Studying Flavors

"Wow, it looks like the rings of a tree trunk!"

Bellberk was quite surprised when she saw the cake Aiershortz had baked. She had never seen a cake shaped like that before.

At dinner, Aiershortz cut the cake into five pieces for her guests to try, then sampled some herself along with the two girls.

Bellberk praised the cake's appearance but said nothing else about it.

Frederick took a bite and gave his honest opinion. "The texture and flavor still need some work."

"The proportions of flour, butter, and eggs need adjusting. You could add different herbs to the separate layers to enrich the flavor, and add color to make it look better."

Gretel and Ansel brought out the evening meal and tableware. The main dish was a big pot of wild boar stew with peas, potatoes, and carrots, seasoned with plenty of black pepper. Aiershortz served some to everyone.

The wild boar was tender and had no gamey taste. She wondered how it had been prepared.

As she ate, Aiershortz said, "Adjusting the proportions will take quite a while. I don't know if we'll finish in time."

The three main ingredients all affected the result, so they would have to test them bit by bit. Money wasn't a problem, but the cake competition began in a month, and they would need time to travel. There wasn't much time left for experiments.

After eating a piece of wild boar, Frederick said, "I suggest trying the Optimization Method. It could save a lot of time."

Aiershortz asked, "What is the Optimization Method?"

Seeing that she didn't understand, Frederick explained, "In alchemical experiments and the like, one major challenge is finding the right formula and process to produce the best results."

"The Optimization Method uses mathematics to guide the work, reducing the