Chapter 276
Rosalia's POV
Hmm, this is troublesome.
My plan was almost the same as Fleur's.
I managed to get Kazuma's recipe too, but it seems useless now.
Time is running short, and changing plans from here on out is difficult.
If I continue like this, I will either tie with Fleur or lose.
It would have been better to take the first place, but there is nothing I can do about it.
Kazuma's specialty is cream stew, so I can't win with any other menu.
Moreover, now that Serena-sama can perfectly recreate cream stew, using the same dish won't lead to victory.
Once Fleur chose cream stew, this recipe became useless.
I'm really troubled.
Serena-sama's father seems to know the taste of the food's founder and now that Serena-sama can reproduce that taste, making the ultimate or supreme dish would be pointless.
When Serena-sama tasted Fleur's cooking, I remember he said...
"This was made by Fleur? It's delicious... It tastes just like the ones my father and I make."
He was deeply moved.
But he didn't call it "Mother's"...
If I think about a comeback from here, there's only one option: "recreating mother's taste."
The dishes filled with mother's love, that's what I'll use for the competition.
* * *
Kohane or Jimna Village, which one is better?
From what I heard from Serena-sama before, his mother is from Jimna Village.
After that, they lived in Kohane.
It's a tough decision... Kohane's seafood or Jimna Village's hot pot.
One of them is likely the best option.
Information is power.
Alright then, let's do my best...
* * *
First, Kohane's famous seafood.
Among them, sashimi is highly regarded.
But no matter how hard I try, it's impossible... It will rot before I can transport it here.
In that case, how about using fish available in the Empire?
Unfortunately, they will definitely pale in comparison.
So, there's no choice but to use what Jimna Village has to offer.
However... Is it fine to use such a strange ingredient?
But if I use something ordinary, I won't stand a chance.
In that case, I have no choice but to bet on this.
* * *
To serve this dish, I need to come to the forest.
"Why do we have to come to the forest at night?" Serena-sama asked.
"Well, creatures other than beasts rarely attack here, and no one in our group will lose to a beast, so it should be fine." Fleur explained.
"And I want to make this dish!"
I show the picture of Jimna Village's hot pot.
"I see, you came up with a good idea! The one mother and father used to talk about, are you going to do this?" Serena-sama inquired.
"Yes."
"It's just soup in the pot... Is a soup without any ingredients considered a dish?" Fleur asked.
"Rosalia, are you giving up on the competition?" Elsa asked.
Rosalia said, "No, it's not that... This is Jimna Village's specialty, the 'Forest Dark Hot Pot.'"
"You really know a lot! That's amazing! It's a dish from my mother and father's hometown! I've never had it before... So, what's the time limit?" Serena-sama exclaimed.
Rosalia asked, "How about 2 hours?"
"Sounds good! Is everyone okay with that?" Serena-sama asked.
"What do you mean?" Fleur inquired.
"What are we going to do?" Elsa asked.
"Ahem, let me explain! This is Jimna Village's specialty, the 'Forest Dark Hot Pot.' We set a time limit, and everyone gathers and hunts for ingredients, then we cook them in the pot and eat it... Do you understand? Now, everyone, on your marks, get set, go!"
"Okay then, I'm off." Serena-sama said.
"We have to bring our own ingredients... I see," Fleur noted.
"It's quite interesting, I got it," Elsa agreed.
While I'm in charge of the pot, I'll wait and just put the ingredients that everyone brings into the pot.
* * *
"I'm back with the hunt."
The first one to return is Elsa...
"You went hunting... that?"
"Yeah, it's a bear! It's okay to use large animals, right?"
Intentionally bringing back large animals that are difficult to cook... Excellent.
"Leave it there! I'll handle the butchering."
"Can you handle it?" Elsa asked.
"We don't have bears, but both I and Fleur have done something similar many times, so it's easy!"
"How many times?"
"It's better not to ask."
Now then, butchering, butchering... I should be able to manage a bear...
"Rosalia, I brought back some mushrooms."
And now Fleur was the next one...
"Mushrooms?"
"Well, Rosalia, I thought you'd be good at sorting mushrooms."
She's testing me, huh?
"Fleur, well done. This is edible, but isn't this a poisonous mushroom? Even an ogre would die from this!"
"As expected of Rosalia, you're right."
"Fleur, remember, Serena-sama will also eat this, not just us. What are you doing? And Elsa, you're the only one among the three who doesn't know if it's a poisonous mushroom or not."
"That's right!"
"Seriously, both of you have strong guts!"
As I said this to the two of them, Serena-sama appeared.
"I can't fail... But I'm the last one, huh?"
"Serena-sama has rabbit and wild vegetables?"
"In a Forest Dark Hot Pot, it's best to go for safe ingredients... Putting in something strange will only strangle yourself."
"Then, let me handle the cooking, Serena-sama"
I'll cook and simmer the gathered ingredients to complete the dish.
* * *
"Mmm, the broth is flavorful and delicious."
"Now, now, Serena-sama, I have refills for you, so eat as much as you want."
"Thank you."
"Rosalia, it's undoubtedly delicious, but can we call this a dish?"
"Yeah, since you had others gather the ingredients, it can't be considered something made by just one person."
"Fleur, Elsa, it's up to Serena-sama to judge."
"Well, it's definitely delicious and fun, everyone! And yes, I think it's fine to call it homemade cooking. But it's difficult to evaluate, so I'll exclude it from this competition."
"Exclude it?"
I asked.
"Yes, because it's unlikely we can reproduce the same taste again, right?"
"I see... You're right."
Well, there's no helping it.
Excluding it means it's not a loss.
This should be enough.
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