Eric and Max then went to the square, where most of the tribe was gathered, to invite everyone over for a meal.
Under the envious gazes of the others, Luci, Thomas, and Michael happily agreed.
On their way back, they came across Leo and the little girl Flower, who were rolling around until their fur was covered in dirt and sand. Eric then carried them both to the riverbank for a bath.
The mischievous little Flower didn't like bathing and struggled, splashing water all over Eric's face.
Seeing this, Max took Flower from his hands, dunked her a couple of times, and then lifted her out. Flower kicked her feet indignantly, but she was angry and didn't dare to speak.
Originally, he had also planned to call Luban's family, but the couple was busy forging a magic staff. He heard it was a high-level weapon that required their full concentration, so he only brought Robin along.
Lately, the Dwarves had much more free time. With the help of the Snow Wolves, the last of the house foundations had finally been completed. Now, they just needed to wait for the concrete to dry and for enough bricks to be fired.
Speaking of foundations, it was impossible not to mention Sam. One day, when he was free, he was eagerly looking forward to eating at the communal kitchen. Hearing that the last large foundation was for the kitchen, he enthusiastically went over to lend a hand.
The result was that a single swing of his hammer cracked the very ground that dozens of Dwarves had painstakingly compacted.
Eric had witnessed with his own eyes how Chief Joseph's expression cracked right along with the ground. If not for the fact that they couldn't win a fight against him, and that the Snow Wolf tribe were their saviors, Sam would have definitely been given a harsh scolding by the Dwarves.
The foundation for that kitchen was larger than the area of more than ten Dwarf houses combined. Eric had also toiled away there, expending a great deal of effort.
He really wanted to put up a sign banning Sam from the construction site.
...
When they returned, the rich aroma from the two pots of stewed organs had already spread everywhere. Eric picked up a piece to taste it; the flavor had soaked in deeply.
He scooped the heart, lungs, and pieces of meat onto a plate. The intestines and stomach were cut into small pieces; half was served for everyone, while the other half was stir-fried with a lot of chili in the large iron wok.
The stir-fried intestines had a glistening layer of fat, and the outside was crispy yet tender. A bite revealed a texture that was both soft and chewy, spicy, fragrant, and delicious.
The stewed heart was firm, without any strange smell, and had a tender chewiness that surpassed that of beast meat. The lungs, cut into small pieces, were even softer, combined with the crunchy texture of the windpipe that was like crisp cartilage, making a crunching sound when eaten. The stir-fried liver, still warm, was tender and smooth.
The organs that the Snow Wolves had once disdained had now been transformed into such an exquisite delicacy; it had truly changed their entire worldview.
"Heavens, are these really organs?" Luci couldn't believe it.
Thomas was more partial to the stir-fried liver. As he happily shoveled it into his mouth, he chimed in:
"There's not a hint of a foul smell! If organs can be made this delicious, just think of how much more food we can have!"
Michael did a quick mental calculation; the organs they threw away each day alone amounted to several thousand pounds. The others also realized this and looked up at Eric in astonishment.
Eric was busy indulging in his favorite stir-fried intestines, thinking to himself how wonderful it would be if he had some white rice to eat his fill with.
He felt everyone's gaze on him and, reacting a beat too late, looked up, only to find them all staring at him with complicated expressions.
He almost choked on the chili oil. After swallowing the food in his mouth, he asked weakly:
"Is something wrong?"
He had been so focused on eating that he hadn't heard what anyone was discussing.
A barely perceptible smile touched the corner of Max's mouth. He picked up a piece of intestine for him and said:
"Everyone is praising you for increasing the tribe's food supply."
Luci looked at Eric with affection.
"This winter, no Snow Wolf will go hungry. The method for catching fish, turning soybeans into tofu, and now even the organs can be eaten."
She thought to herself that the cub had become so sensible and clever in such a short time; it seemed that before, it was Max who had been holding him back.
Hearing this, Eric felt a little guilty. In truth, he had just been particularly craving these dishes.
But he also realized that once organs could be used as food, they could indeed save a lot of meat to be dried and stored for winter. Thinking of dried meat, he then thought about using the intestines as sausage casings.
He already had the spices; he just needed to wait for the white wine to finish fermenting, and then he could make cured sausages.
"Then after we eat, I'll take Jessica and Iris to wash the rest of the organs and cook them at the communal kitchen." Eric suggested: "It'll be a good chance for everyone to have a taste and also to see if eating at the kitchen is convenient."
The communal kitchen was currently just a simple but very large animal-hide shed. The Dwarves had already forged several enormous iron pots for it, each with a diameter of three to four meters.
Eric had also worked with Jessica to make over a dozen large round tables. He knew this number wouldn't be enough for more than four hundred people, but they could test it out first.
The Snow Wolves were fast walkers and could take their food home to eat; anyway, today was just a tasting. The Dwarves had smaller appetites, so it would probably be enough to fill them up.