Chapter 19

In a world where everything exists except mayonnaise.

※We received comments suggesting that making homemade mayonnaise in a different world could lead to food poisoning. While I hadn't thought that deeply and was writing based on modern Japanese standards, I will proceed as is, acknowledging the convenience of the setting.

Probably, in this different world, hygiene management is properly done! That's the direction I'm going with... ← Hey!

Yuri was making mayonnaise that day.

Mayonnaise is a very familiar condiment to the Japanese. Just how familiar? Even children who dislike raw vegetables can eat them with mayonnaise. There are even people called "mayolovers" who put mayonnaise on everything. It's that level of familiarity for the Japanese people. That's what mayonnaise is.

In this different world, there was sugar and soy sauce, but no mayonnaise. Since it was a Western-style world, Yuri had assumed that mayonnaise would exist, but it didn't.

Ordinarily, one might give up at this point. One might resign oneself to the fact that the nostalgic taste of the homeland cannot be enjoyed. However, Yuri was a boy who could handle things. Because his mother was into various DIY projects, making homemade mayonnaise was actually quite simple.

Originally, the ingredients for mayonnaise, when seen individually, are very easy to gather. Egg yolk, salt, oil, and vinegar. Sometimes pepper or herbs might be added according to preference, but the basic ingredients are just these. And these ingredients were not difficult to obtain even in the kitchen of the "Crimson Lynx."

"Yuri, are you only using the egg yolk?"

"Yeah."

"Then what about the egg white?"

"We'll use it later for soup, so let's put it all in a bowl."

"Got it!"

As usual, Yack was by Yuri's side that day.

It's not that Yack is strictly ordered to be by Yuri's side all the time. He voluntarily stays by Yuri's side and, when Yuri starts something new, he gets involved with great interest. Today, another person, Mag, who is in charge of the meal, is also helping, but he is extremely quiet and hard to notice, so it's easy to forget he's there.

By the way, there are two ways to make mayonnaise: with whole eggs or just the yolks. In the West, it's mainly made with whole eggs. In Japan, the national brand is made with just the yolks. Therefore, the method Yuri knows is the yolk version. He also thinks that this version is probably tastier, given that his national brand is highly praised even abroad.

Making mayonnaise is actually quite simple. It just takes a lot of effort. Since there's no mixer, it has to be mixed with a whisk, which is tough. However, Yuri thinks that with three people, they can take turns, so it should be fine. After all, they know that a lot of mayonnaise will be needed because there are many people to feed.

The three of them continued the task of putting only the egg yolks into the bowl. Actually, Yack and Mag were breaking the eggs into the bowl and then using their hands to scoop out the yolks. Meanwhile, Yuri, who was breaking the eggs, skillfully transferred the yolk to one shell while the white fell into the bowl, and then put the yolk into the bowl. Yack and Mag were both amazed by his dexterity.

"Yuri, what are you doing?"

"Huh? I'm just separating the yolk from the white because we only need the yolk."

"Is there such a method!? How can you do that!? Doesn't the yolk break!?"

"It doesn't break if you don't hit it against the shell."

Yuri said this nonchalantly, but it's something he's used to. In his family, everyone can separate the yolk from the white using this method. Using hands is also an option, but if you accidentally touch the yolk with your nails, it will break. Also, your hands get dirty.

While having a casual conversation, the work continued. The two bowls, one with the whites and one with the yolks, were neatly separated. The bowl with the whites was put in the refrigerator for later use in soup. Egg whites are also a good ingredient.

Once the yolks were successfully separated, the next step was to mix them. A small amount of salt was added, and the yolks were thoroughly mixed with a whisk. Mag took on this task. As the meal preparer for the day, he seemed determined to do a good job. As usual, he was quiet, but his craftsman-like qualities were evident. Despite coming from an ordinary town, ...

"Once the yolk and salt are mixed, we add the oil, but not directly. We spread it along the edge of the bowl like this."

"Why not directly?"

"Because if you pour it directly, it won't mix well."

While saying this, Yuri poured the olive oil along the edge of the bowl, mixing it with the yolk using a whisk. After mixing, more olive oil was added. This simple process was repeated until the mixture emulsified and became mayonnaise-like.

The yolks and oil were thoroughly mixed until the mixture became firmer than mayonnaise. When it became difficult to mix, Yuri added vinegar. This was grain vinegar. He wanted rice vinegar, but it seemed not to exist. He thought someone should make it. Fruit vinegar would affect the taste, so he chose grain vinegar. However, from a Japanese perspective, rice vinegar would probably be tastier. ...Well, since there's no mayonnaise in this world, it will be a new taste regardless of which vinegar is used.

There is also a method of mixing salt, oil, and vinegar with the yolks from the beginning. However, unless you mix them quickly with a machine, the oil and vinegar will separate because they don't mix well. Since there's no hand mixer in this world, and Yuri wanted to make delicious mayonnaise even if it took more effort, he added the vinegar last.

"Once you add the vinegar, it will soften, so mix it again."

"Got it!"

