Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.5 - Chapter 4

Evolved Cooking

I decided to start with the caprese. I was pretty certain I had taught Hugo to cut the pome and cheese into slices for this dish, but here, the pomes had instead been cut into halves, hollowed out, and then stuffed with creamy cheese seasoned with herbs.

This is kind of hard to eat... It all falls apart the moment I cut into it with my knife.

I sliced into the caprese, taking extra care not to make a complete mess, and then tried a large mouthful. The slightly salty cheese brought out the sweetness of the pome, complemented by the gentle taste of the herbs.

Wow. It’s so good...

My eyes widened. The mouthfeel was considerably better than that of a caprese made with slices. I could practically feel the chef’s cooking spirit, driving them to make improvement after improvement in hopes of creating the tastiest meal possible.

Ferdinand narrowed his eyes in slight curiosity as he tried his own caprese. “This seems to taste better than what is served in the temple,” he commented.

“An improvement born from how dedicated the chefs are to bettering their dishes, no doubt. The same ingredients can taste quite different when the mouthfeel and such are given such careful consideration. It seems that cooking progressed steadily while I was asleep. We certainly won’t need to fear judgment from the merchants of other duchies.”

I tried the broccoli and cauliflower next. It was scorched and crunchy on the outside, but the inside was soft and well-cooked. The sensation of biting into something cooked and having the taste of soup spread through my mouth was to die for.

I wonder whether Ferdinand likes it too. He is quite fond of consommé.

I glanced at Ferdinand. He was largely expressionless, but I could see that his eyes were lowered, and a very subtle smile was playing on his lips. He was enjoying the taste to its fullest.

“This cooking style could be used on other vegetables as well,” I said. “It feels entirely like eating soup the shape of a vegetable.”

“It was my house’s chef who devised this dish,” Gustav noted. I immediately recalled Leise, who burned with the desire to improve her recipes and considered Hugo her rival.

“Is Leise experimenting with the food served in the Italian restaurant?” I asked. “I am surprised that this is better than it was two years ago.”

“She has been doubling her efforts ever since losing to your personal chef, Lady Rozemyne. I had her work the kitchen for this special occasion. She was extremely eager for you to try her new dishes.”

Gustav glanced toward the kitchen; Leise was apparently working hard for my sake. Even when I wasn’t handing out recipes, she, Hugo, Ella, and Nicola were coming up with one new dish after another through trial and error. Nothing could make me happier, since I wanted to spread as many tasty foods as possible.

“Leise always makes new recipes her own. I am quite fond of her experimental spirit,” I said.

“I have been told that you gifted us a new ingredient and a recipe several days ago. Leise was unfortunately unable to master them in time for today’s dessert. The texture is quite unique, and although it tasted excellent, she was not completely satisfied with her work,” Gustav said.

Leise had apparently experimented with the panna cotta, but she hadn’t been able to make anything of a good enough standard for her to feel comfortable serving today.

“Lady Rozemyne, what was that new ingredient?” Gustav asked. “Leise mentioned she would like more, but I could not identify what it was.”

It was gelatin made by cutting away the clearest parts during the glue-making process, simmering them like consommé, removing any scum and scraps, and then straining the resulting mixture. It was sure to expand the range of sweets and meals one could make.

“I intend to sell the production method to Freida at a later date,” I replied, which made all of the store owners look up at once. Gustav was completely taken aback, while Benno, who was sitting beside him, shot me a sharp look. His dark-red eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned forward to speak.

“You intend to sell the production method to Freida?” he repeated, as if making sure he had heard me correctly.

“Freida protected the Italian restaurant during the two years I was asleep, and she has facilitated the advancement of cooking in the meantime, as we can see. I will teach her the production method as a reward—after she pays me an appropriate fee, of course.”

Besides, there’s no point in me selling anything cooking-related to you, Benno, is there?

The Plantin Company already had their hands full with their own work. They were so busy, in fact, that they were having to go on frequent trips to other provinces to spread the printing and paper-making industries. I had heard they had so little manpower to spare for the Italian restaurant that they had entrusted everything to Freida.

I was a coinvestor in the Italian restaurant, and since my name alone served as marketing to draw in customers, I received a reasonable portion of its profits. That said, I hadn’t done anything since offering the initial investment and providing some recipes. It seemed more efficient for me to just give any new recipes to Freida.

Not to mention, the Othmar Company prepared a lot of pound cakes for the Interduchy Tournament, which must have been pretty rough on them. This has to be okay.

