I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 114



Only Noblemtl

Episode 114: Vatapa

“Oh! New Chef. Welcome.”

Judging from his bright expression, he seemed satisfied with the meal.

“Do you like the new course?”

“Haha. Chef Shin Je-hee! From appetizers to desserts, there was nothing missing. It was a really enjoyable meal. I’m not a gourmet, but I can tell that the food was great.”

He chuckles. It seems that President Obama likes my food. Otherwise, even if he had business in New York, he would not have bothered to come here.

“I was able to enjoy a meal for the first time in a while. Thank you.”

Michelle also greets me, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

“It is an honor.”

“Isn’t today’s appetizer a symbol of sprouting and blooming flowers?”

“You noticed. Yes, our restaurant is just beginning. Just like plants sprout, grow stems and leaves, and finally bloom, we hope to bloom. And so do our customers. Just like flowers that endure years of hardship underground, we wanted to create dishes that give our customers courage and hope.”

Michelle, who was listening to the story, started to cry.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been very emotional lately.”

She took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. I waited a little for her to calm down.

I also know what Michelle is doing these days. Her reforms have not achieved the results she wanted and have been stranded. Even so, there have been some results, but they are far from the results she wanted. However, her noble and courageous challenge deserves praise.

“I really enjoyed today. All the dishes were amazing, but I especially remember the flower and the main dish, Veal. The dessert was also strong. When I think about it, the entire course was of a quality that is hard to find anywhere else.”

Michelle’s compliments were genuine. I was actually worried that some guests might not like this course, because the appetizer was a bit too much and the main course used unfamiliar ingredients. However, judging from the reactions of the two people, I think I don’t have to worry too much.

“I put a lot of thought into this course, so I’m glad you’re satisfied.”

“How did you make the sauce used in the main dish?”

Ssamjang has a unique flavor. Among them, gochujang is a sauce with a very strong personality, so even if you add just a little bit, its unique, exotic flavor dominates the entire sauce. That’s why I had to pay a lot of attention to the mixing and proportion of the sauce.

“Because Bill’s flavor is so unique, I felt that the existing sauce was not enough. After trying various things, I was able to create the right sauce. I am satisfied because I think it can be used in many other dishes as well.”

The combination of ssamjang and butter is surprisingly versatile. It seems like it can be applied to a variety of genres.

“It had an exotic taste. Is it an ingredient from the new chef’s home country?”

“That’s right. It’s called ssamjang, and it’s a sauce that’s usually eaten with meat. I arranged it with butter and various spices.”

“It’s a truly amazing taste. I’ve seen Master Chef myself, and it wasn’t an exaggeration. The moment I took a bite of the dessert, I felt eerie. I felt like I was actually on a snowy hill in winter. But it was also cozy, sweet, and soft… It was a wonderful dish.”

Michelle shows emotional expression. We all live our lives with memories from our childhood. For Michelle, who was not well off, the smell of earth and trees seemed to be a trigger that touched something deep inside her.

“thank you.”

“Haha. I don’t have anything else to offer, but as a thank you for treating me today, I can at least take a picture with you. As long as you don’t post it on social media.”

President Obama laughs loudly and changes the mood. There is no reason to refuse when the President of the United States makes the first offer to take a picture together.

“I think it would be a great help if you could do that.”

I took a picture of President Obama and the First Lady with the restaurant in the background. Our staff also took out their phones and were busy clicking the shutter, as if they were curious.

After I took the pictures, I called all the staff together.

“This will be a memory that the staff will cherish for a lifetime. Can we please take a group photo?”

“Haha. Of course.”

All the staff gathered in front of the restaurant and took a picture with bright smiles. We had such a happy time with the old-fashioned restaurant with lights on in the middle of the night as the background. I handed the security guard the sandwich I had prepared in advance before they left.

“I thought you might not have had a proper meal because you were working, so the kitchen staff prepared some. We made a lot, so please share it.”

The bodyguard wearing the earphones looks at his superior after hearing what I said. When he nods, the bodyguard smiles brightly and takes the sandwich.

“Thank you, I was just hungry.”

“Not at all. Enjoy your meal and come back as our guest next time.”

The President and his wife waved at us as they left. I watched them and only went inside after the car disappeared from sight.

* * *

The response to the new course was immediate. At first, only regulars would order it, but now half of the restaurant’s customers are ordering it, despite the high price.

“Jehee. Do you know what date it is today?”

After work, as I was cleaning up the kitchen, Jenny asked me an unexpected question.

“January. What day is it?”

But, strangely enough, I couldn’t answer right away. I’ve been stuck in the kitchen for the past two months, so I’ve lost my sense of time passing.

“I knew it. You were so stuck in the kitchen cooking that you didn’t even realize the year had changed. You shouldn’t let such an important day slip away just because you promised to get married. Since tomorrow is a holiday, I think it would be best to go straight home after work today.”

After listening to Jenny and thinking about it, I realized she was right. I spent both Christmas and New Year’s in the kitchen.

