Read Novel Full Vol 21 Chapter 8
Vol 21 Chapter 8
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Chapter 8 – Fun Barbecue
We had finished preparing for the barbecue on the southeastern island and decided to take a raft bath first. The raft bath had become more sophisticated than I had originally thought, thanks to the magician we had hired, and we were able to enjoy the hot water and the boundless nature.
“Phew, that felt really good!”
I express my thoughts as I swallow a cold drink. Gulping down a drink after a bath is definitely one of the best ways to enjoy a drink, and it’s definitely in the top three.
The girls seem to agree, and I get a cheerful response.
As we walked out of the tent for the barbecue, the sea breeze blew through and brought a pleasant coolness to our flushed post-bath bodies.
But it was a bit disappointing that it was the sea breeze. By the time the barbecue was over, our bodies would probably be sticky again.
You could say that this is a disadvantage of being too close to the sea.
But I think there are advantages, such as the fact that I was able to have a good chat with Rimu and Pent, and the girls looked great after their bath, and the intimacy is greater than on a luxury liner, which is too comfortable and makes you feel a little distant.
I also saw Marina-san, Carla-san, and Claretta-san after their bath for the first time in a while.
Now, the main event, the barbecue, is about to begin. Huh?
“That place looks like a restaurant and bar. It’s pretty lively.”
The voices of people making noise outside the tent caught my attention. Claretta-san seemed to have noticed as well, looking in the same direction.
Even though there was quite a distance between us, it was just loud enough to tell that things were pretty lively inside the tent raft.
The sun has set, and it’s dark now, so I guess it’s just a big party to help them recover from the fatigue of their quest. I can hear the women having fun, and if I were alone, I’d probably try to join in somehow.
Well, I’m in a harem situation right now, so I’m not jealous.
I’m not going to worry about the fact that two of the five women were bought with money, and the other three have no relationship with me at all.
“Wataru, shall we start preparing?”
“Ah, yes. I’ll prepare the fried chicken, so Claretta-san, please check the taste of the soup. The others, please prepare the fire.”
Just when I was about to worry about something unnecessary and get gloomy, Claretta-san spoke to me at just the right moment.
There’s no need to get gloomy just because of my own thoughts, so I’ll change my mood and get ready to finish.
As for the fried chicken, the spices and cooking utensils are different from the old days.
I’ve also got a thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil on the portable stove on the houseboat and a draining net, so I’ve got the heat control problem covered.
I’ve even got the famous brand of fried chicken flour, so my victory is assured. I’ve also mastered the secret technique of double frying.
I light the stove and heat the oil, then put the fried chicken powder in a plastic bag and add the seasoned chicken. I shake the bag to evenly coat the meat with the powder.
“Master, the fire is ready.”
I got a report from Ines that the charcoal is ready. Since a foil grill takes a little longer to cook, I’ll start with that first.
Oh, I’ll also have to start cooking the wood plank grill.
“Ines, Felicia, start cooking the foil first. Oh, leave about the space of two cedar planks.”
“Understood.”
“What? You’re going to put the ingredients directly on the cedar planks?”
While I was giving instructions to Ines and Felicia and preparing the wood plank grill, Claretta-san called out to me in surprise.
I thought about showing her a magazine on camp cooking but decided to explain it myself to increase my popularity.
“I see; the aroma of the cedar wood permeates the ingredients, and the difference between the water and wine used to soak the ingredients is also interesting.”
It’s nice to have Claretta-san’s admiring eyes on me. I think I’ll seal the camping food magazine away where Claretta-san can’t see it.
I place the chicken, salmon, onions, and various other ingredients on the cedar plank, wrap it in aluminum foil to form a dome and place it on the grill.
The grill is all silver. Visually, the foil-grilled food alone is a bit weak. I’ll think about it more next time.
Oops, I’ll have to finish the fried chicken soon.
I check the oil temperature, take the chicken out of the plastic bag, and place it in the oil. The sound of sizzling and crackling spreads.
Oh, Carla-san has come over and is staring at the pan. If I’m not careful, the fried chicken will be gone before I can deep-fry it a second time.
＊＊＊
“Well then, let’s toast to the first trip to the southeast island in a long time!”
“””””Cheers!”””””
The barbecue is ready, and under a sky full of stars, we make a toast.
“Puhahh~”
I gulp down a glass of ice-cold beer and let out a big sigh. This is the best moment.
Let’s start with the fried chicken.
Despite Carla-san’s tearful begging, I managed to deep-fry the chicken twice.
“Delicious!”
Before I could even eat it, Carla-san had stuffed the fried chicken into her mouth and was smiling from ear to ear.
The deliciousness was guaranteed, but it was important to check for myself.
When I bit into the fried chicken, I felt a crispy texture, followed by the slightly firm but elastic texture of the wild bird. When I chewed it, I could taste the rich flavor of the bird, as well as the flavors of the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, which were just as strong.
It was truly the taste of happiness.
