Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Anonymous Letter

On the first day there was nothing special.

Even if something happened around me it would have been hard to easily notice.

As the hamburger recipe contest His Majesty Edward VII hung spread throughout Britain, all citizens' interest was focused that way.

What His Majesty thought seemed the level of lightly enjoying through the Evening Standard paper... Sometimes life is bound to flow in unexpected directions occasionally.

Because the one who first made the hamburger recipe and delivered was me, I know this is really nothing special, but in people's eyes it seemed reflected in a completely different way.

The first royal cooking publicly revealed through the media for the first time in the British Empire!

And that a recipe His Majesty personally bestowed on citizens!

There even rumors that His Majesty enjoys that dish every day spread, whether true or not, in just two days it literally ate up all topics of Britain.

No... At most it's not even a month since His Majesty ate the hamburger, isn't the exaggeration too severe?!

But people were sincerely moved.

Conservative people tried to burst dissatisfaction saying the royal family's dignity this and that... But they also looked around and completely shut their mouths.

In fact even in this era making hamburger wasn't that difficult. More than half the ingredients could be obtained cheaply at general stores near home, and many families stocked pickles or cheese, topping vegetables and bread about.

Literally Columbus's egg. If just knowing the combination of ingredients, reproducing the idea of sandwiching seasoned minced meat between bread had no problem.

It was just coincidence, but thanks to that damn 'Durand Grilling' simple grills were supplied about one per household, so grilling hamburger patties anyone could easily do.

But the majority of laborers living in single-room monthly rent and relying on eating out for all meals?

This time too what solved their problem was the stall vendors.

Some of the stalls that were only stomping feet because the transition to grilled eel was late, this time didn't miss the opportunity and in two days after the newspaper announcement presented a new form of business selling only grilled patties!

Just 1.5 pence for one small beef patty!

Of course it sold like hotcakes! Even if a house without a kitchen if just purchasing one patty one could easily sandwich vegetables on bread and eat!

And people's reactions were all 'when actually making it was really delicious, this is innovation of sandwich! As expected a dish the royal family eats!' only that talk!

"God Save the King!"

"Please live long long, Your Majesty!"

"Good King Edward! Benevolent King Edward!"

"..."

It was just two days, two days!

And that the recipe was revealed through the evening newspaper!

But in every alley street people were really shouting like that one by one they say?!

The problem wasn't only that.

"Extra, extra! News that The Times also participated in the 'Edward Sandwich duel'! If curious about The Times' contest content buy this newspaper for 1 penny!"

"..."

As people showed extreme reactions other newspaper companies also started moving quickly as if fire was attached to their tails!

Newspaper companies that were scared in advance of losing subscribers to the Evening Standard paper started holding their own contests copying His Majesty's contest the same.

That was already 7 places. As a result, it became the form of pouring oil as is on the burning interest of London citizens!

A large sum of 10 pounds!

Just submitting a recipe to a newspaper company there's a possibility of winning! And that because holding contests simultaneously in several places, people who said even if a persimmon one can't eat let's poke it flocked in lines!

"Boss, is the boss also going to participate in the contest?"

"Me? Why me?"

"If the boss goes out isn't winning almost confirmed? Aren't you London's best chef?"

"Don't say such things anywhere. It's embarrassing. Are you going to participate?"

"Ah, I don't know cooking at all! But our grandmother says she's participating? She's diligently writing a letter to send to the newspaper company now!"

"Your grandmother? Surely that made with pig kidney..."

"Yes... Right."

"Ugh."

I carefully thought about the reason London people's home-style has no taste.

Most recipes handed down from grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother times, so I thought the pride of keeping that tradition might have influenced.

The talk that there were many people who made past tasteless food as is without even one particle wrong!

Still usually they hid tightly at home and didn't reveal outside so it didn't reflux outside...

In this case saying they'll repay the benevolent and good His Majesty Edward VII, houses that said they'd submit that recipe whole to the newspaper company weren't one or two.

