Chapter 64: Flame Cuisine
Thud...
After enjoying their tea and pastries, Terrance and James finally saw the famous flame cuisine of Hearthome City's Pokemon Cooking House.
When the lid was lifted, a burst of searing light emanated from the plate, and Terrance immediately smelled the tantalizing aroma.
"This feeling is..."
Heat Wave Move!
Both Terrance and James had sophisticated tastes. One was a Breeder and the other was a young master who was used to exotic delicacies, so ordinary dishes rarely impressed them.
The food on the plate resembled "Honeycomb Briquette", but unlike regular briquette, it emitted a fiery red glow. Occasional sparks sizzled and the tantalizing aroma filled the air, indicating the extraordinary nature of this dish.
"It smells...like spicy berry seeds."
Terrance took a sniff, the fiery red color of the dish radiating a glossy sheen from the roasting, especially the shape of the dish...each spicy berry seed seemed to be held together by a rich broth and the spiciness of the seeds combined with a strange, almost cloying aroma caused Terrance's pores to open wide.
James couldn't help but salivate as well. The two of them exchanged glances and couldn't wait any longer. They grabbed their utensils and moved towards the flame cuisine…
"It's not hot..." In the spoon, a bowl of translucent red seeds shimmered with flames, but when Terrance brought it to his lips, he felt only a warm breath, nothing like the flicker of sparks.
Sweet!
Rich!
The rich broth blended with the seeds, spreading flavors inside the mouth, instantly filling both of their bodies and minds with a dense aroma.
"Mmm~"
Lying on the ground, Growlithe also enjoyed the delicacy, squinting its eyes in apparent pleasure. The sounds of savoring the aftertaste were accompanied by the trembling of its taste buds.
A spark shot out from Growlithe's mouth, and its body shook, instantly becoming more spirited.
"What is this sweetness?"
After the delightful sweetness came the swarming spiciness. This type of spiciness didn't just target the throat, it also teased the base of the tongue. It didn't erode the stomach either. It was as if the person tasting the dish was inside a volcano, bathing in molten lava... The entire body was enveloped by the onslaught of the heat wave, and in a mere moment, both individuals were drenched in sweat.
"Delicious," James exclaimed with a radiant expression.
He had never tasted such a unique cuisine before.
"If only I could know the recipe and ingredients," Terrance thought.
No wonder Teacher Teresa recommended him to come here. This flame cuisine alone surpassed most of the food he had ever tasted.
"Hehe... Are you all satisfied?" The head chef smiled proudly. The flame cuisine's chef was the heir to a unique secret recipe, a signature of their Cooking House. No matter which guest had tasted it, they all praised it endlessly, without a single negative comment.
"Can we watch the cooking process?" James asked.
"Of course, no problem."
Terrance was surprised that this exclusive secret could be shown to outsiders.
The ingredients were: spicy berry seeds, Combee's sweet honey, and a special secret sauce.
"As expected..." Terrance smiled. The only thing they could observe was the technique.
The chef who had mastered the flame cuisine was a burly, muscular middle-aged man, and beside him stood a reddish-brown tortoise-like creature.
There was a black-gray circular stripe on each limb and the long neck. Each foot has three claws, and there is a short tail at the back. The tortoise shell was predominantly black-gray with five fiery red depressions on it.
"Torkoal..." Terrance exclaimed.
"So, the chef and Pokemon cooperate in making the dish."
"What----"James was amazed, "Pokemon can also cook?"
"Of course, just as you can see here."
Torkoal's shell burns coal to generate tremendous energy, aiding the muscular chef by converting it into heat energy. The two of them moved with seamless coordination, smoke and flames enveloping the ingredients. The middle-aged man cooked with sweat pouring down his back, as he skillfully wielded the kitchen utensils, infusing the food ingredients with a harmonious explosion of color, aroma, and taste...
Finally... accompanied by a Heat Wave unleashed by Torkoal, the middle-aged man donned heat-resistant gloves and swiftly sealed the lid shut. With a soft humming sound, the flame cuisine was thus completed.
Brilliant.
Terrance and James applauded in admiration.
Not only was the chef highly skilled, but Torkoal also demonstrated a remarkable mastery of the move. Moreover, the two of them were undoubtedly seasoned partners who have spent years together, as such perfect harmony and synergy wouldn't be possible otherwise.
"Amazing," James marveled.
It was the first time he had seen someone collaborate with their Pokemon so closely, other than Trainers.
A seed was quietly planted in James's mind...
...
Without lingering too long at the Pokemon Cooking House, Terrance departed.
James followed along and asked Terrance curiously: "You... look like you've gained a lot from this experience?"
"Not really," Terrance smiled.
He had already figured out why Teacher Teresa had sent him here. After observing other chefs at the Cooking House, he noticed a common trait among them: each one collaborated with their Pokemon to cook dishes.
These chefs regard their collaboration with Pokémon as the primary focus of their practice, with Pokémon serving as their capable assistants, much like an extension of their hands.
"Is she trying to tell me that to raise Pokémon well, I should focus on interacting with them?" Terrance wondered. "Or perhaps she wanted to show me that in Pokémon Contests, it's not just about the Pokémon's performance..."
Terrance shook his head. No matter what, Teacher Teresa recommended him to come here just to observe how professionals interacted with Pokémon, be it as helpers or partners.
"Hey, Terrance, how far do you think the friendship between humans and Pokémon can go?" James suddenly asked.
"Friendship?"
"Yes... Why is it that I just want to make friends with other Pokémon, but my parents strongly oppose it? Even with Growlie, even though it lives in a luxurious place, they only treat it as a pet," James couldn't understand.
Terrance was taken aback but then smiled. "If you treat Growlie as a friend, it will also consider you as one. Isn't that enough?"
"And someday, your parents will accept Growlie. Pokémon, as long as you treat them with sincerity, will surely reciprocate..."
"Really?" James was surprised.
"Of course," Terrance assured him.
Terrance thought of Pokémon as friends and partners of humans from the very beginning. They could work together to accomplish various tasks, such as building houses, moving furniture, and going on adventures...
Although he didn't know how these wealthy families taught their children, thinking about the bond between James, Jessie, and Meowth, Terrance speculated that it must be quite profound.
"Maybe in the future, you'll meet more new friends. Believe in yourself and don't lose heart!" Terrance encouraged James.
"Terrance..."
James looked at the slightly younger boy with gratitude. For James, who lacked friends, Terrance's presence and understanding brought a different kind of warmth to the young heir of the prestigious family.
"Thank you."
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