Creative Cuisine
The day of the cook-off...
Gilbert: How do you do? I am Gilbert, the chef who will be representing Seven Leaves.
Gilbert: I thank you for having me here today. I cannot tell you how proud I am to be taking over such a splendid establishment.
Gilbert: Gracious, forgive me! I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, aren't I? Ha ha ha!
Picaro: Urk! Why, you...!
Valerio: Keep your head on, Picaro. Settle it at the stovetop.
Mitsuba: We've spent three whole days preparing these new recipes—now it's time to wield them as weapons of culinary might!
Waiter: I will now explain the rules for this cooking contest.
Waiter: Our theme will be "creative cuisine." In the interest of fairness, we've selected judges from a pool of local citizens.
Waiter: The rules are simple: whosoever impresses the most judges with their dishes wins!
Waiter: Chefs, to your stations! Let the culinary battle...BEGIN!
Valerio: Do it just like we practiced, you two. Let's get this food made.
Mitsuba: Heck yeah. I'll prep the vegetables. Picaro, you're on spice duty. You good with that?
Picaro: But of course! I must participate to legitimize my reclamation of L'Amandier!
Gilbert: (Picaro aside, there certainly seems to be a fire inside those other two chefs.)
Gilbert: (Ah, but creative cuisine is the forte of Chef Nazuna, and I, her dedicated pupil, simply cannot lose!)
Gilbert: Et voilà! Now to plate and serve!
Gilbert: Ta for now, everyone. The judges are about to embark on a culinary journey, with me as their humble guide.
Mitsuba: H-how is he already done?
Valerio: Speed IS one of the pillars upon which Seven Leaves bases its reputation. Picaro, how are things on your end?
Picaro: S-seasoning will be finished momentarily!
Mitsuba: These are the spices you're using, right? ...*hurk* Sweet Amaterasu, are you TRYING to murder our taste buds, Picaro?!
Picaro: What do you mean? I'm sure I added the proper amount of salt, so— *gag* SWEET! TOO SWEET!
Mitsuba: Literally ALL you had to do was mix up the spice blend! How did you manage to hit the complete opposite end of the flavor spectrum?!
Picaro: ...Because I am a misunderstood genius?
Mitsuba: Tell me you're joking.
Picaro: Because a recipe is useless in my hands! It matters not how closely I follow directions—my food always ends up tasting foul!
Mitsuba: Are you kidding me right now? We practiced for three days straight, and THIS is what it comes to? Well, now what?
Valerio: Hrm... There's no time to remake it. We need to leverage this flavor as-is.
Picaro: R-right! Think! Think of a way to make something delicious using my too-sweet meat! Now go forth, my disciples! COOK!
Mitsuba: *sigh* You're something else, man. But yeah, if we need to use sweet meat, then...
Gilbert: Your dinner is served, dear guests. This is a Seven Leaves specialty:
Gilbert: Hinomoto-style Roast Beef.
Customer 1: Oooh, roast beef? Doesn't look all that creative at first blink, but let's give 'er a taste.
Customer 2: It's delicious! What IS this? A pleasant crunch, mixed with a slightly bittersweet flavor, yet so refreshing on the palate!
Gilbert: It is grated daikon radish, flavored with watercress and a balsamic vinegar.
Gilbert: Ah, but that is not all. The meat was marinated in a kombu dashi broth for a rich, distinctly Hinomotoan flavor.
Customer 1: Mm. A fusion of Hinomotoan and Alberian flavors... Just the sort of creative triumph I'd expect from Seven Leaves!
Gilbert: You honor me. It's almost a shame that the winner of this contest is already clear when poor Picaro is still cooking.
???: As if I would allow such a thing!
Picaro: Feast your eyes and mouths upon THIS!
Gilbert: Th-that food, it's...!
Mitsuba: Heh heh! Yup. A Hinomoto classic. Behold, Salty-Sweet Braised Pork Belly— known in the common parlance as kakuni!
Gilbert: Oho, but did your menu not originally call for your meat to be sautéed?
Gilbert: Could it be that in an attempt to gloss over a blunder, you hastily reworked your dish?
Mitsuba: That's for us to know and you to...not. As for whether we're trying to "gloss over" something, we'll let the judges decide.
Mitsuba: Now then, esteemed judges! Please enjoy!
Customer 1: Hmm. So this is based upon a Hinomotoan dish? Let's just have a bite...
Gilbert: (Heh. Pointless. A long simmer over low heat is essential for kakuni. Their last-minute change of plans means that the flavor won't have penetrated the meat.)
Customer 1: This... THIS IS DELICIOUS!
Gilbert: What?!
Customer 2: This is truly, marvelously delicious! The pork simply melts in the mouth!
Customer 1: Mm! I'm getting notes of tomato, celery...and is that onion? Such comforting, familiar Alberian flavors!
Customer 2: Familiar...yet new! I can't get enough of this! I like this more than the last dish!
Customer 1: Me too! Please, chef, another serving!
Gilbert: Of all the idiotic—how did they manage to season and braise a perfect pork kakuni in such a short time?!
Valerio: We employed a basic technique for cooking meat in Alberia, which is to slice meat finely, and through the muscle, which reduces its toughness.
Mitsuba: Then we used a technique from Hinomoto—starting the meat in cold water and heating it slowly—to keep it oh-so-tender.
Picaro: And the pièce de résistance was my custom L'Amandier cooking pot!
Gilbert: A-a cooking pot, you say?
Picaro: Verily! It is a custom-made device, handed down from one generation of L'Amandier chefs to the next!
Picaro: It is a special sealing pot that applies both heat AND high pressure to the food, drastically reducing cooking time!
Picaro: A rokkan smith was paid a tidy sum to create this marvel of kitchen engineering. We call it...a PRESSURE COOKER!
Valerio: We combined the cooking techniques of Alberia and Hinomoto, along with L'Amandier's unique cookware...
Mitsuba: ...making it possible for us to tenderize the meat in a flash.
Gilbert: N-no! A chef of Seven Leaves losing a battle of creative cuisine...?! It cannot be!
???: Stop this, Gilbert. It's disgraceful.
Nazuna: The judges have decided. We have lost.
Gilbert: C-Chef Nazuna!
Mitsuba: So you came too, huh?
Nazuna: I just got here. I knew the match was almost over, so I assumed I'd be coming by to take over my new restaurant.
Nazuna: Well, whatever. A loss is a loss. As I promised, I'll back off...for now.
Nazuna: But are you sure there isn't something more important you should be doing with your time, Mitsuba?
Mitsuba: What's that supposed to mean?
Nazuna: Heh heh heh... You'll know before long. Come, Gilbert. We're leaving.
Gilbert: Er, yes, ma'am.
Picaro: WHAT A RELIEF! Thank you, beloved rivals! I shall be happy to repay the favor by hiring you on as line cooks at L'Amandier! Or dishwashers—whatever you prefer!
Valerio: How magnanimous of you. I'm good, though.
Mitsuba: (I'm glad we were able to save L'Amandier, but what in the world was Nazuna talking about...?)
|