Chapter 18:
Tiramisu (1)
“His Majesty is leaving the court!”
Amid the resounding voice of the Sangseon, head of the eunuch department, Yeonsangun strode out, his red dragon robe fluttering.
The sound of his footsteps was heavy with anger and agitation.
As soon as he stepped out of Sajeongjeon, the king’s office, Yeonsangun yanked off his winged crown and hurled it to the ground, shouting, “Am I truly the supreme ruler of this land? Is this my country, or the country of the late king?”
The one who carefully picked up the discarded crown was Sangseon Kim Cheo-seon, his hair white with age.
Having served seven kings since the reign of Sejong, this seasoned eunuch, practically a living relic of the palace, spoke cautiously.
“Your Majesty, the ministers merely revere the achievements of the late king, who established the laws of the land.”
“Then why don’t they just follow my father’s laws? What purpose do I serve in this country?”
“Your Majesty, it is your duty to protect and nurture the people of this land according to the laws established by your predecessors.”
“Silence, Cheo-seon! I’ve followed you like a mentor since childhood, but one more word, and even you won’t be spared.”
Yeonsangun’s bloodshot eyes glared fiercely at the white-haired Kim Cheo-seon.
As the Sangseon bowed his head in silence, Yeonsangun turned and strode off somewhere.
His steps came to a halt at Chwihongwon.
The quarters of the carefully selected courtesans, known as “heungcheong,” from the eight provinces, and the residence of Lady Sukyong Jang Nok-su.
It was the only place in the palace, where ministers constantly nagged about precedent and propriety, where Yeonsangun could let his guard down.
“My head… my head is spinning.”
Upon entering the chambers, Yeonsangun flung off his dragon robe and threw himself onto a lavishly decorated bed of silk and gold cushions.
As if waiting for this moment, Lady Sukyong Jang Nok-su began gently stroking his head with the care one might show a child.
The faint smile on her face stemmed from the confidence that this man, feared by the entire nation, was now within her grasp.
“Your Majesty, shall I order the evening meal to be served here? How about I keep you company for dinner tonight?”
“…No need. I have no appetite today.”
At the mention of the royal meal, Yeonsangun’s face contorted.
Even this unparalleled gourmet seemed to lose his appetite on days of intense stress.
In that moment, a strange smirk curled the corners of Nok-su’s lips.
Having clawed her way up from the bottom of the pleasure quarters, her instincts whispered to her.
Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to decisively eliminate the lingering unease in her heart.
“Then, instead of a full meal, how about ordering some delicacies to lift Your Majesty’s spirits?”
“…Delicacies?”
“There’s that foreign girl who recently joined the royal kitchen, isn’t there? Perhaps she could prepare something to please Your Majesty.”
“…Let it be. I’m not in the mood.”
“For the supreme ruler of the land to skip a meal? That won’t do. You there, is anyone outside?”
“Yes, my lady,” came the voice of a jimilsanggung, a palace maid always on standby outside.
“Go to the royal kitchen and deliver this message: the evening meal is canceled, but they are to prepare snacks to soothe His Majesty’s troubled mood.”
“Yes, I will convey the order.”
As the jimilsanggung’s voice faded, a peculiar glint appeared in Nok-su’s eyes.
This wasn’t about satisfying the king’s lost appetite.
No, this was more like a trap.
If they failed to present delicacies capable of restoring the king’s mood on a day like this, it would undoubtedly be a grave mistake for the royal chef in charge of the meal.
And turning even the smallest mistake into a capital offense was one of Nok-su’s specialties.
“Let’s see how this plays out…”
A sly smile flickered across Nok-su’s lips.
…
“…Will this really work?”
Sweat beaded on Ji-yeong’s forehead.
The royal kitchen was filled with steam rising from the cauldrons.
She had set aside cow’s milk used for tarakjuk and was gently heating it over low heat in a double boiler.
Once the milk reached a lukewarm temperature, Ji-yeong dripped a few drops of vinegar into it.
“What in the world are you doing…?” Chef Jeon, watching her, tilted his head in confusion, utterly unable to comprehend what was happening.
Just moments ago, they had received the order to prepare delicacies to lift the king’s mood instead of the evening meal.
In a situation where even the finest dishes might not suffice, Ji-yeong was doing something utterly unheard of.
“Just wait a moment,” Ji-yeong said, stirring the warmed milk. Soon, white clumps began to rise, like mud being churned.
“It worked! The proteins in the milk are starting to coagulate!”
Given time, the milk would separate into curds sinking to the bottom and a clear whey floating above.
This was the phenomenon of separating “curds” and “whey”—the first step in making cheese.
“In modern methods, an enzyme called rennet is typically used, but an acidic substance like vinegar can achieve a similar effect.”
Watching this, something seemed to click for Chef Jeon, and his eyes widened.
“Could this be… what they call ‘nak’ (cheese)? I’ve only heard of it from my ancestors, but this is my first time seeing it. It’s like making tofu.”
“Exactly, it’s like tofu made from cow’s milk.”
“Cow’s milk tofu…?” Jang-geum, who had been closely observing Ji-yeong’s actions, looked equally astonished.
