"Hahaha... the water is cool!"
The first 30-minute training camp came to an end, and the Count's husband and his concubines... soul mates, united by their strong muscles, as they were known, rolled around on the grass, breathing heavily. They handed over the teapot of water they had asked the maid for, and everyone drank it in turns. They had also prepared rock salt, which everyone licked.
"Oh... I'm getting old. When I was younger, I could move a little more."
How many years do you think have passed since you arrived at the count's house? We are already old men.
"There's no doubt about it!"
Saying this, the men laughed together.
There must be some conflict between them as husband and wife, but the atmosphere seems very harmonious.
Is it because the Count showers them with equal love, or because the previous training camp created a sense of camaraderie? I think both are wonderful, but I would be happy if the latter factor had even the slightest influence.
But it's also fun to move your body like this. The rhythm is unique and different from ballroom dancing and harvest festivals, so I was a little confused at first, but once I started moving my body to the rhythm, it was a lot of fun.
"I know. It just makes me smile naturally."
"When you said it was hellish training, I wondered what they were going to do."
"Come on, if you keep saying that, you'll find yourself in real hell later on. As you get older, you'll end up with muscle pain."
"Yuck."
That's true, which is why it's necessary to take measures to reduce that muscle soreness.
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Well, it's time for a snack. Eating protein... well, basically meat, within two hours after exercise can help relieve muscle soreness and promote growth. Chef, could you bring me some meat that can be eaten quickly?
I arrived at the kitchen with my soulmates and asked the chef, who was also one of the count's lovers, for a snack.
He smiled broadly and took out a silver plate... well, what do you call it? A plate with a silver lid, the kind you put on plates.
"Yes, there is. It's the roast beef from last night's dinner!"
"Roast beef, huh...?"
I have my hand on my chin, but Midler has a carefree smile on his face.
Roast beef sounds delicious! I was thinking of inviting you to dinner last night and treating you... but take this opportunity to enjoy it.
Is it very fatty?
"Yes, of course. It's a particularly good cut."
—Then let's stop. Please avoid fatty cuts for the next week.
"Eh...?"
If you're exercising to lose weight, you shouldn't eat fatty meats.
"Do you have anything more like... chicken salad?"
"Chicken salad...?"
"Well, it's chicken breast marinated in chicken broth."
"What is chicken broth?!
I was a little surprised... I had always thought that stews tasted rather bland, but I never imagined that they didn't contain a well-made broth.
When I explained that the recipe consists of crushing animal bones into small pieces with a hammer to remove blood clots and then simmering them for a long time with vegetable scraps, he was stunned and said, "What a cooking method...!" Is this the level of skill required for a Saint?
I checked the available ingredients and everything was beef. Apparently, the nobility of this country has a custom of entertaining their guests with abundant meat dishes, which is a sign of their power. Well, cows eat a lot of grass, so raising them is expensive. That said, beef is not good for the diet.
Other than that, there were eggs, potatoes, onions, ham, and dried meat as preserves. Again, to my surprise, it seems they didn't eat any vegetables. It's true that they didn't have refrigeration technology,
so they didn't last long after harvest, but in the beginning, they were a meat-eating culture, so they didn't grow vegetables. Apparently, they were only consumed to the extent that the nobility ate them as a side dish with meat in the summer.
The basics of the diet are meat and bread! And maybe a little pickled cucumber. The poor eat potatoes instead of bread... Of course they'll get fat!
Isn't there any village that grows onions or carrots...?
"Oh, I grow onions and carrots in my garden."
"...Maybe so. Why don't you eat them?"
—But it's just an ornamental plant, you know?
[Sad news] In the alternate world of hard mode, vegetables are treated as ornamental plants.
You're kidding! In any other novel in the world, they normally grow and eat vegetables.
After asking around, I found out that tomatoes were brought from the New World, but they are only grown for ornamental purposes. Apparently, people believe that tomatoes are poisonous and that eating them can kill you.
It's true that tomatoes contain a poison called tomatine. Specifically, it seems that eating a truckload of tomatoes would be a lethal dose, which is terrifying.
It would be a good idea to start growing them on a large scale starting next year. I think they will last longer if we salt them or pickle them. Vegetables are a very practical food for filling your stomach without consuming fat. They also have many nutrients that you can't get from meat, so they're good for your health.
"I see... I'll talk to my wife about it later."
"Oh, if I manage to grow them, can I have some seeds?"
"Yes, of course. I'll have the messenger deliver them."
I want to eat vegetables too. Since I arrived, I've only been eating meat and bread.
Besides, peaceful farming life in another world is a staple of web novels. Most adventurers have retired, so a quiet farming life might be nice for a saint with some free time. Well,
the peaceful life in web novels tends not to be peaceful at all, as they use tricks to harvest in a month. We modern people are deeply rooted in efficiency, no matter what.