I vowed so much not to die as a workaholic, but when I get a little absorbed, I don’t even realize how much time has passed and I end up overdoing it. I quickly changed my clothes and came home. Joohee is in her last semester at Harvard. I parked, took the elevator up, and opened the door. The house was dark and quiet. I felt deja vu.

‘I can’t repeat this life again.’

I grabbed my car keys and ran out to make a phone call.

“Joohee?”

-Yeah. Oppa. It’s been a while since you called?

Did she sense the urgency in my voice? She speaks in a tone of bewilderment. But there is bone in her words.

“I’ll fly to Boston right now.”

Should I apologize? Or should I make excuses? Many thoughts crossed my mind, but it seemed like the thing to do now was to run to her as quickly as possible.

-really?

“Okay. Just wait a minute.”

-okay.

I quickly started the car and headed to the airport. Luckily, there was an empty seat, so I was able to arrive in Boston safely. When I got off at the airport, Joohee was already there. She was smiling and waving at me.

“I was going to go, why are you here?”

I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t help but say something insulting to her.

“I wanted to see you early so I wouldn’t forget your face.”

But she just smiles at me as if it doesn’t matter at all.

“I’m sorry. I got distracted again.”

“Hmm.”

Joohee shakes her head.

“Let’s go eat something delicious.”

“This time, I will guide you.”

“Do you know any places?”

“Of course. I went to school here for a while, so of course there is.”

I followed Joohee and went into the restaurant she guided me to.

“Is this a South American restaurant?”

She led me to a popular restaurant with a flashy neon sign and decorations in the colors of South American countries: blue, green, yellow, and sky blue.

“They mainly sell Brazilian food. A friend brought me here, and I liked it so much that I come here sometimes.”

She skillfully ordered vatapa and empadas. Seeing South American food after a long time reminded me of the time I took classes in the past. Vatapa is a Brazilian stew or curry-like dish. Looking at the menu, it seems like a restaurant targeting students, so the prices are cheap. There were almost no dishes over $20.

The server soon brought the food. Batapa is a dish that can be enjoyed in many ways. It can be eaten with bread or served with rice like a curry. Today, indica rice (Annam rice) was served.

“Try it. This was my staple food last semester.”

Joohee smiles playfully and offers me food.

I scooped up some batapa and rice with a spoon and put it in my mouth. The intense spiciness was painful to my tongue. They say women relieve stress with spicy food, and I think I know why Joohee is into this place. I was momentarily taken aback by the intense spiciness I had not felt in a long time, but I quickly recovered like a Korean. As the spiciness passed, the creamy and rich taste of coconut milk, the sweetness of onion, and the scent of celery and coriander finally came.

Originating from the eastern coast of Brazil, this dish is the result of a mix of African slaves, Portuguese, and indigenous people.

At that time, flour was scarce, so the prototype of vatapa was a food that slaves ate by mixing and grinding the bread left over from the Portuguese the day before with various other ingredients.

Although wheat flour is common now, Brazilians still make vatapa according to the old recipe. There is good reason for this. Soaking the bread in coconut milk and chicken stock and then grinding it gives it a slightly thicker, more nutty flavor. It acts as a sort of roux in French stew.

Stir-fry onions, ginger, garlic, shrimp, etc. in Dende oil (a type of palm oil with a red color and strong flavor), then add the resulting roux and boil. This restaurant uses chicken stock to add flavor and ground two kinds of chili peppers to add spiciness. Since it also contains cilantro and celery, it feels like eating a rich-flavored Thai curry.

“It’s spicy. But it’s delicious. Isn’t it okay to eat this kind of food sometimes?”

Joohee is eating spicy batapa while fanning herself with her hands. Is this a sign that she is angry because of me? I decided to just ask.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“why?”

“I was so absorbed in cooking that I didn’t even celebrate Christmas or the end of the year. In fact, I didn’t even realize the year had changed.”

“I don’t think I should say this, but I’ve always liked that side of you. I like the passion you have when you’re passionate about something and can’t see anything else. It’s a little sad that I’m included in that, but that’s okay.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

In my past life, she hated me being so absorbed in my work. What changed?

“It’s okay because I know that you will come to me eventually.”

The moment I heard her words, tears welled up in my eyes. Did she trust me in the past?

I promised myself that I would change, but I kept making the same mistakes. But not everything was the same. I felt relieved when I hugged her. After dinner, we went home and watched a movie leisurely. Then I hugged her and fell asleep.

In my dream, a flower deer and a baby pig appeared.

A deer and a pig are playing in the forest. When the deer keeps bothering the pig, the piglet gets angry and attacks him. However, the deer dodges the attack and teases the pig. Then, he licks the pig’s cheek with his tongue.

I was so happy to see such a peaceful scene that I just watched them. But soon they noticed my presence and approached me cautiously. And then they spoke to me.

“Do you want to play together?”

“What should we do for fun?”

“It feels really good to roll around in the grass.”

“But I have to go.”

“It’s okay. We’ll meet again. We’ll definitely play together then.”

My eyes shot open. Light was streaming in through the gap in the curtains. It was morning.