"No, how could this happen! If it's still shredded potatoes and shredded carrots tomorrow, how can I possibly sell twenty thousand shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes in one day? The county doesn't have that many people, and how many would be willing to spend money eating out? It's over, it's over. I can't just give them away for free. No, giving them away for free would offend all the other vendors. Plus, giving away so many things for free, even if they're not valuable, would be very strange. It's hard not to arouse suspicion."
Suddenly realizing that the amount of shredded potatoes and shredded carrots she needed to deal with tomorrow had doubled, and if it continued like this the day after, the amount would increase even further. Ding Yun immediately gave up on dealing with the shredded potatoes and carrots, or making them into semi-finished shredded potato and carrot cakes, because she had no confidence in selling that many. Moreover, once shredded potatoes and carrots were made into cakes, they could no longer be changed into other products. If they couldn't be sold then, it would be even more troublesome.
After thinking about it, Ding Yun felt that she needed to develop more new varieties. Selling only a single type of product would easily bore buyers. Besides, she had carefully thought about what the knife skills teacher said. The teacher only said not to waste. As for the three days, it didn't mean she had to use up the shredded potatoes and carrots within three days, but that the space would only preserve them for three days. If she made products from the shredded potatoes and carrots that could be preserved for more than three days, wouldn't that allow her to keep them for longer and sell them for a longer period?
To confirm if her thoughts were correct, Ding Yun specially found the knife skills teacher in the space and asked. After confirming there were no problems, she began to process the shredded potatoes and carrots she had just cut today.
Most of the shredded carrots were put into the batch cooking machine to make pickles, and several flavors were specifically made: savory, spicy, and sweet and savory. In addition, she specially set aside some shredded carrots to make a sweet and sour snack. It was at this time, in the small shops of the 1980s, that dried figs were sold. On the surface, they were called dried figs, but the main ingredient in the ingredient list was shredded carrots. Since she had plenty of shredded carrots now, making a small snack called dried figs, which was actually dried shredded carrots, to sell. It would be no problem to attract children to buy them. At worst, she could sell them cheaper. The small shops sold them by the bag, and she could sell them by the pound. Guaranteeing one or two pounds would let the children eat until they didn't want any more.
As for the shredded potatoes, they couldn't be pickled or dried. They weren't sweet potatoes. Ding Yun had never seen anyone specifically dry sweet potatoes to eat, so she could only set aside some shredded potatoes to make mashed potatoes, and some to make fried shredded potatoes. Finally, what was left and she was afraid couldn't be sold was made into potato starch. She planned that if tomorrow's cuts were still shredded potatoes and shredded carrots, she would use this potato starch to make dumpling wrappers for transparent steamed dumplings, and the filling would be carrot filling.
By the time she finished these preparations, a lot of time had passed. Fortunately, she was in the space, so it didn't delay her evening business. Around five in the afternoon, she left the space on time and opened for business. At this time, she was mainly waiting for customers after work and school, so there was no need to go to the factory gate to wait specifically. She could sell at her own shop.
Besides shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes, the freshly made radish dried, dried shredded carrot figs, as well as mashed potatoes and fried shredded potatoes were all put out for sale. She would try selling them first, and if they really didn't sell, they could be given as gifts. At this time, the oily shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes were quite attractive, as most people, genetically speaking, liked fried food. Fried food had a natural attraction to people. Although shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes were not as good as fried chicken, there was no fried chicken at this time. So, it wasn't long before Ding Yun's business opened.
She was making semi-finished products into finished ones while introducing the new items to customers. She even gave out quite a lot for them to try. Even if children came to watch and didn't buy, Ding Yun would give them the dried shredded carrot figs she made. With her doing this, naturally, more and more people came. Most of the customers who bought things were thinking of trying them since it was free. Those who were short of money would smack their lips and leave. Those who thought something was pretty good would buy some. Even those who might not have liked the new items much, out of politeness for trying, would buy a little.
As for the children, they tasted the dried shredded carrots that Ding Yun gave them and found they tasted the same as the dried figs sold in the small shops, and they were free samples. So, the news quickly spread from ten to a hundred. Children from most families nearby rushed over for free samples. Some even dragged their parents along. Some wanted their parents to buy them something, while others wanted their parents to be a pretext to get a free sample.
For a time, Ding Yun's stall was bustling with activity, with crowds of people. Coupled with everyone's natural curiosity to join in the fun and gossip, the more people there were, the more people squeezed in, curious about what was happening here? What were they selling? Why were so many people gathered here? How delicious was it, and so on. Ding Yun, busy as she was, quickly pulled over a well-known neighbor lady and asked her to help sell things and distribute free samples of the new products, so that she wouldn't be so flustered as to make mistakes or be unable to attend to everything.
Of course, there were also specific gains. Through free samples, she managed to distribute a lot of shredded potatoes and mashed potatoes, and at the same time sold more shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes than the total sold in the morning and at noon. She not only met her daily target but even exceeded it.
This lively scene continued until eight o'clock. The crowds gradually dispersed. Ding Yun originally wanted to give two yuan to the auntie she invited to help. It wasn't that she was stingy; wages were like this at the time. A monthly salary of thirty to fifty yuan averaged out to a little over one to less than two yuan a day. She was willing to give two yuan, which was already a lot. However, the auntie refused to accept it, saying that they were neighbors and it was normal to help each other. How could she accept money? In the end, Ding Yun had no choice but to pick out dozens of semi-finished shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes, and grabbed a lot of dried carrots, forcing them into her hands. She also said that if she didn't accept them, she would be embarrassed to ask for her help next time. The auntie then happily accepted and hurried home. Ding Yun, after tidying up the mess inside, also washed up quickly and went to bed early.
