Chapter 59 – The Taste of Soup

Ufufu……
With this, I will be finally able to eat……
I regret there’s no soup stock pack….. I have used up all stock packs before getting here.

Haa. I have to find some substitute. By tomorrow morning!

Something that could substitute for soup stock……?
The fish soup stock…… I have not seen any fish so far, so that can’t be used. Not possible.
When talking about vegetable soup stocks, dried mushroom could be good…… shiitake soup stock is good, but…… I have not seen mushrooms yet. This is also not possible.

Next is…… vegetable scraps. I wonder if that could work? The light brown skin of the onion or hard green part of the green onion that’s not being eaten, dried tomatoes…… ha, I have none at the moment. How about the skin of carrots or the hard parts of pumpkin or its seeds.

Next is…… meat. It would be nice if pork exists here……

What do they have, I wonder? What could be used, I wonder? Let’s ask.

「May I ask you something?」

「What is it?」

「Could I cook tomorrow morning?」

「Eh? You want to cook?」

「Yes. There’s something I would like to try」

「Then, after breakfast……」

「No, my portion is fine. I would like to eat what I cook myself. I know I’m asking too much. But…… of course, I will pay? The fee for borrowing the kitchen and the costs of the vegetables」

「Well, I don’t mind because this kitchen is big, but what are you planning to make?」

「Soup」

「Eh? Were you not satisfied today?」

「I’m sorry」

「What was wrong with it?」

「Umm……」

「I’m sorry, but could you please tell them? Koyu-sama」

Elm who suddenly came to the kitchen said.

「I’m indebted to the previous owner of this place. It’s a story of the past, though……」

「I don’t mind? But, it might be just my preferences, though? Is it still all right?」

「It’s fine. I also think it’s different from my mother’s taste, but I don’t know what’s different. I don’t know what to do」

U~n…… it’s nothing so grandiose? Is it still alright?

「You see, I’m elderly」

「Yes」

「I can’t eat things that are too hard or have too strong of a taste」

「Strong taste? There was no seasoning in the salad, though」

「U~n…… that’s right, next is the balance」

「What is balance?」

「Let’s see, what kind of tastes are there?」

The inn’s couple, Ivar, Iris, Shien, and even Elm tilt their heads. How should I say this?

「For example, salty things are salty, right? Umm, when Elm ate Kaien before, it was spicy, right? Sourleaf is sour, and honey is sweet, right?」

「T, that’s…… right?」

The inn’s landlady answers while nodding.

「Then, when you dilute the salt in water, it doesn’t taste so strongly anymore, don’t you think?」

「Yes……」

「So, when you dilute salt in sour, it will also taste differently」

「U~n」

「Right, you won’t understand without being able to try it, won’t you?」

Now then, what to do?

Ah, are there no leftovers of the soup from before?

「Is there any soup left?」

「T, there is」

「Then, I will use that to change the taste」

I got two bowls of the soup from before.
Pull out the ingredients from the soup. Smash the potatoes…… cut others into smaller pieces.
Mince the meat into smaller size…… it’s hard, after all.
Get a new onion and chop it finely.
Insert oil and onion into a pot and cook.
After it turns translucent, put in the meat and Mate on the occasion too. Crush it inside the pot.
After Mate is cooked properly, put back the finely chopped ingredients back to the pot.
Un, put this back into the soup. First, the sampling. Un, the sweetness of onions and richness of oil were added. Lastly, insert the smashed potatoes and gently simmer.

The soup with tomato flavor is complete.
Sampling. Un, delicious.

「Give it a try?」

The couple timidly drinks the soup scooped on small plates. They open their eyes wide in surprise.

Tsun, tsun. Ivar pulls on my sleeve. What is it?

「Can I eat?」

「Just a little? Hey, everyone will eat as well, right?」

The pot is approached in great numbers from all sides. Un, as expected.
Okusan looks like she wants to ask something.

「This is?」

「I just drew out the deliciousness of Mate and the sweetness of Onio」

「Drew out……」

「When you put Mate on the fire, the sourness will turn delicious. Onio fried in oil turns sweet」

「I, is that so……」

「So, may I cook a soup tomorrow?」

「Y…… es……」

Now then, let’s tidy up and rest. For tomorrow morning’s meal.

「Good night」

Fuu, I greeted everyone and returned to the room with Iris.

Ah, Ivar’s scolding…… it’s fine to leave it for tomorrow, right?