My Lady Chef
Chapter 7: Renovations and Broth Cubes

Ely's POV:

After the scene with Mrs. Yates a few days ago, the head butler had a few of the manservants work on the exterior of the bridal but repainting, cleaning, and washing the doors and wall while a gardener trimmed the hedges and potted more plants near the empty flowerbeds.

The 3 servants he sent over were young, diligent, and very friendly towards me as they replacing the threadbare carpets and polishing the floors and the stairs as well.

Soon the little bridal house looked even better than before. Even with Linda's help in trying to clean such a huge house; we would not have been able to keep it up. It was a good move to ask for more servants. I also made sure to learn the new staff under my supervision.

The name of the errand boy was Charles while the two other maids were Beatrice and Lisa. They were all young but hardworking so for now, I have no complaints about them.

For now.

I also made sure to make it known to Linda to close off the kitchen to the other staff since I have started practicing my cooking there the moment I successfully created my first dish.

The maid was smart enough to follow my command and would always lead the others to a vacant smaller kitchenette where they can all sit and rest when they are off duty or relaxing so that I won't be bothered.

Right now. I was attempting to make meat stock cubes using my water mana. On Earth, stock cubes saves you time in seasoning your dishes and can be used to flavor stews, soups, pasta, and even marinades.

This is why I chose chicken parts with a lot of collagen and gelatinous fats and boiled it along with some herbs and seasonings.

As I boiled a second pot with wild pig parts this time, I brushed up on my book about the food here.

Apparently. Mana infused dishes are a privilege for the nobles and elite of the Kingdom. The way mana preserves the dishes at their peak of deliciousness in food has made chefs with the ability to harness mana cooking very sought after.

Even in this Kingdom, There are only 6 known powerful mana users. 3 of them are chefs in the profession while the last 3 are in the military.

There were very few cookbooks on food with no mana since there was a misconception that it would be inferior in taste but on Earth, the way we cook has no mana but the food that is created by my hands always makes people smile and warms their heart.

It was because years of research on food left by ancestors helped us with shortcuts and methods on how to preserve flavors in a simple dish without mana.

I aim to take the level of normal style cooking to a whole new dimension while learning how to master mana infused cooking. With my innate chef skills and my knowledge of this world's culinary history, it is not an impossible task.

I may be able to pave my path and change my pariah status. It was something I have been planning ever since I landed here at the bridal house.

After reading a bit more. The timer rang and I took the time to place each broth into a cooking pan and having it cool down for an hour before refrigerating it.

I then recycled the chicken parts by shredding the chicken meat and mixing it with some mustard, mayonnaise (my very own blend since this world has none), some red onions, and parsley to make cold chicken sandwiches by refrigerating them in the icebox and taking them out after I have finished toasting the bread.

While the pig parts were made into a rich pork soup with dumplings and thrown away once it was done.

I called Linda and Beatrice into the kitchen and had them bring sandwiches to the manservants that were hard at work outside in completing the repairs along with a thermos of hot soup and a pitcher of ice tea I made from chilled orange and red tea.

Linda was used to seeing me in simple attire but I can see that Beatrice was still a bit shocked at my appearance, even more, when she saw the food I made.

As I placed the remaining broth pans in a cooler area of the kitchen. I heard the girls come back.

"Milady. The food was delivered and they have converted their thanks to you. The look of ecstasy on their faces when they are the food was something to behold." Linda explained to me enthusiastically. "Uhm...Milady, if there are still more leftovers from the sandwiches. We would be happy to-" Beatrice's shy voice made Linda nudge her.

"What she means Milady is that if you could spare us any sandwiches for some snacks, we would be forever grateful." she bowed before me.

I laughed at how Linda saved the other maid from asking me for leftovers. She has been with me long enough to know that I recycle everything I cook and as a cook. Asking me for a leftover was insulting. Because I want to feed good food to everyone. Be they the lowest order of maid or errand boy.

"I prepared your share already before I did the manservants tray. Charles already carried them to the kitchenette. Please enjoy it." I gave them a pleasant smile while I washed the dishes.

"Milady! Please leave those there! We will wash it after eating." Beatrice gasped as her eyes widened at what I was doing.

"I'll leave the big pans and pots I used but allow me to wash the smaller plates okay? Go on and take your noon meal. Go on." I gently shooed them away.

I finished washing a few minutes after they left and drank some of the chilled iced tea I made.

The freshness of the citrus and the mild red tea flavor that melds so well with the orange feels refreshing and invigorated you on a hot day like this.

"Time to gather more ingredients for our supper meal. I have tasted the pasta dishes here and it seems like they just dump cream and butter together for the sauce with only pepper and herbs for seasoning." I had a cat-like grin on my face as I stared at my broth pan which should be congealing and hardening at this moment since I left a few sparks of fire mana to dehydrate them and concentrate all that flavor. I cannot wait.☐☐☐☐☐☐

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