Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Royal Banquet

There aren't many people who know the fact that I first made the Edward Sandwich recipe.

First His Majesty and His Majesty's mistress the Countess of Albemarle, and me.

Fortunately His Majesty seemed not yet thinking of announcing even that fact. I immediately noticed thanks to the wink secretly sent so only I could see.

That is well, thanks to the Edward Sandwich His Majesty is currently completely exploding in popularity among London masses. Probably His Majesty also didn't expect such a big reaction.

Thanks to pre-ending the authenticity controversy saying any combination is fine as long as bun, topping, sauce, patty are satisfied, now even the corned beef sandwich often eaten in London originally people raising veins on the neck saying isn't it a deformation that stole the Edward Sandwich arose to that point.

What is corned beef it's beef slaughtered according to kosher law similar to halal and very saltily salted, first the origin was Jews but because preservation is good it was a dish widely spread even among lower class laborers.

Well, there are many strange people in the world this and that. Setting that aside, anyway one couldn't deny that the situation turned very timely.

In some magazine they even wrote articles comparing to the cheerful king Charles II who got along well with commoners in the past and was loved by Britons, of course half was flattery, but if His Majesty read that writing his mouth might have torn to the ears!

And of course, noble society was always a bunch anxious to watch the king's actions carefully and make the latest trends.

If the king wears high heels that seem about to break, nobles also wear.

If the king wears a wig like a goat, nobles also wear.

If the king wears frill shirts burdensomely splendid, nobles also wear.

Although royal power isn't what it used to be so not to the level of minutely imitating all the king's actions like the 18th century absolute monarchy era, the fact that the monarch's taste is the trend of high society remained unchanged.

So, looking at high nobles gathered to see the Edward Sandwich now sparkling their eyes like that, it was words that the wind of trend might change sharply even from tomorrow.

Although expressed as banquet, isn't this a feeling like the formal debut ceremony of the Edward Sandwich in noble society?!

I don't know if all the nobles gathered in the banquet hall are nobles.

Anyway about ten or so, at a glance half seemed politicians, the rest seemed yangban like dukes or marquesses... As for me well I couldn't distinguish who is who so just let it be.

If to the point of attending a concert the king directly invited, anyway they'd all be great figures.

"Thinking about it, Your Majesty! Your face seems quite slimmed! Did you discover some new health food? Or some fun exercise? Surely thanks to that sandwich?"

"Does it look so? Does it stand out to that point?"

"You've become very thin!"

"As the gentleman said it's all thanks to my sandwich! Gentlemen also follow me and steadily eat vegetables!"

"If really so I'll also eat every day!"

That person, was it a duke? That uncle is completely a sycophant!

Isn't that clearly asking to flatter? No matter what it's not even two months since I presented the hamburger recipe to His Majesty, there's no way diet effects would come out so dramatically in that short time!

And in my view His Majesty's thick belly fat still had no change at all! What following, originally a person who didn't even put vegetables in the mouth!

But since openly exchanging jokes like that, around tomorrow an absurd rumor that 'if eating the Edward Sandwich one loses weight' might circulate in social circles!

"Really?! Then I'll also have to enjoy sandwiches every day. Your Majesty, excuse me but when is the recipe scheduled to be disclosed?"

Already a deceived person came out?!

The person who brought up the words was the Liberal Party leader, Sir Campbell.

The voice was very thick and tenor-like, certainly likely to be popular with citizens, and the body was also that heavy.

A build one could sufficiently take interest in dieting. This won't really rumor...? Why not suspicious?

"Originally according to plan decided to disclose a month later... but to gentlemen I'll specially present to those who want. Receive before returning! Only, the electric grinder might need Sir Durand's permission. Sir Durand, are you listening?"

"Yes? Your Majesty?"

It seems I raised my voice almost for the first time since the concert.

First I don't even know why I'm sitting in the seat right in front of His Majesty Edward VII!

Anyway I almost tearfully squeezed my vocal cords and barely answered.