“The Plantin Company has nothing to fear—I understand that it is unwise to offer production methods at a lower price, so the fee I request will be more than reasonable,” I said, puffing out my chest.

Benno’s lips curved into a slight frown to show how little he was amused. I could only assume there was something else bothering him, aside from his worries that I might charge too low an amount. But as I tilted my head in confusion, Ferdinand softly called my name.

“Rozemyne. Rewarding those who protected the Italian restaurant and aided in the development of cooking techniques is an understandable—if not entirely normal—response. It is also understandable to reward the Gilberta Company for successfully completing an order for royalty. And have you also rewarded the Plantin Company for dedicating themselves to spreading the printing industry?”

“...Ah.”

They were working hard to accelerate the process simply because I wanted things done faster, but when it came to rewards, the Gilberta Company had received nothing more than my new dyeing techniques. These weren’t something they could earn much of a profit from, since I was selling them at a rather low price, but hosting the dyeing competition would secure the Gilberta Company some important noble exposure while also increasing its influence.

However, although I had praised them for their efforts, I hadn’t given the Plantin Company or the Gutenbergs any rewards of particular note.

I suppose I do have other product ideas I could sell to them, if they’re willing to suffer the consequences.

I looked over at Benno and Mark with a hand on my cheek. “There are various kinds of stationery that I am interested in having made, and if the Plantin Company so wishes, I would not particularly mind selling the rights to them and their production methods. I must warn you, though—doing this will require the Plantin Company and the Gutenbergs to take on even more than they have already. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Benno faltered for a moment, and Mark averted his eyes. But an instant later, Benno responded with a nod, now wearing the calculating smile of a merchant. “We will gratefully accept any product ideas you have,” he said. I could tell from the look in his dark-red eyes that he wanted the rights to anything printing- or paper-related, no matter how busy he became as a result. That was fine by me, but the trip to Groschel came first.

“Then we may speak of this another time,” I said. “Once things have settled down a bit.”

“Your consideration honors us,” Benno replied.

Just as I thought everything was settled, Ferdinand shot me a deliberate look, the corners of his lips curving up into a grin. “So, now you have rewarded all those who devoted themselves to labor during the two years you were asleep: the Plantin Company, the Gilberta Company, and the Othmar Company.”

In other words, “give me something too”? Sure, sure. I get you.

Ferdinand hadn’t just helped me while I was asleep either; he was taking good care of me even now that I was awake again. I was more than happy to reward him with something so long as he was direct about it, but his normal bored expression made it impossible to tell whether he cared about this at all.

“As you have also greatly assisted me, Lord Ferdinand, I am more than willing to give you what you desire. Is there something I have that you seek?” I asked.

“The recipes made by your chefs. Even more have accumulated over time, correct?”

It was hard to imagine that a few recipes was enough of a reward, especially considering how much he had done for me by helping me gather potion ingredients and make Schwartz’s and Weiss’s outfits, but I wasn’t about to question what he wanted. If recipes were enough for him, then recipes he would receive.

“Very well. I shall offer you Hugo’s recipes. I plan to compile and sell them as a recipe book, however, so please do keep them a secret.”

“Naturally.”

More soup was brought over for Ferdinand, who was pleased at having acquired what he wanted. Freida had even come over with a sheet of paper to explain the dish to him and me.

She sure has grown up...

She had always been seated too far away or standing beside Tuuli, who had... very good proportions, so the realization had completely passed me by. Now that I could see her up close, however, I could tell that she had grown up a lot. The Devouring meant she had been fairly small when I first met her, but now she was as big as any other girl her age.

Hopefully I’ll grow up too, soon...

I let out a sigh, comparing my hand to Freida’s as she began to explain the menu.

“Today’s soup is a double consommé.”

It seemed that Ferdinand was somewhat dissatisfied with the consommé served in the temple, since although the temple chefs were good, they were not quite as good as Hugo. Fran and Zahm had passed that information on to me, which I had then passed on to Freida, so she had prepared one of his favorite dishes: double consommé.

“I am told that you enjoyed Hugo’s consommé, Lord Ferdinand. Our chef so eagerly wishes to outshine Hugo, so she has made the most carefully produced consommé of our time. Please do enjoy.”

Leise had apparently put her all into making the amber soup before us, determined not to be beaten by Hugo. The taste practically carried on the steam that wafted into the air, such that the aroma alone was enough to make one’s stomach grumble. It was pure enough that the bottom of the bowl was clearly visible through the liquid, and the thick color showed it had been made with the utmost care.

