106: Scallops with Soy Sauce

January 18, 2021 - 11 minutes read - 2163 words

Sashimi is thin strips of seafood served with soy sauce as a dipping sauce.

Yaki Onigiri is rice balls grilled over charcoal flavored with soy sauce. Recipe

Tamago Gohan (egg rice) is an egg cracked over a bowl of hot rice flavored with soy sauce. Recipe

Scallion-soy dipping sauce is exactly as it sounds, soy sauce with chopped green onions, with a bit of rice vinegar, sugar, and chile oil. Recipe

“Where, when, and how did you get this?!” Al

“Please calm down, Mr. Alfred! I can’t speak when you’re grabbing my shirt!” Triela

I may have been a bit aggressive when I approached Triela to question him, so I stepped back for a minute. Triela takes the chance to straighten his shirt. While he’s doing that, I open the lid of the small jar he had placed on the table.

A salty and fragrant scent peculiar to soy sauce wafts out, I can see a dark liquid inside. Oh, this is the dream. A seasoning that Japanese people are in love with. Soy Sauce

With this, I can make sashimi, yakitori, and yaki onigiri. Tamago Gohan is possible, and I can make scallion-soy dipping sauce.

Oh, exalted soy sauce. Just this seasoning will allow me to increase my cooking repertoire considerably.

“So, where was it?” Al

“It just came in to Esprit from Kagura this morning, since it was made in Kagura.” Triela

“Huh? Haven’t you previously visited Kagura? Why is it only this time that you got soy sauce?” Al

After that question, Triela looks a bit evasive and timid.

“Will you promise to not get angry?” Triela

“…I’ll stay calm…” Al

“Did your statement have a weird amount of pausing?” Triela

“Oh, I get it. I won’t get angry… probably.” Al

I’m not omniscient, so I won’t know for sure until I hear the contents of the story.

Women will say things like ‘I want your honest opinion, I won’t get angry’, but then get angry anyways. Triela must be thinking about that sort of thing when he replied.

“Last time, you had only asked for rice, and I didn’t know anything about this soy sauce. It was only after I had returned with the rice that Alfred mentioned soy sauce. So, I got a bottle when I noticed it in the market today.” Triela

“So, why didn’t you get it just in case when you were in Kagura?” Al

“At the time, I was busy with Reversi business dealings, so I couldn’t visit Kagura personally. I’m sorry about keeping quiet about it, but I was busier than I believed possible.” Triela says apologetically.

Damn, I shouldn’t have made Reversi so early, then Triela would have gone to Kagura. But if he didn’t have the money from it, what would the Slowlette family have invested? I guess I needed to sell him the rights to Reversi to have the chance to get goods imported from Kagura. I couldn’t have gotten rice without Reversi… Was I caught in a Catch 22?

Well, he still imported goods from a distant country so I could have rice… Plus he’s going with me this time, so I’m not really able to complain. A man does not live by soy sauce alone, nor is my life just about cooking.

I’ve been spending the past year working on new dishes using Koriat Village ingredients with Bartolo. I wouldn’t consider those days wasted, I had plenty of fun. If I had soy sauce and lots of rice a year ago, I would have just made dishes from Japan. Since I’m in a new world, I should try to appreciate the ingredients unique to this world.

Well, sometimes I get nostalgic for my previous life’s dishes.

“Well, that’s a reasonable choice. I can’t wait to get to Kagura.” Al

After I said that, Triela visibly calmed down.

“Ah, I’m glad to hear it. I was worried Alfred would get angry.” Triela

Hmm, I should be careful so I won’t be considered capricious.

“By the way, why did you pick some up here and now?” Al

“When I saw a collection of goods recently imported from Kagura and saw soy sauce, I thought it would temper your future excitement.” Triela

Ah, that’s true. If I had found soy sauce as soon as I arrived in Kagura, I don’t know what I would have done. I don’t want to admit it, so I can’t that he was right. Let’s just nod so it’s nebulous whether I’m nodding about the excitement statement or I’m just happy to get the soy sauce. I’ll act like a dignified Alfred, a nobleman who is nobler than the sea is big.

Was this conversation planned to go this way? I feel like this was planned…

“By the way, did they also have miso or soybeans?” Al

Since there’s soy sauce, soybeans must also exist. I would be grateful to get some miso soup as well.

“They weren’t at the seller I found, though they should be on sale in Kagura.” Triela

“Really?!” Al

Now I’m really looking forward to arriving in Kagura after hearing that. From what Triela’s saying, it seems Kagura is pretty similar to Japanese culture. The cityscape must be beautiful, tasteful, and calm. If I like Kagura, maybe I should build a house around there and Transfer over occasionally.

While I was dreaming of the land of Kagura, Rumba was doing normal Rumba things. I was soon snapped out of my dreaming by the voice of Rumba.

“It this tasty?” Rumba

Rumba had just finished pouring sake into a cup, now he picked up the soy sauce jar and sniffed it.

“Don’t drink it, it’s a seasoning.” Al

Rumba would definitely try to just swig it. I can get more when we get to Kagura, but I don’t want to miss getting to use it with the seafood today. I was worried about him, but he just coughed without drinking it.

“Oof! What’s this? My nose!” Rumba

Soy sauce has a powerful smell, if you took a deep sniff, it’s obvious what would happen.

“Is it that strong? Let me smell it.” Mark

Mark and Irving were drawn over to see what Rumba had run into. They took a whiff of the soy sauce.

