TL: ShimizuA
*Unedited
Mayonnaise and A Little Uproar (Part 1)
After they had completely recovered from their injuries, Tsukasa and the others begun to help the village with their own share of work. Same as Riruru, Tsukasa helped in meal-duty because he has used to make meal for himself because he lived alone. Each household in Elm village didn't have kitchen, all the food was kept in the storage and prepared in a cave at the village outskirt, and the villagers would ate it at village office that also doubled as village chief's home, or they would took the meal together in the plaza.
Therefore the morning for Tsukasa and the others who in meal-duty was early.(故に司たち食事係の朝は早い。) Since the mountain village was running low in seasonings, basically they served the same thing on the weekdays instead of devising a menu, and also because making all the villagers portion was already a big job.
Even that day, 5 person in charge of food including Tsukasa and Riruru, have come to the village chief's house to prepare breakfast.
Tsukasa was peeling the vegetables, beside him Riruru was chopping it into easy to eat size.
"Aauu~"
Along the way Riruru let out a cute groaning voice.
"What's wrong? Riruru"
"I wonder why I'm cry so much when I'm cutting the onions."
"Haha. Well it's that kind of vegetable after all. It can't be helped."
"I'm bad with it. Uh. But if I close my eyes I can't cut it."
"Than, it's better to dip those kitchen knife in a bucket of water. The tears when cutting onions are caused by the component called allyl sulfide which is emitted into the air through the cut. If you dip it into water, the moisture on the blade could suppress evaporation to some extent, so it should be a little better."
"Is that so?"
Riruru dipped the kitchen knife in bucket of water as he told, and cut the onions after r that. And certainly, the stabbing irritation in her eyes has softened somewhat.
"Amazing! It's easier than before! Tsukasa really know so much!"
"It's because onions is also a longtime enemy that has tormented mankind in our world."
Those two splendidly preparing breakfast while having such idle chat. The cooking skill Tsukasa has cultivated from living alone was regrettably displayed in a mountain village with scarce ingredients, though from the villager's rumour it was still very good. (村人の評判も非常によかった。) Especially Riruru's commentary 'Unlike Winona's rough peels, he shed the skin neatly and cleanly' was very popular. On the other hand, although Winona refuted, 'Skin may have nutrition you know! I didn't peel it because I thought about that!', no one seems to believe her, someone who always forget to pick out the potatoes' eyes. (ジャガイモの芽を取り忘れて中毒者を出した前科を持っているらしい彼女を庇う者はいなかった。)
And then a few days have passed after Tsukasa joined the village meal-dutyーー
"Hmm. I wonder if something is wrong."
Early in the morning. When Tsukasa came to the village's food storage as usual, there was Riruru who frowned with her arms folded.
"Hey, why the long face?"
"…… At dinner yesterday, weren't Lucca and the other kid just dawdling around?"
Being told that, Tsukasa tried to remember the scene from last night.
There were several children younger than Riruru and Elk in this village. Lucca was one of those children.
"Certainly, they were crying being tired of potatoes and stew. Their parents have scold them though."
"Yea. But I think It's not only those children who have tired of cooking that everyday. They just don't want to speak up. …… So I have been thinking to make something different than usual with the ingredients and seasoning we have here but……"
"Hmhm. If we have sugar and pepper, I think that our range of cooking would increase."
"We, we can't afford to buy such high class item you know~."
"I see. Sugar and pepper are high class item huh."
Certainly he never saw those item until he was told that. Honey was the only sweet seasoning he has seen. Because here was was similar to middle ages, the amount of sugar circulating was also limited.
"Yeah. As expected it's useless right. I couldn't think of a better idea."
"It can't be helped. Even for us serving 60 people alone is already a big job. Sure the variation of ingredients and condiments are a problem, but now isn't the time to figure it out."
" …… I guess you're right. It's a shame……"
"Oh! I haven't seen you two around, to think you're here!"
Suddenly, a voice greeted them who have been talking while standing inside the food storage. It was a housewife called Sono who also doing the meal duty. She was Lucca's mother, and while she was in the same generation as Winona, having three little kids made her older than she looks.
"What are you two doing in this cramped place? A date?"
"No, no it's not! I just thinking if I could make something different from usual."
"Ah, did you thinking about what my kid said yesterday? You don't have to be soft on her you know. Even just being able to eat is appreciated. It was hard to eat one meal per day before Adel [1]comes with the potatoes from the south."
"It's true but, but I think we could just change the dish a little bit from the usual."
"Well I would be happy if it could be changed that easily. Or do you have some idea?"
Riruru become speechless at those question.
"If so then quickly help me carrying the ingredients. If you're slow the sun will be already set by then."
As Sono said that she shook the basket she hold with both of her hands. Inside the basket was …… a heap of white chicken eggs.
"Woah. There's a lot of it today."
"It's a lucky day. Each person can eat two of them."
Egg have high nutritional value and be able to become a stable provision to some extent. Although Tsukasa remembered that eggs had comparatively expensive price in in the Middle ages, it seems poultry farming was more popular in this world than in Earth's history, even eggs was one of basic food at Elm village.
Usually they just boiled it in a big pot and then ate it. Making scrambled eggs or sunny side up for everyone share was impossible with just the village's kitchen utensils. So today the eggs will be tossed to the big pot and boiled as well. Howeverーー
(Eggs…… Oh right. There is that.)
When Tsukasa looked at the eggs, a line of thought flashed in his mind. He came up with an idea. There was a fascinating condiment that was invented in the 18th century and in a blink of eye sweeping across the world, that relatively easy to make with the tools and ingredients this village has.
"We could try making mayonnaise with this many eggs."
"Mayo?"
"Neezu? What's that?"
"It's a condiment that exist in our world. It's a delicious thing that can be made from chicken eggs…… specifically the egg yolk, salt, vinegar, and oil. It's tasty when you eat it with boiled potatoes and eggs, or with fresh vegetables, but basically it fits anything."
"Hee! So there's such a thing!"
"Certainly we will be able to make it in this village but, its it really that delicious?"
"It really is. It's so delicious that in our world, there are people called 'Mayonnaise Lover' who felt unsatisfied with the dishes flavor without it. If someone becomes one, they start felt enough just by eating mayonnaise directly." [2]
"He. Isn't it dangerous then?"
"Is, is that thing is really edible?"
Tsukasa nodded while let out a smile because of those two frightened reaction.
"There is no problem if you know about it to some extent. How about it? Do you want to begin the lecture in the recipe?"
After thinking for a while, Sono replied.
"It feels kind of wasteful to just use the egg's yolk but, today we got a lot. So it's okay. You can make it."
"Yaay! Thank you very much, Mrs.Sono!"
"Then let's move to the kitchen. By the way, Mrs.Sono's children was also in the list right. Shall I call those children to help me out?"
"They're a rude one you know, are you sure they could be a help?"
"They mostly will be just stirring it. I won't make them do difficult things. Besides, it will be more delicious if you make it by yourself right?"
Translator notes:
Winona's late husband↩ The actual term is マヨラー. Do you know Hijikata from gintama? He's an example.↩