I brought a spoonful of consommé to my lips. The concentrated flavors of various vegetables and meat flowed through my mouth like a river of ambrosia.

“Is the soup beautiful, Lord Ferdinand...?” I asked.

“Yes, it is a picture of beauty,” Ferdinand replied. He was wearing a soft smile that seemed to come from the heart—an especially rare sight indeed. “Its flavors are more complex than those of the consommé I recognize, but they are simultaneously more unified. The creation process is similar to brewing in that one changes not only the quality of the ingredients, but the brewing process itself. Not just the ingredients have changed, but also something fundamental about the recipe itself.”

I didn’t understand a word of what you just said, Ferdinand...

He was being more verbose than usual, expounding how challenging it was to rethink a process from the ground up and how beautiful of a success their efforts had produced. I couldn’t follow in the least.

Oh well. He seems to like it so whatever.

Ferdinand enjoying the... beauty... of the consommé was good enough for me, but Freida was looking at him in surprise, as though she hadn’t at all expected such a response.

“I am surprised. You are entirely correct, Lord Ferdinand. Egg whites diminish the flavor somewhat, so our chef poured much time and energy into developing an alternative way to strain the scum. I personally did not notice how this changed the taste, but I suppose those who understand, understand. The chef will surely be delighted to hear this.”

It’s impressive that Ferdinand can notice such a minor difference, but it’s even more impressive that Leise achieved something like this in the first place...

A sigh of admiration escaped me, but then I realized—if Ferdinand had such a sensitive tongue, how in the world did he manage to make potions that taste so ungodly awful? Surely a single drop of that stuff would kill him.

“This is the carbonara.”

The consommé was followed up with carbonara. The rich sauce had been made with egg yolks and thick cream and was decorated with crispy bacon. I twirled some of the spaghetti around my fork and watched excess sauce begin to flow down. Upon taking my first bite, taking care not to drip any sauce, the first thing I noticed was the strong taste and sticky texture of the cheese.

This is better than Hugo’s too...

Leise had probably used some consommé as well. It wasn’t what would be considered carbonara back home, but it was a solid step better than the recipe I had taught them.

“Rozemyne, this is quite unlike what you taught my chefs, is it not?” Ferdinand asked, fixing me with a stern glare after trying some himself. He could glare all he wanted, but I wasn’t getting to eat this stuff either.

“This is the result of the chef striving for greater heights in the two years I was asleep,” I said. “It is clear that great strides have been made since I shared the recipes. Not even I was expecting this much progress...”

“Oh? I find myself wanting this chef...” Ferdinand muttered. The look in his light-golden eyes was so serious that I recoiled despite myself. Freida and Gustav did the same before glancing at me fearfully, afraid that Leise might be taken from them. Their silent pleas for me to intervene came through loud and clear.

Your cries have been heard, citizens. I shall save the day and stop Ferdinand, somehow.

I responded with a reassuring nod. Meanwhile, I could feel Benno and Otto looking on in amusement, like they were watching an entertaining show of some kind. They had no intention of helping whatsoever.

“Ferdinand, I trust that you would not use your wealth and authority to steal away their chef,” I said. “Leise is essential for the continued success of the Italian restaurant.”

“I am aware, but the thought that commoners are the ones who get to enjoy these dishes is deeply concerning...” Ferdinand replied. These enhanced recipes were the fruit of Leise’s labor, but he would naturally feel conflicted about commoners having such easy access to better food than nobles.

“This is osso buco,” Freida said as a new dish was brought out. “It is made by thoroughly cooking the thigh of a calf on the bone in pome sauce and Dunkelfelger-made vize.”

The glistening brown veal was covered in pome sauce, which also glistened thanks to the juices of the meat. This dish apparently used a type of wine made in Dunkelfelger that only rarely made its way to Ehrenfest. I had taught Hugo recipes using locally produced wine, but it seemed that Leise had used Gustav’s connections to search out the absolute best product for the job.

The Othmar Company is also pretty impressive, spending this much money on Leise’s experiments.

It was because they knew the experimentation would pay for itself with increased sales, but even so, the costs must have been exorbitant. I concluded it was best for Leise to keep cooking as she liked under Gustav’s patronage.

Besides, if they were willing to let Leise go, I’d snatch her up before Ferdinand even had the chance.

I paused my thoughts to cut into the osso buco. My knife sliced right through, and the veal practically fell off the bone. It was rare to see such tender, well-cooked meat here.

