Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 272

Kainchel headed to the Magic Tower near Liverpool.

Several Magic Towers existed across the continent, serving as a kind of branch network.

Upon arriving, Vivian greeted him very warmly.

“Welcome, guest. How may I assist you?”

“…I’m sure I saw Miss Vivianne in Citizen as well. Surely, it’s not the same person, is it?”

“Perhaps it was my sister. I have about a hundred of them.”

Vivian’s expression, though smiling, felt strangely out of place.

Citri’s eyes narrowed. She seemed to realize what Vivian was.

“A meticulously crafted doll, I see.”

“I thought she didn’t seem quite human. Bishop, are you hiding something again?”

Bishop, who had returned to his armor form after a long time, scratched his helmet.

“You never asked in the first place. As you can see, Vivian is a doll. Sadly, there are no humans who would associate with an oddball like me. I consulted Astolfo, and he lent her to me.”

Vivian grasped her shop attendant uniform with both hands and bowed deeply.

“Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Type HMX-22C Vivianne. Please, call me Vivian.”

Vivian clapped her hands, and several more Vivians entered the workshop.

Fortunately, there seemed to be no need to worry about a shortage of manpower.

Bishop spread out several metal plates on the table like a street vendor setting up a stall.

Then, he picked up one that shone particularly brightly and said,

“This is an alloy of iron and tin. It’s called tinplate. It doesn’t rust easily when exposed to water, and it’s strong and tough. What do you think, partner? Shouldn’t this be sufficient for storing food?”

Kainchel licked the shiny metal plate as a test.

*lick*

[Tinplate: A sheet of iron or steel coated with tin to prevent rust.]

* Resistant to corrosion, stains, and rust, but weak against abrasion and wear. Melts at 232℃.

* Coated with tin, so the taste and aroma of food do not change, and long-term storage is possible.

“This is really amazing! But tin is much more expensive than iron, isn’t it? Will the cost be okay?”

Kainchel had also seen cups made of tin. Especially in El Acard, they were very popular because they were said to improve the taste of beer.

However, they were so expensive that ordinary people couldn’t even get a glimpse of them.

Glass is difficult to manufacture due to technological issues.

The raw material itself is sand. It can be obtained in any amount from the Arabian Desert in the Ottoman Empire.

Bizarre glints flickered in the eye slits of Bishop’s helmet.

“Already thinking about the cost? You’re planning to commercialize it once a proper one is made.”

“We can’t just keep selling cola forever. Besides, there’s a limit to the production volume.”

“Well, I have no complaints as long as I get properly compensated. Anyway, you don’t have to worry about the price.”

Bishop scratched the tinplate with the end of his gauntlet. Then, another metal material appeared from behind.

“It’s just very thinly plated like this. But with what we have here now, we can only make prototypes.”

Kainchel nodded with a satisfied expression and replied.

“Don’t worry about that.”

The lacking tin could be purchased in large quantities through Santos, the Vitist [A member of the Vitist faith, known for their mercantile skills] from the Central Mine.

“Then there won’t be a problem. I’ll have some tin cans made to hold food first.”

“But why are you making tinplate like this? That’s the domain of a blacksmith, isn’t it? Is it for a new magic tool?”

Then Bishop chuckled and tapped the steel armor he was wearing.

“I was researching it to improve my body. The one I’m wearing now rusts and creaks if I don’t oil it every day.”

“Haha! Then we should thank that armor when the canned food is complete.”

“By the way, canned food?”

“We’re replacing the bottle with a metal can, so it’s right to call it canned food, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. A very fitting name.”

Kainchel looked at Bishop with burning eyes.

He didn’t like the way it twitched on its own sometimes, but it was still the best partner.

* * *

As promised, a week later, a large amount of herring arrived, along with the ingredients needed to make Surströmming [A Swedish dish of fermented Baltic Sea herring].

“Alright, let’s get started…!”

As expected of the Big Antler, one of the three major merchant guilds on the continent, the herring in the box was very fresh.

The girl, who had been watching with sparkling eyes, asked.

“Kainchel. Why are you using seawater from the North Sea instead of just salt?”

“…Citri. I’m sorry, but please stop pretending to be Frellia. But I’m surprised you came to see me make Surströmming.”

Then Citri was startled and widened her eyes.

She had imitated Frellia to tease him, but she had been perfectly seen through.

“How can you distinguish me from Frellia so well?”

“When you work in the kitchen, you can tell what a customer wants just by looking at their complexion. The atmosphere they give off is different.”

For some reason, Citri’s cheeks were flushed. It seemed she wasn’t used to the fishy smell coming from the herring.

Kainchel first dipped his finger in the seawater and tasted it.

A message popped up that it was the perfect salinity for making Surströmming.

“Herring doesn’t usually ferment when pickled in regular salt. That’s why we use seawater from the North Sea. It’s incredibly cold, so the salinity of the seawater is low.”

“It’s amazing that it can be pickled or fermented depending on the difference in salinity.”

Adjusting that subtle difference is quite difficult. But Kainchel had the Cooking skill.

After reaching 7 stars in the Gourmet skill, Kainchel’s tongue became even more sensitive.

Knowing the type of spices added in very small amounts as a hidden flavor was basic.

He could even distinguish the subtle differences in taste depending on the origin.

“We ferment this in a bulging barrel for about a month or two and then put it in a tin can.”

“When will it be finished then?”