"Oh dear, today's protagonist Sir Durand still seems out of his mind. Everyone first enjoy the banquet and think slowly!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

There, from earlier about the fact of continuously calling me 'sir' everyone has no interest at all?!

I haven't even officially received knighthood yet? What is the protagonist again?

Really everyone seemed to have no interest. If not that the head is full of other thoughts so nerves aren't bothered.

At this point I was curious what my role here is on earth.

Stand as a face madam at the international cooking exposition? Or pressure to make more special dishes or ingenious kitchen utensils?

Looking at Chairman Balfour who brought me here having no explanation from the start, even if asking a refreshing answer didn't seem to come out.

Well if needed he'll explain on his own. So I just comfortably gave up and decided to enjoy that grand prize candidate or whatever recipe.

I was also quite curious in fact!

If grand prize there's a 4 pence ingredient cost limit, right? What on earth did they make that His Majesty tries to introduce so confidently to nobles? And what relation is that with my grinder?!

Soon dishes started coming out one by one.

Although invited to the Buckingham Palace banquet hall for the first time, peculiarly there was no amuse-bouche or appetizer according to French course cooking tradition. As befitting His Majesty who likes meat it was a direct trip to the main dish.

Yet among nobles no signs of dissatisfaction were seen at all. No, the main dish was so overwhelming there wasn't even time for that.

The moment opening the lid, the deep aroma of meat juice explosively spreading!

"Oh, is this the genuine of the Edward Sandwich said to be the most delicious now!"

"Really elegant decoration. Even at Versailles in France one couldn't imagine such sophisticated dishes!"

"Haha! Able to introduce such excellent dishes for the gentlemen I'm also very satisfied!"

His Majesty Edward VII's high-end burger presented at the splendid banquet hall of Buckingham Palace. That dish, was very similar to the point of surprise to what I often saw in my previous life.

As guessed.

Minced meat patty made by appropriately mixing fat at 1 to 5 ratio. This 100% can't be made without a grinder.

After clumping the meat as densely as possible so juice doesn't escape, it looked like slowly grilled on a cast iron plate like plancha.

But the moment I cut the patty with a knife and put one bite in my mouth I realized the identity and slightly got goosebumps.

The identity of the meat forming the patty is brisket.

Mixed short rib with high fat content in brisket?

I don't know whose idea, but considering the era there was no more excellent choice than this!

Brisket in Korean style is a part mixed with yangji and chadol. Because the chest part of the cow muscles are firm and dense, notoriously a difficult part to cook representatively.

And this brisket had particularly bad compatibility with grill. Because a lot of collagen and fiber if cooking on strong fire it rather becomes tough and tasteless. So even in Korean food yangji is mainly used for soup or jangjorim, and not well used for grilling.

But conversely, if cooking for a long time at low temperature the story changed. If careful so moisture doesn't fly collagen gradually changes to gelatin and the texture becomes much softer and moist, perfectly utilizing that characteristic was exactly France's representative beef dish, beef bourguignon.

In Britain they also had a similar idea.

Using brisket as stew-only meat and deciding to enjoy only softness.

But in a situation where even firewood for heating is insufficient one couldn't boil stew often, and as a result brisket fell to the least popular beef part. Treated as cheap meat, sometimes sold cheaply at the level of tail or intestines.

This perception completely changes with the appearance of the grinder in the early to mid 20th century.

Originally if mincing meat toughness decreases, but brisket ground with a grinder and mixed with fat became even more special. Muscle fiber tissue appropriately mixes with fat and collagen changes to gelatin faster bringing soft texture, while the texture unique to muscular parts remains alive.

After that brisket is reevaluated as the highest grade burger ingredient.

Moreover instead of boiling like stew grilling directly on an iron plate, thanks to Maillard reaction umami also came alive more.

Even Michelin 3-star chefs advise to use brisket and cook carefully when making high-end handmade burgers.

Someone clearly came up with an anachronistic yet innovative idea combining the characteristics of brisket and the grinder!