“Ooh.”

With hope swelling in my heart, I cut off a large chunk of veal, thoroughly soaked it in pome sauce, and then brought it to my mouth. This particular pome sauce seemed to have been made with a variety of chopped-up vegetables, as it tasted sweeter and more complex than what I was used to.

I wiggled in place, reveling in the sensation of the tender meat melting on my tongue, only to notice that Ferdinand was now looking at the food with calculating rather than admiring eyes. It seemed that he was starting to quite seriously plot how to take Leise away.

“Ferdinand, my chefs may not be as dedicated to improving their art as Leise, but they have likewise spent the past two years devising new recipes of their own. Your own chefs have not produced any such new recipes, have they?”

“Now that you mention it, I suppose no new dishes of note have been served...” Ferdinand replied, raising an eyebrow as if to ask what I was getting at.

I shrugged and took another bite of the osso buco. “That would be your fault, Ferdinand.”

“Explain.”

“Chefs are motivated to improve when you give feedback on their changes—telling them which meal was better, which flavors you preferred, what ingredients you wish for them to use, and so on. Impressions and requests make all the difference. It is due to your apparent lack of interest—your tendency to order the same thing over and over again—that your own chefs have not been able to grow.”

Ferdinand ordered his favored consommé on a heavy rotation and carefully checked to make sure it tasted the same each time. As a result, his chefs had no time to focus on improving their skills; instead, they atrophied from following the exact same recipe with practiced perfection.

“I see... It seems that I need to train not only blue priests, but chefs as well.”

“Your own personal chefs should specialize in catering to your preferred tastes. Even if you were to take Leise to the temple, it is hard to say whether she would maintain the passion for experimentation she has now,” I said to Ferdinand, taking another bite of osso buco while desperately apologizing to his chefs on the inside.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. He’s probably going to work you to the bone now!

As Ferdinand made the decision to train his own chefs rather than stealing away one that someone else had spent so much time and money on, it came time for dessert. Today we were having brahre shortcake. It seemed that Leise basically never overcooked or burned sponge cake anymore; it was soft and tender, covered with pure white cream, topped with thin slices of brahre that had been soaked in wine and arranged in the shape of a flower.

Mm... I may want to make various piping tips for the pastry bags.

The fruit decoration was rather fancy, but the cakes were still somewhat plain compared to the ones I was used to back on Earth. For one, they could have done something more extravagant with the cream. That thought made me realize—I had seen round tips being used to pipe ingredients and such, but not once had I seen any that were fancier shapes.

“Perhaps I should ask Hugo. And if they don’t already exist, I could ask Johann...” I muttered to myself as I took a bite of the cream-covered cake. Of course, Benno overheard me with his bionic hearing and shot me a wary look.

“Lady Rozemyne, do you have immediate plans to make something?” he asked. “Johann is presently quite occupied making pumps to attach to as many wells as possible before the merchants from other duchies arrive.” He was chastising me for even thinking about loading more work onto them during such a busy time, and understandably so—pumps were more important than piping tips for pastry bags.

“It does not have to be Johann; Zack or Danilo could make it instead. I will send the schematics at a later date. Now that you mention it, however, we certainly are lacking in available smiths, aren’t we? It may be wise to recruit a few more into the Gutenbergs.”

The other store owners all pricked their ears up at once, directing their focus our way. Upon seeing this, Benno slowly shook his head. “I believe it would be best to save such a matter until after the event with the Dyeing Guild,” he said. “Are you not quite busy at the moment, Lady Rozemyne?”

Despite his polite words, his furiously blazing eyes made his true message clear: “Stop! Rampaging! Around!”

I considered my schedule and nodded; I certainly didn’t have the time to spare on this kind of endeavor. “I suppose we lack the time to leisurely select a new smith. I shall trust the Gutenbergs to produce a steady stream of apprentices,” I said. And with that, the meeting at the Italian restaurant came to an end.

“Here are the chefs who provided today’s meals,” Freida said as we were leaving. There was a row of chefs lined up at the entrance hall, and among them was Leise, wearing the smile of a job well done. Our eyes met and I returned the smile.

“Thank you for the meal,” I said. “Lord Ferdinand and I were both quite satisfied. We have no qualms about trusting this establishment to serve the merchants who will be visiting the city. I commend the advances you have made during my two-year absence.”

Leise shut her eyes tightly for a moment. She clenched a trembling fist, exhaled slowly, and then gave a proud smile. “Thank you. We await your future patronage.”