Chapter 003: Clear Noodle Soup from Another World
Without an iron pot, but with a clay pot, Bruno stared at the lively fire until a faint aroma of noodles wafted from the clay pot, causing Bruno's stomach to betray him with a growl
As soon as he woke up, Bruno decided to roll up his sleeves and take matters into his own hands
Although Bruno in his previous life did not cook much at home, he had seen pigs run even if he had never eaten pork, so he managed to make noodles somewhat skillfully
"Yes, yes... it is the food of a petty person." The servant stammered in fear and quickly replied
Upon hearing these words, although he had anticipated it, Bruno was still somewhat shocked; this world... indeed seems too barren...
As for the tasks of the system ... let's first fill our stomachs before anything else, after all, there is plenty of time ahead, and we cannot rush things.
Is this your food for today
At this moment, it was precisely the time for the servants to dine. When Bruno arrived, the servants were gathered in small groups, enjoying their dinner for the day
However, sugar production is not an immediate priority at present
It seems that in the future, one must take the time to produce sugar, as this is a lucrative opportunity right before us
"The Count truly is a person of great wisdom!" Swallowing his saliva, Shabi immediately flattered.
Not only is the taste poor, but the quantity is also limited, and even when sprinkling salt, one does so with great caution, not daring to be extravagant in the slightest
Although the process was somewhat bumpy, the final outcome was quite good
In this world, the method of producing sugar from beets has certainly not yet been discovered; at least in the memories of this unfortunate soul I have inhabited, beets are merely a simple vegetable used for making soup
Get up, this time I will teach you how to make this noodle dish, and you can study it well in the future
In this era, there appears to be an insurmountable chasm between the nobility and the commoners; therefore, Bruno's actions today are considered extremely rude by most nobles
As he looked at the unevenly thick and thin noodles piled on the board, Bruno finally felt a faint sense of joy in his heart
As for the meat, there is quite a bit of jerky hanging by the window in the kitchen, not only the common beef and lamb but also some game. However, perhaps due to being stored for too long, the surface of the meat is covered with a layer of mold, making it look stale at first glance, not to mention the faint sour smell lingering in the air.
Can one change this barren and backward world by oneself
Although Old Fort still wanted to say something, he held back. Well, if it is impolite, then so be it; as long as it is not spoken of outside.
"In response to your Excellency, the Earl, having such black bread to eat can already be considered a day that one can enjoy in a paradise on earth. The old steward, being kind-hearted, provides the children with black bread made from barley, oats, or rye. Although it is mixed with some bran and peas, it is still much more delicious than ordinary black bread."
Bruno kneaded the dough below with his hands and found it had developed some elasticity, so he simply tore off a piece and began to roll it out on the countertop with a rolling pin
Compared to those commoners who struggle to make ends meet, my own life seems to be much better off
"My lord, you are truly impressive, capable of everything!" said Shabi with a cheerful compliment from the side
That is natural. Although ordinary commoners can occasionally catch a few fish to improve their lives, this black bread remains the staple food of their daily diet. Moreover, the bread they eat is often mixed with many small stones, sand, bran, and weeds, making it not only difficult to chew but also extremely unpalatable. In some cases, they can only grind cheap crops like peas and acorns into flour to make bread
Bruno : " ... ... "
The sudden arrival of the lord made the servants, who were eating, feel uneasy, while the cook, who was washing the ingredients, was so frightened that he nearly lost his wits
Upon hearing Bruno's question, Shabir, who was standing nearby, quickly replied
After surveying the surroundings, it seems that... only noodles are the simplest option
The first floor of the castle, the lord's kitchen
Is this truly a paradise on earth? Could it be that others are faring even worse? Bruno could not help but ask
"My lord, are you going to cook yourself?" Shabi asked softly
Bruno had long heard of the black bread of the Middle Ages, and there were faint impressions in the memories of his original self, but it was not until today that he finally saw it with his own eyes
The cooking utensils are quite simple, and the understanding of cooking among people in this world is still limited to stewing, roasting, and boiling. As a result, there are no iron woks, which has shattered Bruno's dream of eating stir-fried dishes
Evening
Bruno has had enough of dealing with barely edible white bread all day long, so what he most wants to do now is to cultivate a qualified chef as soon as possible
"Is it acceptable for me not to do it myself? Moreover, the cook at home indeed has limited skills, so I might as well give him some pointers," Bruno said with a hint of helplessness.
Old Ford furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice
Bruno approached as if he had discovered a new continent, quickly walking over to pick up the few beets and examining them closely, for beets are an important raw material for sugar production on Earth
It is impossible to take action personally; as a noble, one must possess the awareness of nobility
Commanding the cook to scoop out a large bowl of flour, add water to knead the dough, and then carefully knead it repeatedly in a clay basin
Due to the underdeveloped methods of salt production in the other world, the common people mostly use coarse salt, which has a bitter taste. Even for nobles like Bruno, the salt they consume on a daily basis is not much better.
Bruno curiously picked up a piece of bread that was black, hard, and rough
It must be said that the ingredients in the kitchen are not as singular as Bruno had previously imagined. The fruits include not only common varieties such as apples, lemons, and peaches, but also many unknown berries foraged from the wild. The vegetables consist of kale, onions, celery, radishes, and... beets
In order to preserve meat products, most people in this world tend to dry the meat for storage, and they do not use too much salt.
The noodles are served, then a bit of lard and salt are added, and the mingling aromas of the oil and the noodles rise in wisps of steam, making one salivate just from the smell
In this world, the only source of sugar is wild honey, which is rare and hard to come by; therefore, sugar is particularly precious in this world
Old Ford merely nodded. Although he had watched Bruno grow up, it was Bruno who was the true master of this land. If it were not for Bruno's trust in him, his status would be no different from that of an ordinary servant
While the dough was resting, Bruno selected a few vegetables that appeared relatively fresh and instructed the servant to wash them thoroughly
In this world, apart from nobles like Bruno, most ordinary people can only have two meals a day, namely breakfast and dinner
Only after all the servants in the kitchen had risen did Bruno carefully examine the ingredients and utensils in the kitchen
"It depends on the situation..." Bruno said casually
Do you usually eat this?
How can this be allowed? It is inappropriate for a noble such as yourself, my lord, to be in a place like this, let alone to take matters into your own hands. If this were to get out, it would tarnish your noble reputation
The chef who was kneading the dough was startled when he heard Bruno say that his skills were limited, and he immediately knelt down on the ground, saying, "I am a worthless person, unable to prepare dishes to your liking..."
Thick and hard, that's right, this is probably the legendary black bread...
Bruno looked left and right with the piece of black bread in hand, and then struck it a few times against the stove beside him, producing a duangduang sound as the black bread collided with the stove