For now, I'd like something low in fat, high in protein, and easy to make.
Ah, that's right. Let's make a Spanish omelet.
I got some eggs, potatoes, ham, and onions, and decided to borrow a corner of the kitchen.
A Spanish omelet is a type of potato omelet. It is also called tortilla de patatas, but it has no direct relation to the Mexican bread of the same name. It is a national home-cooked dish in Spain.
Finely chop ingredients such as potatoes, onions, and ham, sauté them, add beaten eggs, and once cooked, flip them over and you're done. It's very easy. Salt and pepper are good seasonings, but apparently pepper is a very valuable product,
so I'll just use salt. Apparently, spices are only allowed when serving dinner to guests. Although I am from the Earl family, I think it is a waste to use such expensive products to complement my love of muscle training.
The key is that it contains potatoes, so even a small amount is enough to fill you up. Potatoes are also carbohydrates, but the amount used is not that large, so it won't make you gain weight.
In addition, the chef was glued to me the entire time I was cooking, his eyes wide as he took notes at a frantic pace. It was a little scary, almost terrifying... But if he remembers how to prepare it, my soulmates will be able to indulge in it from now on.
The delicious aroma filled the air as the meat roasted, and Midler and her friends were about to devour it. When it was served on plates, they gobbled it up in one go, as if they had been waiting for it. Naturally, the reviews were excellent.
"This is delicious!"
"Mmm, so good! I thought potatoes were food for the poor, but... I could eat them every day!"
Using eggs is a little extravagant, but it's delicious!
Hey, eggs are a luxury item...
After asking around, I found out that chicken farming is small-scale, so the price is a little out of reach for ordinary people. Based on what I know about prices, I think it would be quite expensive per chicken... right? Of course, chicken itself is quite expensive. The count's family is probably wealthy, but I wonder if they could make diet food a little cheaper.
With that in mind, I asked if they knew of any cheap meat options.
"Cheap meat... it's rabbit."
"Oh, it's a rabbit with big horns!"
There are a lot of rabbit monsters in this other world. They have devoured all the grasslands on the island and have a tremendous reproduction rate, so no matter how many you hunt, they keep multiplying. Thanks to that, even someone as poor as me, at the bottom of society, can eat meat every day, so it's a blessing in disguise.
Longfield's territory is also teeming with wild rabbits, so rabbit meat is easy to come by. Rabbit meat is low in fat, so it could be used as diet food.
I quickly made a broth with rabbit bones and taught the chef how to marinate the meat. It only took a day to marinate, so I'll be able to try it tomorrow.
This is the invention of rabbit for salad, not chicken for salad.
I wonder if there are other ingredients that can be used instead of meat... fish would be good too.
Ah... there are fish. At this time of year, you can catch salmon that have swum up the river. But since no one eats them, they are sold at a low price.
Salmon! It sounds delicious, why don't you eat it?
Isn't it true that all Brisabians prefer to eat meat rather than fish? We only eat fish as a last resort before Easter, when meat is forbidden. No one likes fish because it smells like fish. Besides, salmon often causes food poisoning.
What a waste...!
Since my mother, who taught me Japanese culture, lives in a fishing paradise, fish are my favorite recipes.
"We have smoked salmon in stock because some of us are eccentric and like the taste..."
That person has exquisite taste! If we lived on an island, we would eat more fish! Fish!
The reason people dislike fish because of its fishy smell is probably because refrigeration and transportation technologies were not yet developed,
so it spoils quickly. Smoking was invented to make food last a little longer, but the stereotype that fish smells bad and is unappetizing remains deeply ingrained.
Food poisoning can be caused by parasites such as anisakis or toxoplasma. Perhaps in this world, the method of freezing fish to eliminate them has not yet been developed. Even so, with smoked salmon, the heat from the smoking process should kill them, so in theory, there would be no problem.
First of all, everyone has been given [Disease Resistance], so even in the unlikely event that they contract a parasitic disease, it will be excreted on the same day they contract the disease, so it's really cheating.
Viruses and pathogens can also be excreted in a day, but unlike parasites, they are invisible, so it is difficult to know for sure. It is best to be extremely cautious.
Well, I was given a piece of canned smoked salmon, and it tasted exquisite, with the fat from the fish melting in my mouth. It wasn't cold-smoked salmon like in modern Japan, but hot-smoked salmon, well cooked, but delicious in its own way.
In short, it's grilled salmon with a smoky aroma. If I let it sit in salt a little longer, it would taste more like the salted salmon that much of Asia likes. But we're in the Great Brishabu Empire, so I have to adapt it to the tastes of the people here.
