Chapter 115

Chapter 115

Era of Science (2)

"At least want to see results before next June, so work hard. Instead okay to proceed in your way. Full support in the name of the British Empire government."

"As I want to do?"

"Nutella, if preparing hard from now can showcase to the public together with the refrigerator by next June? That is the last task given to you."

Chairman Balfour's thought sufficiently understood.

Next June's international cooking exposition held together with His Majesty Edward VII's coronation.

Words of gathering secret weapons to definitely burst results there, right.

Showcasing various dishes I'll present along with various future inventions related to the kitchen like outlets, electric grinder, refrigerator and displaying the British Empire's science power and status to the world.

Naturally would plan as a tremendous event surpassing the 1899 French Universal Exposition, and if covering that cost with war expenses saved from the Boer War it made sense.

"But, if Nutella matter the last homework the chairman gave hasn't been completed yet."

Finding methods to eliminate Britain's three worst dishes.

First successfully eliminated jellied eels with grilled eel,

Second utilized Durand Fish Ball and expelled fish pie.

The last finale thinking of decorating with offal hot pot dish utilizing gochujang but this still undisclosed state.

As long as gochujang not commercialized still an unachievable goal.

"Received the report from Minister Samuel. You created an amazing dish utilizing offal. Haven't tasted yet but will believe his evaluation. Treat the third as completed too."

"Hmm..."

"In fact it was a forced task correct. A highest difficulty challenge no one could succeed so will give matching reward."

The party who gave the task insisting to that point, well a bit uneasy but no choice but to accept.

The full support he said, was the government mobilizing all top-grade technicians in the newly created Durand industrial estate and building my refrigerator and Nutella factory.

That is, the solution of the most urgent real estate problem currently.

Also a benefit I had no reason to refuse.

And Chairman Balfour set a new goal of the great success of the international cooking exposition, and everything supporting me was a means for that.

Clearly this itself was a tremendous turning point even for Britain.

Enough to bet the national fortune.

"Baronet Jean-Paul Durand, something looks unsatisfactory. Is there any problem?"

Problem? Ah, countless many!

From today I was no different from stepping into a completely unknown future.

The future might completely reverse, the same as the words that the history knowledge I have now became useless.

Of course prepared as much as butterfly effects occurring from all sides.

From now really have to brace up and respond.

If the politicians holding the helm of the giant cruise ship called Britain in front of my eyes Chairman Balfour or whoever misjudge and collide with an iceberg I won't be able to transfer to any lifeboat.

If I was an ordinary general person changing nationality degree would have no relation.

But now becoming not ordinary rather caught the ankle. The moment even changing nationality now I would be branded a traitor and eat all the curses to eat for life and even receive threat to life.

Looking from that point that event called international cooking exposition is 100% an event planned targeting me, absolutely couldn't leave to fail.

In my eyes that looked like a scary iceberg!

I deeply sighed. Really no way to avoid.

"International cooking exposition, really thinking of doing?"

"Sudden words. Think I can't?"

"Preparation time looks too short."

"If later here really late. Even now a precarious situation. Why, thinking of giving help?"

"My help, seems the chairman has something desired."

"If saying none it would be a lie. You are an excellent talent so think will be helpful somehow."

Other things don't know, this exposition at least has to perfectly arrive at the destination.

And among my future knowledge that will become useless now, one really last useful corner remained.

Usefulness that might really be the last.

Then have to sell expensively, right.

"The chairman said at the concert a while ago. Science technology or culture, inventions, art etc. also not unrelated to cooking. And introduced me not as a chef but as an inventor."

"Now wanting to deny that? Now really no one will believe. In the meantime there was a strange rumor that someone leaked improvement drawings to cooking tool factories in London, I know who that is. Your creativity is outstanding in all fields related to cooking. Even if saying inventor from the womb no inferiority."

That is well other things all endured but the cooking tools being a mess couldn't endure at all.

What I use were mostly things obtained from Mr. Royce's workshop, couldn't ask to newly make casting every time forever, ultimately the time I also use ready-made products will come but just prepared that in advance.

