6. Liyue Branch (9)
‘Cooking Competition’. Although the content is as simple as the name, it was quite a headache for those preparing for it. This is because there is no objective standard for ‘taste’.
The commonly referred to ‘taste’ may have the same sound, but its meaning was different. Even if you eat the same food, the evaluation can vary depending on the person. For example, Koreans like food with a lot of garlic, but foreigners are likely to find the ‘garlic scent’ burdensome.
To hear the word ‘delicious’ like this, many things had to be taken into consideration. The growth background and general eating habits of the people who will eat this dish, and even the atmosphere of the day. So, as I had to satisfy hundreds of tourists and judges who I didn’t even know who they were, I couldn’t help but feel a headache.
The good news was that the place where the ‘cooking competition’ was held was ‘Saemmul Village’. ‘Saemmul Village’ was originally famous for wild boar meat. Most of the tourists who came today were also aware of its reputation, and were probably expecting wild boar meat to be featured in the ‘cooking competition’, which could be said to be the highlight of the festival. I had a duty to live up to those expectations.
More than anything, it was obvious that the opponent, Brook, would also bring ‘wild boar meat’. Since ancient times, a ‘cooking competition’ was a competition between two chefs with their pride on the line. It wasn’t good to be seen measuring things here and there for no reason. Even though I didn’t have much pride as a ‘chef,’ I knew that much. At least that’s what Brooke thought, so it made sense for me to respond that way too.
Then the only remaining problem was what to cook with that ‘wild boar meat.’ After much contemplation, I finally decided to think simply. Since it’s a festival where the people of Mond come, let’s serve Mond’s home-cooked food. And since Liyue people can come too, let’s bring Liyue cuisine as a side menu. Once that conclusion was reached, the rest was a breeze.
Mond’s “Stacking High” And Liyue’s Fertile Vegetable Wraps are my favorite combination, and it was a menu selection that maximized the synergy with Hyangneung. She had shown this combination to the hunters of Sammul Village, including Mr. Duraf, on the day they first met her. Although it had already been several months ago, I still remembered the enthusiastic response from that day.
So today I stand here with Hyangneung. Across the street, Brooke and a man who appeared to be her assistant were facing us. Brooke’s gaze seemed uncertain, and the reason for that, needless to say, was because of Hyangling.
“…… “Isn’t that a bit foul?”
But I just shrugged my shoulders at Brook’s point. If you ask me, didn’t I participate as a cooking assistant in the last match as well? The surrounding area was already buzzing with the appearance of Hyangneung, so broadly speaking, this was also done to make the festival a success.
In the end, Brooke sighed and headed to the kitchen counter. They seemed to have realized that there was no point in protesting anyway. Otherwise, he might have thought it was a good opportunity to avenge the previous defeat. In the last cooking competition with Hyangneung, Hyangneung wasn’t the only one who gave Brook a loss. I also helped her lose.
“Please take care of me, Hyangneung.”
“Yes! “Just leave it to me, Siwoo.”
Hyangneung was reliable as always when it came to cooking. At least I didn’t have to worry about her cooking. I felt my nervous heart calming down.
And when I was taking a moment to catch my breath.
“Then, let’s start the ‘cooking competition’ now!”
Mr. Duraf, who served as the chairman of the judges today, announced the start of the competition. In the end, the chairman of the judging panel also became someone who could be said to be one of my connections. The good news was that I knew Brooke, so at least there wouldn’t be any issues about fairness.
Before I could even express such sentiments, Brooke quickly started playing with his hands. She did the same with her man who appeared to be her assistant. Hyangneung immediately lit the fire and started preparing her ingredients. It was a skillful and wasteful move.
They seemed like people who had been trained for a long time in the kitchen. After seeing the ingredients prepared in an instant, I started cooking right away. The ingredient was ‘ancient wild boar meat’, and interestingly enough, this meat was handled differently in the frozen and melted states. In the frozen state, it is displayed as ‘frozen raw meat’ in the ‘Backpack’ function, but in the thawed state, it is displayed as ‘animal meat’ just like any other wild boar meat. It seemed that there was a special dish that could be made only with ‘frozen raw meat’. Of course, it was none of my business at the moment.
The wild boar meat was already moist with strong-smelling vegetable oil. It was a process called ‘marinade’. The process involved seasoning it with not only vegetable oil, but also salt and pepper, sealing it with spices, and letting it age for a while. Through this, the liver and flavor were more deeply absorbed into the meat, and depending on the ingredients, the meat became softer.
