Robert is a good cook before transmigrated. In his leisure after school, he watches youtube videos all about cooking and baking. He loves doing these things since he has an insane appetite. All he needs to do is to gather all ingredients needed for his food.
Before doing these delicacies and flavorful food, he needs to do gardening first. He took a wide land from his father and grew some crops there. He planted Onions, Ginger, Garlic, Spring Onions, Beans (some types of beans), root crops, and others.
Kaingin is one of their tribe's practices of agriculture; they burn dead grass and trees and plant crops. However, Dodong is an advocate of Save Mother Earth for the reason that burning produces carbon that is harmful to Mother Earth. So he took manual labor in cleaning the field.
Problems arose when he realized that salt and sugar is needed in large quantities. Trading will be costly. He asked his father to let him go down the mountain and buy or trade salt and sugar.
Actually, his tribe knows how to make sugar, it's just that they don't have enough sugarcanes. With this, he planted a field of sugarcanes in their village. Sugar will no longer be a problem.
"Who is this man? I love his idea of growing crops in his village. Sugarcane for sugar is news to the villagers. Let me help you with your crops." Lalahon, the goddess of harvest noticed Robert.
On the trade at the port, sacks of salt and sugar were brought to ensure that they would last before they could produce their own. Moreover, he also bought a lot of metals for smelting. He will be making cutleries in his village. During their stay at the port, they sell clothes that are made in their village and it went well. People love the designs and patterns on the clothes. This has piqued the interest of other villagers in their village. Soon when they open their village to other people, a flock of people will surely arrive.
Dodong and his company went back to their village. He went to a smelting place and took out his designs of cutleries. There are different kinds of spoons, forks, and table knives. The smelters were smitten and wanted to ask what these spoons are for but have no courage to say so. A week has passed and his cutleries are done.
Dodong begins cooking and baking. The first one he tried is making a cake.
He separated the egg yolk. Then in a bowl beat the egg and added a half cup of vegetable oil (he only estimated since he has no measuring cup yet); he also added milk and mixed thoroughly. He added a half cup of sugar and a little salt in estimation and mixed them. (Note: he's only experimenting first.) He added flour as well as baking powder and then mixed them. And the process goes on…
After many tries, he perfected his first cake, a fluffy and smooth cake that feels like melting when it touched the tongue. He is excited to let his family taste it first. His two siblings were ecstatic upon tasting the cake. It was their first time tasting such food. They thought it was made by the gods. Dodong does not want to ruin their belief and so he said, by the guidance of the god of graces he was able to make a recipe. The villagers believe it is Santonilyo, the god of graces. He knows that there is a god because he experience conversing with him and even gave him magic, but since he is a Christian, his belief is still with Jesus.
He opened a store in the village that sells cakes. It was a new attraction in the village and the cost of the cake is expensive so people cannot indulge fully, only the nobles can. Dodong made this due to high demand but low supply. He is just starting and his utensils and tools are insufficient. He is still crafting tools like measuring cups. The village became lively because of this. With full of ideas in mind, Dodong wanted to try making halo-halo, a dessert that is a mixture of many ingredients such as sweetened banana, ube, macapuno, and shaved ice since some of the ingredients are hard to find. The problem is there is no ice. He can't make a block of ice with his magic. His excitement turns to sadness.
The god of graces noticed his innovative ideas and wanted to help him. One night when Robert is in his room, a sudden gush of wind can be felt in the room. His torch was put off and the room becomes dim. Only a little light from the moon lights some parts of the room. Beside the window, Robert noticed a silhouette, a shadow from a person.
"Who is there? Is that you, dad?" He asked with a shaking voice. He casts his ball of clay on his hand in case it's an enemy.
"Do not be afraid" a sweet voice calms his soul. It's like a lullaby. It calms his shaking body.
"I am Santonilyo, the goddess of graces. I take a liking to your innovative idea on foods hence I want to help you with your problem." The god said with assurance.
"Is ice all you wanted? She added.
Robert is awed that a god appeared in front of him. He still can't believe it because he only believes in Jesus.
"Were you the god I spoke to before?" He asked.
"No. This is our first meeting." The god answered
"I'll help you with the ice. Tomorrow, go to the forest near the mountain you will see a frozen waterfall. That is my gift to you. Make your villagers happy because it will also make us happy. These villagers are devout on us, gods." Santonilyo, with a smile on her face, vanished like fireflies.
Robert was still in a daze and hasn't moved after the goddess left. He can't still process the idea of many gods. The next day, he went to the forest near the mountain to find the frozen waterfall. He can't believe his eyes. He thanked Santonilyo for her help.
With the ice and his ingredients, he then started making halo-halo. This is great in summer. He sold it in his store as a new product and people lined up were long; this became the new craze of the village.
After this, he tried many delicacies and sold them in the village; cookies, cakes, bread, and sweets.
Then Dodong imagined building a fine restaurant, probably a 3-star << ---- chuckles --- >> he is not a chef though. He tried making steak like what he had tasted before he was transmigrated. He has done so many trials because he wants to master the doneness of the steak: Rare, Medium Rare, Well Done.
After a few months, he has mastered the steak. Then he went to his house to check the wine he made. It is from coconut juice. This is called Tuba in their language. The wine he made is not like the tuba that you can buy anywhere. His tuba looks so sophisticated like it has been fermented so well. It is almost clear as water (actually it's white, the author just wants to exaggerate). After checking the tuba and tasting it, he checked his workshop if the cutleries like forks and knives are done as well as the candle stand. He also checked the wine glass that is made from gold. Actually, their land is rich in gold.
Knowing that everything is set, he asked his family to have a fine dinner. He asked his family to sit down and put the bib on (they are like babies << ---chuckles--- >>). He can only make the bib first. The candles were lit. He then asked his alipin to serve the steak. He wants them to taste the steak cooked well done. All eyes were round and got bigger as the steak approached the table. The salivating smell of it causes his family to droll. When the plate is laid on the table, his family immediately grabs their fork and is about to eat. However, he stopped them and taught them how to eat gracefully. He instructed them to put the fork in their left hand and the knife in their right hand. Use the knife to slice the meat tenderly, but they should not cut it hungrily like only two slices. Slice a little part of the steak and savor the palatable taste of the steak in their mouth. Then they may drink a little wine from their golden wine glass. After that, they ate medium rare and rare steak. His family enjoyed everything and they didn't bother to pick their favorite doneness.
His father asked him to let the village taste this so he built a restaurant however, most nobles are able to eat in it though some Timawas who were able to save some money tried to eat there. People were craving steak the moment it was introduced to the public.
He asked his father to open their village and let the people from other villages visit theirs and try their products. The Council of elders approved of this. However, before opening their village a strategic plan should be made first.
<< —------- In the Upper Realm —-------- >>
"Hey Santonilyo, why are you drolling? Your saliva is wetting your veil." Pahulangkug, the god of seasons asked her with curiosity in his face.
"This man can make such fine food. I wish to taste it." She replied while drolling.
"Who are you referring to?" The god of seasons is very curios and eager to know who make Santonilyo notice him.
Santonilyo showed him who Robert is and the food he made.
"Oh! He seems to be an interesting man. Also, the food looks palatable. Shall we visit the Middle World?" He asked Santonilyo. With such excitement, she agreed.