Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 82

Chapter 82: In Search of the Finest Oil

We stayed overnight at Fernande’s mansion, and the next day, we went to the store in Eclava to meet with the craftsmen in charge of the interior, starting early in the morning.

In the second meeting, we refined the details based on the direction we had decided in the first meeting. With perfect alignment of intentions, the craftsmen will now start their work.

Now, all that’s left is to entrust the work to the craftsmen, and my shop will be completed.

After discussing with the craftsmen, we arranged to check the progress in two weeks and then check again just before completion.

After finishing the discussion with the craftsmen, I went to the market.

I was looking for an oil that could substitute for the walnut oil, which was running low in stock.

“Kurt-sama, have you found something promising?”

Tina looked around the bustling market with a bit of nervousness but couldn’t contain her curiosity, her fox ears twitching cutely as she glanced around.

“It’s a bit tough. I was hoping for olive oil.”

“Kurt, they were selling olive oil, you know.”

Of course, the elf Chloe was with us as well.

Chloe was sniffing the air with her nose twitching.

“They are selling it, but it’s too expensive, and the quality is poor.”

Apparently, the olive production area is quite far away, and the price has increased significantly due to the transportation volume and intermediate tariffs.

Moreover, the prime products are consumed near the production area, leaving only secondary products to reach Eclava.

Both in terms of price and quality, they are simply not suitable for baking.

“Oh, I see. It’s complicated. By the way, everyone in the Spirit Village uses Papuru seed oil.”

“…Oh, that’s right. Thanks, Chloe. I completely forgot about that.”

“No, it’s impossible to use for pastries. It takes an enormous amount of seeds to produce just a little oil, you know? It’s not like the Papuru from Kurt’s village.”

“We’re not talking about Papuru. We’re talking about grape seeds. We might be able to buy them cheaply in bulk. Besides, the wineries might be making and selling them.”

“Papuru is a fruit similar to grapes. It seems they extract oil from its seeds in the Spirit Village.”

The idea of using grape seeds for oil struck me.

Wine production is vigorous on this continent.

Moreover, white wine is more popular.

While red wine extracts all the flavors from grape skins and seeds, white wine aims for a cleaner taste by removing them.

In essence, grape seeds are inevitably left over.

If we can use them to make oil, it should be relatively inexpensive, and if they’re from grapes made for wine, the quality should be good.

Furthermore, Eclava is one of the famous wine-producing regions, with several large vineyards, so it should be readily available and affordable.

“Grape oil… Grape seed oil would be good for pastries and has a nice flavor. Alright, let’s look for it.”

I went around asking at stores that dealt with oil if they had any oil made from grape seeds.

◇

“I can’t believe it, they don’t have any.”

“Kurt-sama, please don’t be discouraged. I’ve never even heard of grape seed oil before, so it’s not strange that it’s not available.”

“What a waste. Grapes are like Papuru, right? They could yield good oil.”

I came up empty-handed.

There was no grape seed oil anywhere in the market.

It seems that there’s no culture of extracting oil from grape seeds in this city.

The mainstream here is oil made from grains like sesame.

The price is acceptable, but it smells and tastes too strong for pastries.

In that case…

“I’m stubborn, aren’t I? I’ll ask Farne to introduce us to a white wine workshop. Then, I’ll see if they’ll buy the discarded grape seeds.”

“Could it be, Kurt-sama… Are you planning to make it yourself?”

“That’s right. For the winery, grape seeds are trash, so they’ll probably sell them cheaply, and if we make it ourselves, the profit will be substantial. Besides, our village already buys oil from other cities, so we can reduce that expense.”

Saying it out loud, it seemed like a good idea.

After all, from the perspective of the white wine workshop, grape seeds are waste. Turning them into oil for reuse is very eco-friendly and cost-effective.

“Kurt, you’re amazing. You’d do anything for pastries.”

“I’m a pastry chef, after all. I’d risk my life for delicious pastries. Time is of the essence. Let’s go back to the mansion and ask Farne right away.”

◇

Back at Fernande’s mansion, when I talked to Farne, he readily agreed to introduce us to a wine workshop.

