Chapter 272: Stir-Fry
The night grew darker.
Inside the main hall of the castle, Simon invited everyone to take their seats. On his right sat General Benjamin, followed by Lancelot, Liam, and the other military officers. On his left were the civil officials, starting with Baldwin, then Aiden, Bjorn, and others. Altogether, over a hundred officials were gathered.
Sitting at the head of the table, Simon looked at his loyal team. The restless feelings he had earlier in the day began to fade. Yes, it had only been one year since he arrived in this world, and already he had achieved so much. With more time, why couldn’t he lead the Age of Exploration himself?
He stood and addressed the crowd. "Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and it brings me great joy to welcome all of you to the castle. Without you, this place would feel lonely."
Lancelot raised his hand with a grin. "My Lord, it’s our honor to be invited to celebrate the New Year with you."
Percival chimed in cheerfully. "He’s right! To celebrate with Your Highness on New Year’s Eve? That must mean my ancestors are smiling down on me!"
Laughter filled the room.
Baldwin asked. "My Lord, I heard there is music and performances tonight. Is that true?"
Simon smiled. "Yes, but first, let’s eat. After dinner, we’ll light fireworks,and then enjoy the performances."
Cheers broke out across the hall. Tonight was going to be a grand night.
Soon, the servants arrived, carrying in delicious dishes. Every official had their own table loaded with fine food. All of it had been carefully prepared under Simon’s instructions, mawith ny dishes inspired by modern flavors.
The sight of the food made everyone’s eyes light up. One of the reasons they loved coming to the castle was the food. Simon was used to it by now, but to them, these dishes were a rare treat.
He did, however, regret that many ingredients common in modern times were missing, no chili peppers, no white sugar. This was exactly why he had tasked Desmond with bringing back important crops on his voyage.
He also made a mental note to start organizing agricultural reform after the New Year. Currently, Brambleford’s crops were very limited, mostly rice and cotton. To support industrial development, he needed raw materials, like sugarcane, which could be used to produce white sugar and, in turn, many processed foods, including military rations for soldiers on long expeditions.
"My Lord, this cooking oil is amazing!" Said Fjord, in between bites.
Simon chuckled. "Of course it is. We made it right here in the castle kitchen."
Baldwin’s eyes lit up. "My Lord, I think the delicious flavor of tonight’s food owes a lot to that oil. Perhaps... Should we teach this method to the chefs at the Redwyck Family Restaurant? That way, visiting merchants will love dining there, and the income could help the treasury."
Redwyck Family Restaurant had once belonged to the Redwyck family, but Simon had taken it over through the local government. It also allowed his secret agents to better monitor important guests.
As Baldwin spoke, a new idea formed in Simon’s mind. In modern times, a sign of a thriving economy is a good hotel and restaurant scene. Now that Brambleford saw a constant stream of merchants, this could be a profitable new business.
"You’re right., Simon said excitedly. "After the holiday, I’ll summon the chefs from the Redwyck restaurant and have them learn from our cooks. We’ll even supply them with our oil. With dishes like this, merchants will never want to leave Brambleford!
"I’m sold." Said Benjamin, raising his cup. "If that happens, I’ll eat at the RRedwycksevery day!"
"Same here!" Said Lancelot, already munching on a chicken leg. "After tasting this food, everything else just tastes like wax!"
As the mood lifted, Aiden asked curiously. "My Lord, these dishes taste completely different from what we usually eat. Are they boiled?"
"Nope. These are stir-fried."
"Stir-fried? What’s that?" Murmurs filled the room.
Even though these officials lived comfortably, most of them had only recently begun to eat well. Before, food was usually boiled or roasted, and that was it. The tools needed for stir-frying, woks and stoves, were still rare and expensive.
Recently, Simon hahasocused on military industries and shipbuilding. His work on improving everyday life had only just begun. So he called for a servant to bring a wok and stove into the main hall, along with oil, salt, and eggs.
"This." He announced. "It’s a wok. You need one of these to stir-fry food."
Simon walked over to the stove. The wok was already heated over a coal fire.
Everyone stopped eating and crowded around. Fjord squinted at the pot. "I’ve never seen one of these before. Did Your Highness invent it?"
"Of course." Said Roland proudly.
"And how do you stir-fry?" Baldwin was watching closely, already planning to ask Simon for his own wok after the holidays.
New Year’s was a time for fun, and Simon was in a playful mood. "I’ll show you. Let’s make a simple fried egg."
He poured oil into the hot wok. The oil heated quickly. Then he added a pinch of salt, cracked an egg, and dropped it into the pan.
Sizzle! The egg danced in the hot oil. A few drops splashed and hit Lancelot’s face, making him yelp and jump back.
Everyone else leaned in, wide-eyed and fascinated.
In no time, Simon scooped up the perfectly fried egg and looked at the crowd.
"So, who wants to try it first?"
The golden fried egg gave off a rich, mouthwatering aroma that wafted through the main hall. Everyone, from Baldwin to the other officials, let out a unified sigh of amazement. While the saying goes. ’A gentleman stays far from the kitchen.’ The truth was, they had all been in a kitchen before.
"This smells amazing! My Lord, allow me to be the first to try it." Said Lancelot, licking his lips and swallowing hard.
Liam quickly interrupted. "Captain Lancelot, with all due respect, as an officer, I should be the one to try it first, for the sake of all of us."