The flame heats up the pan. The fire power controlled by Hyang-Rung with ‘God’s Eye’ instantly added heat to the pan and oil, and soon the heat began to rise. My body skillfully dumped wild boar meat into the heated pan. With a sizzling sound, the side of the meat that was in close contact with the pan began to fry as if fried. The golden brown color was evidence that the Maillard reaction was occurring properly. The juices are trapped in the meat, and the unique umami and flavor of the meat becomes more intense.
After searing is completed, butter, garlic, and spices are added to add aroma and flavor. Adding melted butter makes the meat more moist and retains the heavy flavor of animal fat. Then, take out the meat that has been cooked evenly on each side, wrap it in foil, and leave it for a while. It was resting. Through this, the heat spreads evenly inside the meat, the juices trapped inside spread out, and the inside is colored an appetizing light pink.
Mond’s specialty product, ‘lantern flower’, added a unique flavor to the steak grilling process. The crunchy yet fresh stems of this flower are a great combination when eaten on their own and with fatty meat. Then, I roasted the potatoes in the remaining oil and juice that had leaked out, and when the fragrant animal oil coagulated and stuck to the potatoes, I was done with the “High stacking” That I had prepared.
Pile the meat, cheese, and potatoes in layers. The cheese soon melted from the residual heat of the steak and potatoes, binding the three ingredients together into one layer. It is no exaggeration to say that the key to “Building high” Is how quickly this process can be repeated.
No matter how great a dish was, it tasted less delicious once it cooled down. The key was to satisfy as many people as possible by building higher layers before the food lost its warmth. Of course, it was a simple task for me, using the power of the ‘cooking’ function.
The ‘Cooking’ function supports simultaneous cooking of dishes for which you have accumulated skill level. To put it bluntly, if you had enough materials, you could make dozens or even hundreds of pieces at once. Of course, due to physical limitations, it took a little more time for more than a certain number of items. Still, the fact that near-perfect simultaneous cooking was possible was a big advantage.
As soon as the dish was completed, it was served to the tourists who were waiting with their mouths full. At best, I could only give one point each, but that seemed to be enough of a reason for the tourists to come here today. Because surprise and satisfaction appeared on their faces when they tasted the food. They soon started laughing and chatting and sharing their impressions with their companions. The festival was a place to build memories one by one.
It was several hours later that the ‘cooking competition’ came to an end. It felt like not much time had passed, but as I was moving around frantically, it was already dark night. I was hungry, and my body felt weak.
As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of the competition, I collapsed into the prepared chair. When I use the ‘cooking’ function, my body moves on its own and I don’t notice that I’m tired, but after the ‘cooking’ function, it felt like the fatigue came all at once. It felt like I had been engaged in physical labor for the first time in a long time.
On the other hand, Hyangneung, who stayed by my side until the end, looked fine. On the contrary, he seemed to still be full of energy and was showing great interest in the food Brooke made. I was curious too. As it was time for the judges to make their evaluations, I stood up again with a heavy body. Anyway, when I stood in front of the judges, I was going to know Brooke’s cooking even if I didn’t want to know it.
The final dish of each team was placed in front of the judges. Venti, who was sitting at the judges’ table, looked like he was going to live.
“Phew, I thought I was going to die from starvation. “If you had known it would be like this, would you have participated as a guest instead of a judge?”
At the same time, Venti picked up a fork and knife. He seemed to know how to attract people’s attention with his grinning form. Because Venti looks cute, he automatically attracts attention when he smiles. Lookism also existed on the Tivat continent.
“Well, this is…” Is it ‘steak’?”
Keia said that and cast her gaze towards Brooke. It was a questioning look as to whether it was a bit simple for a festival dish. But Brooke was confident.
“Yes, Saemmul Village has traditionally been famous for wild boar meat. So, I tried to show you the most ‘Saemmul Village’-like taste. For reference, the meat is made from the new meat that sprouted from the wounds of the wild boar that fought the last bloody battle for the position of leader. ….”
Brooke soon began to speak passionately. Her pride in her spring water village and its cooking was truly formidable. The problem was that most people didn’t care whether they did or not. Keia closed her eyes and shook her head, but I knew. That face was a face that wasn’t even listening but was pretending to listen.
“hahahahaha, good. Your confidence is amazing. Now, let’s taste it.”
And when Brooke’s long speech was over, Keia smiled and said that. It was an acceptable response. Brooke must have been satisfied with just that, and she walked away with a proud look on her face. Soon, Brooke’s dishes were placed in front of Hyangneung and me.
‘Steak’, by chance, the items overlapped. Of course, the dish that could truly bring out the quality and flavor of Saemmul Village’s wild boar meat was steak. Still, I thought that Hyangneung would prepare something new like the spicy teppanyaki prepared last time, but I was wrong.
