Who Is the World’s Strongest Appraiser? ~Living in Another World With Satisfying Meals~

French Toast For Tea Time

Yuuri was in the kitchen, humming a tune.

It was just before 3 PM. As tea time was approaching, he was preparing sweets for everyone.

Today, it was just Frau and Tifana staying behind, two women. Ali had just returned, so, including Yuuri, it was tea time for only four people. Therefore, not a large amount of sweets was needed. Yuuri decided to make just enough for the four of them, saving the rest for the kids who would return in the evening.

With a pleasant clatter, the eggs were being mixed with chopsticks.

Yuuri deftly combined the eggs in a bowl, then added milk and sugar. Ideally, granulated sugar would taste better, but since there wasn’t any, he substituted it with regular sugar.

Once well mixed, Yuuri tossed in pieces of crust cut into bite-sized chunks. These were the leftover crusts from sandwiches made for lunch. Yuuri had asked not to throw away the crusts, saying they had a use. Even bread crusts can be delicious if properly cooked. It’s wasteful to discard food that can be eaten.

Though Yuuri might seem like a girly boy, his nature is akin to an old lady from the countryside.

The bread crusts soaked in the egg mixture. Watching them absorb the flavor, Yuuri heated a frying pan. Once it was hot, he took out some butter. He cut it into appropriate sizes and let it melt in the pan with a sizzle. The rich aroma of butter filled the kitchen.

After confirming the butter had melted, Yuuri picked up the bread crusts with chopsticks and arranged them in the pan. They sizzled appetizingly as they cooked. Yuuri was making French toast using leftover bread crusts.

He had debated making rusks but decided he preferred the fluffy texture of French toast. Yuuri always had the freedom to decide what to cook, so he chose French toast to suit his taste.

Normally, it would be made with regular bread. People often say using bread crusts doesn’t taste as good, but it’s not unappetizing. It has a simple flavor. For a bit of indulgence, you could top the French toast with custard cream and bake it briefly in the oven to make it fancy. Since there was no custard, it would be simple French toast.

Once one side was cooked, he flipped them over. After both sides were done, he placed them on a large plate. Deciding that everyone could serve themselves from the large plate, as there were only four of them, and none were childish enough to fight over food.

This would be problematic if the four perpetually hungry apprentices were present. If portions weren’t properly divided, fights would break out. This had happened before, with simple cookies. He had made a mountain of cookies on a large plate, only for them to be fought over. Yuuri thought it was ridiculous, but perhaps his cooking skill level of 50 made the simple cookies extraordinarily delicious. Though, he wasn’t aware of this himself.

“Taste test~”

Yuuri popped a piece of the freshly cooked French toast crust into his mouth. It was piping hot, so he ate it while puffing to cool it down. The rich flavor of butter and the perfectly seasoned egg mixture made it delicious. It seemed sweet enough without needing extra sugar or honey. Relieved, Yuuri was glad not to use too many condiments, considering his frugal nature. Sugar was one thing, but honey was quite expensive.

In this world, food was incredibly delicious to Yuuri. The natural flavors of ingredients seemed stronger compared to modern Japan. As a result, the people of this world seemed to live with simple cooking methods like baking or boiling, especially the common folk.

There were plenty of condiments and ingredients available. The necessary tools for cooking were not lacking either. Many magical tools utilizing magic stones existed. Although not as perfect as modern Japan, there were convenient tools like rice cookers, refrigerators, and washing machines. Even ovens existed. The existence of stoves with adjustable heat and running hot water indicated significant development.

The only apparent lack was in the interest and skill in cooking.

Indeed, even simply grilled monster meat with just salt was delicious. Milk and eggs were much tastier than what Yuuri knew. Thus, the common folk, being able to eat reasonably good food without much effort, seemed to lack appreciation for more complex cooking. Yuuri thought that was quite a waste.

“Well, even in Japan, they said vegetables used to be more nutritious than now, maybe it’s like that…?”

In modern Japan, various vegetables are available year-round, thanks to selective breeding and greenhouse cultivation. However, perhaps as a result, their nutritional value decreased. Modern people need to eat more vegetables to get the same nutrients. Even a plate of salad today would not have the same nutrition as vegetables from the past. Convenience has its downsides, Yuuri mused lazily.

