GOD OF COOKING – CHAPTER 1: BACK TO 7 YEARS AGO (1)
“Wake up . Minjoon, Jo Minjoon!”
Jo Minjoon opened his eyes with a frown to the ringing of the loud voice . He was sure that he slept at the restaurant, so why was he home? While he was dazed and confused about his situation, Lee Hyesun opened her mouth again .
“What are you blanking out for? Hurry and wake up . It’s 10 already . ”
“…… . 10? It’s 10? Oh my God . Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”
“What are you blabbering about . You’re taking a break from school?”
“What? There’s no break at the restaurant! I have to go to work!”
“Restaurant? You’re funny . Did you have a dream about being a chef or something? Get a hold of yourself Jo Minjoon! You are a college student!”
“…… . what?”
A dream about being a chef? She probably said that because I was working at the restaurant . But a college student? Jo Minjoon suddenly felt strange .
Jo Minjoon looked around his house by reflex . The chair that broke three years ago was standing by the table, as nothing has happened . The TV that they threw because of bad quality was sitting there in the living room, like it was it’s place . Jo Minjoon asked with a dazed voice .
“Mom, what… year was it?”
“What? what are you saying . Are you okay? Wake up already . ”
“What year is it?
“It’s 2010! Hurry and wash up and come to eat . Food’s going to get cold . ”
2010 . Then this was the year he was discharged from the army . Jo Minjoon washed up sloppily, still lost and confused . At Lee Hyesun’s urging, he sat at the table . At that moment, something like a computer screen popped up in front of Jo Minjoon
[White Rice]
Freshness: 73%
Origin: Go Ryung, South Korea
Quality: High
Cooking score: 5/10
“…… . huh?”
Jo Minjoon rubbed his eyes, and stared at the rice blankly . What am I looking at? DId i go insane? Or am I still in a dream? He could only think of such things .
But the screen did not disappear even after he closed his eyes . In confusion, Jo Minjoon turned and stared at a doenjang jjigae . This time too, the screen popped up .
[doenjang jjigae]
Freshness: 90%
Origin: (hidden . It contains too many ingredients)
Quality: Medium (Ingredient average)
Cooking Score; 4/10
“Did I read too much fantasy novels these days……?”
“What? Are you reading things like those instead of studying these days?”
“Ah, no . Mom . That’s not what I’m saying… . ”
“Don’t you know how hard your dad works? Use your time wisely for your dad and mom!”
So much nagging for reading some novel . It’s something that he hadn’t experienced much after graduating college . But he missed those nagging sometimes .
‘Did I… . return to 7 years ago?”
He remembered the conversation with CookingGuru . He didn’t want to believe it but given this ridiculous situation, he was only able to come up with one conclusion .
‘So he sent me back to the past . ’
When he he thought about that conclusion, the reason behind followed . The CookingGuru asked if he were to return to his younger days, would he jump in the the world of cooking without any hesitation . And to that Jo Minjoon answered yes . He is that cooking is his path .
Honestly, rather than being happy, he was more distraught and confused . But even if he kept thinking about it, there were nothing logical he can come up with . Jo Min Joon lifted his spoon and brought some of the doenjang jjigae up to his mouth . It was at that moment another screen popped up .
[You have mastered Lee Hyesun’s doenjang jjigae recipe]
Mix strong doenjang with regular doenjang at 2:1 ratio, then add water three times the amount of doenjang . Add the potato first and boil until water level goes down a bit, then add half of onion, and one block of tofu . And then, add one teaspoon of dry anchovy seasoning (basically MSG), stir and boil until the stew is done .
‘……… She said she doesn’t put in MSG . ’
Now more than the mysterious screen that pops up, those little details caught his attentions . He said you wouldn’t be able to get this flavor without adding MSG multiple times, his mom always denied such usage . As he was giving Lee Hyesun ‘Of course it was’ look, she clicked her tongue at him . (*TL note : Korean parent’s do this A LOT when their kid does something bad)
“Why are you not eating? Are you already complaining about the food? Here I thought that you’d get better after serving in the army… . ”
When she said that, a terrible thought came up . If he returned even a bit earlier . To when he was 21, 22, when he was still serving in the army……
Thank you so much, CookingGuru .
What I said about cooking, I will make them come true .
****
.
The lunch time was ending . Maybe it was because he ate around 10, he was not really hungry . So, he was able to go deeper into his thoughts . He was 30 years old . He was a high school english teacher, and aspired to become a chef . And now he was 23 years old . He was a college student, and he was preparing to return to school .
“… . . what should I do . ”
The moment he returned to the past, his mind was already set . This was his final chance . He didn’t want to hesitate this time and jump into the world of cooking late . But his parent’s would not allow him to quit school and pursuit a life of a chef blindly . First he had to show his parents what he could do .
Jo Minjoon went out into the living room . Lee Hyesun was folding laundry while she was watching TV . Jo Min Joon spoke up .
“Mom, do you want me to make you a simple snack?”
“You’re gonna cook?”