Even without the awareness that they're eating monster dishes themselves, people who didn't reveal that dish outside all jumped out!

Haggis hamburger! Black pudding hamburger! Grilled sardine hamburger!

Holding a contest doesn't end the matter.

To confirm if that recipe is really delicious, one has to reproduce one by one, right?

Even if roughly filtering severe ones with premature judgment, some will go into employees' mouths...

I drew a cross in my heart thinking of the newspaper companies that rashly touched the beehive.

According to the population census conducted 10 years ago, the British population of the British Isles alone reaches nearly 40 million... Surely British-style monster dish recipes won't pour into newspaper companies over 100,000?

###

Break time after lunch business ends.

There was some time left, but I couldn't go out for a walk far as usual. Because autumn rain suddenly started falling steadily.

Even though I wore a thick Chesterfield coat, cold air rushed in from the floor. It was weather perfect for catching a cold if wrongly hit by rain.

So I decided to just return taking Joe.

I shook the umbrella and stretched and entered the kitchen.

But the kitchen that should be cleanly organized for evening business was somehow a mess. The cause of the commotion was quickly noticeable.

"Miss Edith, what are you doing there?"

"It's Bun Patty Sauce Butterhead Cheese Pickle Sandwich! How is it? Does it look delicious?"

"...Just comfortably call it Edward Sandwich like other people. Is the young lady also trying to participate in the contest?"

"Why? Isn't it an intuitive and pretty name?! I like that name!"

I was regretting roughly making the alias of hamburger!

Who would have guessed that recipe would be immediately revealed to the public?!

I should have just called it hamburger as the original! Every time I hear that 'long thing' my face burns with embarrassment!

Absolutely don't say I made this!

"Ah, you asked if participating in the contest? In heart I want to but, it seems not! I put a little sincerity and the price range went up too much!"

"How much sincerity did you put on earth... Hmm."

Past sandwiches weren't various forms like modern times.

Ordinary sandwiches were treated as convenient food of spreading butter on thin bread so the bread doesn't dry, and sandwiching ham heavily salted with a lot of salt and simple vegetables, cheese about between them.

Only a little additional ingredients like mustard or pickles according to some tastes, it didn't become heavy with sauce and toppings as main like hamburger.

The hamburger recipe I delivered through the Countess of Albemarle matched the balance of taste with the harmony of sweet salty god, but 1901 sandwiches were too biased toward salty taste and couldn't be said delicious.

In the midst of that suddenly appearing hamburger! No matter how one sees a definite upgrade version of London-style sandwich!

Such my sincere recipe, it was certain it ignited Miss Edith's creative passion again.

"Hambu, no, you put mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese together in the Edward Sandwich?!"

"Yes! There I put mayonnaise with horseradish and tried to bring out the pungent spicy taste! As you advised last time!"

I went around chattering so much that the combination of sweet salty god is important, Miss Edith also seemed completely soaked in that influence.

The hamburger she made, honestly speaking looked more delicious than any handmade burger I ate in my previous life. Onion also not used raw, she carefully caramelized and tried to bring out deeper taste!

To the point one could put it out right away at my restaurant! What on earth is the talent difference?!

But the decisive ingredient that raised the price of this hamburger sharply was separate.

"This... Surely?"

"Yes right! It's sun-dried tomato! I soaked it in olive oil!"

Dried tomato. In the Mediterranean region they make it like this for long-term storage of tomatoes, it was a high-end food ingredient with much more concentrated umami, chewy texture, and lively acidity than using fresh tomatoes as is.

Of course, because many hands go in the manufacturing process, even in my previous life the moment this ingredient enters the price jumped sharply to premium burger level at once.

Even without anyone teaching already making such a hamburger! I also only thought and haven't tried yet!

I swallowed saliva seeing the beautifully shining figure of the hamburger.

"This, by any chance did the Earl of Derby also eat?"

"No? Just made so no one has eaten yet! Shall I hide...?"

