Hina unexpectedly flashed an enigmatic, unpredictable smile that sent a chill down Ren's spine.
She quickly began gathering everything on the ingredient shelf nearby. Finally, a chaotic mix of ingredients, from fresh to pre-processed, was dumped in front of Ren, covering the cutting board.
"Now, your task is to sort all of these into five different basic tastes," Hina commanded, her eyes challenging. "Don't disappoint me, Ren."
She crossed her arms, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Accurately distinguishing tastes is crucial for combining and experimenting. If you can't perceive them, you will never achieve the flavor balance I just talked about."
Ren looked at the colorful and various ingredients before him. From dried mushrooms, seaweed, to lemon slices, sea salt, and several unfamiliar fruits… This challenge was many times more complex than holding a knife.
Facing the unexpected challenge, Ren showed no fear.
He understood that the theory he had just learned was only a stepping stone, and practice was where the true skill would be tested.
"Is tasting the only way?" Ren asked, his tone slightly introspective, as if affirming the necessity of this method.
Hina nodded in confirmation. Ren then began the task, carefully picking up each small ingredient.
His hand, accustomed to gripping a sword and decisively activating combat Skills, now had to learn to bring food to his tongue delicately and slowly.
He easily categorized four distinct tastes: the Lemon Slice (Sour), the Sea Salt Crystals (Salty), the Sugar Granules (Sweet), and the Dark Leafy Vegetable (Bitter). These four groups were placed neatly, requiring little thought.
But he paused at the remaining three, all bearing the "savory" nuance Hina had described: a piece of dried Kombu Seaweed, a golden slice of Parmesan Cheese, and a drop of dark-brown Fish Sauce.
"Wait… we have fish sauce?" Ren was surprised, sniffing the small bowl containing the amber-brown liquid, whose intense aroma reached the back of his throat.
"Yes, Yuzu and I tried to process it ourselves. Although it seems simple, achieving the exact standard flavor took quite a bit of effort," Hina said, arms proudly akimbo.
Ren nodded and looked at Hina with an admiring gaze, then tasted the Kombu Seaweed. The flavor was rich, deep, and long-lasting. Just as Hina said: pure Umami. He placed it in the Umami group.
Next was the Parmesan Cheese. It had a light saltiness, but the rich, profound flavor of aged milk created a characteristic fullness.
Ren frowned, comparing it to the Umami from the Kombu, then decided to place it in the Umami group.
Finally, the drop of Fish Sauce. He tasted a little. The Salty flavor exploded immediately, but right after was the intense fish aroma and a deep aftertaste.
He hesitated. The saltiness was too obvious, yet the Umami was also present. He tried to recall Hina's lesson about "savory taste" and decided to place it in the Umami group.
"Alright, I'm done categorizing." Ren looked up at Hina, his hands shaking slightly from the high concentration, awaiting judgment.
Hina approached, leaning down to carefully observe the five groups of ingredients. She wasn't hasty, lightly touching each group with her fingertip.
"Basic categorization is quite good for a beginner. You recognized the existence of Umami, which many people fail to do," she praised, but then immediately shook her head. "However, you made a big mistake in the Umami group."
Hina pointed to the Kombu Seaweed and the Parmesan Cheese, nodding decisively: "These two are correct. They are classic examples of Umami, where the 'savory taste' overwhelmingly dominates the other flavors."
But when she touched the drop of Fish Sauce, Hina withdrew her hand, her gaze becoming strict. "Wrong. Fish sauce, despite being a fermented food and containing glutamate, has Saltiness as its most dominant and prominent flavor."
She looked Ren straight in the eye, emphasizing every word: "In cooking, especially when balancing flavors, you must distinguish between the dominant flavor and the supportive flavor.
Fish sauce is primarily used to increase saltiness, and only secondarily for the Umami effect.
If you use it solely for the purpose of increasing Umami without paying attention to the salt content, the dish will be completely ruined by excessive saltiness.
Conversely, you use Kombu to enhance the Umami flavor without significantly increasing the saltiness. This is the core difference."
"Flavor analysis isn't just about naming; it's about understanding the purpose of the ingredient and its balance.
That's why cooking cannot simply rely on the Game Status parameters you are familiar with," Hina said, concluding the first correction, leaving Ren deep in thought about the complexity of the culinary world.