“I made you food food before . There’s something I’ve been practicing”
“Alright, let’s see how good my son’s cooking is . ”
As soon as she said that, Jo Minjoon headed straight to the refrigerator . Although Lee Hyesun didn’t really enjoy cooking, she still had 3 fridges, one being a special fridge for Kimchis . Because of that, there were a lot of ingredients that’s been sitting in the fridge for a long time . His father, Jo Sooyeop, always complained about Lee Hyesun letting all those food going to waste .
“Let’s see… . ”
[Large Egg]
Freshness: 85%
Origin: Nam Yang, South Korea
Quality: Medium
These screens that pop up suddenly without notice sometimes confounded him . First, Jo Minjoon put the egg in the bowl . And then he grabbed lemon, sugar, and starch . There was a dish that popped into his head when he saw the egg . It was a dish that was pretty simple, but still needed a quite of bit of work . Souffle . A bread that look like a muffin, but softer than custard .
The quality of souffle depended heavily on the skill of the chef . So much that, there is a saying that all the other food at a restaurant that make good souffle are all good .
There was a phase when he was really into souffle . If he didn’t eat souffle for dessert after all three meals a day, he thought he was going to died . Of course, after making souffle like there was no tomorrow, he got tired of it . But still, it’s something that he made at least once a week .
He was confident . First Jo Minjoon preheated the oven, and separate the egg whites into a bowl . It was egg whites from total two eggs . Then, he added a large spoonful of sugar, and mixed well . Next was simple, whipping it like his life depended on it .
The sound coming from the kitchen intrigued Lee Hyesun . She raised her voice and asked .
“What’s making so much noise?”
“I’m making bread”
“Bread? you can make something like that?”
“Just wait . It’ll be good”
Jo Minjoon kept turning his arm . If you keep whipping egg whites, bubble form . If you whip more and those bubble harden into actual creme, that was meringue .
What’s so hard about whipping some egg, one might ask, but making meringue took quite a toll on the arm muscles . It’s something you had to spin with an right arm, and then the left arm when the arm gets tired . Of course, you can only spin in one direction . If you spun it the other way, the bubbles you worked so hard to make would disappear .
It took him almost 4 minutes just to make the meringue . Jo Minjoon took a deep breath and looked at the meringue .
[Meringue]
Freshness: 85%
Origin: (Hidden . Too many ingredients)
Quality: Medium (Ingredient average)
Cooking Score: 5/10
He put much effort into making it, but the cooking score was only 5/10 . But he understood why . He added sugar right from the beginning, instead of mixing it in during the middle . It’s not the standard way of making it .
Jo Minjoon licked his lips, and cut the lemon into half . Then he filtered the lemon juice through the sieve, then stirred it into the meringue . Slowly the color of the meringue changed to light yellow, and it starting giving off the fresh sour scent . At this point, the dish was half way done .
Jo Minjoon rubbed butter and sugar on a mug, and carefully poured the prepared meringue into it . He thought that two mugs would’ve been enough, but there was little bit more, which he put into a coffee cup . The next step was simple . Jo minjoon put the mugs on the cookie tray, and put them in the pre heated oven .
The next step was simple . Put sugar and starch into a mixer, and create sugar powder . After a while, when he heard the oven beep, Jo Minjoon took out the souffle, and sprinkled the sugar powder filtered over strainer .
That was the end . Light lemon colored souffle, with white sugar powder resting on it, like snowflakes . Jo Minjoon looked at the screened that popped up on top of the souffle .
[Lemon Souffle]
Freshness: 98%
Origin: (Hidden . Contains multiple ingredients)
Quality: Medium (Ingredient Average)
Cooking Score: 6/10
6 Points . Jo Minjoon prepared his dancing tastebuds, and ate a spoonful of souffle in the smallest cup . It was soft, but still had a rough texture like scrambled eggs . It was soft like fresh snow smooshing under a shoe, which added stimulation to his tongue . The favor was the best part as always . Mixture of sour and sweet flavor, was one of his favorite flavors .
Jo Minjoon opened his mouth .
“Mom, It’s done . ”
“Okay . Bring it here . ”
“… . Alright . ”
No sincerity even though he put in so much effort . Jo Minjoon brought the souffle to her . He was confidant that she will be surprised after a single bite .
And his expectation did not go wrong . Lee Hye Sun’s eyes popped open wide, and looked back and forth at the souffle and Jo Minjoon .
“You . . made this?”
“Then you think a Snail Bride made it or what?”
(*TL note : Snail Bride . 우렁각시 . She comes out of one of korean folk tales . Where a snail turns into a woman, and becomes a bride of a good hearted farmer, who saved her)
Lee Hyesun picked up a spoon as she said that . And after poking the lemon souffle, she let out a gasp .
“Wow… . . it’s so soft!”
And then one bite . That was the finale . Lee Hyesun chewed the souffle, and took another bite quickly . And then stared at Jo Minjoon in awe .
“…… . Hey . . do you take cooking classes in secret?”
Jo Minjoon smirked without saying anything . It was at that moment .
[Lee Hyesun is amazed by your ‘lemon souffle’!]
[The exp rises rapidly due to the cooking skill that exceeds the current level!]
[Baking level increased!]
[Cooking level increased!]