Ilmir is a small town, so the walk from the blacksmith shop to the bakery was not very long. I tried to make small talk on the way, but Kirin seemed to only reply with short answers. Maybe he is not interested in becoming my friend.
"So, how long have you and your family lived in Ilmir?" I asked, hoping to start a conversation.
"About three years." He replied nonchalantly and didn't ask any follow-up questions.
"That's good. Where did you live before coming to the Kanta Mountains?" I asked, trying to get him to open up.
"Shibatsu." His one-word reply was a signal to me that he did not want to talk. I nodded and stayed silent until we reached the bakery. Not wanting to overstep any boundaries and annoy him with too many personal questions.
We entered the bakery, and Sia waved at us. Al and Katie had introduced us earlier, so we were new friends. "Nice to see you again, Alisa!" Sia greeted me cheerfully. Her warm greeting and the enticing smell of freshly baked bread in the background were a welcome distraction from Kirin's cold nature.
Kirin was surprised that Sia knew Alisa. He wondered how long Alisa had been living in this town, and when she started to make friends with other people. It couldn't have been very long.
He had only seen her for the first time yesterday. Everyone knew everyone else, and gossip spread quickly in this small town. Then, he remembered that he had seen her in the bakery with that warrior from Shibatsu. He briefly wondered where the warrior was now, but didn't think about it too much.
Kirin nodded towards Sia and ordered four sandwiches and four orders of fries. This was a common lunch order for all the people in Ilmir ever since Abby helped Sia recreate fries. They quickly became the most popular item in the bakery.
Alisa was surprised to hear they had fries here! She had read about how Abby helped Sia create potato chips after Katie had a pregnancy craving for them. It was not too hard to make fries if they had potatoes and oil.
Fried foods have been around on Earth for centuries. Ancient Egyptians used frying food as a way to preserve food. From cakes to fish and vegetables, they could all be deep-fried in oil, animal fats, or ghee. Alisa wondered if she could help Sia recreate some of her favorite foods from home.
She would have to see what resources were available in this world. The novel mentioned that the potatoes were slightly different from the ones on Earth. Alisa had tried all varieties of potatoes, from sweet, yellow, brown, red, purple, and gold; they were all delicious!
Alisa talked with Sia while their food was being prepared. "The bakery smells amazing! What are you baking?"
Sia responded, "I have to keep baking rolls for the sandwiches throughout the midday lunch rush. I usually make the pastries for breakfast and sweets for dessert."
Alisa was surprised to find out that the bakery was open all day. She couldn't wait to try the desserts later. She always had a sweet tooth in her past life, and couldn't wait to try all the foods that she couldn't eat previously.
"Mmm, what sweets are you planning to make later?" Alisa asked eagerly. Maybe I should buy some to bring home later.
"I usually make cakes and fruit tarts for after-dinner sweets, but I am always open to suggestions or special requests." Sia was an excellent businesswoman who understood the concept of excellent customer service, even though she was the only bakery in town.
Alisa thought of her favorite desserts from home. "Have you heard of a cheesecake?" She asked hopefully.
"Cheese cake, sounds interesting. How is it made?" Sia was intrigued and leaned forward towards Alisa to hear her better.
Alisa smiled at Sia's eagerness to learn a new recipe. She remembered the basics from memory, but not the exact measurements. She described the recipe as best as she could and hoped that Sia's culinary genius could help her recreate it.
Alisa thought about the ingredients available in this novel world. "The crust is made from crumbs, you could use gingerbread, and butter. You mix it to form a smooth paste and press it along the bottom of the pan. The filling is made from a soft, mild, creamy cheese, eggs, and sugar. Mix the ingredients and add the mixture on top of the crust. Add any flavors or fruits and swirl them into the mix, or you can add them on top after the cake cools. You bake it until the top starts to brown slightly. Let them cool completely before you cut them."
Sia wrote the recipe down and looked excited to experiment later. "I can't wait to make them. I can't decide what topping to try first."
Alisa offered, "You can make smaller versions of the cake, like the cupcakes, and try different toppings on each one. My favorite is strawberry, but I also love chocolate!" She was excited to try them later and would bet that Katie and Abby would love them as well!
Kirin watched with feigned disinterest as he leaned his back on the counter with his arms crossed. He wondered where this new lady had come from to describe a dessert that he had never heard of before. Shibatsu did not have anything like the cake she described.
This woman was quickly becoming more interesting, but he could not allow himself to think of her that way if she was already taken. It was better to keep their relationship professional.
They left the bakery when their order was ready. Alisa was surprised to see the fries were multi-colored. Some were bluish-green, others were yellow, and some were reddish brown. She was excited to try them all! The food was packaged in a simple paper bag.
When they arrived at the blacksmith shop, Al and Riktor were discussing the steam-powered heating system. They stopped their discussion to eat lunch at the simple wooden bench in the small break room.
Alisa was pleasantly surprised by the fries, but the sandwiches were dry and needed condiments. She could give Sia a simple mayo recipe when she stopped by later to pick up the mini cheesecakes. She planned to get one of each!