"No, well there's no need to that point... Since the surroundings are so noisy now wouldn't it be better to keep it secret for a while?"

"Right?"

Sorry to His Majesty Edward VII, but the 'ultimate burger' His Majesty is so looking for was right in front of my eyes now!

Many hands going is a problem only in the hobby area, if a dish the royal family eats such things don't matter at all.

There is a 4 pence price limit in the contest, but if just submitting this burger right away the probability of going straight to the royal family was high. His Majesty would also definitely be satisfied!

But if doing so it becomes rude to other participants. Most would carefully make at a price range commoners can also easily enjoy, this is a different dimension so competition doesn't even happen.

If eating such an ultimate burger the standard becomes too high! Unfair!

Haggis burger vs modern premium burger. Too extreme?!

"Is the taste okay?"

"Hmm..."

Instead of answering I raised my thumb. No need to say twice. This sells even at 1 shilling. To the gentry!

"By the way, while you went out letters piled up quite a bit? It seems better to check!"

"Letters? Didn't Emily throw all that... Oh no."

After the Windsor Castle incident last time the matter of throwing letters right away decreased a bit.

Instead I was hit by lucky letter bombs crazily, but can't help it.

The trap was that 99 percent are really useless letters.

I headed to the office.

Really letters were piled full on the desk. Famous people are troubled because of this.

Does it make sense I'm being hit by the same spam bombs I was hit in my previous life in 1901 London Britain?!

"Let's see... New York Times? Why are they trying to interview me again? This pass for now."

More troublesome was, the point that these letters are flying not only from Britain but also from overseas.

Where and how on earth do they know me and send?

Most I throw because I can't decipher. Send in English to Britons! I don't know German or French at all!

"This, hmm, is it a telegram from Mr. Tesla?"

My core interest refrigerator development business!

Last time there seemed some problems on the technical cooperation side, but fortunately that part seemed smoothly resolved.

Whether because smart people attached tremendously, they say a prototype close to the current prototype reached the production stage!

However the refrigerant is the problem, they're looking for a safer refrigerant than toxic refrigerants like ammonia or sulfur dioxide...

Refrigerant! What I know is only Freon gas?

But Freon gas also punches holes in the ozone layer, and in fact I don't know the chemical formula and only know the name so unfortunately with my short knowledge it doesn't help at all.

"...Succeeded up to developing a miniaturized electric motor together with Sir Crookes and insulation material to keep the temperature cold, but there's a sign Morgan smelled and is trying to interfere...?"

J.P. Morgan!

The infamous financier who snatched Edison's company, and while coaxing Tesla saying he'll provide research funds appropriately hooked and then cut support at once!

As soon as seeing that name worry surged.

If as soon as the refrigerator is completed he hangs a patent war and seizes the technology it's a problem! It seems I'll get very angry? So I hurriedly wrote a reply.

"...If a problem arises due to Morgan come to Britain right away. Lately the fund situation has loosened so support is possible in various aspects. I'll prepare a perfect environment so you can concentrate only on research and wait. Jean-Paul Durand dreams."

It's okay, right?

If no money, well, just tear the Earl of Derby's checkbook a bit and use!

And the next letter...

"What is this? Too suspicious?"

It was a very luxurious letter paper.

Much more luxurious than the high-end letter paper I saw at the Smythson store on Bond Street I went to look with Mr. Henry.

This isn't smooth paper made by crushing wood pulp.

Thick, weighty, paper made of linen fiber that deliberately brought out rough texture and emphasized luxury.

There was a seal stamped on the sealing wax, but it wasn't a pattern I could recognize.

Even if shining with electric light as Mr. Doyle taught, no specific watermark was seen.

Watermarks are usually stamped on high-end paper the upper class uses, but higher up, special letter paper royals or nobles custom-made sometimes has no watermark I heard.

There was no signature on the outside of the letter envelope either.

If like this one has no choice but to open. I hurriedly picked up the letter opener.

Fortunately the content was English.