...
At the street corner, in the small courtyard of the Liu family. Liu Dehu returned home from work and happened to see Ding Yun starting to sell shredded potato cakes and shredded carrot cakes. There weren't many people, and the aroma was extremely rich. So he couldn't help but go over. He bought eight for two mao. At the same time, under Ding Yun's recommendation and enthusiastic invitation to try, he bought half a jin of each of the four types of dried radishes and received a small bag of mashed potatoes as a gift from Ding Yun. He was quite happy when he bought them. However, when he returned home, he became a little anxious because although these things were not very expensive, they still cost him four mao, which was almost half a day's wages. But since he had already bought them, he had to brace himself and go inside, and then quickly call the children who had already returned. He gave each of them a shredded potato cake. The three children didn't care about the price of the shredded potato cakes. They were happy to thank their father when they tasted them. As they cried out, his wife Huang Haijuan, who was cooking inside, also heard them and quickly poked her head out to look. She immediately reprimanded him with dissatisfaction: "Liu Dehu, who told you to spend money randomly again? Don't we have food at home? You go out and buy things to eat. Or do you dislike my cooking? Do we have a mountain of gold and silver at home to spend like this? How much did those things cost?"
"Oh, it's not expensive, four for one mao! The children love them. I see a lot of people buying them. If other children have them, we can't be without them, right!" Liu Dehu didn't want to argue with his wife. He just wanted to downplay the matter and use the children as a shield, hoping to make his wife say less and not nag about a small matter.
"Don't always use other people's children as an excuse. Other families are dual-income households, are we? Other families only have one child, but we have three, big and small. If we don't save, we won't even have money for next semester's tuition." Huang Haijuan said as she walked out of the kitchen. She also saw the things her husband was holding. In addition to the obvious more than four items in the children's hands, she also saw other things in her husband's hands, which made her even angrier: "How much did you spend today? What are those things in your hands? Are you not planning to live anymore?" Before she finished speaking, she had already quickly stepped forward to check what Liu Dehu had bought, and when she saw the dried radishes, she became even angrier: "Are you sick? Do you want to anger me to death to be happy? Do you think you are a young master? Do you have to go out to buy dried radishes? Can't we make them at home?" "How much did you spend on these dried shredded radishes?" "Two... two mao!" "Two mao! If you like dried radishes, you should tell me. My family dries a hundred or eighty catties every year. If you like them, I'll let you eat them every day. I'll eat you to death, eat yourself to exhaustion! And you spend money to buy them, don't you want to live anymore? You won't eat dinner today, just eat these dried radishes. You don't know the value of firewood and rice until you manage a household..."
This time, Liu Dehu didn't let his wife finish speaking. He quickly grabbed a sweet and savory dried shredded radish and stuffed it into her mouth, and hurriedly explained: "Oh, wife, don't be angry. Taste it, the taste is really good. They put enough seasoning and a lot of sugar. Moreover, these dried shredded radishes are all mixed with oil. They are very good even as a side dish. Besides, this is dried shredded radish. It takes several jin of radish to make one jin of dried product. If you calculate it at the current market price of radishes, plus these seasonings, people might not even make a profit, or even lose money. You can't compare what you grow for free with what they sell!"
"Nonsense, who would sell at a loss!" "Well, the taste does seem good..." After chewing a couple of times, Huang Haijuan's attitude softened considerably, because the taste of these dried shredded radishes was indeed much better than the dried radishes she made. Of course, this was not to say that Ding Yun's cooking skills were particularly good. Mainly, at this time, when people dried radishes, they basically sliced them, pickled them with salt, and then dried them in the sun. Those with some conditions would at most soak them in water with star anise or other spices. Or when eating, they would add some soy sauce and vinegar. As for Ding Yun's dried shredded radishes, not only were they dried and free of dust, but she also generously used various spices, oil, and even sugar. To put it bluntly, even shoe insoles would not taste bad if made like this.
However, after her attitude softened, Huang Haijuan once again emphasized seriously: "Let me tell you again. It's delicious, but don't buy it again. If you want to eat it, make it yourself. The three boys will also be going to school next year. The tuition fees for three children will be covered by your salary alone. How can we afford it if we don't save? We can't always rely on my family for support. Or your parents' support. My brother already has opinions, and your eldest brother probably also has opinions. Although our parents are willing, don't make things difficult for them. Let's save a little ourselves. If we can avoid asking others, don't ask."
"I know. Let's eat dinner. Come on, these shredded potato cakes are still warm. I specifically saved two for you. Eat them quickly. They won't be good if they get cold." Liu Dehu didn't know if he had listened to his wife. After nodding and saying he knew, he immediately stuffed the two shredded potato cakes wrapped in paper into his wife's hands. However, Huang Haijuan didn't take them, saying, "I don't like them. You keep them for the children."
"Oh, just try one. They've all eaten them. They each had two, didn't they?" "Then you haven't eaten them either, have you? Did you steal and eat outside and bring back the leftovers?" "No, heavens bless me, wife. I only tasted a small piece when the shopkeeper gave out samples. Hurry up and eat, don't be so reluctant." "Okay, let's each have one, and give..." "No, no, I've tasted it." "You eat it if I give it to you, and don't buy any more after you finish." "I know, wife!" "It's oily, it's really fragrant." "It's very fragrant, wife. Eat it quickly. I've tasted quite a bit at the shop. I'll just have one more bite. You eat the rest. Right now, I just want to quickly eat dried radishes with rice!" "Okay, hurry up and serve the rice..."