When we were young, there was a childhood delicacy called "Yam Zhazi", which is a potato cooked with freshly ground soy milk. It is not only sweet, soft and waxy, but also very delicious, and has extremely high nutritional value. In that era of material scarcity, eating potato dregs in one winter would turn the faces of adults and children red.

Some people wonder why such a delicious food has such an unfashionable name as "Yao Zhazi". I think it probably contains both potato and bean dregs. In the past, people were simple, so they called it such a simple and straightforward name. Now, both potato and bean dregs have become excellent health foods.

Speaking of soy milk, we must mention grinding soy milk. In the evening, it is time for everyone to grind soy milk. The beans are soaked in the morning. At that time, not every household had a stone mill, but the surrounding families gathered in those who had a mill to grind.

My fourth wife’s house behind my house has a stone mill, and she is an old woman who loves to tell stories. She tells stories very well, her voice is full of emotion, and she can speak and sing. Therefore, adults and children especially like to grind soy milk at her house. Those who arrive first grind first and listen to the story while grinding. Those who arrive later line up and listen to the story while waiting.

Two people are required to work together. The person in front carries the grinding head and feeds the material, and the person behind pulls the grinding load. If the person in front brushes the slippery head and just holds the grinding head without exerting any effort, then it will take a lot of effort for the person behind to grind with such a large stone.

If the people behind are cheating, the people in front will not be able to stop them, but their time will be wasted.

I was young at that time, and when I was grinding with my mother, my mother brought all the grinding heads with her, so I basically didn’t have to work hard in the back. Sometimes I go with my third sister, and she doesn’t know how to wear a grinder at first. If I can’t pull it behind me, I’ll get scolded. My mother didn't do anything to us when she found out. She taught the third sister how to wear a grinder and taught me how to cooperate.

There are often people who will not leave even after grinding their own soy milk. Sometimes they are chatting about some family issues, and most of the time it is to listen to the story told by the fourth grandma.

What impressed me most was the ghost story told by the fourth mistress. I was scared and wanted to hear it. After listening to it, I didn’t dare to go home at night. Sometimes my mother came to take me, and sometimes I asked neighbors to take me home. The next day, when Grandma Xiaosi found out, she grinned heartily with her toothless old mouth.

Nowadays, conditions are better, and every household has a soymilk machine, or soymilk powder, which is delicious when cooked, but compared to the "yam dregs" of childhood, it always feels like something is missing. From time to time, this crisp and childish childhood song floats in my mind.