"What? This softness of the meat?"

"Like filet mignon. Melting in the mouth yet the meat's texture is perfectly alive! As deep as beef bourguignon!"

Soft, yet firm.

Although the patty has almost sausage-like texture, the outside was crispy like grilled on an iron plate. There even a slight smoky aroma. How did they do...?

The nobles' reactions also almost matched.

Clearly their tastes would have become picky with high-end dishes every day, yet they seemed very surprised by this dish.

"This... delicious! It changes the more one chews!"

"Hmm, a much heavier taste than thought. Beef juice flows as is and soaks the bread so more excellent! Certainly worthy of being called royal cooking!"

Certainly delicious. I could vividly see how much sweat the Buckingham Palace chefs shed making this.

Even eating the meat separately it would have been delicious for sure.

But this patty steak, certainly applied burger style and drew much greater synergy.

Mild toppings that don't harm the flavor of the meat.

Salt, pepper, mayonnaise entered very slightly and dill herb subtly laid.

Sides were only pickles, grilled onion, and butterhead, but even with this simple composition very complex and various textures were made in the mouth.

If only eating meat with strong juice one would easily get tired, but several sauces catch the balance and create pleasant harmony.

Even just the bread was tremendously fluffy and savory, to the point of suspicion that not simple brioche but some additional secret unique to the royal entered.

With this level isn't it a higher level than the handmade burger Miss Edith made?! Just by changing the patty's ingredients and cooking method is it implemented up to here...?

Did I underestimate the influence of the grinder too much...?

Among nobles there were clearly people who had the same suspicion as me.

"Your Majesty! Is this the grand prize recipe? How is it possible to make such excellent food with only 4 pence ingredient cost?"

"Ah, that's of course not. Since dishes to entertain the gentlemen, of course I ordered to use the highest grade ingredients. However I guarantee, if only properly mastering the know-how of the cooking method one can bring out a taste equivalent to that!"

His Majesty even grilled samgyeopsal in the countryside himself so he likely had basic knowledge about cooking.

And whether the nobles already knew that hobby, even if the king guaranteed about cooking no one regarded strangely.

Guessing, one has to exclude the bun. Because just the bread already exceeded the taste of 4 pence.

But the patty, if the remaining toppings on the patty made by mincing cheap brisket, one might somehow piece together with 4 pence!

But why do goosebumps rise stronger...?!

"Surprising. If London citizens can easily enjoy a taste equivalent to this level... And if really making them easily enjoy that... The result would be tremendous. Congratulations."

The person who spoke was the Marquess of Salisbury who was silently enjoying the meal without saying anything.

As befitting a politician, he also clearly looked ahead to some other future.

He also seemed to have started calculating the ripple effect of this dish.

Now a dish commoners are just enjoying combining various ingredients. But if the grand prize or more delicious recipes equivalent to that are excavated and start being known to the public...?

How would British society change?

"Your Majesty, however as far as I know this dish called Edward Sandwich has never been made in the royal until now. At least during the past 10 years I maintained the prime minister position, the previous Her Majesty Victoria also never mentioned even once. Where on earth did this recipe originate?"

A question that could sufficiently come out.

Citizens would think it's royal cooking, but high nobles who enjoyed royal cooking together would be suspicious.

Because it was a dish that suddenly fell from the sky!

"It's a secret, Marquess. Please guess."

"Not a royal chef. They don't have the creativity to create such dishes. To make such one has to learn from France level. Is it Escoffier?"

Auguste Escoffier. A familiar name.

The marquess immediately bringing out this name, meant he also counts Escoffier as the current Britain's best chef.

"Haha, no. Unfortunately slightly off. Come, try a bit more."

Slightly off? What does that mean?!

"My knowledge is short so I can't guess anymore. To avoid disgrace I'll raise the white flag here, Your Majesty."

"That's unfortunate."

Then the Marquess of Salisbury's sharp gaze pierced me.

Is he suspecting me now? But I tried not to show on my face as much as possible. With my proud poker face skill!