…Even though Yuuri was reminiscing about his hometown, which he might never return to, he wasn’t bothered at all. Typical of his easygoing nature.

Yuuri boiled water in a kettle after piling the French toast on a large plate. He planned to serve tea with the French toast. Although there were coffee beans available, the coffee in this world seemed overly bitter. Modern coffee often blends various beans, but here, only those who truly enjoy bitterness can drink it black. It was primarily used to stay awake.

Today’s tea had a faint floral aroma. Yuuri used whatever tea leaves were plentiful in the kitchen. Everyone seemed to use them haphazardly. If he had time, he wanted to assess each tea and create his own blend. He once helped behind the scenes at a friend’s café, where he saw coffee and tea being blended, and thought it looked fun.

With the tea and French toast ready, Yuuri wiped down one of the tables and laid out some placemats he had made as a hobby. He set out the large plate of French toast and some smaller plates. The tea was in a large teapot, which Yuuri had found. Previously, tea was brewed in a kettle. Yuuri, preferring tea in a teapot, had introduced this change.

“Hey, Yuuri. The delicious smell reached me outside.”

“Frau-san.”

“What kind of sweets do we have today? I’ve been looking forward to it.”

“Tifaana-san, thank you for your hard work as well.”

The duo of Frau and Tifana appeared. They had no work today and were left to mind the house. Frau, with her dignified beauty, and Tifaana, whose gentle smile suited her well, had nothing in common in looks or personality, yet they got along well and often appeared together when their schedules matched.

Encouraged by Yuuri, they sat down, curiously eyeing the French toast at the center of the table. They recognized it was made from bread crusts but trusted Yuuri’s cooking skills. They believed nothing he made could taste bad.

As the two beauties took their seats, Ali also appeared. Though not particularly interested in sweets, he liked tea. Thanks to Yuuri’s cooking skill level of 50, his tea was the best.

“Ali-san, thank you for your hard work too.”

“Yeah. So, what’s this?”

“French toast made from bread crusts.”

“…French toast?”

“It’s bread crusts seasoned with egg, sugar, and milk, then fried.”

Yuuri handed cups of tea to the three of them. They each took a small plate and fork and helped themselves to the French toast. Expecting it to be hard because it was made from crusts, they were surprised to find the fork went in easily. Yuuri, of course, didn’t notice this.

Tifaana was the first to taste it, taking a refined bite. Frau and Ali, beside Tifaana, popped pieces into their mouths without hesitation, reflecting their personalities. All three showed different expressions of surprise as they chewed the sweet taste.

In their mouths, the rich flavor of butter and the sweetness of sugar spread. The milk and egg soaked into the crusts made them soft and moist. Surprised by the unexpected texture, they smiled. Seeing them enjoy it, Yuuri also smiled warmly.

“Yuuri, this is a truly delicious dish.”

“Thank you. It’s usually made with regular bread, but I had leftover crusts.”

“To turn leftover crusts into something this tasty, you’re quite skilled.”

“No, not at all.”

Yuuri smiled awkwardly at Frau and Tifana’s praise. To him, it was just a way to use leftovers deliciously, based on an existing recipe. Stale bread could either be turned into French toast or rusks. Or, you could coat it in sugar and dry-roast it for a tasty treat. Today, he felt like making French toast.

“Sprinkling a bit of sugar or drizzling honey on the freshly made toast is also delicious.”

“That sounds good, but this is already perfect.”

“With Yuuri’s touch, any ingredient becomes delicious.”

Frau and Tifaana watched kindly as Yuuri ate the French toast like a small animal. Ali, eating with a ratio of 80% tea to 20% French toast, glanced at the large plate. The women, smiling gracefully, continued to eat, and the French toast gradually disappeared.

Suddenly concerned, Ali spoke up.

“Is there enough for the kids?”

“I have some ready to cook. There were quite a few crusts left. Besides, if I don’t save any, Yakk will sulk.”

“It’s not just Yakk. If the kids find out we ate it all, they’ll make a fuss.”

“True.”

“Yes.”

Imagining the scene, the four of them exchanged smiles. The image of the four apprentices clinging to Yuuri, yelling, “What about our share?” was vivid.

When the apprentices returned later and were served French toast, they were so moved that they hugged Yuuri to express their gratitude.