It seems that Fernande has a close relationship with a wine workshop.

Given that it’s affiliated with Fernande’s family, they use only the finest grapes grown in their own vineyard, which is highly regarded.

There’s a large workshop on the outskirts of this city, and since it’s associated with the Fernande family, we were able to arrange a meeting for today.

“Farne, thank you.”

“I’m glad I can assist you, Kurt-sama. I have another matter to attend to and can’t stay, but please do your best.”

“Of course, I’ll do my best.”

To obtain the finest oil.

Now, it’s time for negotiation.

◇
We arrived at the wine workshop in a carriage. It was a two-story stone building, two sizes larger than the Arnoldt main house.

One-third of the wine circulated in Eclava is produced here. There’s no doubt they have a large quantity of grape seeds.

As the carriage arrived, several men came out to greet us.

The deep aroma of grapes ingrained in their bodies hinted at their experience.

“Apologies for the sudden visit.”

“No need to apologize. Count Fernande is an important patron of ours. Thanks to him, our wine sells well even outside this city.”

Count Fernande is truly remarkable.

His achievements are evident even in such casual matters.

“I have something to discuss today. I am Kurt Arnoldt.”

“I appreciate your courtesy. I’m the representative of Grunarna Workshop, Grunarna. Please come inside.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

With that, we were invited into a guest room inside the wine workshop.

◇

“This is lightly fermented grape juice. It contains only a small amount of alcohol, so it shouldn’t hinder our negotiations. Please, get to know the quality of our wine first.”

“Then, I’ll gladly accept your hospitality.”

The three of us took our seats and were offered drinks.

A pleasant aroma of grapes wafted through the air.

I took a sip.

Because it’s young, there’s a fresh richness that spreads throughout the mouth. The sweetness still lingers.

Ah, this is good. No wonder Count Fernande likes it.

“This is excellent grapes. The balance of sweetness and acidity is delightful.”

“Indeed. Our vineyard is the best in this city, no, in this country.”

I smirked.

He has affection for what he’s grown. Such a man can be trusted.

“Now, let me get straight to the point. I want to buy the grape seeds leftover from making white wine.”

“Grape seeds? They’re just something to throw away. Why would anyone want to buy them?”

“To use as ingredients for pastries. I’m opening a shop in Eclava, and I need grape seeds for that.”

As soon as I said that, Grunarna seemed to be lost in thought.

He seemed to be trying to remember something.

“Grape seeds? Wait a moment… You’re Kurt Arnoldt, aren’t you? The one opening a shop in Eclava?”

“I don’t know which Kurt Arnoldt you’re talking about, but I’m the one opening a shop in Eclava.”

“I-I’m terribly sorry. If it’s the esteemed Arnoldt who’s willing to use our grapes, please take as many as you need. Selling them would be out of the question.”

He bowed his head vigorously.

I felt a bit overwhelmed by his enthusiasm.

“I can’t accept that. I’ll pay you properly.”

“No, no, it’s out of the question. Just saying that you used grapes from Grunarna Workshop is more than enough for us. It’s the best publicity for us to use the discarded grape seeds… How about this? We’ll only charge you for the labor needed to sort the seeds from the skins, just the amount it costs us.”

“We would be extremely pleased with that arrangement. Are you sure it’s okay with you?”

“Yes, absolutely. How much are we talking about?”

“All the seeds that come out here. If possible, we’d like them sun-dried.”

“Understood. I’ll prepare the contract then. Please don’t forget to advertise that you used grapes from Grunarna Workshop.”

“Yes, I promise.”

I read through the contract, checked for any unfavorable terms, and signed it.

Then, I informed them that I would come to collect the seeds later by dragon carriage.

They were surprised by the dragon carriage, but we arranged for a designated landing spot, and it was agreed that I would come to collect them once a week after the initial pickup.

Anyway, the contract was now settled.

The issue of walnut oil is on its way to being resolved, and being able to make oil for almost nothing is a pleasant surprise.

If I can successfully collect the seeds, I’ll try making grape seed oil.

It’s one of the finest oils on Earth.

If things go well, I might be able to make pastries even more delicious than those made with walnut oil.