Chapter 94: Lunch
As I entrusted the walls to others and climbed onto the roof, I noticed that the orange-tinted tiles were cracked in several places.
The color of the tiles is almost the same for every house. It’s partly because they’re made from the same clay, but they remain unglazed. The red hue comes from the iron oxide in the soil, which retains its red ochre color due to the reduced firing process that requires less firewood. The shades vary slightly from red to orange, with a hint of brown depending on the town, but they’re mostly unglazed.
It rains less here than in Japan, which is a relief, but even without cracks, there are leaks… Unglazed tiles absorb water!
I wonder if the cracks are due to the chimney sweep climbing up on the roof? Most of the workers at the chimney cleaning service are kids, so they’re light, but they still cause cracks. Unglazed tiles are fragile, after all.
Tiles that are properly fired in a reduction process turn dark. They have a low water absorption rate and don’t leak. I’ve never seen glazed tiles, so the roofs of wealthy houses are usually dark.
I prefer to keep the red tiles to avoid drawing attention. So far, I’ve only noticed a couple of spots where it seems to be leaking, but nothing too serious.
I remove the cracked tiles and replace them with new ones. For the courtyard window, I would use glass if it weren’t so visible from the outside, but since the chimney sweeper can see it clearly, I’ve given up on that. The interior is nice, but I prefer not to alter the exterior too much.
The stone floor on the first floor is fine, but the wooden floors on the second and third floors are quite worn, so I plan to replace a few sections. This house, which I plan to rent out, is being repaired with materials I can get from Kanum.
“Let’s have lunch.”
“Sure!”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Yes, Lord Jean’s cooking is always delicious.”
When I called out, all three of them looked pleased, and I felt a bit uplifted too. While the butler brewed tea, I got everything ready.
Today’s menu is a mushroom and macaroni gratin, which I prepared yesterday. I just need to sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on top and adjust the charcoal in the oven to get a nice crust. I’ll also slice some French bread, spread it with butter, garlic, and olive oil, and toast it.
As I set the table and served the pot-au-feu that had been simmering in the fireplace, both dishes were ready. The macaroni and mushroom gratin, garlic toast, and pot-au-feu. For dessert, I made chiffon cake.
I offered a prayer to the spirits before starting to eat. Now, how does it taste?
“Delicious!”
“This is something else…”
“Yummy!”
The cooking here tends to be either cutting, boiling, or baking, so I always feel a bit anxious. It could either be praised as delicious or criticized as unpalatable due to unfamiliarity.
Salt, cheese, and herbs are commonly used, so that gives me a bit of reassurance.
I waited to see everyone’s reactions before digging in. Yeah, it’s tasty, but I think the heat from working made it a bit too hot for my liking. That was a slight miscalculation.
“I like the top part.”
“I prefer the creamy inside…”
“This soup is also delicious.”
I worked hard on the consommé for the pot-au-feu, so they should praise me for that. The endless struggle with scum was a true nightmare. I had planned to make a basic broth in bulk, but it turned into quite the ordeal.
Ah, but the cabbage, which I just chopped and tossed in, is soft and sweet. It’s not the deep green cabbage they have here, but rather the kind I’m used to seeing in Japan—my own homegrown cabbage, and no one seems to question it.
“I want some wine.”
“Not with work to do.”
I replied to Retze, who mumbled that while nibbling on his garlic toast. We do have a low-alcohol wine on the table, but it seems that for Retze, this low-alcohol option is more like water than actual wine.
“By the way, were you okay after the drinking party?”
You were rolled onto the floor despite the cold.
Ash seemed a bit fidgety, but I decided to let it slide. He wasn’t overly loud or bothersome, so I didn’t think much of it.
Just be careful not to get too drunk outside.
“Well, I’m used to sleeping on the floor and dealing with drunks. The trick is to get drunk before they do.”
Retze grinned as he raised his wine cup.
I don’t need any tricks like that.
The Gold Rank party is quite large. While the higher-ranking members are fine, the lower-ranking ones seem eager to earn some quick cash and frequently go hunting. There have been many disputes with the original adventurers, so Retze and Ash have been avoiding the forest.
There are only a few hunting grounds that can be reached in a day from the town, and it’s not just about the Gold Rank party; when there are too many people, it’s bound to cause trouble.
But it’s not so bad for me since I’m getting help with the renovations.
“Mmm…”
Ash looked quite satisfied as he enjoyed the chiffon cake.
The maple chiffon cake was generously topped with light whipped cream.
“This has a strange texture. It’s fluffy and seems to melt away…”
“Sweet treats are often dense and serve as preserved food, so this is quite rare. The ingredients aren’t particularly unusual, though.”
Sweets here are indeed rare, but they tend to be heavy and dense.
The lack of variety is due to a recent decree that only allowed artisans to make sweets during special holidays, which is understandable. They prioritized using wheat for bread over luxury items, so anything other than bread made with flour could only be made at home.
Only those who could harvest their own ingredients or wealthy individuals with chefs could enjoy sweets. Gradually, they were allowed to mix cheese and bacon into bread, and sweet bread became acceptable—places like Naruadeid already have confectioners.
In the first place, very few households have their own bread ovens; most only have a hearth or fireplace. For sweets, you either buy from a baker or from a street vendor selling bread made by an apprentice.
Sugar is precious, so most sweets are salty or cheesy, but in Kanum, maple-flavored treats have become a little delight for the common folk.
“Want some more syrup?”
I’m satisfied with the sweetness of the chiffon cake, but I have a small bottle of maple syrup ready for those with a sweet tooth.
“I’m perfectly content as is.”
Retze seems to prefer savory flavors. I guess that’s just because he likes alcohol.
“Me too.”
The butler doesn’t seem to favor sweet things much; he probably prefers lighter dishes like pot-au-feu over gratin.
“I’d like some.”
Ash seems to have gone a bit overboard with the syrup.