Back To The 80s: President's Doted Wife

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Dissatisfied, Still Dissatisfied

Cheng Su reflected on her own haste in speaking and felt relieved that Qi Taiguo did not press further. At the same time, she poured all her attention into making the jam.

Realizing that the jam she was now making was not for casual consumption but for commercial sale, she understood the need for increased attention to not only the quality but also the texture, hygiene, and other factors.

Many times, details determine success or failure, so Cheng Su could not afford to be playful or careless.

In her previous batches of jam, she had not added gelatin powder, which meant she had to start all over, as if making it for the first time.

The pineapple had been cut into small pieces and soaked in saltwater for twenty minutes. She had completed this step, taken a portion to drain and marinate in granulated sugar for an hour, and the portion to be mashed was also ready. Now it was time to cook.

The pot for cooking the pineapple jam was brand new, and it had to be free of oil and water, or not only would the texture of the jam be compromised, but it could also spoil.

Since it was her first time adding gelatin powder to the jam, Cheng Su had no idea how it would affect the texture. She could only experiment, weigh out the ingredients, and record their proportions before starting to cook.

First, she poured the marinated pineapple pieces into the pot, added the pineapple mush with its juice, mixed it well, then added the rock sugar before turning on the heat.

She brought the jam mixture to a boil on high heat, stirring gently with a clean wooden spoon that lacked any oil or water residue. After a few minutes, she reduced the heat to a simmer, moving with efficient yet delicate motions.

Qi Taiguo watched intently, impressed by her meticulousness that seemed even greater than when he had observed her before.

Soon, the sweet aroma of pineapple jam filled the entire house, growing thick and rich. Cheng Su then added the gelatin powder and continued to cook, instructing Qi Taiguo to turn off the heat after one minute.

Does it have to be this precise?

Qi Taiguo stared at the clock, while simultaneously observing her. She was wearing a mask and had her hair wrapped in a cloth to ensure no strands fell into the pot. Not only did she take these precautions for herself, but she also required him to wear a mask and cover his hair, emphasizing the need for food hygiene.

A minute later, he turned off the stove.

Cheng Su took a container and poured the small pot of pineapple jam into it, then placed it in an ice bath she had prepared earlier to cool.

She intended to test the texture and sweetness firsthand. Only after numerous experiments would she be able to determine the exact measurements for the jam’s ingredients, enabling mass production.

After cooling, she tasted it. The jam was too thick, and she couldn’t tell whether it was due to too much gelatin powder, which gave it a gelatinous texture, or too much rock sugar. Dissatisfied!

Unhappy with the first pot, Cheng Su set it aside and prepared a second, adjusting the proportions documented in her notebook.

After the second pot was done, she didn’t wait before starting on a third and fourth pot, each with different measurements.

Once cooled, she tasted each one. Despite having sampled a wide array of flavors in her life, her verdict remained the same: unsatisfied, still unsatisfied, not the best.

Qi Taiguo watched in amazement. To him, all of the batches of jam seemed tasty, even better than the previous ones, but Cheng Su still appeared unsatisfied.

”Isn’t this quite good? I think it’s better than before,” Qi Taiguo said as he swallowed the sweet jam lingering in his mouth, looking at her.

Was her standard too strict?

”That’s because you haven’t tasted anything better,” Cheng Su said with a slight smile.

The truly delicious jams were from Hengyu International.

With the sixth pot, she changed the timing of adding the gelatin powder. After turning off the heat, she poured it in, allowing the residual heat of the jam to melt it, stirring until even before moving the mixture to containers to cool.

With anticipation, Cheng Su licked her lips, her eyes brightened. Success!