If this were to happen, it was bound to end up being a head-to-head contest, whether we liked it or not. I cut the meat on my plate while grumbling to myself. I didn’t feel any resistance from the knife. Just like last time, Brooke seemed to have won again with meat so tender that it was hard to believe it was cooked meat.
A piece was put into her mouth. The soft meat was torn apart as soon as it touched the teeth. Yet, there was a savory juicy texture between the pieces of meat. And at the end, the subtle fruity scent that hit my nose was impressive. Is it ‘sunset fruit’? When the fruity scent is mixed with heavy animal fat like butter, it tends to have an unpleasant taste, but instead, it was subtle at the end and mingled with the fragrant scent of the spices.
Now that I think about it, I could see some fruit among the garnishes that came with it. For steak and fruit, this was a bit fresh. Of course, there were often cases where fruits, including pineapple, were added to sauces or garnishes as surimi. However, it has been rare to preserve the flavor of meat while preserving the aroma of fruit like this. Hyangneung also seemed to appreciate this point.
Because her fork and knife were moving hard. I was also hungry, so I decided to eat it gratefully. The judges were also nodding their heads with satisfaction.
“It’s delicious. The combination with this ‘Plump Lotus Seafood Soup’ is especially impressive. Adding the freshness of land, sea, and fruit… “Great!”
It was a slightly cringy review, but Brook nodded his head and walked away with a proud look on his face. Cooking competitions had to have exaggerated parts like this.
While I was shaking my head, it was my turn. The “High Stack” I made definitely surpassed Brooke’s dish in terms of visuals. Because it was high.
“It’s ‘Building High’. As everyone knows, it is Mond’s home dish and a representative dish of the Harpastum festival. “I made it because I thought it would fit the festival atmosphere.”
I quickly finished explaining before anyone could speak. I didn’t know this when I was cooking, but I felt burdened talking about the food I made in front of many people. To be more precise, I was embarrassed. At this moment, I couldn’t help but acknowledge Brooke’s confidence.
The judges also picked up their dishes again without saying anything. They are humans too, so there is no way they would like to do this or that while they were hungry. I also picked up one layer from the “Building High” In front of me and placed it on Hyangneung’s plate, and placed another layer on my plate.
The knife moved. The outside of the fried meat felt a little rough due to the Maillard reaction. However, when the surface was broken through, the meat juices trapped inside flowed out. I could tell its moist texture just by looking at it.
The texture was great. The juicy meat was moist, and the exterior, fried in high-temperature oil, had a rough yet crispy texture. Of course, the unique savory taste of meat was added. And the soggy melted cheese sticks to your tongue. The salty taste and the fluffy, savory taste of potatoes. Just when it felt a little oily, a fresh scent burst out from the stem of the lantern flower.
The Biok vegetable wrap made by Hyangneung was also delicious. From the light yet clean aftertaste unique to vegetable broth to the salty stimulation of the ham wrapped in cabbage. The soup had a subtle spicy flavor from pickled peppers. It seems to wash away the oil-soaked tongue, but whets up the appetite at the last moment. It was a dish that was faithful to its role as a side dish.
“…… “It’s delicious.”
This was Venti’s evaluation. It was literally a ‘delicious’ dish. A dish that is faithful to its original purpose of ‘taste’. Above all, it was popular, so there were many people who would like it. There is probably no one who has not tried “Stacking High” At Mond, and the Biok Vegetable Wrap was also a sufficient replica of the delicacy of Liyue gourmet cuisine.
Evaluations were divided at that point. Brook emphasized clear features and also made fresh attempts to achieve this. However, the judges of this festival were not renowned gourmets. There were over a hundred tourists gathered here, and the only people with high reputations who happened to be invited to the judging panel.
In the end, Mr. Duraf and Venti raised my hand in succession, and Keia, who was the last of the judges, consciously raised Brook’s hand. Tourists who sampled the dish also came out and voted for Brooke in a ratio of approximately 2:1. Brooke soon became sullen and slumped his shoulders.
However, Brook did not end like that. Brook gained momentum again and declared to me and Hyangreung.
“I have no choice but to admit it today, but next time…” “I will win!”
At the obvious loser’s line, Keia gasped and burst out laughing. I just shook my head as if I couldn’t stop him, and Hyang-reung was the only one who took his words seriously.
“Yes, let’s work harder together in the future. And today’s cooking was delicious!”
Then, Brooke and Hyang-reung shook hands warmly. For some reason, I felt like I was a bridesmaid, but I actually liked it. Anyway, I live in a different world than those two. It was enough for me to just take a step back while Hyangneung and Brooke were filming a hot-blooded youth cooking cartoon. I just hope there will be less troublesome things in the future.
