r18novel Chapter 76 Dinner is served!
Chapter 76 Dinner is served!
After his previous fantasies were shattered, Lucas quickly rallied and set a new direction for pursuing his dreams.
One is to discover magical ingredients that have not yet been studied, including magical animals, magical plants, and so on, and explore how to cook them into delicious dishes.
Second, develop magical medicinal cuisine with miraculous effects.
Third, we explore and create culinary magic to bring out the ultimate deliciousness of food, or in other words, to make unpalatable things delicious and delicious things even more delicious!
After pondering this for a few days, seeing ingredients inevitably led him to think in this direction, which has now scared Lef into fainting.
Lucas gave an awkward smile. "Oh dear, why is this toad so sensitive? Even if I were to eat it, I wouldn't, after all, it's Neville's pet."
Ellie and Hannah both crowded around to examine Leif's condition, while the saleswoman pushing the cart, seeing that no one was paying attention to her, pushed the cart away.
"It's alright, it'll wake up soon," Ellie said. She was more concerned about lunch than the baby. "Lucas, hurry up and get the food box out."
Neville's jaw nearly dropped when the enormous four-tiered food container was pulled out of the suitcase.
With a soft click, Lucas opened the food box.
"...Oh, Merlin's beard."
Neville's eyes shone, completely oblivious to Rafer. The aroma of food instantly filled the entire private room, then wafted down the aisle and outwards.
Neville swallowed hard, hearing a commotion coming from the surrounding carriages. A young wizard shouted, "What smells so good!"
Lucas smiled and said, "Although it keeps food warm, it's very picky about the food because it needs to be kept in a food container. Most dishes will lose their flavor or have their texture affected if they're kept sealed. So I chose these kinds."
……
Harry Potter was in his box, chatting with Ron Weasley, whom he had just met. They had just finished talking about each other's families and were running out of things to say, so he looked out the window and watched the fields and meadows pass by.
Just as Harry was racking his brains for a topic to avoid an awkward atmosphere, he heard a noisy commotion coming from the corridor.
It sounded like someone was shouting, then a girl was speaking very quickly, followed by a familiar voice.
"...My name is Lucas McGregor."
Lucas!
Harry stood up, his face beaming with surprise.
During our last trip to Diagon Alley, Lucas challenged the detestable Malfoy family to protect Hagrid and me. Lucas even used his amazing cooking skills to leave Mrs. Malfoy speechless, forcing the Malfoy family to back down.
That's so cool, so handsome, and so satisfying!
I then tasted the snacks he made, which were truly the best things in the world! So much so that for the entire month I spent at the Dursleys' house, I could only manage to swallow those leftovers by constantly fantasizing about them.
After finishing my shopping in Diagon Alley, I ran to find him, and he said he had saved me a snack! But when I got there, I saw a mess everywhere and the Aurors were on high alert. I realized that something big had happened, and even Lucas had been called in for questioning.
How come I didn't realize it all of a sudden? Lucas is also a freshman, so of course we'll meet on the train!
I have friends in the magical world too!
"That's my friend, Lucas McGregor! He's here too!" Harry exclaimed excitedly to Ron. "I'm going to see him. I wonder how he did after he was called in for questioning. Do you want to come with me?"
Ron's expression froze. Lucas McGregor!
Of course he had heard of the name. Throughout August, this peer was the biggest news and the hottest new star! His mother often talked about him and even sent him letters. Even his father would talk about Minister Fudge visiting Lucas to commend him after get off work.
These conversations always end with comments like "Look at him!" and "You should learn from Lucas and stop causing trouble all the time!"
He's the perfect, other people's child!
Should we go see him? To see just how outstanding he really is?
Ron's rebellious nature kept him glued to his seat; the more his parents praised Lucas, the less he wanted to appear in front of him.
"Forget it, I'm not going," Ron said softly, his ears turning red.
"Alright then." Harry hurried outside, and as soon as he stepped into the corridor, he smelled an alluring, rich fragrance, a blend of various spices, as if many little hands were tugging at his taste buds.
He brushed past the small sales cart without giving the goods on it a second glance, only hearing the salesperson mutter, "Good heavens, which little wizard brought such a delicious lunch? It must be curry, how can it smell so good..."
Harry followed the aroma and ran to a private room, where he saw a super luxurious four-tiered food box being opened layer by layer.
For a fleeting moment, he almost thought the food in the box was glowing!
The first layer is curry potato and chicken nuggets.
The second layer is oxtail stewed in red wine.
The third layer consists of roasted bell peppers soaked in olive oil.
The fourth layer is buttered sesame rice.
Among the rich aromas of the dishes, curry stands out the most. The various spices blend together to create a mellow and rich fragrance that is not greasy, making one's mouth water and whetting one's appetite.
Harry stared intently at the food box. Lucas, however, could hardly miss the skinny boy who was drooling and stuck in the doorway, and he beckoned him over.
"Harry! So you're here too. Come on, let's have lunch together."
As a chef, I absolutely cannot allow a malnourished child to go hungry in front of me!
Harry had completely forgotten the small talk and the question he wanted to ask. By the time he realized it, he had already picked up the plastic bowl that Lucas had given him and filled it with a full bowl of curry chicken rice.
Harry panicked.
I need a spoon!
"We've prepared enough food, but Ernie and the others live too far away... Oh well, we'll just eat it ourselves."
No sooner had Lucas finished speaking than Ernie stepped through the door and entered.
"How can we just let it go?" Ernie said solemnly, "Our friendship—"
"I can tell just by the smell!" Zacharias interrupted him from behind. "Besides Lucas, who cooks this delicious food?"
Without saying a word, Susan passed them and grabbed a plastic bowl.
Great, everyone's here.
Lucas handed out spoons to everyone.
Allie, Hannah, Neville, Harry, Susan, Ernie, and Zacharys all picked up their spoons at once. Zacharys was about to scoop up a spoonful when Ernie grabbed his wrist.
So the seven children held their bowls and spoons, staring longingly at Lucas, like seven fledglings eagerly awaiting food.
"Well then—" Lucas smiled, "Let's eat!"
When a large spoonful of delicious food was put into their mouths, everyone showed a satisfied smile, and Harry even shed tears.
This is food, this is deliciousness, this is happiness!
Curry is a classic example of a dish that gets better the longer it's simmered. During the heat-keeping process, the spices continue to blend together, and the potatoes, onions, and carrots become tender and flavorful, while the chicken is fresh and aromatic.
Red wine-braised oxtail is rich in collagen, and the broth transforms into a thick, creamy jelly during the warming process, making every bite incredibly satisfying.
Cut red and yellow bell peppers into wide strips, sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and garlic slices, and drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Once softened from roasting, the texture stabilizes, and the olive oil prevents oxidation and discoloration, resulting in an irresistible aroma as if just taken out of the oven.
Lucas was most satisfied with the rice. After the rice was cooked, he would mix in a small piece of butter and a pinch of salt while it was still hot, and sprinkle it with toasted white sesame seeds. The butter formed a film, which kept the rice loose and clump-free even after it was kept warm, and gave it a rich and fragrant aroma.
Rice with delicious food, that's the way to go!
The seven children wolfed down their food, and the rich aroma wafted out wildly. In less than three minutes, the corridor outside the private room was completely blocked.
The young wizards craned their necks to watch the dry rice, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of saliva, their stomachs rumbling all around them.
Mom, I want to eat it too!