Mage And Wolf
Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Chapter 164

"Gathering your own cheering section are you?" Karl asks when we reach the hotel.

"Just inspiring people to be the very best version of themselves." I grin and Elder Song laughs.

"Last tournament she used the Forbidden Treasure Sect to distract her opponents. This time she’s switched it up and is going for the Virtuous route to keep them distracted and the crowd entertained." He grins at the thought.

"All those boring Cultivators will be out there tomorrow, thinking of how lucky someone is to have gotten a woman so powerful that can also cook and do alchemy. I’ll bet we can smell the jealousy before we get to the stands." Karl agrees and I lean back into his embrace.

Just like the alchemy competition, cooking begins just after the sun rises. We’ve got until noon to make two courses, so I decide on breakfast and lunch plates. Getting a breakfast plate out early will put the judges in a good mood too, they all look at least a little hungover.

"Karl, I need a bottle of Irish Cream liqueur and some decent dark roast coffee." I tell him before entering the competition grounds. The rest of the ingredients I have prepared already.

Karl chuckles as he hands them over "They’ll never know what hit them, what are you thinking for breakfast?"

"Country fried steak, bacon cheese omelets with onion and peppers, finished with sausage gravy and a side of Garlic roasted potatoes. Comfort foods for our hungover judges."

Using the Energy Dragons to chop and stir ingredients is attracting a lot of attention, but that’s fine, the Shadowed Blade is showboating this weekend. Plus, it’s the best way to get everything done in a timely manner.

The new cookbook has a recipe to energy brew coffee to be perfectly smooth with a richer than usual flavor, and I pour a generous dose of Irish Cream into each cup with a hint of caramel just as the breaded hamburger steaks finish frying.I plate four up for the judges with an omelet and a side of potatoes before setting the cup of creamy sausage gravy in the middle.

It’s not the usual way to serve it, but it’s a cooking competition, they will want to taste each item individually.

"Gentlemen, breakfast is served. The first course from the Shadowed Blade is ready." I announce with a smile, as all the judges are already here, staring at my cooking methods.

Karl produces chairs and the four old cultivators settle in. Protocol of a single bite of each dish long forgotten.

"Normally the gravy goes on top, but you can dunk in it too if you prefer." I say handing out the coffees.

One of the old men is giving his plate a look usually reserved for lovers, and he hasn’t even tasted it yet. He pours the sausage gravy over everything and holds out the cup for another dose. I refill him and he drowns everything.

"Just like mom used to make it." he smiles, then takes his first bite and his eyes go wide.

"There’s more to that cooking technique than just replacing the fire. I’ve never tasted anything like this." He mumbles with his mouth full. Not another word is spoken, only happy noises.

I grab my own and pass two more over for Karl and Elder Song.

"This is an original recipe isn’t it?" Elder Song asks.

"Yeah, Karl loves breakfast over any other meal, so I learned to improvise." I laugh, sipping my coffee.

"What’s in the coffee?" One judge asks. "Black coffee is best."

"Cream and whiskey, with a hint of caramel. It’s the best combination for hangovers, the extra sugar compliments the caffeine." He looks only moderately impressed, so I pass out a round of black coffees.

"Now this is good coffee. Your Sect has it entirely too good if they get this every morning."

"Secret recipe. Most of them still get plain old dark roast." I laugh and he grins at the frowns of the spectators who can smell but not taste the special blend.

Every plate has been cleaned and the crowd who had been hoping for samples looks devastated at the missed opportunity. This was an expected outcome though, and I’ve got one more ready, cut into small squares to serve 20 lucky spectators a single bite of each item.

I clean up once the samples are done and start on my second course just before the next call goes out for a competitor ready to be judged.

Chicken pot pies are today’s flavor, at Elder Song’s lunch request. I can make a dozen small pies at a time in the provided oven, so that’s what we go with. Controlled energy as much as heat cooks them, so they don’t take long, but making dozens and dozens of pies is just overkill.

Once they’re done I let them rest an hour in the warm oven with the door cracked, teasing Elder Song who has been looking forward to them all morning.

"Call the judges and stop torturing me woman." He finally calls out, making the crowd around him burst into laughter. It’s a necessary evil though, fresh baked pies are too hot to eat, and burning the mouths of the judges is no way to win a taste test competition.

"You talk as if I didn’t just feed you two hours ago." I shake my head, raising my hand to call the judges over.

One judge, the black coffee lover, is scrubbing his tongue to get rid of whatever he ate last. Guess that competitor isn’t winning today. Most competitors keep a bit of bread handy to reset taste buds, but I do the same with sorbet, something cold to contrast all the hot dishes.

"Once you’ve cleaned your mouth with the sorbet, I’ve got chicken pot pies for you."

"What is this? Comfort food day? You’ll make us fat if you keep up like this." a judge chuckles, holding out his coffee cup for a refill. This time they take their food to go, snacking as they walk between competitors until they get to one that smells like fermented pickled herring and sauteed onions. That kills their appetite in seconds and they store what’s left in their storage rings.