It was about time when I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if everything was over now. I looked at the doll that suddenly approached me. He had a small and delicate body that made it hard to believe he was a man, and light green eyes. It was Venti.
For some reason, he was holding a bouquet of flowers in his arms. Cecilia flowers and windmill chrysanthemums stood out. I suddenly accepted the bouquet.
Venti shouted in a voice filled with laughter, with a mischievous smile on his face.
“Okay, then the winner of the cooking competition will be given a bouquet of flowers as a prize… At Mond’s Windbloom Festival, there is a tradition of dedicating love poems to loved ones along with flowers. “Today is not the Windbloom Festival period, but I will give you the opportunity to give a bouquet of flowers to the person in particular that comes to mind right now.”
I opened my eyes wide. My eyes quickly turned to Venti. What I meant was that it was some kind of modification. But Venti didn’t even pretend to see me. Keia was giggling as if it was fun, and the tourists, including Mr. Duraf, were looking at me with interest.
I could hear the people of Mond whispering. ‘Honorary knight?’, ‘No, it might be Fissle’, ‘I heard what the astrologer said last time…’ ….’ Stories like that. Their eyes were shining brightly, and I thought that if I refused the bouquet like this, the atmosphere would be ruined.
This was the climate in Mond. He was so ‘free’ that he never criticized anyone for anything they did. The issue of women, which had initially tarnished my reputation, had long since degenerated into nothing more than an interesting topic of interest for the people of Mond. I heard they were making a bet on who I would end up with.
It was a move thrown in during such times. As soon as Venti finished speaking, the people of Mond whistled and clapped. This meant that I should pick it quickly and not take it out anymore. Just today, I regretted becoming famous in Mond. If I hadn’t done that, my private life wouldn’t have become widely known.
I gritted my teeth and glared at Venti. But Venti merely winked one of his eyes playfully. But it wasn’t for me to suffer like this.
A thought suddenly appeared in my head. It was a brilliant idea. At least that’s what I think now. I suppressed my laughter and walked away holding the bouquet.
I could feel the gazes of Lumine, Mona, and Fissle. As soon as I took my first steps, silence fell over the once noisy Sammul Village. Everyone was looking at where my toes were pointing. Once separated, my steps were unstoppable. I soon stood in front of where I was aiming.
The girl tilted her head. As if he didn’t know why I approached him. I handed her her bouquet without saying anything.
“Hyangling, thank you for helping me today.”
At those words, everyone held their breath. Everyone seemed surprised, but not as surprised as Xiangling. Hyangneung looked at me blankly as if asking what I was talking about, then her eyes became round, and finally her face started to heat up.
“…… Nana?”
When asked, pointing at myself with a finger, I nodded silently. And he placed a bouquet of flowers in her arms. Hyangneung suddenly took her bouquet in her arms. It was a sight of a cute girl holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. There was no way it wouldn’t be a painting.
“Are you asking me to give a bouquet of flowers to ‘the person who comes to mind right now’?”
As I said that, I glanced at Venti. Venti smiled bitterly as if he couldn’t stop him. He didn’t have to choose between Lumine, Mona, and Fissle. Hyangneung helped me a lot as my partner today. So there is no problem even if you give a bouquet of flowers.
Tourists sighed. The faces looked sad that they had missed out on such an interesting sight. I snorted inwardly when I saw that reaction. I know who would treat me like that.
But what was unexpected was Hyangneung’s reaction.
Hyang Lung’s face began to heat up as if it would explode. Her gaze was wandering here and there, unable to find any direction. After a moment of hesitation, she looked at me, but when our eyes met, she was startled and looked away again.
Why is she doing this? I called her name in a worried voice.
“…… “Hyangneung?”
At my words, Hyangneung jumped up as if she had come to her senses. Then she looked at me again, lowered her gaze, and began to stammer.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Well, so…” Me, I… Ugh!”
Then, with Hyangneung holding the bouquet in her arms, she immediately started running. To a place she doesn’t know where she is. The crowd that had surrounded Hyangneung and me moved away with a look of bewilderment. The road that was created soon became the escape route for Hyangneung.
“I have some urgent business to attend to, so I’ll just leave!” See you all next time!”
Hyangneung’s last comment, which seemed to be a hasty excuse to anyone, was just echoing in the wake of her departure. I had no choice but to stand still. I couldn’t understand it at all. How are things going now?
But the moment Venti chuckled and Keia burst into laughter, I had a hunch. Something is going wrong.
My eyes landed on where Lumine, Mona, and Fissul were. And I was sure.
The eyes of the three were cold and sunken. I guess I ended up shaking hands.
As expected, Hyangneung was the polar opposite of me.