Universe Infinite Canteen

After tasting the Bursting Clothes Omelette, the Wandering Sorcerer finally came to the highlight of the day.

This time, Ma Lu directly carried out a rectangular tray when he came out of the kitchen.

On the tray, there was a clay pot and two plates.

Before he even got close, the Female Sorcerer could smell the meaty aroma wafting from the clay pot, making every pore on her body involuntarily stretch open.

However, her gaze was attracted to the two plates at this moment, one of which was loaded with vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and Konjac Flour as the staple food.

The other plate, however, contained a twilight.

Yes, you heard that right, the Wandering Sorcerer rubbed her eyes thinking she had truly seen the twilight, at a first glance.

That vibrant red appearance, interspersed with beautiful streaks, was just as stunning as the twilight sky burned red.

But when Ma Lu placed the tray in front of her, she finally saw what was inside.

It turns out it was sliced meat; its color was deeper compared to ordinary meat slices, and together with the white porcelain plate, it bore an eight or nine-point resemblance to the twilight sky.

Ma Lu put the clay pot on the portable Gas Cartridge Stove, lit the fire, keeping the boiling meat broth at a simmer, and first put that plate of vegetables into it.

"Is this... Dispersing Clouds Offering?"

Mr. Furball, who was originally lying on the floor mat, was also drawn over by the aroma of meat and jumped onto the dining table.

"You, an outsider, know about Dispersing Clouds Offering?" Ma Lu glanced at him.

Dispersing Clouds Offering was a famous dish from the Southern Song period, documented in Lin Hong's "Mountain Family's Pure Offerings".

Lin Hong traveled through the six twists of Mount Wuyi, visited the master Zhi, and encountered a snowy day with a caught rabbit, without a chef to prepare it.

He thinly sliced the meat, seasoned it with wine, soy sauce, and spices, set it over a brazier on the table, added a little water to the pot, and after waiting for the soup to boil for the time it takes to drink a cup, each person would take a strip, swish it in the broth until cooked, eat it, and then use the broth for dipping as they pleased.

In translation, Lin Hong caught a rabbit in the hills, couldn't find a chef to cook it, so he just marinated it simply, swished the rabbit meat in boiling water over a brazier, and shared it with friends dipping in sauce.

Because the meat slices were repeatedly swirled in the soup, resembling clouds and rosy skies, hence the name Dispersing Clouds Offering.

It is also the earliest rudiment of modern hot pot recorded in history, with a distinct difference from the one-pot stews of the pre-Qin period.

"Hmm, Xiao Yan likes to watch variety shows, and I would watch with her. There was a variety show where they performed it," Mr. Furball recalled.

"But the meat in this pot isn't rabbit meat."

"What is it then?"

"Sika Deer."

"Eh?"

The Wandering Sorcerer and Mr. Furball exchanged glances and then expressed their concern after a moment, "It's just a meal, no need to throw the boss into the pot."

"What are you guys thinking, it's Sika Deer, similar to Spotted Deer, it's a type of cervid," Ma Lu said, "Our names just happen to sound the same, that's all."

"We know, we just suddenly felt like playing with that pun," Mr. Furball said, licking his fur.

"......"

"Besides, the afterglow pot doesn't just use different meat than the Dispersing Clouds Offering, the cooking technique is different too. The broth in this pot was made by Old Wang, who first fried the deer bones with spices then simmered them, which is why the aroma is so rich."

By now, the clay pot had bubbled up again. Ma Lu, while talking, picked up a slice of Sika Deer meat and dropped it in.

After swishing it in the pot for about 3 seconds, he fished it out and put it in the Female Sorceress's bowl. "Here, try it."

"Thank you." The Wandering Sorcerer, not waiting for it to cool, eagerly placed the slice of meat in her mouth after expressing her gratitude.

Chewing, she commented, "Oh! Wow, wow, wow!!! This Sika Deer meat is incredible. It feels even more mellow and tender than beef or lamb, and there is a hint of milkiness! Huh, strange, why isn't it massively popular in this world if it's this delicious?"

Upon tasting it, the Female Sorceress immediately turned into a major fan, unable to hold back her praises, then couldn't help but feel indignant for the dish before her.

"That's because deer meat is quite tricky to handle," Ma Lu said as he served a small bowl to Mr. Furball and himself. "Indeed, all the qualities you mentioned are the advantages of deer meat, but deer meat also has a stronger gamey flavor that many are not accustomed to.

"Especially the deer meat from our country, which is mostly a by-product of velvet antler production and not bred specifically for consumption, has an even stronger taste. Some chefs use wild plum sauces to mask the gamey flavor of deer meat, but this also tends to obscure the richness of the deer's flavor."

"Gamey flavor, why didn't I taste that?" asked the Female Sorceress, curious.

As Ma Lu swished another slice for Mr. Furball, he explained, "Aside from Old Wang's special processing method, the deer meat I use is also unique – Black-Crowned Deer is different from the common Sika Deer, as they do not feed on plants."

"Hm?"

"Like sheep, deer are ruminants with four stomachs, the largest called the rumen, home to many bacteria that break down plant cellulose and carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids.

"Then, these short-chain fatty acids are transported throughout the body with the blood, especially into the fats, where they are most concentrated, and this is a major source of the gamey flavor."

"The Black-Crowned Deer from their world consume a type of insect called Red-headed Ant instead of plants, and they also regularly gnaw on Volcanic Ore, which contains sulfur elements that reduce the short-chain fatty acids in their bodies."

After finishing his explanation, Ma Lu noticed the Wandering Sorcerer staring at him, eyebrows raised. "What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing, just amazed at how much you know about food. Compared to you, I just know which convenience store's rice balls aren't so dry," she said, her voice revealing a hint of sorrow.

The Female Sorceress, her eyes beginning to tear up, touched on a sore point.

Mr. Furball, who was nearby, also commented, "Indeed, Xiao Yan can't even tell the difference between cabbage and kale."

Before meeting Old Wang, Ma Lu had hardly been able to do more than make instant noodles, but ever since he began collecting ingredients, his understanding of food had greatly increased.

Part of this knowledge came from asking local natives, and living with Old Wang for so long, their casual conversations often revolved around cooking.

So, without realizing it, Ma Lu had accumulated quite a bit of culinary knowledge, although he still only knew how to make instant noodles.

The steam from the heated clay pot filled the room, mingling in the air, and accompanied by the howling wind outside the window, it made one's mouth water.

Ma Lu had asked Old Wang to make an extra-large portion, and the two, along with the cat, ended up sweating profusely from the feast.

And to top off the meal came a winter favorite – roasted sweet potatoes.

But Old Wang's roasted sweet potatoes were different from the ordinary kind; they were only half the size of a palm, the outer skin made of crisply roasted sweet potato slices shaped to resemble the exterior of a sweet potato.

They were also colored with syrup to look very realistic, and stuffed with sweet potato puree and cheese inside.

The Female Sorceress was already full, but after eating one, she couldn't resist and had another.