“Surely it won’t injure my nose.” Mark

“It’s not super spicy or sharp, it feels a bit salty. The color looks close to black, it it supposed to look like that?” Irving

Two people frown and stare at the jar, neither of them are familiar with soy sauce. I look over at Triela with a quizzical expression.

“This is the first time I’ve hired their party for a trip to Kagura, so it’s not surprising they don’t know. Of course, they’ve done many sea escorts to other places.” Triela

“We haven’t to Kagura yet, so I’m happy to take this request.” Alisha

“Indeed, everyone is very excited for this trip.” Ilya

So is it part of an adventurer’s nature to want to visit new places on quests? I could totally see Thor saying that, especially since he has yet to leave Koriat Village. From my point of view, sightseeing is fine, but adventuring is beyond what I’d like. Especially because of the bloody battles with monsters. If that was my job, I don’t think I’d have enough lives to stick around long.

“This is salty!” Mark

“Wow, the taste is so strong.” Irving

Irving and Mark are trying the soy sauce by licking it off of a spoon.

“You’re not supposed to eat it alone, it’s a seasoning to use sparingly.” Al

“Then how do you use it as a seasoning?” Mark

“It seems difficult to use it because of the strong smell…” Irving

The two return the soy sauce jar while muttering.

“If you want to try it, you’ve got something right in front of you.” Al

“Which one?” Mark & Irving

Rumba and the other two lean forward, the best option is to just show them. I sprinkle an appropriate amount of soy sauce on some scallops that were cooking on the grill grate. The scallops make a sizzling sound as the soy sauce hits them.

“Ah! So you can put it on a scallop! It doesn’t smell that good.” Irving

Irving was surprised to see the scallops sprinkled with soy sauce, but snorts and sits back down. On the grate, a large crisp scallop is spitting out a thick and rich umami smell. The juices of the scallop that was brushed by a melted butter mixture pops with the rich scent of seafood.

Now, a small amount of soy sauce has been dripped on it, so it’s now giving off a fragrant scent. The three were noisy a little while ago, but now they’re staring hungrily at the scallops. The scent of the scallops must have enraptured them.

If you bend over like that while staring at the cooking scallops…

Pssh!

“Gah! Ah ah ah ah hah hah! Scallops! Scallop Juice!” Irving

Irving got too close and some of the scallop juice hit him in his face. Rumba and Mark were also getting close, but promptly moved back. They didn’t want to turn into victims 2 and 3. Thanks to Irving’s valued sacrifice, there wer no more casualties.

I watch the scallops as the make noises, and bubbling juice pops. Irving wasn’t properly careful of the hot scallop juice. As they started to make bubbles, I turned them over to cook the other side.

“Ok, it’s done cooking!” Al

Once I say that, Irving grabs a scallop off the grill, followed by Rumba and Mark. It was a sharper tongs thrust than what I saw from Eric at the aristocracy party. It’s big and hot to eat in one bite, but those three don’t seem to care.

It’s too hot for me, so I cut mine into small pieces with a knife and fork while salivating. A piece of the large scallop is put on my fork, it’s giving off a rich smell. The other scallop pieces are steaming on my plate, giving off even more enticing scents.

I can’t stand it!

I realized I forgot to blow on the scallop right as I plunged it into my mouth. It’s hot enough to burn, but there’s a thrill in chewing it nonetheless. The unique texture and taste particular to scallops envelops my mouth. The sweetness of the scallop and the mellowness of the butter intertwine on top of my taste buds. I close my eyes to enjoy the flavors that burst out each time I bite down.

I have only one impression right now: delicious.

After enjoying the bites of my scallop, I want to have some sake to wash them down, but all I see in front of me is orange juice.

“So, I can’t have sake with my scallops…” Al

While I was murmuring regrets, Rumba and Irving yelled out.

“Fwah! Yum!” Rumba & Irving

They slam down their mugs on the table with satisfied expressions. I envy them, their expressions are so content.

“Haha! Children are too young to appreciate it! Just put up with it for another seven years!” Irving

Irving checks on my mug, he must have noticed my longing gaze. Does he not remember who the soy sauce is for?

“Well, Irving is now cut off from soy sauce for that comment.” Al

“That’s silly!” Irving

Mark is laughing at Irving’s stunned expression. As I was laughing as well, Alisha called out from the other table.

“Mr. Alfred, can we try some soy sauce?” Alisha

Suddenly, some waiters of the restaurant are also around our table. They have similar looks to Alisha and Ilya, pleading. I don’t think I can refuse them.

“You can use some, sparingly is plenty.” Al

“Thank you!” Alisha, Ilya & Waiters

This stupid group, I can’t hate them like I can’t hate Koriat villagers. In the end, I can only enjoy the moment since I’m on this trip to Kagura. If it’s consumed now, I can get more in a week. During this dinner party, everyone should enjoy things. It’s better to share it than be petty, that’s more fun.

The soy sauce jar moves to the next table, and then to another. A fragrant smell permeates the area, spreading the allure of soy sauce. Along with that, applause and cheers ring out from tables, as new people discover the taste.

“That’s all, Mr. Alfred.” Triela

While I watched the happy Alisha, Triela approaches me.

“Well, when you get to Kagura, you’ll find plenty more.” Triela

To be honest, it’s a shame that the soy sauce was introduced at a seafood barbecue. Divided across that many people, the small jar will be completely used. I guess I won’t get any more scallops with soy sauce…

“It’s fine, Mr. Alfred. I picked up two other jars just in case.” Triela says as he puts his arm on my shoulder.

“Say that sooner next time” Al