I prepared a quick and easy marinade for hot smoked salmon with onions. It's also easy: just prepare it with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar, then add the smoked salmon and onions. All that's left is to let it sit in a cool, dark place for about an hour, and it's ready. As always, pepper is a good addition, but if you don't have any, no problem!
Mmm...! This is delicious too! The smoky aroma has eliminated the fishy smell!
It has a sour and very refreshing taste. It's good. To be honest, maybe it's because of my age, but meat dishes have been making me feel sick. I prefer this to roast beef, and I want to use it as an accompaniment to meat dishes from now on.
In winter, you can use cod or something similar. Make it with seasonal fish.
Since Brishav Island is located at a high latitude, it should also be possible to catch cod there.
"I see...! I see...!"
The chef was breathing heavily as he took notes.
I hope this has been helpful. I hope you will create your own dietary recipes in the future.
As I watched my soul mate savor the food, thinking about these things, Mr. Midler grabbed both my hands, as if overwhelmed with emotion.
You are truly amazing, Big Brother! You have a deep knowledge not only of medicine, but also of sports, agriculture, and cooking...! Don't you deserve to be considered a wise man?
"Eh... No, it's nothing serious."
Come on! Humility is a virtue, but if you overdo it, it can come across as sarcastic.
"Ahaha..."
No, it's really nothing important... It's not like the typical "Did I do something wrong again?" story, but it's something that everyone knows and understands.
In retrospect, it's definitely a typical gesture to cheat with knowledge,
but it's not like I was demonstrating extraordinary experience. Sure, if a reincarnated high school student knew and could recreate the complex mechanisms of something like a water wheel, I would think, "Who are you?" and be impressed. However, in this case, rather than admiration, what I feel is a sudden shock, accompanied by the frustrating question, "Why don't I have this kind of knowledge?"
Isn't adobo a dish that originated in an ancient civilization? As I understand it, there was an empire in this world similar to that great empire of yore, but it seems that the culture of adobo and baths was lost over time.
That can only mean that civilization has regressed quite a bit... This other world is definitely in hard mode.
If I were called wise for this, I would feel that it would be unfair to the protagonists who call themselves wise in novels from another world, so I would respectfully decline.
As I was thinking about this, the chef leaned forward with a notepad and pen in hand.
"Brother, teach me more! Teach me other dishes too!"
Wait a moment. If you are a chef, you know how valuable a recipe is. The right thing to do is to offer a thousand gold coins or become an apprentice and learn from him.
Don't you understand that you are being presumptuous and relying on your brother's virtue? As a member of the Earl family, you should be ashamed of yourself.
"Ah... I'm sorry."
The chef, who had regained his senses after Mr. Midler told him this, dropped his shoulders in exasperation.
"No, it's okay. I can only prepare diet-friendly and delicious meals, but it doesn't matter if you're okay with that. Also, there are some tricks to growing vegetables, so I'll teach you to the best of my knowledge."
"Oh my... are you sure?"
"Okay, I'd also like some vegetable seeds."
Well, it's just basic knowledge that anyone in my home world would know: rotate crops to prevent them from deteriorating, plant clover grass between crops to return nutrients to the soil, and use fermented bird manure as fertilizer. However, it's likely that none of this has been discovered in this world yet... so maybe I can give them some useful clues.
"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Santo. I almost feel sorry for you..."
"Well, we are soul mates, aren't we? We are brothers bound together by force. It is the duty of an older brother to help his younger brother when he is in trouble."
Well, it is a brotherly relationship that is somehow imposed on them.
Mr. Midler had his fists clenched in front of his chest and his shoulders were shaking. Was it really rude to stand in front of such a nobleman?
"Brother, is it okay for all of us to participate starting tomorrow? I would also like my son to receive your guidance."
"Yes, of course."
The more participants there are, the more motivation there will be for everyone to encourage each other.
"Your son is the only child who grew up, right?"
"Yes. I have a son too..."
You can bring the children too. The chef may have a hard time preparing enough sandwiches for everyone, but think of it as training and do your best!
"Uh, Usu! I'll do my best!"
The chef, suddenly asked about the subject, straightened his back and replied.
Even though I wasn't taught anything, it seems I'm starting to respond in a sporting manner...
"How old is Midler's son?"
"He'll be 15 this year."
Wow, back in eighth grade. It's good to get in shape from an early age.
"Me too... this might be the first time I've talked to a boy younger than me since I came to this country."
Young people are well cared for, especially if they are of noble birth. My son has become quite introverted... He stays in his room or spends his time looking at the flowers in the garden.
-I see. I hope we can become friends.
When Mr. Midler heard what I said, he bowed deeply.
"Yes. I hope my son will continue to be helpful after I'm gone."