Chapter 3
Leon realized that his follow-up plan needed to change.
Gululu~~
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of boiling water in the iron pot. Leon snapped back to reality, deciding to set aside his planning for now and focus on finishing the meal. After all, it had been half a year since he last tasted meat, and he couldn't help but feel a bit greedy.
He carefully poured half of the boiling water into another pot to cool, then turned his attention to cooking. Without any oil available, he decided to fry the pork first to extract some lard. Using a few daggers he had found, Leon cut the meat into smaller pieces and instructed the other children to soak and wash the vegetables and meat separately.
Given the limited resources, he knew he couldn't prepare anything elaborate. So, he decided to keep it simple, combining the ingredients they had into a hearty stew. He tossed in eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers, corn, and a few basic seasonings, along with the pork. After letting it simmer for half an hour, he had a pot of comforting Northeastern stew ready to serve.
Using the remaining lard, Leon fried up a few large beef and mutton chops. He also warmed some bread to serve as the main course. The aroma quickly filled the air, making the hungry children, who had never tasted meat before, drool in anticipation.
Realizing they lacked enough bowls and spoons, Leon stepped outside and used his strength to break a moderately thick tree. He then spent some time carving out fifteen bowls, and large spoons with a dagger. Though his craftsmanship was rough and the shapes a bit abstract, they were functional.
Leon directed the children to move the clean wooden table from the house into the room, and together they brought the iron pot of stew, along with the beef and mutton chops, to the table. As they served the stew, he said, "Kids, enjoy today's 'breakfast' with some bread."
Interestingly, despite their hunger, the children didn't rush to eat. Instead, they looked at Leon eagerly, waiting. Understanding their silent request, Leon smiled gently and said, "Go ahead and eat, you must be starving." He then took the first bite with his spoon, prompting the children to smile and finally dig into their meal.