In fact bothersome so no thought of doing so, but after getting burned a few times by defective thermometers the heart changed.

Now state of some improved to modern style even ovens distributed in London, gas ranges, grill iron plates, dough mixers, iron spatulas and toasters, small kitchen tools like spatulas or egg flippers.

Of course no particular thought of hiding that. Have to say drawings Jean-Paul Durand drew to immediately use, right.

Moreover not creating something from nothing, just slightly changing the shape and function of already existing a bit more conveniently.

"Not trying to deny. Only, if the chairman plans to introduce Britain's science technology or inventions etc. at the international cooking exposition, there's one part I want to take charge of."

"You have a part you want to take charge of? What?"

"Give me the technology evaluator."

"Technology evaluator...?"

"Investment advice also good, but as expected technology evaluator seems to fit my aptitude. There would be a position doing that, right?"

"Strange matter. Strangely active."

"I'm always sincere."

With the future knowledge I have I could sufficiently gauge what succeeds and what fails.

Not even asking to directly make like the refrigerator, if someone requests government investment or asks for technology review of exhibits just poking saying this looks okay degree no particular relation, right.

Thinking of filling the exposition tightly with really surprising inventions like that.

This degree quite light intervention.

"Hmm, technology evaluator... Thinking about it still didn't consider that point. Good point. Really an important role no doubt. If the exposition announcement goes out in the newspaper inventors of various fields will crowd."

"Thank you."

"From that point can I also confirm one?"

"Yes?"

"In fact, that work is the role of the Board of Trade. The place selecting future technologies the British Empire will support. Numerous documents piled, will you support only one day next week? Seeing your skill there... decide whether to entrust the exposition technology evaluator."

In London Britain there are numerous eccentrics, and those eccentrics were mostly inventors.

Whether my fame overflows in London or not, inventors might not recognize the technology evaluator role since I'm a chef origin and have complaints that story.

Didn't even graduate university, no proper papers either, moreover almost no people who know drawing drawings is my hobby.

For such me to become technology evaluator, naturally separate achievements needed, right.

Not an unacceptable counterargument.

So I lightly nodded and stood up from the seat.

The calm music in the party hall changed and social dance started. To safely pass the last order of the investiture had to partner with someone and dance.

Later looking back this part was my decisive mistake.

I should have clearly told the chairman at that place.

What I wanted was a simple ‘special advisor’ position, not a tremendous position like ‘Board of Trade technology development review chairman’ responsible for the future of the British Empire.

And only thought of roughly looking at exposition exhibits and picking things likely to succeed, no thought of even taking the position of selecting items that will change the history of the world.

But that moment, seeing the very beautifully decorated woman who appeared in the party hall the heart suddenly beat so couldn't predict such future at all.

Anyway all matters started with the visit of that unknown inventor.

* * *

That day was quite clear. Although busy running around no leisure to properly appreciate.

Lately entangled in various matters no time, and often calling Mr. Escoffier to my office for the ghostwriting work of my recipe book, then suddenly thought of one dish I want to eat.

A very simple dish one can make immediately if only having flour, water, salt, gochujang and sugar.

Wheat tteokbokki.

Don't know how to make rice cakes at all. But wheat overflows in London, so if wheat cakes somehow will do and came up with the idea.

Making wheat cakes was as simple as the ingredients.

Just pouring water little by little into flour and kneading, stretching long and making cake-shaped strands ends.

This easy but in the West there was no idea of kneading flour chewy and eating like cakes, and only dishes of drying flour and making dry noodles developed so okay to say what I just created is the West's first tteokbokki.

In fact I'm originally rice cake faction, but wheat cakes also have many advantages.

Wheat has higher protein content than rice so even boiling long doesn't mush and appropriately soft texture is implemented.

Moreover wheat cakes have better seasoning absorption than rice cakes so matched not only gochujang but almost all seasonings.

Soy sauce, jajang, even putting cream and making pasta delicious is wheat cakes.

Honestly wheat cakes were an ingredient that can be forgiven no matter what one does. Although bothersome to properly knead.

