episode_0011

Sugar is an expensive spice.

It is so expensive that it takes a calf to produce 1 kg of sugar.

Of course, I’m not saying that’s the regular price. I’m just saying that the prices are roughly similar.

Sugar was mostly imported from the New World. Compared to pepper, which was traded for the same amount of gold in the past, vanilla, which was much more expensive than sugar, and saffron, which were called expensive, sugar was still sugar.

Even this is the northernmost part of the kingdom. It’s not even close to the sea. I heard that only one person bothers to come here, so it’s actually a product sold exclusively. If you want to get it, you’ll have to pay a ridiculous price. Just like in modern society, there are no safeguards for capital. Because it wasn’t set up.

Expensive spices that are not easily available.

Why not just dip that sugar into baked potatoes? It’s so expensive that poor people mostly use it for medicinal purposes?

The moment I reported El Cide del Kishi’s actions, I suspected that Del Kishi was an extremely wealthy place.

I heard that stuffed deer heads are often sold for decoration.

The size of the deer in the northern region is much larger than that of deer in other regions, so there is a nobleman who gets a stuffed head made of its head and hangs it up, boasting, ‘I caught it by hunting.’ Of course, the people of Delkisi used it for that purpose. I’m not selling it to be used, but they are the type of people who absolutely hate lies.

There is some leather-like stuff, but most of it is untanned rawhide. Delki City is not without tanners, but the tanned leather that comes from Delki City itself would be insufficient just for use inside Delki City.

Since it is a place where there is almost nothing worth selling, the dealers usually only sell and then leave. If there is something to ‘buy’ here, rather than buying it because it is a huge profit, the Grand Duke’s family tells them ‘don’t just sell too much’ and tells them in moderation. It was because of putting it.

Items purchased in Delki City will be repurchased at the same price by the Grand Duke. Otherwise, there will be no reason for merchants to purchase items from Delki City.

Not long ago, I suspected that the Grand Duke’s family was dissatisfied with the fact that three vicious, untamed deer were brought in. However, I changed my mind when I saw the merchant who went through all the trouble of bringing the three alive.

After putting aside the idea that Del Quisi was wealthy, all that remained was the thought that El Cide Del Quisi personally purchased sugar.

“… … .”

I am very suspicious of her eating potatoes with a fork, dipping them in sugar as if they were very delicious.

When an average person sees an expensive product, he or she treats it expensively. And sugar is a product that has never been cheap in this world. I don’t know what it would be like in the New World, but at least here it is extremely expensive.

Even if I had the opportunity to taste such a thing, I would never think of using such a precious item in this way. Even if I were to use it in cooking, I would use it for ‘precious’ dishes without any waste.

There is a limit to the taste that people who have lived in places where there is a shortage of food ingredients can imagine. If the ingredients are poor, the cooking method will inevitably be poor. There may be attempts to somehow make delicious food with poor ingredients, but in the end, the attempt is not successful. Because doing it is also another ingredient.

So, in general, it is difficult to ‘imagine’ it.

… … Should I give it a try?

“When I eat this delicious dish, something comes to mind.”

I said as I slightly scooped up a potato with a fork.

“I heard that there are quite a lot of fermented foods in the South.”

At my words, Elsidel Kishi lifted his gaze and looked at me. He couldn’t answer because his mouth was already full of potatoes, but there was interest in his eyes.

There will be no shortage of fermented foods in the North as well. The cuisine eaten by the Inuit in the Arctic region is famous in a different way.

But even if Delki City had such a custom—

“For example, pickling cabbage and storing it for a long time.”

Flash.

Elsie del Kishi’s eyes blinked.

She chewed her mouth, pushed the remains of the potato in her mouth down the back of her throat, and asked me carefully.

“What does that dish taste like?”

Of course it tastes like kimchi.

Of course, strictly speaking, it does not taste the same as kimchi. It has a similar taste to aged kimchi, and although the ingredient is actually cabbage, the cabbage in this world is closer to cabbage, does not use salted fish, and does not contain red pepper powder. So it is not completely the same.

