Chapter 146: Cooking
Sunnie took the bones for the broth and put them into a pot. She chopped some vegetables and added them into the same pot along with a decent amount of water.
Sunnie then boiled it for some time. Since boiling would take a long time and she had limited time, she added some ingredients to help enhance it and make it fast while still retaining rich flavor.
Leaving the broth to continue boiling, Sunnie went to prepare the pie dough. She mixed flour and salt and then rubbed lard into the flour.
Slowly, Sunnie added water to it and kneaded it steadily until it became smooth. After she was done with this, she covered it and allowed it to rest. This allowed the dough to become easier to roll.
Moving on to her next step—preparing the filling—Sunnie diced the meat into small pieces and cubes, sliced the mushrooms, and chopped the onions, garlic, and root vegetables.
As she cut and chopped, her hands moved so fast and she worked so professionally that everyone couldn’t help but stare.
Her husbands had their attention on her. They couldn’t help but notice how attractive she looked while working efficiently.
Others couldn’t help but admire her hands and fingers running across the flat board as she cut and sliced. Her fingers moved like magic, dancing around the flat surface while the ingredients obeyed all she commanded.
"Wow... the way her fingers move..." some in the audience took notice.
"How is she doing that? It looks so elegant..." They had forgotten about others and now had their eyes fixed on Sunnie.
Other contestants had also taken a glance, shocked at how fast and efficient Sunnie was with what she did. This made most feel uneasy about their own dishes, but it made the bear tribe feel pissed as their leader urged them to step up their game.
Sunnie needed an extra pan-like tool, so she got it from the system. They stared in shock as she suddenly pulled out a large pan and heated the lard. She added meat to it, allowing it to brown. She observed as the surface of the meat developed a roasted aroma. She smiled after it had turned golden before adding her onions, garlic, and mushrooms, cooking until fragrant while adding root vegetables and mixing thoroughly.
The smell of the meat she had prepared began filling the atmosphere. Everyone couldn’t help but pick up the luxurious aroma coming from Sunnie’s pan.
"What’s that magical scent...? Is that... meat?" someone from the crowd asked.
Another person from the crowd nodded while staring in Sunnie’s direction. "It’s coming from there."
"How is that possible...? How can she make such an aroma from meat? I don’t think I’ve ever smelled this before!" someone expressed.
"Me neither. I’m in shock!"
"How can someone make meat smell so good?"
They had never seen this before, and this drew more eyes toward Sunnie’s cooking station. They were curious to see what she would do next.
Sunnie, ignoring all the amused eyes and talk about her, moved on to create the gravy. She poured the broth into the pan and then added other ingredients she had gotten from the system—thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and black pepper—allowing them to simmer.
Everyone stared in amusement at what she added. They had never seen this kind of ingredients before. Worst of all, they didn’t even know what she was preparing.
"Are these rare ingredients? I’ve been cooking all my life, and I’ve never even seen such things before," a woman in the crowd said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Me neither. Where did she get these rare ingredients from? They’re making the aroma stronger! My nose has been dancing for a while now."
They leaned closer, staring in utter amusement at what she was preparing.
Sunnie allowed everything she had put in to simmer, watching the broth slowly thicken. The vegetables softened, and the meat absorbed the flavor. The aroma became rich and irresistible as she removed the bay leaf before assembling.
While she moved on to assemble the pie, everyone stared in immense shock. The irresistible aroma was already getting to them, making it impossible to focus on anything else.
Some had even forgotten that they were cooking too and now had their eyes and noses fixed on Sunnie’s meal.
"What is she making?" Even the judges and the boar tribe leader were curious. They stared with full attention.
"I don’t even know," one of the judges said. "I’ve never seen this before at all."
"But it smells so heavenly. I’m curious to see what it tastes like," another added.
This made the boar tribe leader furious, because Sunnie was showing such amazing skill in preparing her meal.
Sunnie rolled half of the dough into a large circle. She lined up the baking dish she had gotten from her system and then poured the filling in. She spread it evenly and carefully.
Her husbands and companions watched her do all this in shock. They wondered if there was anything they could possibly help her with. They couldn’t tell, so they just watched.
Sunnie covered it with the second sheet of dough, sealed the edges tightly, and cut small slits on the top to allow steam to escape.
"What is she making?" was still the question everyone who stared was asking. They were all puzzled, but no one had an answer.
Sunnie put this in the fire she had made, after making it oven-like in a stone setup. She continued baking it until it was golden brown—she had to speed up the process because there wasn’t much time left.
They had already begun warning them that time was approaching, and most of the contestants were already done with their cooking. Now they stood staring at Sunnie in pure shock and confusion, wondering what the hell she was making.
She allowed the crust to become crisp while the filling continued bubbling inside. As it cooked, the aroma spread throughout the entire competition ground, leaving them all in shock.