A Riot of Blossoms, So Delicious

"So lovely, it outshines all paintings. Who gave the rose its fine name? Big Sister, look at that red rose. It's truly gorgeous!" "A rose? You can make jam with it. Take one jin of fresh roses and two jin of sugar. Wash the roses, then pickle them. First, add two liang of sugar to the container and stir. After three days, add more sugar and pickle them again, stirring once a day. After half a month, the fragrance will be rich and the taste sweet." "That one is blooming beautifully. I'll take it." Snip! The gorgeous flower was cut from the branch and dropped into the basket, its future uncertain. "The beauty of Yang Yuhuan and Zhao Feiyan was evenly matched, and their smiles resembled plum blossoms, never mind their fuller figures. This magnolia has a fresh, delicate fragrance. Just smelling it lifts the spirits. Cousin, do you like it?" "A magnolia? You can make crispy fried magnolia. Take fresh magnolias, remove the stems and stamens, and wash the petals. Mix eggs, cornmeal, fine flour, another egg, and a little salt into a batter. Coat the petals evenly, then fry them in oil heated to about eighty percent until golden on both sides. They'll be crisp outside, tender inside, and leave a lingering fragrance on your lips. Oh! You can also eat them with rose jam for a special flavor." "Thank you for the magnolias, Cousin. I won't keep you." The magnolias, dancing on their branches with the morning dew still on them, fell into her clutches, their fate unknown. Miss Li: I never want to go flower viewing with Big Sister again. We watch the flowers, and then they all disappear! Cousin Lin: It costs way too much to court my cousin. No matter how many flowers I bring, she eats them all!!! A certain prince, who declined to give his name: No matter. My garden has peach blossoms in spring, lotuses in summer, osmanthus in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. I can afford to keep her! Miss Li, whose golden finger went slightly awry: We were supposed to enjoy eating together. How dare you look down on me? That's it, I'm upset! The orchid in Father's study looks nice. I'll take that one!!! "So lovely, it outshines all paintings. Who gave the rose its fine name?" From "A Supervising Official of the Ministry of Justice Moves to Live among the Rose Blossoms" by Xu Yin of the Tang dynasty. "The beauty of Yang Yuhuan and Zhao Feiyan was evenly matched, and their smiles resembled plum blossoms, never mind their fuller figures." From "Ode to Magnolia" by Wen Zhengming of the Ming dynasty. Theme: A story about a flower-growing family.