Chapter 58: Chapter 624: Brewing Rice Wine
"Haha, like a concubine bathing!"
"Yun Duo's round face is so adorable, like a little fairy!"
After finishing their meal and resting, the tourists found great pleasure in watching the pandas bathe. There couldn't be a more delightful experience!
The smiles on their faces reflected their relaxed and happy moods.
After resting for a while, the chubby boy, who had worked hard in the morning and played energetically, felt a wave of sleepiness wash over him after lunch. He yawned and began to doze off, his eyes half-closed.
His father, the hefty man, shook him, "Hey, are you falling asleep?"
The chubby boy, half-asleep, mumbled, "I'm so tired, let me rest for a bit..."
The hefty man pulled him up from the seat, "You can sleep at home! Let's go!"
As they were leaving, the staff handed out five freshly picked ears of corn!
They could cook the corn at home that evening, and the remaining rice would be ready for pickup in a few days after it had dried.
Since dried rice can be stored for a long time, it would be fine to collect it within six months.
Some parents left with their children, while other families, still full of energy, continued to explore the zoo.
Tang Xiaoxin's mother had heard from her daughter about the beautiful songs of the gibbons and was curious to hear it for herself!
Unfortunately, they didn't hear the gibbons singing as the afternoon heat had made them less active.
They then went to see the hippos and giraffes, marveling at the graceful water ballet of the hippos.
...
Recently, not only had the rice grown in the zoo been harvested, but the golden glutinous rice had also reached maturity.
The golden glutinous rice seeds had been won in a lucky draw during the New Year and planted on a barren hill.
Most of the barren land had been tilled, with some organic fertilizer and a bit of special soil mixed in, then left to rest for a few years to restore its health.
Managing such a large area all at once wasn't feasible, so they planned to gradually hire more people and expand production over the next few years.
Eventually, the zoo would be able to produce enough vegetables and fruits for the animals and ingredients for the restaurants, achieving self-sufficiency.
For now, only one acre of golden glutinous rice had been planted, with dedicated care.
Fang Ye had visited a few times, watering the rice with special water to ensure its healthy growth.
The harvested golden glutinous rice had been dried over the past few days and stored in the warehouse.
Fang Ye brought home a bag of processed golden glutinous rice, eager to brew rice wine.
Rice wine made from golden glutinous rice should be delicious!
As he prepared to brew the wine, Lan Li joined in out of curiosity.
She looked at the rice grains in the bag and remarked, "Hmm, this rice looks different!"
She picked up a handful of glutinous rice, noticing that the grains were longer and more lustrous than regular rice, resembling jade. They felt cool and smooth to the touch!
She took a sniff and was greeted by a faint, enchanting fragrance.
Fang Ye chuckled, "Of course it's different; this is glutinous rice!"
Lan Li replied, "No, this glutinous rice looks very high-end!"
The organic rice grown at the zoo had already been the best-tasting rice she had ever had.
But this glutinous rice seemed even better.
After all, it was the system-produced golden glutinous rice!
System-produced items are always top-notch.
Fang Ye smiled, "Yes, this is a special variety from a friend who specializes in organic farming. The yield is low, but the taste is exceptional. It took some effort to get some.
Brewing rice wine is quite quick; it should be ready in about one or two weeks, and then we'll have a drink."
Lan Li nodded eagerly, "Mm-hmm!"
They then began the brewing process.
It was Fang Ye's first time brewing wine, so he had sought advice from the head chef at the panda restaurant to ensure success.
The key was to keep the brewing utensils clean!
Any contamination with miscellaneous bacteria could ruin the brew.
First, they soaked the glutinous rice in special water overnight and boiled the steaming basket and wooden spatula to sterilize them.
The panda restaurant often made pickles, so they borrowed a cleaned pickle jar for brewing. The jar had a small inverted lid that could be sealed with a bit of water.
After the glutinous rice had softened, they steamed it.
The steamed golden glutinous rice emitted a wonderful aroma!
They then used a rice paddle to break up the rice. Once it had cooled slightly but was still warm, they added yeast.
Adding the yeast at too high a temperature would kill the fermentation bacteria.
Next, they filled the jar with special water and sealed it!
Fang Ye carefully placed the jar in a corner, leaving it to ferment slowly.
...
Brewing rice wine was a simple process and just a small part of Fang Ye's daily routine.
In recent days, he had been contemplating the future development of the zoo.
It was quite remarkable!
From a small, rundown zoo with nothing, it had grown into a top-tier zoo, comparable to those in provincial capitals.
Featuring star animals like pandas, giraffes, elephants, and hippos, the zoo had become a rare gem.
But it wasn't just about acquiring animals; the exhibits were designed with the animals' habits in mind, providing various enrichment activities to keep them entertained.
Even highly intelligent animals like elephants, prone to stereotypic behaviors in captivity, were now living enriched lives, exploring and playing, with their stereotypic behaviors gradually disappearing.
Very few zoos could achieve this, and it was Fang Ye's proudest accomplishment.
Another pride was the zoo's rice field exhibit, allowing children to experience farming firsthand, understand the ecosystem of a farm, and learn about environmentally friendly lifestyles.
The first farming activity had been a great success, receiving unanimous praise from participating families and onlookers.
In recent days, many visitors had been asking the keepers how to sign up for the next farming activity.
Fang Ye pondered whether to expand the experimental field due to the enthusiasm.
He decided to wait until the barren hill's soil was fully restored. Then, those interested in farming could go there.
This farming activity had not only inspired the visitors but also clarified Fang Ye's vision for the native habitat exhibit.
The ideal native habitat exhibit would feature native plants, creating a wild environment that would naturally attract native animals.
Perhaps, when elderly visitors came, they could point to a certain bird or frog and tell their grandchildren, "Look, we used to see these near our home when I was young."
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