In fact, cheese-making wasn’t entirely unknown in Joseon.
Dairy processing techniques had been passed down from the Yuan Dynasty to Goryeo and persisted faintly into the early Joseon period.
However, due to the challenges of dairy farming, the technique seemed to have been lost over time.
“Both Jang-geum and Chef Jeon said they’ve never seen it, so Yeonsangun definitely hasn’t tasted it either.”
While the curds settled in the milk, Ji-yeong began preparing a separate dough, mixing wheat flour with sugar and a pinch of salt.
She periodically checked the dough’s consistency by lifting it with chopsticks.
“This is flour from Joseon’s native short-grain wheat. It’s less sticky and a bit crumbly, so it might not be ideal for typical Western dishes, but for today, it’s perfect.”
Ji-yeong selected a small earthen pot, placed the dough inside, and slid it deep into the low-burning hearth.
Her plan was to use the royal kitchen’s hearth like a Western oven.
“Luckily, the hearth is large enough to function as an oven.”
While the dough baked in the hearth, Ji-yeong began roasting barley grains on a well-heated griddle.
– Sizzle
As the barley turned a deep brown, a nutty, distinctive aroma filled the royal kitchen.
“What kind of dish are you making? We can’t even imagine,” one of the chefs said.
“…I’m in the same boat,” Chef Jeon replied.
The royal kitchen chefs watched Ji-yeong’s almost otherworldly movements, exchanging puzzled glances.
“…But one thing’s clear. The new royal chef is trying to make something we’ve never seen before.”
Perhaps it could satisfy the king’s endless quest for new flavors.
Chef Jeon’s years of experience told him to hold onto a strange faith in Ji-yeong.
…
“Your Majesty, the snacks have been served.”
As Ji-yeong reached the entrance to Chwihongwon’s inner chambers with a tray, a palace maid kneeling outside announced softly.
From behind the sliding paper doors, where red lantern light softly glowed, a clear female voice responded.
“Let her in.”
A familiar voice.
How could Ji-yeong forget that chilling voice that had turned the royal kitchen upside down?
As the sliding doors parted, the first thing she saw was Jang Nok-su sitting on the bed.
Dressed only in a sheer undergarment, her white shoulders and collarbone were fully exposed.
The thin silk revealed her skin beneath, making her appear almost naked.
And there, the fearsome tyrant Yeonsangun lay with his head on Nok-su’s lap, eyes closed like a docile lamb.
“Shh.”
Nok-su raised a finger to her lips, signaling silence.
“His Majesty is very tired, so place the tray quietly and leave.”
“Yes, Lady Sukyong.”
Jang Nok-su, treating the grown king like a child.
The bizarre sight was unsettling.
Carefully setting down the tray and slowly backing out as she’d been taught, Ji-yeong was startled when Yeonsangun suddenly opened his eyes.
He quickly lifted his head from Nok-su’s lap and sat up.
“Oh, what an unfamiliar aroma! What is this now?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ji-yeong, who had been about to leave, had to respond.
“To lift Your Majesty’s spirits, I prepared a special dish.”
“A unique scent. Come here and explain it.”
Nok-su’s eyebrows twitched with displeasure at this unexpected development, but unable to object, she merely watched.
Ji-yeong cautiously stepped back into the lavishly decorated chamber.
LFAC
Lifting the lid of the tray, she revealed a dish topped with a fluffy, pale yellow substance dusted with dark brown powder.
At first glance, it resembled baekseolgi or sirutteok, but its texture was much finer.
“What is this dish? Jeungpyeon? Songhwabyeong? No, don’t tell me. I’ll taste it first.”
As Yeonsangun eagerly reached for the dish, Nok-su gently chided him with a nasal tone.
“My goodness, Your Majesty… How can you eat without it being tested first? I’ll try it and let you know.”
Nok-su picked up a small silver spoon and dipped it into the dish.
Unlike the chewy texture of sirutteok, the spoon glided in effortlessly, revealing a soft, moist consistency.
As she took a small piece and placed it in her mouth, Yeonsangun didn’t miss the fleeting change in her expression.
Her eyes widened, and her pupils trembled for a moment.
“How is it? What does it taste like?”
“Well… it’s hard to describe…”
Glancing at Ji-yeong, Nok-su stammered.
Unwilling to lose the king’s attention but clearly flustered by the unfamiliar flavor, she struggled to articulate.
“I’ll taste it myself!”
Unable to wait any longer, Yeonsangun scooped a generous spoonful and brought it to his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, his eyebrows twitched strangely.
“Ohhh! What is this taste?!”
It melted in his mouth, rich and sweet with a sticky intensity.
At the same time, a nutty, slightly bitter flavor washed over him like a lingering wave.
Yeonsangun took another large scoop, filling his mouth, and sipped the accompanying jakseolcha tea.
“Oh…”
A contented smile unwittingly spread across his face.
“Sweet and moist. And this exquisite, tangy flavor… It pairs wonderfully with the jakseolcha’s aroma. What is this dish?”
Perhaps it was the relief of satisfying the finicky king’s palate, but Ji-yeong raised her head and answered clearly with a raised tone.
“Your Majesty, this is called ‘Tiramisu.’”
