Chapter 60

Today is cooking class at the rental house. Gabal brought someone with the "Cooking" skill. It turned out to be his wife, and her friends.

The moment Kokushin saw the wives, he quietly disappeared. He's really sulking. Well, today was supposed to be free anyway. Rada, on the other hand, is planning to work hard as my assistant, aiming for the fried chicken.

"Let's start by showing you the real thing."

As they say, seeing is believing.

"This is something I made yesterday, called '一夜干し' (一夜-dried fish). As the name suggests, it's dried for just one day."

Incidentally, it was already announced that I would be teaching, so there's no one here who thinks it's strange to be taught by a child.

"Oh, it's opened?"

"Yes, it dries faster this way, and the flavor penetrates better."

"Flavor?"

"Ah, it's marinated in salt water. But it's not as salty as salted fish. Let's try it, shall we?"

For this occasion, I bought charcoal. The grill was available, but there was no hibachi, so I made one myself. It's a bit larger to fit the grill.

"What's this?"

Gabal immediately showed interest. To avoid a long explanation, I said it was from my hometown.

The fire was already lit, so I just had to place the fish on the grill.

"You're going to grill it. Is charcoal better?"

The wives were very interested and leaned in to watch.

"Charcoal allows for a slow, steady cook. You can also grill it in a frying pan, but a gentle heat is best."

The stove is hard to control, and the magic stove doesn't allow for fine adjustments. I hope they can manage that part.

The fat started to sizzle. Even though it's not a sea fish, it's quite fatty. A wonderful aroma wafted through the air. The smell of grilled fish from a vent on the way home always makes me hungry. I flipped the fish and carefully grilled it.

"It should be ready. Please try it."

I divided it onto plates, lightly flaked it with chopsticks to make it easier to eat, and served it. Forks were quickly plunged into the fish. Hmm, eating opened fish with a fork is a bit tricky.

"It's fluffy. The salt is just right, and it's delicious on its own."

"True. What would it go well with? Potatoes?"

"Good idea. Porridge rather than bread."

Potatoes are what they call "ガイモ" (gaimo). The wives were chatting while nibbling on the fish, and I was busy separating the flesh from the bones.

"Hmm, it's hard to eat without chopsticks."

Gabal folded his arms.

"True. Choose a fish with fewer bones or remove the bones before drying."

"I see."

Since they seemed satisfied with the taste, we moved on to practice. I asked them to prepare the fish they brought. They could choose either a belly or back opening, either way was fine. Then, they marinated the fish in salt water.

"Try different times for different fish. I just got here, so I'm not sure which fish works best."

"Are there any that don't work?"

"Yes, 'ピリカ' (Pirika) didn't work. The flesh became mushy."

"Oh, that one. It turns into a dumpling."

"I see."

While they marinated the fish, we moved on to the fried chicken. I cut the chicken thighs they brought into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, and added some leaves to remove the gamey smell.

"Pepper, huh?"

"But it makes a big difference."

As an experiment, I left some without pepper. If I had soy sauce, I wouldn't need pepper, but I forgot to look for it. Did I have it? My memory is fuzzy.

"Feel free to experiment with different seasonings. Once you know the cooking method, you can make all sorts of variations."

We let the chicken marinate for a while. In the meantime, I helped with the fish preparation. They washed the fish, patted it dry, and hung it in a well-ventilated shady spot. To keep bugs away, a woven basket would be good. In coastal areas, they often just hang it out.

"One day is enough, right?"

"Yes. To be honest, a few hours would do, but it's flexible. The fish we're drying now should be ready to eat tonight. Adjust the salt concentration accordingly."

I gave them a general idea and left the rest to them. I'm pretty casual about it myself. I always make it this way. That's why I've never tried baking, which requires precise measurements.

Now, let's fry the chicken. Rada, who had been quiet, suddenly became energetic. She held the bowl of marinated chicken and stood next to the oil. Be careful, that's dangerous.

I cracked the first piece. Hmm, it's fine. I split it in half and put it in our mouths.

"Delicious...?"

Rada smiled, then tilted her head. The taste was a bit different from the day before.

Gabal and the wives also tried the pieces as they came out. They were smiling and nodding, but Gabal seemed to notice something.

"The taste is different. It's also a bit tougher."

"Yes. I used a mountain bird, so the taste of the bird itself is different."

"I see."

This time, it's chicken, but it's from a hen that no longer lays eggs, so the meat is a bit tougher. It could also be made with a monster bird. I don't know which is cheaper or easier to get.

"This goes well with ale! Pepper is definitely needed."

The wife has a good palate. Fried chicken and beer are delicious. I'd drink some ale if it were cold.

The cooking class ended there.

Since I was curious, I asked about the "Cooking" skill. It allows you to detect poisons (in ingredients only), improves knife skills, and lets you make learned recipes without measuring. It seems to vary from person to person. Some can mix or reduce cooking time with magic.

I was a bit envious. I really want a cooking skill. I work hard, so I might get one eventually. It doesn't seem to be a rare skill.

I went to pick up the Jenga set. It came with a perfectly fitting box, made of beautiful wood, and I was very satisfied. I also got a decent amount for the idea. I hope it sells well.

I also got a whisk. Despite his grumbling, he made it better than I imagined. It's a comfortable weight for my small hands. He also made a full-size version for adults. In exchange for the payment, I made meringue, and he nodded in approval as he watched me mix it.

"Could it be automated if it were a magic tool?"

A hand mixer. I thought about that, but there's no magic tool craftsman in this town. I'd like to get one made if I ever meet one, but it would probably be expensive.

I mixed flour, egg yolks, and butter, and gently fried it in a pan. The heat control is tricky. Ah, can I borrow a lid... no, I'll buy one. How about that?

"Wow!"

Then, I cracked some honey and drizzled it over. It was fluffy and delicious.

The bearded man, who seemed to have a sweet tooth, was eating with a happy face. Feeling good, I also made him tongs and a strainer.

By the way, Kokushin and Rada are not here. It's a shame.