The first step in fermenting black tea is to place the picked tea leaves in a ventilated area and wait for them to naturally dry.
There wasn't much open space on the farm at the moment. Looking around, the two of them spread the tea leaves flat next to the keg shed.
The Rattatas were currently busy bottling and selling the brewed pale ale. Watching the Rattatas carrying bottles toward the shipping bin, Leah spread the tea leaves while watching them with great interest.
"It'll probably take about half a day to sun-dry." Ron looked up at the sun overhead and said.
The weather was perfect today—the sun was warm and cozy, and the freshly picked tea leaves were emitting a rich, grassy aroma.
Leah crouched nearby, smelling this scent, and felt completely refreshed.
After half a day, it would be time to roll out the sun-dried tea leaves. Ron took time to harvest some pasture grass. To store food for Deerling, Ron invited Leah to harvest some as well.
Glancing at Deerling chasing and playing with Miltank, Leah first smiled, then carried a bundle of grass, found a corner to stack it, and waited to take it back later.
She had checked the weather forecast today—tomorrow would also be sunny. Early tomorrow morning, she would take out this grass to dry in the sun, then store it in her house as winter fodder for Deerling.
After putting away the grass, Leah ran toward Ron.
Next came repeatedly rubbing and rolling the leaves that had become soft from withering until they curled into shape.
This was fairly labor-intensive work. Fortunately, Leah was used to this kind of work—after just a few glances, she quickly got the hang of it.
"What next?"
"Put them in a small Keg." Ron pointed to a specially made small keg not far away.
Because he wasn't certain about the fermentation time, Ron planned to open it and check periodically. Once he could determine the timing accurately, it wouldn't be so troublesome.
As for the subsequent drying stage, Ron had previously bought a dehydrator blueprint from the general store and had made one in his spare time.
This thing was originally used for making dried fruit, but when Ron tried using it to dry some green tea, the results were surprisingly good.
Working through the process, time passed and evening arrived.
After testing, Ron found that the fermentation time in the small keg was roughly two hours—quite different from the data he had found in Kalos, roughly reduced by more than half.
But this was good news. Perhaps he could try the tea business in Kalos later.
On one hand, tea plants in Stardew Valley only took 20 days to mature—meaning that while tea in Kalos could be harvested four times a year, Stardew Valley tea seedlings only needed a little over half a month.
On the other hand, afternoon tea culture was popular in Kalos. The people there were keen on enjoying a plate of macarons with hot tea as a respite during their leisure time in the afternoon.
Watching the tea leaves in the Dehydrator, Leah, who had been busy all day, stretched her body.
The tea aroma continuously wafted out as the dehydrator operated, and the entire house was now filled with the fresh fragrance of tea leaves.
Robin, who had just finished her expansion work, climbed down from the ladder. Seeing the two guarding the dehydrator, she asked: "What is this? I noticed you two seemed to be busy all afternoon."
"Black tea." Ron glanced at it, estimating it would take until tomorrow morning to finish drying. "It should be ready tomorrow morning. If you're free in the morning, you can come try some."
Stardew Valley hardly had a habit of drinking black tea, but besides children, everyone quite enjoyed the green tea Caroline brewed. Therefore, Robin couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.
Leah was currently sprawled on a chair nearby, sipping small mouthfuls of the drink Indeedee had brought her.
Her preparations for winter were almost complete, and she happened to be free tomorrow as well. So she also accepted Ron's invitation, had dinner at the farm, and took Deerling home.
Deerling hopped happily beside Leah. Now that it was autumn, Deerling was no longer pink as it had been at first. Its coat was orange-yellow with scattered golden spots, looking like golden osmanthus mixed in a maple forest.
Leah rubbed Deerling's head, then turned to look at the cabin with its faintly glowing lights. "It's wonderful—"
She had been busy at the farm all day, but surprisingly didn't feel tired at all—only refreshed in body and mind. Especially when watching the tea leaves tumbling in the dehydrator and smelling their fresh fragrance.
It seemed the fatigue of the entire day vanished in the instant of seeing the finished product about to be completed.
Even for a moment, she had a thought: Ah, it would be nice to live here in the future.
Thinking this, Leah pressed her lips together.
"Deerling?" Deerling looked up at Leah. Leah quickly smiled at it: "Nothing at all, dear."
It's just that winter is coming soon.
Thinking this, Leah rubbed her arms that had grown chilly from the cold wind and rolled down her sleeves.
The Next Day.
Ron got up early from bed.
It was gradually getting colder now. If the fireplace hadn't been lit last night, getting up in the morning would require a battle of willpower to climb out of the warm blankets.
Ron took a deep breath, walked straight to the fireplace, tossed in some wood, and waited for the fire to catch before going to the Dehydrator.
He took out all the dried tea leaves.
There wasn't much tea left after drying. Ron found several jars, portioned some out, then took a pinch and placed it in a pot.
He then added some sugar on top.
The sugar slowly melted in the pot, bubbling up brownish-yellow, along with the freshly dried tea leaves rolling in the syrup.
Soon, a caramel aroma mixed with the scent of tea leaves spread throughout the house.
Under the influence of this smell, the Rattatas who usually lingered in bed were now lined up getting down from the bed, going one by one to wash their faces at the pond beside the cabin.
Fortunately, this was the last day.
In one day, the cabin's washroom would be completed, and the Rattatas wouldn't have to shiver in the cold wind washing up outside anymore.
Thinking this, Sailor quickly scooped up some water, rubbed his face, and looked at Froakie washing up beside him.
He wasn't very afraid of the cold, so he washed his face comfortably, then jumped into the house first, and with Ron's permission, hopped onto Ron's shoulder.
Seeing this, Sailor also quickly washed his face and ran inside in a few steps.
Ron was now at the step of adding Moomoo Milk to the pot.
Watching the rich milk slowly mix with the caramel, the house was soon filled with this sweet, milky fragrance.
This was a taste none of them had tried before, so when Ron turned his head, he found himself surrounded by a crowd of Pokémon.
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