Setting up a shop wasn’t easy, but if one was willing to invest, there was no shop they couldn’t get.
Aunt Maggie topped Whitaker Scarlett’s bone soup noodles with two poached eggs:
“Auntie is treating you! You’re quite clever; if I were to open a shop, where should I open it, and what should I sell?”
Whitaker Scarlett was both amused and exasperated.
Auntie, you’re the shrewdest one here; did a bowl of noodles with two eggs buy my suggestion?
Whitaker Scarlett didn’t care about whether she was gaining or losing; she was just giving Maria something to do, so she wouldn’t keep her focus solely on her. Creating a competitor was a good idea; let Maria worry about her own business first!
“Open it across from Maria’s Snack. Their shop has gained some popularity; when customers see a new shop opening across the street, they’ll be curious to try it out! Auntie, don’t sell anything else; just focus on your noodle skills. Prepare a few more toppings, and two people can run the shop.”
Whitaker Scarlett slowly discussed with Aunt Maggie, making her heart bloom with joy.
What three-flavor noodles, rib noodles, beef noodles.
Sell only noodles in the morning, and in the afternoon, add fried rice and rice bowls.
Is the variety too limited?
The toppings for noodles, fried rice, and rice bowls can vary greatly. Many fast-food restaurants in later generations operate this way, and Whitaker Scarlett felt it would be competitive enough to distinguish itself from Maria’s Snack.
Aunt Maggie knew about fried rice, but she wasn’t too familiar with rice bowls.
“I’m not very good at cooking either. How about you come to Harborfield tomorrow, and I’ll have someone make some for you to try?”
The concept of “rice topped with dishes” had not yet become popular.
Whitaker Scarlett realized this a bit late; it wasn’t just Aunt Maggie who found it strange, but there were no dedicated shops selling this dish in the commercial city either.
To deal with Maria’s family, Whitaker Scarlett was determined. Her cooking skills were average, but she was “well-informed”—which fast food from around the country had she not tried? She didn’t set up her stall in the morning, instead, she went to the market early to buy a bunch of ingredients and also invited Amanda to come for lunch.
After returning home, she washed and chopped the ingredients, then cooked a large pot of rice.
Her knife skills were average, but if she wasn’t in a hurry, she could chop the carrots evenly. She made lamb with onions and carrots.
There was also potato beef stew, and her personal favorite, braised pig’s trotters with yellow beans.
The aroma of spices mixed with the meat wafted over the wall, making the neighbors salivate.
The food at Grandma Johnson’s house was too good!
How could those sweeping the streets and working as individual businesses eat so well?
Amanda reached the door and immediately smelled the deliciousness. Aunt Maggie, who had been asking for directions, found her way to the Johnson household and was invigorated by the scent.
“Big sister, you must be Scarlett’s guest, right?”
Amanda was talking to Aunt Maggie when the doorbell rang; Elizabeth had also finished work for the morning.
Aunt Maggie had seen Elizabeth before, so this was indeed Whitaker Scarlett’s home. The three of them entered together, and Whitaker Scarlett had everything ready. She packed the rice tightly into small bowls, inverted them onto plates, and casually sprinkled some black sesame seeds on top, instantly elevating the presentation.
“Come, sit down, and try the flavors.”
One plate, one mound of rice, one spoon, and they scooped the cooked dishes to pour over the rice. The three of them couldn’t help but dig in.
Wasn’t this just pouring dishes over rice?
Who didn’t have leftover dishes at home? Everyone had eaten like this before, mixing vegetable soup with rice to make a meal. But to pour good dishes over rice instead of eating them directly, Aunt Maggie didn’t understand this method.
Could this really make money?
She was skeptical but picked up the spoon like Whitaker Scarlett and took a bite of the rice soaked in broth. The flavors of the spices and lamb made her take a second bite, and soon she finished the entire plate of rice. The plate was clean, with the last bit of broth mixed into the rice, not a drop wasted.
Whitaker Scarlett then encouraged Aunt Maggie to try other flavors.
Everyone had a good appetite, and they took turns tasting the lamb with carrots, potato beef, and the braised pig’s trotters with yellow beans.
Aunt Maggie seemed to understand something, but couldn’t quite articulate her thoughts. Whitaker Scarlett didn’t keep her in suspense.
“Would anyone buy a plate of rice topped with dishes for 50 cents?”
Aunt Maggie nodded and shook her head, “Of course, people would eat it, but how much do lamb and beef cost per pound? Selling it for 50 cents would be a loss…”
The word “loss” spun around in her mouth, and Aunt Maggie suddenly realized that she had just finished the rice with broth, and there were actually very few pieces of meat. Where did that feeling of fullness from eating a lot of meat come from?
With only a few pieces of meat, selling it for a few cents a plate wouldn’t be a loss.
