Hero's Mother After – Chapter 59 Fleur's Case, A Familiar Taste
Fleur's POV
Serena-sama wanted something for the first time.
Though he always gives me various things, he never desires anything for himself. That's just how Serena-sama is.
I felt determined to impress him, so I decided to prepare a special dish that would capture Serena-sama's heart.
Cooking is, in fact, quite simple.
Considering I'm the Black Rose, creating poisons is all about following the recipe.
And cooking is no different.
Cooking merely involves taking specific ingredients, in predetermined quantities, and cooking them accurately to get the final result.
It's a piece of cake, isn't it?
I spent money to obtain the recipe from a renowned restaurant in the capital city.
Now all I have to do is get the ingredients as per the recipe and prepare them accordingly. That should be no problem.
Medicine and cooking are the same in this regard.
Now then, let's do my best.
After much consideration, I decided to go with the restaurant's specialty: Cream Stew.
What Serena-sama desires is something handmade.
As for the meat… well, of course, it should be fresh.
"Poor birdie, I'll make it painless for you. Hehehe."
I swiftly snapped the bird's neck.
Then, I plucked its feathers and hung it up.
To drain the blood.
Next, I cut the vegetables into their respective sizes.
I also prepared all the necessary seasonings.
From here on, if I follow the secret recipe I bought, there should be no problem.
Yes, undoubtedly, it will be delicious.
The question is, what to do from here?
Up to this point, the dish is first-rate, but I'm sure Rosalia will prepare something equally impressive.
So, from here, it's about my 'unique ingenuity.'
Firstly, I'll enhance the seasoning a bit.
This way, if the dishes made by the other two are bland, Serena-sama won't find them tasty anymore.
Furthermore, certain fruits' peels are intoxicating.
I'll add some dried and powdered peels of those fruits.
Eating this, he will undoubtedly get addicted.
Of course, I'll adjust the amount carefully, so he won't get too addicted.
By doing this, he should think, 'I want to eat her dish even when I try others.'
Throughout these three days of the cooking competition, if he spend it with such feelings, my victory will be secured.
This time, 'cooking is a battle.'
So, it's not only about creating delicious dishes but also about devising ways to make the other two's cooking taste inferior.
And, it's about ensuring he chooses my dish.
Only then can I truly achieve a complete victory.
Serena's POV
"Now, Serena-sama, Fleur's special stew is ready. Please enjoy it to your heart's content."
"This was made by Fleur? It's delicious... It tastes just like the ones my father and I make."
"Indeed," Rosalia chimed in, "it's incredibly delicious."
"Oh," Elsa added, "it reminds me of the taste at the restaurant."
Indeed, it's incredibly delicious and has a nostalgic flavor, but...
It feels somewhat lacking.
"I'm glad you like it. This stew is made from the recipe of the famous 'Restaurant Kazuma' in the capital city. So, being delicious is only natural. I added my secret seasoning to it."
"Isn't that cheating?" Rosalia questioned, raising an eyebrow. "It feels more like reproducing a dish from someone else's recipe rather than Fleur's handmade dish, doesn't it?"
"Technically, since it was made by Fleur," Elsa noted, "it can be called handmade, but I understand what you mean."
Serena looked at Rosalia and Elsa, curious. "What are you trying to say?"
"It feels like it's not Fleur's dish," Rosalia explained, "but a copy of a dish from a renowned restaurant. Almost the same thing can be eaten at 'Kazuma.'"
"Hmm, I get a somewhat similar feeling," Elsa added.
"But I'm the one who made it, so it's still handmade."
So, this is the current 'Kazuma' Cream Stew.
What should I do?
Kazuma was someone my father admired like a big brother. He was the origin of my father's cooking, and I learned to cook from him.
Certainly, it's delicious.
However, this is not the 'authentic Kazuma' stew.
Still...
'The handmade stew Fleur made for me.'
That makes me really happy.
But, I can't compromise on this taste.
"Fleur, it was incredibly delicious. Thank you... but could I try making something similar?"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because I'll teach you how to make the real Kazuma's Cream Stew."
"""Yes?"""
We still have the ingredients, so I can make it. I skillfully start making the stew.
If I can make it up to this point, Fleur can surely recreate this flavor.
At least it tastes better than the first time I learned to make it.
Draining the blood from the bird, I'll take more care in the prepping process, cooking it until it easily falls apart in the mouth.
And for the vegetables, I'll ensure they hold their shape but feel soft when you take a bite...
While making sure the stew's flavor is deeply infused.
This is the 'authentic Kazuma' Cream Stew.
"It's done! Here you go."
"I should have perfectly recreated Kazuma's stew."
"It's alright, try it."
"Is it better than the other one?"
"It's not as homely, but it's incredibly delicious."
As I said that, the three of them tasted the stew with their spoons.
"""Mmm!"""
"What do you think?"
"This is incredibly delicious! It's several ranks above what we had at 'Kazuma'," Fleur exclaimed.
"Yeah, when I compare them, they are completely different. Yes, it's delicious," Rosalia agreed.
"Oh, it's so delicious... it's on a different level," Elsa added.
"How about that? This is the taste of 'Kazuma' that I learned from my father. I appreciated that Fleur cooked it for me, but it's the taste of memories with my father, so I can't give it up. I'm sorry."
"It's fine... But wait, Serena-sama, your father was a chef?" Fleur inquired.
"To be able to create dishes that surpass the Three-Star Restaurant Kazuma in the capital city is amazing! It's like the return of the Food King Kazuma," Rosalia remarked.
Food King Kazuma? What's that!?
"What's Food King Kazuma?"
"He was a person whom Ceres-sama, who went from being a hero to a god, admired like a big brother. He created numerous legendary dishes. I even know about him."
He was such an amazing person?
So, Dad admired him like a brother, and he was Haruka Mom's ex-husband.
"I see. Well, never mind! Thanks to Fleur, I remembered this nostalgic taste... Here, take this."
"What is this?"
"It's the recipe for the authentic Kazuma's Cream Stew. You can use this from now on."
"The recipe for Food King Kazuma's stew... Are you really giving this to me?"
"I feel a bit empty making it myself, so I'll ask Fleur to handle it from now on."
"It's my responsibility! I'll cherish the recipe for Food King Kazuma and make it with care."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you."
But, Kazuma-san... He was an incredible person.
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