New chapter! Thanks for all the support!
x
"Fermented herring?"
Ron had never heard of this food before, but that did not stop him from becoming curious. After hearing Dudley's praise, he wanted to taste it even more.
Very soon, he regretted it.
Hermione and Harry exchanged a glance. In perfect unspoken agreement, both of them quietly moved away without drawing attention.
Clearly, they had seen fermented herring before.
Draco had never seen fermented herring, but he was quick-witted. The moment he saw Harry and Hermione move, he immediately followed them.
Neville did not understand what was happening. He sat cheerfully in place and watched.
Under Ron's expectant gaze, Dudley used a small knife to pry open the can of fermented herring.
In that instant, Ron's complexion shifted from healthy pale with a touch of red, to pale with more pale, then to pale with purple, and finally to purple with black.
"Ron, can you get used to this smell?"
"Brother D, do not talk. It reeks."
"Scourgify."
Dudley casually cast a spell and dispersed some of the overwhelming odor.
In truth, calling it overwhelming was a little exaggerated. It was still within the limits of what normal humans could endure.
After all, the can of fermented herring in Dudley's hand had not expired or spoiled.
Strictly speaking, fermented herring was a rather delicate canned food. Unlike most canned foods that could be stored at room temperature, it had to be kept at a low temperature. Once the temperature exceeded the proper range, it spoiled easily.
If the top of the can bulged, that meant the contents had gone bad, usually because of expiration or improper storage. The fish inside would have nearly dissolved. That smell was truly terrible, to the point that it could be used as a biological weapon. Even a troll's body odor would have to admit defeat.
At that point, it was no longer ordinary fermented herring, but rotted herring sludge.
Normal fermented herring, when not spoiled, smelled awful but remained within the range humans could accept. Otherwise, it would not be considered a delicacy anywhere.
The fish inside had not dissolved. Whole pieces of fish could still be seen.
The can Dudley had just opened was exactly that kind: properly preserved.
The correct way to eat fermented herring was not to open the can and eat it directly. It needed to be prepared first. Eating it straight would only make the fish seem unbearably salty, like swallowing concentrated brine with a fishy smell.
Dudley ignored the others' expressions. He took out a large glass bowl, added plenty of ice water and fresh lemon slices, then fished the pieces of herring from the can and placed them into the lemon ice water. The purpose was to remove some of the salt from the fish.
After a while, feeling that enough salt had been drawn out, Dudley took the fish out, separated the flesh from the bones, and quickly removed the soft meat. He took out a small knife and chopped the fish.
He paired golden toasted bread with chopped onion and fresh cream cheese.
One way of eating fermented herring was complete.
He gently smelled it. Thanks to the lemon and ice water, the original fishiness had faded a great deal. It was now closer to the smell of an ordinary strong fermented food.
At this point, it was already edible.
Hermione walked over and asked Dudley for a portion. She opened her mouth and took a light bite under Ron's horrified gaze. The unique texture filled her taste buds, and her face showed clear enjoyment.
The crisp toast carried a warm grain aroma. The tender fish, stripped of much of its saltiness by the lemon water, had its fishiness covered by the sharp scent of onion. Paired with the smooth, slightly tangy cream cheese, it tasted somewhat like a sardine sandwich, but better.
"Quite good," Hermione said, giving it high praise.
Hermione could accept many countries' distinctive foods, much like Dudley. Unless something looked disgusting, was made in a disgusting way, and tasted even worse, the two of them could usually eat it.
For example, they could not accept a certain Arctic preserved bird dish, a dark food even more terrifying than stargazy pie.
"Want some?"
Dudley handed another finished piece of toast to Ron.
Ron shook his head so hard it looked like it might come loose.
Although the smell from earlier had faded considerably, it had left a deep impression on him.
There was no way he was taking a bite of that thing.
Rotting fish between bread. That was Ron's evaluation of the food.
Dudley shook his head with some regret. This was an authentic northern delicacy.
At least it was better than the incomprehensible dishes on Hogwarts's current tables.
The premise was that one could accept the smell. Even strong fermented foods were not for everyone.
Harry, for example, could not accept this smell.
Hermione only disliked the scent when the can was first opened. Once prepared, she liked it quite a bit.
"What about Neville?"
Dudley handed the piece of toast to Neville. Neville performed much better than Ron. He cheerfully accepted it.
After one bite, he was drawn in by the unique flavor and finished the toast in two or three bites.
"It tastes good."
Neville's evaluation was also quite high.
"Honestly, Roland, are you really not going to try it?"
Seeing Neville eat it with a calm expression, Draco became curious and asked Ron.
"You eat it first and say it is good. Then I will eat it."
Ron shot back without thinking.
Draco looked at Neville, who had already asked for a third portion, then at Hermione, who was eating her second, and finally at Dudley, who was making and eating more without anyone knowing which number he was on.
"Brother D, give me one."
"Here."
Draco took the toast Dudley handed him and bit down hard.
"A unique flavor. It is a little like local food I once had in Switzerland and Greece. Very delicious."
Draco gave it an even higher evaluation and lifted his chin at Ron. "Really not going to try it?"
Ron stared at Draco.
"Swear you are telling the truth, and maybe I will believe you."
Draco, who had been chewing, froze. He looked at Ron expressionlessly.
'Now you have ruined it.'
He could neither swallow nor keep chewing. He could only silently put down the toast, take out a handkerchief, and spit out what he had just eaten.
This thing did not suit Draco's taste either. He had done all that only to trick Ron into eating it. Who would have thought Ron would not fall for it?
They truly were a pair of happy rivals. Even their tastes were similar.
Oh, and there was Harry, hiding far away.
No wonder they had become their own strange little trio.
x
x
x
If you're enjoying the story so far, consider supporting me on Patreon ❤️
You'll get weekly early access to chapters, along with some exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDevotedReader