Frostpunk Divine Throne-Chapter 26: Dinner

After saying grace, following everyone's collective "Amen," Cyren gestured for them to begin eating.
However, before putting on his napkin, Cyren said in a joking tone, "Give us this day our daily bread. If the communion we distribute from now on is made by our own hands, wouldn't that be more meaningful?"
No one answered, but Matilda's eyes lit up, "That's quite good! This way it better shows clergy acting on God's behalf!"
The others didn't respond. This kind of idea was still too advanced for them, so Cyren was just speaking casually. He smiled, "Just joking. Eat."
Only then did they secretly breathe a sigh of relief, gazing at the meal before them.
Meat-stuffed potato cups, cream of pea soup, Beef Wellington, and shepherd's pie, all relatively traditional dishes. Eight potato cups were made, and the other three dishes were large portions.
Theoretically, according to wealthy household style, the potato cups and cream of pea soup should be appetizers, Beef Wellington the heavy main course. The shepherd's pie seemed somewhat redundant and should be replaced with another dessert. Moreover, they should summon a manservant by bell and serve dishes in order, not bring everything out at once.
But Cyren brought all four dishes directly to the table, then stood up with knife and fork to personally serve them meat.
One potato cup per person. The pea soup was ladled into eight bowls, one bowl per person. The main course was cut by Cyren. They could take with a fork according to their own needs. He also opened a bottle of wine and poured for everyone.
Everyone receiving a bowl or plate appeared uneasy. Cyren saw this and smiled as he finished the distribution work, sitting back in the main seat.
"Think I'm breaking protocol?" he asked.
People kept shaking their heads.
"When the Son of God preached on earth, he personally broke bread and personally poured wine for his followers to enjoy. I think this is an honor." Cyren raised his wine glass.
Only then did they suddenly understand. This indeed didn't follow noble protocol, but counting the most archaic scripture records, it actually fit very well. So they happily drank.
Matilda cut open the golden potato cup. It was a baked potato bowl with minced meat, mushrooms, and onions inside. One bite and her eyes suddenly widened.
Potato cups were common food in Albion. Adding minced meat inside was also common. But the taste of this minced meat was very different, mixed with strong umami and some indescribable texture. The fat underwent a strange reaction within. The fresh-sweet compound flavor had some exotic quality, almost breaking through Albionese people's bland taste experience!
Cyren looked at the expressions on people's faces, thinking he'd finally shocked people from another world, unexpectedly through cooking.
Traditional minced meat was stewed with various spices. Its flavor degree completely depended on how much money one was willing to spend on spices. But what he used was stir-frying. This era already had cast iron pots. He sautéed in butter and spices before adding ground beef, belonging to unique Eastern cooking techniques.
He also added Worcestershire sauce similar to soy sauce, providing relatively rare sauce fragrance.
The cream of pea soup had nothing special, but Cyren really couldn't stand that yellowish-green mush from stewing, so he divided it in half. One portion made into creamed pea puree, the other portion added before removing from heat, preserving the peas' emerald green color and granular texture, far surpassing current pea soup in color and appearance.
Beef Wellington also had some modifications, mainly in appearance. The pastry was pressed into attractive diamond grids and baked golden with egg wash, as if shimmering with holy light.
The final shepherd's pie had the biggest modifications. This was a traditional Albion country food. Because it was generally made using leftovers, it was also given the symbol of "thrift," but obviously it wouldn't be delicious.
Not only did it rely solely on the ingredients' natural flavor, more importantly, the minced meat inside was lamb. That gamey smell, if untreated, would make many unaccustomed people nauseated.
Therefore, it was only their turn when other dishes were finished.
Joseph carefully spooned a piece. Below was meat filling, above was mashed potato. It looked the same as traditional, but that meat didn't seem to be minced meat but meat chunks, mixed with shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and onions.
He put the spoon in his mouth and immediately showed a shocked expression.
That mashed potato wasn't the traditional appearance. One bite brought unique fragrance and extremely soft texture, as if biting into a cloud. The lamb chunks below had the gamey smell completely removed. The same peculiar sauce fragrance as the earlier minced meat lingered around the mouth. Meat juice gushed out in one bite, mixing with the rich juice outside that was slightly sticky, a method he'd never heard of.
The others who tasted it all extended their spoons into the pot, even secretly annoyed about why they saved this dish for last. Their stomachs couldn't fit any more.
Cyren smiled. That mashed potato he had sieved several times, also adding taro paste, warm milk, and butter, with texture similar to mousse. The lamb below used traditional Chinese red-braising method, with a thickened sauce at the end.
After wolfing down the meal, Cyren didn't have time to say what he originally wanted to say. Everyone was eating. He finally had opportunity to speak only after waiting for them to hold their bellies and pant while sitting in chairs.
"I originally wanted to discuss some matters with you at the dinner table, but it seems being too good at cooking is also a fault." Cyren smiled and began. People all laughed heartily.
"Now sitting here, I'll assume you are core members of Spessay Church." Cyren became serious, looking around at them.
The three soldiers Kyle, Logan, and Fafnir froze, looking at each other. Sam's eyes widened even more. Joseph also looked at Sam incredulously.
But Cyren seemed not to see, continuing, "If anyone is unwilling, you can leave now. I won't force you. You can be Peter, you can be Demas, but you cannot be Judas."
People's bottoms squirmed in their chairs, seeming somewhat restless, thinking no wonder there was serving meals and pouring wine, so this was the Last Supper.
Joseph, who was always first to flatter, hesitated. Instead, Fafnir was first to stand up and say, "Ever since I learned Rain commanded me to do unjust things, viewed me as weapon and tool, while the Bishop guided and saved me, I have been your most loyal believer."
Aldridge nodded. He deeply understood Cyren's preaching ability. Although he and Fafnir weren't entirely the same, he was similarly rescued by Cyren's words from painful cycles and self-debasement.
"You view me as human, so I view you as saint. You view me as brother, so I view you as Heavenly Father." He said.
Cyren thought, isn't this "If the ruler treats his ministers as his hands and feet, the ministers will treat him as their heart; if the ruler treats his ministers as dogs and horses, the ministers will treat him as a fellow countryman; if the ruler treats his ministers as dirt and weeds, the ministers will treat him as an enemy"?
So he looked toward Joseph. This person who was always first to echo him was now silent.