Strange the god of cooking also can't notice that charm.

"Oh, oh! Teacher, a food ingredient with really tremendous possibility! Like a white canvas? The extreme of texture implementable with wheat is here! Much more practical than Italy's gnocchi or penne!"

Mr. Escoffier who ate one mouth of the gochujang wheat tteokbokki I made twisted the body and trembled then barely put out one line of appreciation.

He seemed much more shocked by the chewy texture coming from the wheat cakes than the spicy sweet taste of gochujang.

In the West usually flour foods pursued soft or crispy texture rather than chewiness.

If insisting gnocchi-like similar potato cake types had similar texture to wheat cakes but this was a high-grade ingredient made by mixing expensive potato starch.

Chewy texture is a cultural characteristic appearing in Asian noodles or cakes. Of course later unique dishes utilizing this appear even in the West, but the era being the era still had limits to imagination.

But no matter what is this degree of extreme praise?

Obtaining the baronet title is good, but not easy side effects also followed together.

The heroic tale of becoming baronet as a chef status sanctified, so whatever I do chefs prostrating toward me became basic.

Of course now reached the realm of even enjoying that to some degree, but even the god of cooking Mr. Auguste Escoffier coming out low posture was honestly a bit burdensome.

"No, up to that degree a bit..."

"Teacher! If only having this all my mother sauces seem able to bring out extreme taste! Inspiration about recipes is springing! My insufficient skill is more felt. Why couldn't think of such until now? Such excellent pasta coming out with only wheat and water! All the poor in Europe will praise Teacher! Teacher is a saint!"

Why do the poor in Europe praise me?!

This really not intending to make me sick?!

"Sorry. I'll refine my cooking skill again and come. I'll modify the recipe so the numerous people in London can enjoy this precious ingredient Teacher implemented for me. Then!"

"Oh...!"

Mr. Escoffier hurriedly swept the recipes spread on the table into the bag, then hurriedly disappeared.

Wait a moment, wasn't thinking of chasing out?!

What playing drum and janggu alone with just feeding one tteokbokki?!

When on earth trying to complete my recipe book?!

Like that dazed, the butler and coachman Mr. Morris announced the next visitors.

"Teacher Durand, currently in the waiting room about six people who came to find Teacher, since time is late shall I say come again next?"

"Uh... Are they people with appointments?"

"No. 'That matter'."

"Ah, that matter. No, just all see. Send in sequentially."

"Understood."

Now even hating to say so collectively called the inventor problem as ‘that matter’.

No, on earth why pushing all inventors to me?!

This degree even the Board of Trade can filter on its own, right?!

This was clearly my thought short.

Thinking since I'm a future person would find appropriate future technology, but more than thought really time waste.

Fake inventors overflow in London, and all egos terribly strong.

Every time meeting the sound of energy sucked.

Today also all empty.

No what starting from nonsense like infinite power made with cats, bringing torture vests charging vitality with electricity, hand turning 'automatic' shoe polishing machines, the perfume that can seduce all opposite sexes thought brought some skunk smell!

Not opposite sex seduction but immediately the butt will be kicked!

No matter how ignorant I am of science technology, had the discernment to ghost-like notice such futile attempts.

So today also all chasing out ending.

"Ugh, Teacher, the last visitor. The rest all sent back."

"Wait a moment, ventilate a bit, cough cough!"

Mr. Morris who poked his head into my office also ultimately couldn't endure and held the nose.

This how the smell doesn't go?! Too severe? What made with the smell like this? This chemical weapon?!

Like that took over 10 minutes to remove the smell.

The man who entered last also held the nose and frowned.

"Ugh... H-hello, review chairman. Ugh."

"Yes, as you see not hello. What did you bring?"

Appearance too shabby? I prepared to immediately chase out.

Then the moment my eyes touched the item he carefully held in the hand breath stopped with a thud.

"Yes, I'm ugh, a person named John Fleming working as a technology consultant of the Marconi Wireless Company, by any chance has the chairman heard of wireless communication?"

What was held in his hand was an early form vacuum tube.