Yack, who had taken over from Mag, enthusiastically started mixing with the whisk. The lump that was previously the color of the yolk gradually turned white. The two boys were amazed by the transformation in the bowl, but Yuri continued to add vinegar and oil to thin it out. Mayonnaise should be neither too firm nor too soft.

When Yuri judged that the mayonnaise had the right consistency, he stopped adding ingredients. He tasted it and found it needed more salt, so he added some salt and pepper to adjust. Adding herbs or lemon would also be delicious, but this time he decided to make a classic mayonnaise. He planned to try more sophisticated versions like herb or lemon mayonnaise once everyone was more familiar with it.

"Try it."

"... Wow?! What is this?! It's so delicious. It's sour but not sour, salty but different!"

"...... Delicious. Vegetables..."

"Okay, okay, Yack, calm down. And Mag, if you're thinking of vegetables, cucumbers would be good, I think?"

"...... Got it."

Ignoring Yack, who was jumping around in excitement, Mag was seriously looking for vegetables. He seemed to instinctively understand that vegetables would taste better with mayonnaise. Wonderful. So Yuri recommended cucumbers, which are easy to eat with mayonnaise.

... Mag, who nodded, picked up a cucumber, washed it quickly, removed the stem, and cut it into sticks. His craftsman-like qualities were evident even here. If it were Ulgrus, he would have bitten into the cucumber after washing it. If it were Camille, he would have cut it roughly and eaten it. ...If it were Yack, he would have asked Yuri how to cut it before eating. Their personalities showed.

And Mag, who ate the cucumber with mayonnaise...

...was quietly consuming several cucumbers on his own.

"... M, Mag? If you eat too many cucumbers, you'll get a stomachache from the water. And we still have to prepare dinner, so stop eating for a bit..."

"Mag, is it delicious? Is it really delicious!?"

"Delicious"

"Me too, me too!"

"Hey, Yack, stop focusing on cucumbers! We need to prepare dinner!"

Feeling anxious about the large amount of freshly made mayonnaise being consumed by cucumbers, Yuri took the bowl of mayonnaise from the two. Despite the protests, he ignored them. If he were scolded for not preparing dinner, there would be no way to argue back.

"Okay, today we're making a potato salad with this mayonnaise! You two, please peel the potatoes. I'll prepare the other vegetables."

"... Got it."

"Got it!"

By assigning the potato peeling to the two, Yuri aimed to get them used to using knives and to save time. The potato salad in the Kugimiya household is a simple one with diced cucumbers, carrots, and boiled eggs. Some families might add ham, tomatoes, or green peas, but Yuri's version is very simple. Since it's a side dish, not a main dish, he doesn't add ham.

The cucumbers were quickly diced and lightly salted to remove excess water. Just before mixing, they were squeezed with a towel to remove more water. The carrots were diced and blanched to soften them. The boiled eggs were already prepared, so they were quickly diced with a knife.

By the time the preparations were complete, the potatoes that Yack and Mag had been boiling were also ready. The two were mashing the potatoes with a clean rolling pin. Watching them, Yuri thought he needed a potato masher. There was a whisk, but no masher. He didn't understand the kitchen tools in this different world. He thought he would consult with Alie next time.

... By the way, in Yuri's mind, when in trouble, consult Alie. It's also a fact that he is often told not to act on his own and to consult. Being a guardian is tough.

"Yuri, what do we do after mashing the potatoes?"

"Hmm? We mix the ingredients and mayonnaise to make a salad."

"...... Delicious?"

"In my homeland, it's a very popular dish among children."

"Got it! I'll do my best!"

Yack's response was straightforward and clear. Mag, who already knew how delicious mayonnaise was, was quietly working. He was mixing the mashed potatoes with the ingredients using a spatula, very carefully. ...So carefully that it almost seemed like he was using magic. The ingredients were mixed so evenly. Mag definitely has a craftsman-like quality in odd places.

Once the ingredients were mixed, the mayonnaise was added. More salt and pepper were added to the mayonnaise to ensure the flavors were evenly distributed. This is a housewife's wisdom. Once mixed, the potato salad was easily completed. All that was left was to serve it.

"Here, it's done."

"... Vegetable mashed potatoes."

"Well, sort of, but it's smooth and flavorful because of the mayonnaise, so it's a proper salad. For example, if you put lettuce leaves at the bottom of the dish and place the salad on top, it looks even better."

"Wow, I see! And if we eat it together, the lettuce will be delicious too?!"

"Yack, you got it!"

It seems that children dislike plain raw vegetables in any world. Yack was happy to know that lettuce would be delicious too. ...Mag was seriously choosing which dish to serve it in. The reason there are many dishes is that they buy apprentices' works at a low price from blacksmiths and other makers. They also get requests for gathering, so it's a mutually beneficial relationship.

By the way, the potato salad was almost consumed in large quantities during the taste test, so Yuri had to isolate the bowl in the refrigerator and stand guard, which ended in a funny story.

I think mayonnaise will definitely become popular.

And the potato salad is because there are a lot of potatoes.

Children love potato salad.

...Please take care of this boy who always forgets to be careful and is always laid-back.

Looking forward to your comments and feedback.