Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 458 - 456: Rock Sugar Hawthorn Skewers and Homemade Spicy Strips

AM.

"Yawn..."

Wang Fan is feeling a bit out of sorts today.

Even young people can become worn out after a night spent improving and preparing dishes.

Some might choose to laze around all day, while others have to drag their tired bodies to earn a meager income.

Wang Fan doesn’t need to earn that meager income right now, but he’s eager for the skills granted by the system, so even though he’s very tired, he must set up the stall.

Just as he finished washing up, his phone rang.

He picked it up to see it was Gu Zhengchao, the student translator from yesterday.

"Hello."

"Hey Wang, are you setting up the stall today?"

"Yes, I’m almost ready to head over."

Gu Zhengchao sounded excited: "Oh by the way, Wang, yesterday our group of international students heard about your stand at the Louvre and got really excited. Some might come today to support you, so be prepared."

Wang Fan chuckled: "Alright, then I’ll prepare more ingredients and treat them to some flavors from home."

Gu Zhengchao hesitated and spoke softly: "Um... Wang, could I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Well, some in our group come from families that aren’t well off and haven’t returned home for years. They can cook some home dishes, but they can’t replicate the taste of snacks. Several are craving them so much they’re going crazy. If you can make them, could you please whip up a batch?"

Gu Zhengchao’s voice was low because he felt this request was quite difficult.

After all, Wang is a chef, not a snack maker, and he’s already busy enough without added trouble.

Yet he felt he had to ask because recently, spending time with those people, it seemed like they were like pressure cookers ready to explode at any moment.

International students are prone to depression, with loneliness from environmental changes, anxiety from cultural differences, and confusion during self-discovery constantly tormenting their sensitive nerves.

According to a survey on depression from Yale University, 45% of Huaxia international students showed clear depressive tendencies, with 29% reporting anxiety symptoms. Those individuals seem to be teetering between the two.

"If it’s too much trouble, forget it. We’ll think of another way ourselves..."

Wang Fan laughed lightly: "What do they want to eat? Let me see if I can make it."

Earning a name for Huaxia snacks on the streets of Paris is interesting, and hailing from the same roots, we ought to help compatriots rather than foreigners.

To give them a feeling of belonging, they need to know there’s still a sense of home, right?

"You... you’re agreeing?"

Gu Zhengchao couldn’t believe his ears.

Did he just agree so casually? Can Boss Wang be this indulgent?

Mind you, yesterday’s noodles were selling wildly; 200 servings sold out in less than three hours, at 20 Euro a serving, totaling 4000 Euro income!

Even if ingredients in Paris cost more, the net would still be 2000 Euro income!

Yesterday, many people didn’t get to eat, and if he sells beef noodles again today, it would surely be a hit.

But snacks like those might not appeal to many non-Chinese; agreeing is practically turning his back on money!

"Yeah, I can make some for you guys. Roughly how many people?"

Gu Zhengchao quickly replied: "Not too many, just a dozen or so! They’re mostly craving candied hawthorns and spicy sticks or slices, can you make them?"

Some may not have had candied hawthorns in their childhood, but most had spicy sticks.

Combining the two for his task seemed easy enough.

After all, while foreigners might resist greasy-looking spicy sticks, how could they resist fresh, sugar-coated candied fruit?

"Can do. I’ll buy some ingredients and head over."

"And Wang, we’ll pay for these, whatever price they are for others, same for us. Don’t offer them free or cheap; we’d feel bad and not eat them."

Hanging up, Gu Zhengchao was so excited he didn’t know what to say.

But thinking of those individuals’ challenging conditions, he quickly picked up the phone to call.

"Qin Lu, gather Zhang Peng and everyone and come to the Louvre entrance this morning, there’s a surprise waiting for you. No more excuses; skipping a half-day won’t kill you, but keep going like this and it’ll be worse. No backing out, okay?"

...

Meanwhile, Wang Fan is ready to head out for supplies.

Spicy sticks might be tricky for the average person, but for him, it’s an easy and pleasant task.

Altogether, they consist of three parts.

First, flour or bean curd skins for a dough that’s neither too soft nor too hard.

Second, a blend of dozens of spices colliding to create a delectable seasoning.

Third, various additives like acesulfame, sweeteners, sucralose, monosodium glutamate, sorbic acid, and citric acid, emitting a strong cheap feel.

Wang Fan thinks he can pass on the third part; though alternatives exist, these cheap, efficient additives are used to control costs.

Hawthorns were tricky to find, but after visiting four or five supermarkets, he got them, along with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and cherry tomatoes for making candied hawthorns, offering variety.

Whether these can become candied hawthorns...

For Wang Fan, almost anything edible can be made into candied hawthorns.

His background from the Northeast means anything like noodles, pig feet, spicy sticks, silkworm pupae, scallions, chicken feet—almost anything not illegal can be part of rock sugar candied hawthorns!

Wang Fan carefully picked these to cater to French friends’ tastes, deliberately selecting low-key options.

When he arrived at the Louvre once more, many were waiting, including the international students and many foreigners around the area he set up before.

Seeing him arrive, the students’ eyes lit up, rushing over to help him unload and set up.

Gu Zhengchao already shared with them Wang Fan’s plan to make the much-missed spicy sticks and candied hawthorns, exciting them to see these treats prepared before their eyes.

Grateful for Wang Fan’s help, they sincerely expressed their thanks to him.

Wang Fan responded to each of them, assuring that today they’d surely eat their fill.