Ice Vapor Goddess

Chapter 26 Dinner
After the pre-meal prayers were completed and everyone uttered "Amen" in unison, Siron signaled for them to begin eating.

However, before putting on the napkin, Siren said jokingly, "'Gives us our daily food,' wouldn't it be more meaningful if we prepared the Holy Communion ourselves from now on?"

No one answered, but Mathilde's eyes lit up: "That's great! This makes it seem even more like the clergy are acting on behalf of God!"

No one else answered; the idea was too advanced for them. So Xiren was just saying it casually. He smiled and said, "Just kidding, eat up."

They secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the food in front of them.

The minced meat and potato cups, cream of pea soup, Wellington steak, and shepherd's pie are all relatively traditional dishes. Eight potato cups were made, and the other three dishes were served in large portions.

In theory, according to the style of a wealthy family, potato cups and cream of pea soup should be served as appetizers, Wellington steak as the main course, and shepherd's pie seems a bit redundant. It should be replaced with another dessert, and the dishes should be served in order by ringing a bell to summon the male servants, rather than all at once.

But Xilun brought all four dishes to the table and then stood up to personally cut the meat for them with a knife and fork.

Each person received a potato cup, and eight bowls of pea soup were provided, one for each person. The main course was cut by Xilun, and everyone could take what they wanted with a fork. A bottle of wine was also opened and poured for everyone.

Everyone who received the bowls and plates seemed uneasy. Seeing this, Xilun smiled and finished distributing the food, then returned to the head of the table.

"Do you think I'm not following the rules?" he asked.

People kept shaking their heads.

“When the Son of God preached among men, he personally broke bread and distributed wine to his followers. I consider this an honor,” Siron said, raising his cup.

They then realized that this was indeed against the rules of the nobility, but the content recorded in the most ancient sacred texts matched perfectly, so they gladly drank it down.

Mathilde cut open the golden potato cup, a baked potato bowl filled with minced meat, mushrooms, and onions. One bite, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Potato cups are a common food in Albion, and it's also common to add minced meat to them, but the minced meat tastes very different. It's a mixture of strong umami and a certain indescribable texture. The oil undergoes a strange reaction in it, and the sweet and savory complex flavor has a certain exoticism, which is almost enough to break through the bland taste experience of the people of Albion!

Looking at the expressions on people's faces, Xilun thought to himself that he had finally shocked the otherworldly people for once, but he didn't expect it to be with his cooking skills.

Traditional minced meat is stewed with various spices, and its flavor depends entirely on how much money one is willing to spend on spices. However, he uses a sautéing method. Cast iron pots already existed in this era. He sautés the minced beef with butter and spices before adding it, which is a unique Eastern culinary technique.

It also incorporates Worcestershire sauce, similar to soy sauce, providing a less common savory flavor.

The creamy pea soup wasn't anything special, but Siron couldn't stand the yellowish-green mushy consistency, so he divided it in half. He made one half into creamy pea puree and added the other half just before serving, preserving the bright green color and texture of the peas. In terms of color and appearance, it far surpassed the current pea soup.

The Wellington steak has also undergone some changes, mainly in appearance. The puff pastry has been pressed into a beautiful diamond-shaped grid and baked with egg wash until it is golden brown, as if it is shimmering with holy light.

The final Shepherd's Pie is the biggest change. It's a traditional Albion country dish, usually made with leftovers, and is given a symbol of "thrift," but it's obviously not going to taste good.

It not only relies on the original flavor of the ingredients, but more importantly, the minced meat inside is mutton. If that muttony smell is not processed, it will make many people who are not used to it feel nauseous.

Therefore, it was served only after all the other dishes had been eaten. Joseph carefully scooped up a piece with his spoon. It was filled with minced meat on the bottom and mashed potatoes on top, looking just like the traditional kind. However, the meat didn't seem to be minced meat, but rather chunks of meat, mixed with mushrooms, garlic, and onions.

He put the spoon in his mouth and immediately looked shocked.

The mashed potatoes weren't the traditional kind. One bite brought a unique aroma and an extremely soft texture, as if you were biting into a cloud. The lamb chunks underneath had completely lost their gamey smell, and the same unique savory aroma as the minced meat lingered in your mouth. The meat juices burst out, mixing with the slightly sticky, rich sauce on the outside. It was a method he had never heard of before.

The others who had tried it all stuck their spoons into the pot, and some were even annoyed that they had left the dish for last, since they couldn't possibly eat it all.

Xilun smiled. The mashed potatoes were sieved several times by him, and he also added taro paste, warm milk and butter, making them taste like mousse. The lamb underneath was prepared in the traditional Chinese braised style, and he even thickened it with cornstarch at the end.

After wolfing down their food, Xilun didn't even have a chance to say what he wanted to say. Everyone was eating, and it wasn't until they sat down in their chairs, catching their breath, that he finally had a chance to speak.

"I originally wanted to talk to you all over the table, but it seems that being too good at cooking is also a mistake," Xiren said with a smile, and everyone burst into laughter.

“Those of you sitting here now, I will assume you are core members of the Church of Speyer,” Siren said seriously, looking around at them.

Kyle, Logan, and Fafnir paused for a moment, looked at each other, Sam's eyes widened, and Joseph also looked at Sam in disbelief.

But Siron seemed not to see this and continued, “If anyone is unwilling, they may leave now. I will not force you. You can be Peter or Demas, but you cannot be Judas (Note 1).”

People shifted in their chairs, seemingly restless, wondering why there was separate serving of food and wine being poured – it was the Last Supper.

Joseph, who was always the first to flatter, hesitated for a moment, while Fafnir was the first to stand up and say, "Ever since I learned that Renn ordered me to do unjust things, that he used me as a weapon and a tool, and that the bishop guided and rescued me, I have been your most faithful follower."

Aldridge nodded. He had a deep understanding of Siron's preaching abilities. Although he and Fafnir were not exactly the same, he had also been rescued from a cycle of pain and self-deprecation by Siron's words.

“If you regard me as a human being, I will regard you as a saint; if you regard me as a brother, I will regard you as my heavenly father,” he said.

Xilun thought to himself, "Isn't this the saying, 'If a ruler treats his subjects like his hands and feet, then the subjects will treat the ruler like their own heart and soul; if a ruler treats his subjects like dogs and horses, then the subjects will treat the ruler like a fellow countryman; if a ruler treats his subjects like dirt and weeds, then the subjects will treat the ruler like an enemy'?"

He then looked at Joseph, the man who was always the first to agree with him, but remained silent.

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Note 1: Peter was once a faithful believer in the Son of God, but after the Son's death, when questioned by soldiers, he said three times, "I do not know the Son of God," before he suddenly repented. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Demas was once a faithful follower of the Son of God, but because he coveted worldly pleasures, he abandoned the Son and left. (2 Timothy 4:10)

Although these two individuals deviated from the Son of God, they did not betray him. However, Judas betrayed the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver, which constitutes an act of betrayal.

(End of this chapter)