It would be a shame to wash away this taste, but I drink the beer anyway. The endless loop is complete.
Fufufu, the ladies were also enchanted by my fried chicken, and the pile of fried chicken got smaller and smaller.
Shall we try the soup now?
…Yes, it’s delicious. The granulated chicken bones, wakame seaweed, and garlic – it can’t possibly be bad, but it’s not a particularly impressive or moving flavor. But it’s just the right flavor for an outdoor setting like this.
“Oh, there are also rice balls made by Claretta. You can eat them as they are, but please also try the grilled rice balls. There is soy sauce and miso sauce, so please try them as you like.
I’ll try the soy sauce first. No, since Claretta-san made the rice balls for us, I think I’ll have them as they are first. Or rather, I’ll have the regular rice balls while they’re being grilled.
When the girls saw what I was doing, they also quickly started making their own grilled rice balls. Of course, Carla-san made two… and then four! As you would expect from Carla-san, she doesn’t doubt her own stomach for a second.
Well, that’s okay; there are plenty of rice balls. Now it’s time to check out the taste of the wood plank grill I’ve been looking forward to.
First, I’ll try the one I soaked in water.
“Wataru, let me try some as well.”
“Of course.”
As I reached for the cedar plank wrapped in aluminum foil, Claretta-san came over with a curious look on her face. I guess this is the secret to being a popular cook.
I’ll be cooking from now on.
As I peeled off the aluminum foil with my determination, the aroma of the ingredients and the aroma of the cedar spread.
I used a knife and fork to cut up the chicken, salmon, and tomatoes and handed them to Claretta-san.
“The aroma is good. It’s almost like smoked meat. As for the taste… Wataru, isn’t this the same meat you used for the fried chicken?”
“Huh? Oh, yes, that’s right.”
“Even though the cooking method is different, it’s like a completely different kind of meat. It has a mild woody aroma, and the seasoning is simple – just salt and herbs – but the meat is tender and full of rich flavor. It’s just steamed and grilled over cedar wood, but it’s like a completely different thing. And the vegetables…”
“Wataru, some for me too!”
“Wataru, I want to try some as well.”
“Master, please give me some.”
“Master, please give me some.”
“I want to eat it…”
The food is requested one by one as if inspired by Claretta-san’s comment. The wood plank grill is amazing. Even the reserved Felicia seems interested.
When I served it to everyone, I had no food left for myself. Oh well, I’ll just have to use the wood plank grill again.
I quickly placed the ingredients on the cedar plank and put it back on the grill.
Okay, I’ll try the one soaked in white wine. As I peel off the aluminum foil, the wine and cedar aromas spread out.
Everyone’s eyes are on me.
…It looks like this is the second time I’ve eaten the white wine version.
I cut up the white wine version and served it to the girls, and it was time for the second round. Well, it’s pretty well received, and the girls, Rimu, Pent, and Fuu-chan, are all smiling, so I’m satisfied too.
Now, I’m going to turn the grilled rice balls over and brush them with the sauce. Until the grilled rice balls and the barbecue are ready, I’ll enjoy the foil-grilled snacks with a beer.
“Ines, Felicia, can you tell which one has which filling?”
“Well, come to think of it, we just lined them up at random without thinking about the contents.”
“I’m sorry, Master. I forgot to mark them.”
“Well, that’s okay. It’s fun to do it like a lottery.”
Come to think of it, in the cooking manga where I first learned about foil-grilled food, they also enjoyed it like a lottery.
Mine was just a mistake, not a deliberate attempt, but I’m going to pretend it was a sign of respect for this cooking-savvy uncle and enjoy it.
I select one of the foil-wrapped dishes from the grill and, a little excited, tear open the aluminum foil.
Oh, that’s not the one I made. It’s a foil-wrapped dish of potatoes, mushrooms and cheese.
I would have preferred to start with fish or meat, but this isn’t bad either.
When I pierced it with a fork, the melted cheese stuck to the potatoes and mushrooms, and when I took a bite, the hot, gooey mixture filled my mouth with deliciousness and the aroma of white wine.
Hmm, so they used white wine instead of sake. All the foil-baked dishes I’ve made have used sake, but white wine isn’t bad either.
“Mine is salmon. It looks delicious.”
“Pork and onions!”
“Is that white fish? Hmm, it’s fun not knowing what kind of fish it is until you eat it.”
“It’s a poultry.”
“Oh, this is the one I made. Would you like to try it, Master?”
“Ines, it looks like there are only carrots in it, doesn’t it?”
“How rude. I also added butter.”
Carrots and butter… that’s delicious in their own way, but Ines probably thinks it’s a failure. She drew a failure of her own making, so it’s what you would call ‘getting what you deserve.’
“You should eat what you drew yourself, Ines.”
“Ehh.”
Ines looks dissatisfied. We laugh at her. It’s a silly thing, but I think it’s a happy thing that we can laugh at something so simple.
Barbecues are fun.
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