Ch.84 A Sweet that Changes Completely Because of Fresh Cream

"I don't think you're supposed to put it in the freezer."

Sakidori Midori-san is peeking at what I am holding.

When I took the milk pudding out of the freezer, some of it turned into a sorbet. The recipe said to put it in the freezer for an hour, but for some reason it got some frostbite.

"It's pudding, so I'm also a bit iffy on freezing it. The recipe said it's okay to put it in the freezer, though."

"I thought you were making ice cream because you put it in the freezer. I didn't even know eggless pudding was a thing."

I was surprised that it had frozen in less than an hour, so I reread the recipe from the beginning.

So, what went wrong? Well, it apparently says that if you put it in the freezer, check the condition frequently, about every 5 minutes, after 30 minutes.

It's written a little smaller than the cooking instructions, but not so small that you can't read it. A simple oversight from my side.

"What's wrong?"

Not missing the slight slumping of my shoulders, she asked.

"I'm reflecting on my failure. I missed a sentence that resulted in this. If it was something I was going to eat, it would have been one thing, but it was something I was supposed to give to you as a token of appreciation, so I didn't want to make a mistake."

"A failure? Only a small part is frozen, right? It's not a failure at all. In fact, the texture is different from the other parts, it's like sorbet, and it should be delicious, right?"

"You think so?"

"I think so. By the way, what's that called? It's not just called pudding, is it?"

"Yes, it's called cow milk pudding. It's also called milk pudding by some people." (TL : the first one is written in kanji 牛乳, the second one is written in katakana ミルク)

Milk pudding is a sweet that only resembles pudding, even though it has pudding in the name. Is it because it's made with almost the same ingredients as regular pudding, or is it called that because it looks similar to pudding? I wonder why.

"Is it because because it's made with milk and is white, hence the name?'

"I don't know why it's called that, but milk is also used in regular puddings. It's called milk pudding because it uses a lot of milk instead of eggs. Is that not the case?"

"I think most people think of pudding as something made with eggs and milk, but it turns out you can actually make pudding without those two ingredients. So, taking that into consideration..."

"Taking that into consideration?"

"Like Vester said, it's a pudding with no eggs but lots of milk, so I think it's probably correct to name it Milk Pudding. If it was the other way around, it would be egg pudding. But in the end, only the original creator knows the reason."

"Certainly."

I take the milk pudding out of the freezer and pour the cooled mandarin orange sauce over it.

After the final steps, the milk-based dessert is complete. Two layers of light orange and white are formed in a white container.

"It's a little frozen, but I guarantee it'll taste good. This is a thank you for lending me the knife. Would you mind accepting it...?"

After tasting the other milk pudding I made myself, I'm floating it with telekinesis and offering it to her.

"Yes, I'll grateful take it. I'll eat it with care."

She takes it and puts it away into her Magic Sack.

The containers I used were purchased at the store. It seems to be attached to the cooking guild, so they also sell small dishes and cooking utensils, so I used those. So it's not like I'm stealing anything that belongs to the guild.

I finished cooking a little earlier than planned, but it's already past 10:30. I'm sure Sakidori Midori-san said something about having plans when we were saying goodbye yesterday. I wonder if she's okay with the time?

"By the way, you have plans later today, right? Is the time okay?"

"It's okay. It looks like now is the perfect time to head there."

Sakidori Midori-san said as she put the sack back on her shoulder.

"I actually want to eat with you..."

"Don't worry about me."

"Sorry. Let's talk more in depth next time. Thanks for the milk pudding."

"Oh, that's right. Before you go, please take this with you. It's your part of the loot."

I take it out of my bag and hand it to her.

"Hmm? Fish?... Wait, don't tell me-"

"Yes, it's a fillet of Pacific Saury. It's delicious. I've only tried the legs so far though."

"T-thank you. I'll eat it later."

After exchanging a few words, Sakidori Midori-san raised one hand and said "see you later" before leaving.

