"Such a crisp and sweet texture, like almonds! Such a high-class taste!"
She immediately concluded that this was absolutely one of the most outstanding ingredients in the world!
"Can you sell it to me? Don't worry about the price," Erina Nakiri said very directly.
Satou found it amusing; she truly lived up to her reputation as a young lady!
"Forget it, I'll just give you one," he said.
"You… you're giving it to me?"
At this, Erina Nakiri became a little embarrassed instead.
"That's right, just consider it rent for using your bathroom and kitchen," Satou said, waving his hand nonchalantly.
"Well, thank you then." Erina Nakiri hesitated for a moment, but ultimately accepted it.
"Let me be clear, you offered this to me, you know. This young lady is merely reluctantly accepting it," she said, her cheeks slightly flushed, looking away with a hint of unnaturalness.
Because she remembered that this was the first time she had ever accepted a gift from a boy.
"So unforthcoming," Satou said, shaking his head.
"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Erina Nakiri was greatly embarrassed. "Who's unforthcoming?!"
"Alright, alright, I get it," Satou said impatiently.
Seeing his expression, Erina Nakiri became even more annoyed!
"By the way, Erina, would you like to taste my cooking?" Satou suddenly asked. If he had the help of two God Tongues, his progress would be even faster.
"I already told you, I'm not familiar with you. Please don't call me by my given name!" the Tsundere said with some displeasure, though her tone was no longer as forceful as before.
"No problem, Erina," Satou said.
Erina Nakiri was fuming, but she couldn't do anything about him. "I can taste your cooking, but you also have to taste mine."
"Of course," Satou said.
Erina Nakiri nodded, then picked up an Almond Cabbage and walked to the other side of the kitchen counter. She had wanted to try this new ingredient for a long time.
On the other side, Satou also selected cabbage and other ingredients from the ingredient area and began practicing Hand-pulled Cabbage.
However, he wasn't so extravagant as to use Almond Cabbage for practice; he only used regular cabbage.
Satou heated the pan, poured in lard, stir-fried the green onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, then added dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns for a quick stir-fry. Next, he added the sliced pork belly. In a short while, the pork belly was fried to a golden, translucent crisp, and a rich aroma wafted from the pan.
…
Half an hour later, Satou placed the freshly stir-fried Hand-pulled Cabbage onto a plate.
"Let's taste yours first," Erina Nakiri said. She had already finished her dish and was just waiting for Satou.
"Okay."
Both of them took a pair of chopsticks and began to taste.
Erina Nakiri only took a small bite before putting down her chopsticks and disdainfully saying, "Too much oil, it tastes very greasy. Secondly, your control over the spiciness isn't enough, and also…"
Her young lady temper flared up again, and she listed several flaws in one breath, saying haughtily, "This dish is still far from passing!"
Satou nodded. The system's rating wasn't high either, only twelve points. "That's right, and the pork belly isn't crispy enough."
Next, they tasted Erina Nakiri's dish.
She made a cabbage salad. This dish was simple: just wash the cabbage, put it in, and add some salad dressing.
Of course, her main purpose was to test the taste of the Almond Cabbage.
The Almond Cabbage was incredibly delicious, sweet and crispy, with a texture close to almonds. In a short while, Satou and Erina Nakiri finished the entire plate of salad.
"It truly is a top-grade ingredient. Both its texture and sweetness are far superior to ordinary cabbage, making it very suitable for eating raw," Erina Nakiri said excitedly, asking, "Do you have any more of this cabbage?"
"No, I obtained this through a special channel, and it's inherently very precious," Satou said, shaking his head.
Although Erina Nakiri was disappointed, she understood. Such precious ingredients were certainly not common.
Next, both of them continued to prepare their own dishes.
Satou wanted to practice Hand-pulled Cabbage, while Erina Nakiri wanted to continue testing the Almond Cabbage.
Soon, three hours passed.
"Here, this is the fourth serving of Hand-pulled Cabbage." Satou handed a plate of Hand-pulled Cabbage to Erina Nakiri.
"Hmph! No matter how many times it comes, it's all the same. It's not easy to satisfy me," Erina Nakiri said with an arrogant expression, then picked up her chopsticks and took a small piece into her mouth.
But this time…
"Hmm?" A deep surprise flashed in Erina Nakiri's eyes. The taste was both hot and spicy, yet it didn't lack the crisp sweetness of the cabbage, and there was also the crispy and chewy pork belly.
"How is it?" Satou asked.
"Hmph, it's barely acceptable this time!" Erina Nakiri snorted, "Except the heat could be a little more perfect."
But her heart was not as calm as her expression.
This speed of improvement is simply too fast. The first dish was full of flaws, but the fourth dish was already quite presentable.
Tsukasa-senpai, perhaps it won't be long before someone can challenge your First Seat position, she thought.
"Indeed."
Satou said, he also received a system score of seventy-two points, which was a lot of improvement.
Next, the two of them tasted Erina Nakiri's French country-style stewed cabbage.
"This time, your stew wasn't cooked long enough; the beef isn't flavorful enough."
Satou said.
"Really? I didn't pay attention this time."
Erina Nakiri nodded.
Previously, when she experimented with dishes, she always asked Hisako Arato to taste them. This time, with Satou's help, she quickly discovered her shortcomings.
After this, Erina Nakiri also realized the benefits of two people cooking together: they could correct each other's flaws anytime, anywhere.
This made her a little excited, believing that it wouldn't be long before her strength would improve significantly.
Next, the two of them returned to their respective rooms to rest.
Satou suddenly remembered that he hadn't asked for leave from school yet, so he sent a message to Izayoi Tsuki, asking her to help him request leave. The two of them had already exchanged contact information.
To Satou's surprise, she quickly replied, saying it was fine.
"Not asleep yet, even at this hour? Are you still experimenting with new dishes?"
He muttered to himself.