However, its unique sour taste resulting from lactic acid bacteria fermentation made it an excellent substitute for kimchi.

“It’s a little sour, the cabbage is crunchy, and it has a tangy taste unique to fermented products.”

Elsie del Kishi’s eyes were looking straight at Ina.

Even at first glance, it was a gaze full of interest.

Is that a reaction because I know the food called kimchi?

I’m not sure if eating potatoes dipped in sugar is a habit unique to Koreans. However, in the past, I saw a Japanese person on YouTube who was surprised by saying, ‘They eat potatoes dipped in sugar?’

Even overseas, it seems like salt is almost always served when potatoes are served.

Above all, isn’t this novel that I am possessed of a Korean novel written by a Korean? Even though the setting is a place reminiscent of medieval Europe.

So, I thought that if it was said that one was ‘possessed’, there was a high possibility that the other person was Korean.

Let’s think a little further.

Anyway, sugar is something that was originally there. Sugarcane’s place of origin is far away, but it was in the Old Continent anyway. If you say you researched it because it’s a taste the other person has known from the beginning, there’s nothing you can say here.

So, what if we ask about a type of crop that has only recently been discovered and is still unfamiliar to us here?

“Now that I think about it, there is a crop called red pepper that was recently brought over from the New World, and although it is used in cooking by itself, it can also be processed and used as a spice.”

Flash.

Elsie del Kishi’s eyes blinked once more.

If there were animal ears on top of his head, he would look like he would have stood out.

“They say it’s a bit spicy when you eat it. What does Lady Elsie think about that kind of food?”

“Spicy—”

I was about to say something, but hastily closed my mouth.

I guess so.

There is nothing ‘spicy’ about the food in this area.

It’s not just that there are ‘less spicy’ foods.

It means that there are only foods that have no ‘spicy taste’ at all. There are salty foods. There are sweet foods. But there are no spicy foods. There may be ‘spicy foods,’ but as far as I know, there is no food that uses such ingredients.

Elsie del Kissi kept his mouth shut, but I saw the look on his face.

A longing expression.

Anyone born and raised here may be curious about new tastes, but no one makes an expression of longing for ingredients or tastes they have never heard before.

For someone who is very interested in food, I was satisfied with the baked potatoes.

It’s a bit risky, but why not mix in a little lie?

Since red pepper has not been properly introduced yet, there will be no such thing as red pepper paste made with glutinous rice, meju, and red pepper powder.

Let’s take a look. How would people react if we told them that chili peppers were introduced to the east first?

… … .

But I decided not to go that far.

Memories of my past life came back, and the thing that was most difficult to adapt to was my taste buds. I guess that’s why that person makes that expression. I guess he did it because he thought he could recreate the food he used to eat in his hometown, even if it was clumsy.

I looked down and saw potatoes and sugar.

This is also the same.

Since they can’t eat all the sugar-filled foods available in modern society, they must have chosen the next best option. How much effort did they have to get sugar in a place where they couldn’t even find sugar cane?

“… … If you get it someday, can you send me some?”

“Can you do that!?”

I smiled at Elsie del Kissi, who couldn’t hide her fond expression at all.

Yeah, besides, I’m not 100% sure yet.

We only met for the first time today.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a little more time and reveal it to each other once we can be sure.

If that person were in a similar situation to me, I would only be seen as a ‘villain’ from that perspective.

“Yes, if I find it, I’ll let you know first.”

Also, let’s get some glutinous rice and meju. Malt can be obtained here, so if you do well, it may be possible to recreate it, even if it’s only crudely.

If I were alone, I wouldn’t have thought about making it. In a situation where there is no one to understand, it’s difficult to find meju… … Because it will be difficult. Mainly in terms of image.

“Thank you!”

There was no trace of doubt on Elsie del Kissi’s face as she said that with a bright smile.

More than that, it seems like they have forgotten that they have to hide it now.

Well, if this person also remembers their past life, it would be completely different from the original… … .

If you really are in a similar situation to me, if I can let you know that I don’t intend to become a villain, wouldn’t we be able to talk about the novel later?

Thinking like that, my heart fluttered a little.