◇◆◇

Now I'm alone in the Cooking Guild. There were guild staff, players, and NPCs around me, but I didn't know anyone, so I was floating around feeling lonely.

Perhaps because Sakidori Midori-san is gone, I feel the gazes of several people, who seem to want to talk to me.

...Let's eat the dessert and move on.

I move to one of the empty tables in the dining space next to the kitchen.

I place my half-eaten milk pudding down, scoop it up with a small spoon, and take a bite.

"The balance of sweetness and bitterness is just right."

It has a smooth texture like pudding, the rich sweetness from the milk, and the slightly bitter mandarin orange sauce are a perfect match.

Thinking that this could have a good rating, I decided to appraise the milk pudding.

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Consumable Item: Panna Cotta with Mandarin Orange Sauce〙

★★★☆☆

A sweet treat made of panna cotta topped with mandarin orange sauce.

The mandarin orange sauce, with its exquisite balance of sweetness and bitterness, is the perfect match for the simple-tasting panna cotta.

The frozen parts are proof that it's the creator's first time making it. This slight mistake adds some charm to it.

• +1 Max HP

• +7 Max VIT

• Slash resistance (20 seconds)

Creator: Vester, Blood-Rotten Tree Fairy

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"Panna cotta...?"

I rub my eys and look at the appraisal again, but the text remains the same.

"It's supposed to be milk pudding though..."

The recipe calls for milk pudding, but the one displayed in the window is panna cotta.

What's this, a bug?

"No, maybe the recipe is wrong."

AI can't possibly make a mistake in the windows. Logically speaking, the recipes created by humans would be the one in the wrong.

If that is the case, the panna cotta recipe is written with a title of milk pudding, so there may have been a naming mix-up.

I'll let the person selling the recipe know later.

"Dessert after a meal is delicious."

Next time I make it, I'll keep it in the fridge, I thought to myself as I brought it to my mouth.

"Nice to meet you again, fairy. Can I sit next to you?"

As I continued munching away, when there's only a little left, I heard a voice call out from behind me to the right.

"Go ahead...?"

I replied while thinking that there were other seats available and there was no need to sit next to me. When he said "we meet again," I looked to the side and saw a male player pulling a chair

"Oh, the scrambled eggs person from some time ago."

"It's Omelette. How do you misremember that?"

I met him once at the Cooking Guild in Nemor, the capital of the Kingdom of Harula. His name is Gonzarel Gonzales. He has two horns growing from his head, so he's probably a demon.

"Forgive my rudeness. I see you made squid ink pasta."

"This is just burnt food."

"...Oh."

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〘Consumable Item: Mandarin Orange Sauce〙

★★☆☆☆

Mandarins from the Fairy Forest are boiled down with sugar to create a liquid.

It's not a thick jam, but a thick fruit sauce.

The slightly bitter, distinctive mandarin orange aroma and flavor makes a great accent to sweet dishes and other dishes.

• +5 Max HP

Creator: Vester, Blood-Rotten Tree Fairy

〘Consumable Item: Panna Cotta〙

★★☆☆☆

Milk, sugar, and cream are mixed together, gelatin is added, and the mixture is cooled and solidified.

The addition of fresh cream adds a rich, full-bodied flavor, making it a dish that is not too light and never gets boring.

This specific one was left to harden for too long, and in some places it froze a little and became like sorbet.

Milk pudding requires no fresh cream in it, oh fairy. (Basically)

• Slash resistance (30 seconds)

Creator: Vester, Blood-Rotten Tree Fairy

〘Consumable Item: Pacific Saury Fillet〙

★☆☆☆☆

Half of a Pacific Saury's fish body. One half of a filleted fish. Head and bones removed.

Although it is a dropped item, it is kindly packaged in a sturdy polyester bag to prevent it from getting dirty.

The bag has a large sticker with a deformed Pacific Saury winking. Isn't it cute?

It looks and tastes like an ordinary Saury.

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