school entrance, so it didn’t interfere with parents picking up their children. Otherwise, Jiang Feng would have had to consider changing locations.
The line in front of the food truck was about half adults and half elementary school students.
A young man named Wang Ai, driving with his girlfriend, passed by and frowned upon seeing the scene.
"What’s going on here? Why are so many adults and kids fighting over something?" Wang Ai couldn’t help but complain.
Usually, one only saw students queuing at small stalls near schools. Seeing so many adults in line was a rare sight.
Wang Ai’s girlfriend knew why and explained, "It’s Executive Chef Jiang. He’s been selling handmade ice cream here this week, and it’s super popular."
"Didn’t you watch the video I sent you yesterday?"
At his girlfriend’s words, Wang Ai suddenly recalled the Douyin video she had sent him the previous day, where she had asked if it was interesting.
Wang Ai hadn’t even opened it but had simply replied, "Hahaha, so funny!" It was a classic male deflection tactic.
"So it’s Executive Chef Jiang! Wow, I can’t believe I ran into him!"
"Come on, let’s get in line too!" Wang Ai immediately perked up and started looking for a place to park.
"You didn’t watch the video I sent you yesterday, did you?" his girlfriend asked, spotting the inconsistency.
"I watched it; it was interesting," Wang Ai replied calmly, maintaining his composure.
"If you watched it, how could you not know Executive Chef Jiang was set up here?"
"I knew. I just didn’t realize it was on this street. Of course, I watched the video you sent me! Come on, let’s get some ice cream."
His girlfriend eyed him suspiciously.
Wang Ai maintained a calm and composed expression. In moments like these, it was important to stay calm.
Seeing no signs of guilt from him, his girlfriend didn’t pursue the matter any further, and the issue was dropped.
Wang Ai breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief. Fortunately, he was well-practiced in the art of bluffing on the fly. Otherwise, it would have been another hassle.
He parked the car, and he and his girlfriend took their place at the end of the line.
Just moments ago, Wang Ai had been complaining about adults competing with children for things. Now, his thoughts were, Why are there so many kids in line? They’re slowing me down from buying ice cream!
Indeed, it’s easy to criticize when one isn’t in the same situation.
Jiang Feng’s ice cream was extremely popular. Even though he had prepared a lot, the ice cream stock still ran out quickly.
Customers who had specifically come to queue all managed to buy their desired ice cream. They took photos, checked in on social media, and left completely satisfied.
The schoolchildren who came out later also got to enjoy the ice cream. Everyone’s face was lit up with joyful smiles.
Jiang Feng was in a good mood too. He especially enjoyed encountering adorable little girls with sweet, endearing voices; he found them instantly likable.
Before long, Wang Ai and his girlfriend also reached the food truck.
The pair ordered two servings of ice cream.
Upon tasting it, they were immediately astonished by the flavor.
It’s incredibly delicious! This trip was definitely worth it!
No one needed to doubt Jiang Feng’s culinary skills; he himself had become the brand.
Each scoop of ice cream was heavenly. They savored it, smacking their lips and still wanting more.
Across the street, the staff at the Mixue Ice City shop watched Jiang Feng’s food truck while attending to their own business.
The crowd at Jiang Feng’s food truck was even larger than Mixue Ice City’s busiest times. Who would believe such a long line unless they saw it with their own eyes?
There used to be a saying in the milk tea industry: whenever Mixue Ice City opened nearby, other brands stood no chance, as all customers would be drawn to them.
But now, Jiang Feng’s modest food truck was outperforming even Mixue Ice City.
He was truly a mobile powerhouse!
Fortunately, this powerhouse would be leaving in a few more days. Otherwise, the owner of Mixue Ice City would undoubtedly report him for illegal street vending.
「The following days.」
Jiang Feng kept his momentum, continuing to offer a variety of delicious ice creams.
The two young chefs came to help out every day. It wasn’t volunteer work either; Jiang Feng gave them a generous bonus for their assistance.
Therefore, both were diligent and felt they had landed an excellent job.
And Jiang Feng’s business, as always, was booming.