After the strict correction, Hina abruptly softened her voice, offering an appreciative smile. "You have a fantastic tongue, by the way…"
But as soon as she spoke those words, she seemed to realize the double entendre of the statement. Her face suddenly flushed red, quickly spreading to her ears.
"No… no!" Hina frantically waved her hands, stammering awkwardly. "I meant… your tongue has an excellent ability to perceive taste!"
Ren looked at Hina with an extremely strange gaze, not saying a word, which only made her more flustered.
He was still trying to process the amount of knowledge about Umami, and Hina's sudden change in emotion made him unable to understand.
Hina quickly turned around, trying awkwardly to shift both their attention to the next topic, brushing aside the recent awkward moment.
"Alright! Onto Course Number Three." Her voice regained its seriousness. "Regarding fire control."
Hina had completely shaken off her earlier confusion. She quickly moved to the specialized cooking area, where the shiny metal pans were placed.
Ren observed two common types of stoves in the Town of Beginnings: The first type was fueled by raw burning materials like wood or charcoal.
This type was often very difficult to control the temperature precisely, but in return, food cooked on it often carried unique, hard-to-replicate flavors.
The second type was fueled by magic stones. They used magic stones to create moderate heat, and the user could adjust the intensity as they wished, a modernized and convenient version.
Coincidentally, this diner's kitchen had both types of stoves. Additionally, Ren saw a huge charcoal oven in the backyard.
"Fire is not the enemy, but a partner," Hina began, her voice deep and decisive, carrying a sense of solemnity.
"Many novice chefs, whether in the game or real life, fear fire or use it indiscriminately. You must learn to feel and control it."
She turned on a magic stone stove. A blue flame flared up, growing larger. Hina placed an empty pan on the stove.
"When frying, sautéing, or searing, the temperature changes every second," she said, pointing to the heating pan.
"Don't just rely on the Temperature Counter that your Skill might provide. You need to use your senses, because the diner's sense of taste cannot be measured by a number."
"The simplest temperature test is the Water Drop Test."
Hina dipped her fingertip into a clean bowl of water, then lightly flicked a drop of water into the pan.
Ssssssss!
The water drop immediately evaporated and vanished, creating a dry hiss.
"This is too hot," Hina explained. "This temperature will burn the oil and the outside layer of the food in an instant, leaving the inside raw. You must avoid this state."
She lowered the flame, waited a few seconds, and tried again. This time, when the water drop hit the pan, instead of vanishing, it danced into small beads, gliding quickly and fluidly across the pan's surface like marbles, before slowly evaporating.
"And this," Hina looked at Ren, her eyes bright. "Is the perfect temperature. It's hot enough for the food to cook evenly, creating a beautiful, crispy exterior without burning.
Now, your turn. Practice controlling the flame, keeping this pan in that 'dancing' state, not too hot, not too cold...until you can feel the balance."
Ren stepped up, replacing Hina. He placed an empty pan on the magic stove, swallowed hard, and turned on the fire.
He could easily activate the Temperature Counter from his Cooking Skill, but he consciously restrained himself, remembering Hina's words: "Don't just rely on the number."
Initially, Ren struggled. The flame was too high; the water drop he tested evaporated instantly.
He reduced the fire, but overshot, cooling the pan down, causing the water drop to lie still and only gently simmer.
Ren frowned, realizing that controlling the temperature by feel was many times more complex than adjusting parameters on the HUD screen.
He focused intensely, listening to the faint groans of the metal as it heated, observing the color of the flame and the evaporation speed of the water drops. After about ten minutes of struggle, Ren finally achieved that state.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
The water drop danced on the pan surface, agile and lively, creating a small, pleasant sound.
"Good," Hina said in a low voice, satisfaction evident in her eyes. "You have a good aptitude for learning. Can you feel the difference?"
Ren nodded. "It's like feeling the weight of a sword. Fire also has its own weight and rhythm."
Hina smiled faintly; it was a very warrior-like comparison, yet very accurate in this context. "Now, we will combine fire with ingredients. First dish: Butter Fried Eggs."
Hina quickly placed two fresh eggs and a block of golden butter in front of Ren.
"Eggs are the most heat-sensitive ingredient. A small mistake will make them dry, burnt, or undercooked. Start. Don't forget what you learned about hygiene and knife grip when cracking the eggs."