Ina was checking the prey she got from the Rize tribe. However, they had now turned into whole chunks of fresh meat. Fortunately, Ina still had a list of names from the system's sales log.
"This is a four-hooved, horned animal, over a meter tall..." Lusen recalled what the animal looked like before it was turned into fresh meat at the butcher's shop.
"Short-legged deer." Ina read from the list. She wrote down the name of the prey and placed it next to the corresponding meat.
"This one is a python." Some were easy to identify, and Lusen had an easier time remembering them.
"Polar Fire Snake."
...
"And this one, the most numerous Snow Cotton Rabbit, we have a total of five. I am familiar with this animal."
Ina raised her eyebrows, indicating him to elaborate.
Lusen began to talk endlessly, explaining that Snow Cotton Rabbits only existed in a few areas in the very northern part of the continent. Their legs were very powerful, and they had a strong ability to jump. Their attack method was to use their astonishing strength to hit a person's chest, sometimes even causing the attacked person to faint. However, the most well-known aspect of the Snow Cotton Rabbit was its meat - it was really delicious. Even simple stewing made it quite tender, neither fishy nor stinky. It was delicious in any preparation and was a highly sought-after delicacy among the nobles in the White Silver Imperial City.
Ina had a sudden thought as if catching some inspiration. She asked, "Are these rabbits easy to raise?"
Dusì had a strong opinion on breeding: "To determine whether an animal is suitable for breeding, first see if it has the ability to escape. For example, chickens have wings but can't fly high or far, and cattle and sheep won't leave the pasture when fenced in."
Since Snow Cotton Rabbits have excellent jumping abilities, raising the height of the surrounding walls might be a solution. Ina suddenly thought of a problem: if the rabbits couldn't escape from the top, they could still burrow underground since rabbits can dig holes!
To prevent rabbits from digging holes and escaping, more effort would have to be put into the flooring of the rabbit enclosure. Unexpectedly, Lusen said with a suppressed laugh, "Snow Cotton Rabbits don't dig holes. In pursuit of jumping ability, they have changed the structure of their claws, making them not good at digging holes. If I remember correctly, Snow Cotton Rabbits will rush into the holes of large moles, drive the moles out, and then comfortably live in the mole's hole."
Great, the problem of digging holes is solved. "Next, let's discuss the breeding capacity and growth period."
Rabbits are famously known for their reproductive capabilities, breeding year-round and producing seven offspring per litter. They also have a short growth period, reaching maturity in just 6 months.
The remaining issue is the rabbit's feed. Rabbit feed is sold in feed stores, but the price is slightly higher than chicken feed. However, to raise rabbits well, they cannot live on feed alone.
Ina flipped through the recently obtained Encyclopedia of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery, and Animal Husbandry and learned that rabbits typically eat forage, such as alfalfa, foxtail grass, and oat grass. They can also eat some vegetables like carrots and spinach. When she saw the words "dry hay" in the next line, her eyes lit up - rabbits can eat dry hay!
It made sense. The winters on the Frozen Tundra are long and cold, and if Snow Cotton Rabbits could only eat fresh grass, they would have gone extinct by now.
Although Misty Town had some yellowing wild grass, the Frozen Tundra was devoid of any plant life in winter. However, during the summer, forage grew abundantly. They just needed to find a way to turn fresh forage into dry hay and store it until winter.
Setting up a Snow Cotton Rabbit farm seemed genuinely feasible. Ina closed the manual, looked at the rabbit meat, and decided to see if it was as delicious as people claimed.
Snow Cotton Rabbits were larger than ordinary rabbits. Ina cut half of the rabbit meat into small pieces, washed the blood off, and marinated it - this was to prepare for making cold rabbit dishes. The other half was prepared for braising. Next, Ina poured out a large basin of dried chili peppers, causing Lusen and Dusì to gasp. They were the kind of people who loved spicy food but couldn't handle it, suffering and enjoying it at the same time.
Ina had to explain, "These chili peppers are not spicy; they mainly add fragrance to the dish."
The rabbit meat needed more time to marinate, and cold rabbit dishes were tastier after being chilled. Ina took the other half of the rabbit meat and marinated it for the braised rabbit dish, which required less marinating time.
The restaurant was closed today, and it was quiet everywhere. Only the faint sounds of oil frying in the kitchen and the spreading of the aroma could be heard.
Dusì was absentmindedly flipping through the account book, while Lusen was organizing the ingredients. He discovered that he had mixed up the labels for the snake meat and deer meat, and quickly switched them back.
Finally, Ina poked her head out of the kitchen: "Dinner is ready."
The two of them immediately put down their tasks and rushed into the kitchen to get their plates. The glossy, red rabbit meat had a mouthwatering aroma that filled the room.
Dusì bit into a piece of rabbit meat, the savory sauce awakening his taste buds. The tender meat amazed him.
Ina was right – the rabbit meat was perfect.
When Dusì and Lusen finished their meal, the cooker had been scraped clean, and only a few bones remained on the table. They both slumped in their chairs, like two dreamless salted fish.
An even more irresistible aroma wafted in. Ina brought out a large bowl of cold rabbit meat combined with bright red chili peppers. Lusen and Dusì looked at the dish with regret – they were too full.
"Late-night snack." The just-cooked cold rabbit meat was steaming, and it would become more chewy and refreshing after cooling down.
Their eyes lit up again.
Ever since Mr. Wenter came to Misty Town, he had treated the Dragon Flame Restaurant as his dining hall, appearing punctually at the door for three meals a day. Today, however, he was unexpectedly met with a closed door, realizing that he had become reliant on the restaurant even after just a few short days.
In the evening, Mr. Wenter took a stroll around the town, silently noting how many families had moved away and which houses were newly built. When he saw the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows of the Dragon Flame Restaurant, he also smelled a tantalizing spicy aroma.
He stood outside in silence for a moment, waiting for the fragrance to disperse before whispering, "Closed for business today, so you're experimenting with new dishes, huh?"