“If you make it the usual way, about half a year to a year?”

“…Ugh. Isn’t that too long?”

Kainchel smiled and amplified the effect on the herring that he had sprinkled with salt and put in the barrel.

“With this, it will be fully fermented by tomorrow, and we can process it into canned food.”

After about a week, the tin can will bulge with the gas generated from the herring.

Then you can open the lid and eat it.

“…I don’t know whether to be happy or sad that Surströmming is completed so quickly….”

Citri vowed not to eat Surströmming, even if it was made by Kainchel.

As Kainchel said, the herring was fully fermented in just half a day and began to smell sour.

It meant that the fermentation was progressing very well.

Kainchel began to put the fermenting herring into the tin can with a satisfied expression.

“Originally, you have to remove the air inside and then heat it to store it for a long time, but you have to put Surströmming in as it is. That way, the yeast stays alive and fermentation continues.”

He put the herring in the tin can and filled it with about half of fresh North Sea water. And it was complete when it was completely sealed so that no air could pass through.

When I put my ear to the Surströmming can, I could hear the sound of gas bubbling.

It was the moment when about a hundred cans were made.

Ting-

[You are very good at making Surströmming cans.]

[The sense of fermenting food has been sublimated into the ‘Surströmming’ skill.]

[‘Surströmming’ has been created.]

Acquisition of a new cooking skill!

Kainchel checked the ability of the Surströmming skill with joy-filled eyes.

[Surströmming: ★★]

– Ferment the aura to create a terrible smell.

– Due to low proficiency, it can only create a stench that can be tolerated if you block your nose.

“……..”

Certainly, it was a skill acquired from making sour herring.

Kainchel tried using the Surströmming skill as a test.

Then, the sword he was wearing on his waist began to smell like rotten eggs and food waste.

“What am I supposed to use this for? Besides, the Sous Vide skill is still the same?”

Canned food is something that can maintain its taste and aroma for longer than any other preserved food made so far. But there were still only three stocks in the skill window.

Kainchel looked at the Surströmming can, which was bubbling and fermenting diligently.

What’s the problem that it’s not reflected in the Sous Vide skill?

“Oh, that’s right. Is this a fermented food rather than a preserved food?”

When I thought about it, unlike bottled jams, I didn’t do any work to heat and remove the air inside.

Then let’s try making other canned foods as a test.

Kainchel decided to put proper food in the tin can left over from making Surströmming.

“…Are the ingredients I have now beans, garlic, onions, chili peppers, and leftover meat? Then I’ll make chili con carne [A spicy stew containing chili peppers, meat, tomatoes, and beans].”

First, put minced garlic and onions in a heated pan and stir-fry, then add the meat.

Then, add tomato sauce, chili peppers, and beans and simmer to complete the chili con carne.

“…Haa. The scent is really good.”

“Isn’t it? That’s because I added smoked paprika powder to the sauce. The spicy taste goes really well with meat and beans.”

Citri’s eyes sparkled as if she wanted to eat chili con carne.

“Wait a minute. I’ll make it into canned food first and then taste it.”

This time, Kainchel started making canned food in the proper way.

Unlike Surströmming, the process of putting it in boiling water to remove the air inside was added.

“All right! A perfectly wonderful chili con carne can is complete…!”

Kainchel handed it to Citri.

However, she didn’t know how to eat a completely sealed can.

“That’s… You can open the lid by stabbing it with a knife.”

Citri nodded cutely and opened the lid as Kainchel said.

Inside the can were beans and meat mixed with tomato sauce with a chili scent.

She took a generous amount of it and brought it to her mouth.

The first thing you feel is the concentrated taste of rich beef with a sour and spicy sauce.

The sweetness and sourness of the tomatoes that have been boiled and crushed to soften them. And even the savory taste from the beef. The taste of beans that have absorbed all of that was even shocking.

“…It’s delicious!”

The amazing thing was not only the taste.

[5-star dish ‘Chili Con Carne Can that will not change for a thousand days’ has been completed.]

[The power to maintain the state of ingredients has melted into the ‘Sous Vide’ skill.]

[Sous Vide: 4/5]

“All right! Now there’s only one left! But… It can be stored for a thousand days? What, this is totally awesome….”

Then Citri, who was eating chili con carne without her mind, widened her eyes.

“Yes? So, if you buy canned food, can you eat this delicious bean dish even after three years?”

“…It seems like a great thing has been created, as Bishop said.”

Usually, hardened bread can be eaten for about a week. Smoked jerky can be stored for about half a year.

Fermented foods also change their taste completely after about a year.

However, canned food can maintain its taste and aroma for three times longer.

However, it was a pity that the grade of dishes that could be contained was limited to 5 stars.

It seemed that 6-star dishes that required perfect cooking were not suitable for canned food that had to be heated several times.

However, once you buy it, you can enjoy 5-star dishes for as long as 3 years.

Also, since it’s in a tin can, all you have to do is open the lid and heat it.

Sailors or travelers who have to live on the sea for a long time will definitely buy it even if they pay several times more money, right?

‘This will sell!’

Kainchel asked Bishop to prepare for mass production of canned food.

It is said that it will be completed by the time he returns from the Argon Empire.

Canned food will do more than any other dish I’ve ever made.

I was sure of it.

Kainchel smiled as he looked at the Surströmming, which was fermenting diligently.

It was finally time to deliver this fragrant smell to the Sea Serpent.