Chapter 207 - 92: Catching Some Frogs_3
For Chen Zhou, catching frogs is far more interesting than fishing.
With frog catching, you can see visible results in just a matter of seconds, while fishing involves watching the float bobbing on the water, with no guarantee when a fish will bite.
After busying himself for less than an hour, he had gathered more than half a bucket of plump frogs.
Estimating that these ingredients would be enough for a hearty meal for himself and Lai Fu, Chen Zhou took his net covered in grass and mud to the river to wash it, and cleaned his boots and pants as well before heading back to the campfire with his wet clothes.
The firewood he had added to the campfire before catching frogs had almost burned out, flickering weakly.
The fishing rod stuck in the soil was slightly loose, leaning towards the water; the float was still on the surface, looking the same as it did before he went frog catching.
Harboring unrealistic hopes, Chen Zhou began reeling in the line, hoping to see a big fish hooked on it.
However, reality was harsh—the hour-long "bait and wait" yielded nothing, just a lost worm.
"I knew fishing wasn't reliable.
Next time, I should bring a net; even going into the river to catch fish by hand or using a wooden spear would yield more."
Thinking to himself, Chen Zhou took out his dagger, caught a frog from the bucket, and gutted it.
When he went down the mountain early this morning, he was full of anticipation, never imagining that he wouldn't catch a single big fish all day, ending up having to eat frogs. Therefore, he only brought a small portable canned food, planning to just make some broth for lunch.
Unexpectedly, despite the river being full of fish, he couldn't catch a single big one, yet he caught so many frogs and had no suitable cookware.
With nightfall approaching, going back to the cave to fetch the copper frying pan was clearly unrealistic; he could only roast a few to taste for now.
As for the remaining frogs, they would be kept in the bucket, taken back to the cave for frying or boiling as a late-night snack or for the next day's meal.
With such hot weather on the island, these frogs might spoil if left until noon the next day.
Frogs have a slimy skin and soft, resilient bellies, which made the cutting sensation quite nauseating.
After cutting open the belly, the organs inside were jumbled together in a way quite different from the mammals Chen Zhou was used to slaughtering, leaving him unsure where to start.
While he was hesitating, the gutted frog wouldn't wait; it struggled with all its might, trying to escape.
Seeing this, Chen Zhou could only grab all the organs inside the frog's belly and pull them out, then rinse the empty frog shell in the water, washing away any remaining tissue.
While washing the frog, he recalled his childhood memories, trying to remember whether his mother's fried frogs had their heads or not.
However, it had been so long ago that he couldn't even remember the exact year, only vaguely remembering the context and that the fried frogs were delicious. Whether those frogs had heads, he really couldn't recall.
Worried that the head might not taste good, Chen Zhou cut off the frog's head, leaving only the four legs and the frog's back skin.
Cutting open and washing each frog, he had a knack for slaughtering; his skills became more and more adept.
In no time, Chen Zhou had processed more than thirty frogs.
Stacking these main ingredients on the stones next to the campfire, he started gathering twigs suitable for making skewers and added fuel to the embers.
...
By dusk, the campfire was blazing.
Under the bright yellow flames, the frogs skewered on sticks turned over the fire.
A small wooden box lay open nearby, and Chen Zhou occasionally grabbed a small pinch of salt from it, sprinkling just the right amount on the frogs roasting to a golden brown, emitting a fragrant aroma.
At first, Lai Fu was puzzled by his master's actions, not understanding why he put those noisy and cunning little things in a wooden bucket.
But after the slaughtering ended, and with the skewers roasting, the enticing aroma caused Lai Fu to become increasingly restless.
Like he had fleas, he shifted his weight from side to side, stretching out his tongue, drooling, his eyes reflected the flames, focusing intently on the golden roasted frogs.
"Why does this make you so greedy?"
Joking with Lai Fu, worried that the wild frogs might be undercooked and have parasites, Chen Zhou roasted them a bit longer, practically charring the frog's back skin before setting the skewers aside to cool down.
"It certainly smells right, just not sure what it will taste like when eaten."
Chen Zhou thought—
He wasn't worried about the frogs being poisonous.
Often traveling between the beach, camp, and cave, he frequently saw the wildcats and birdlike creatures in the nearby woods preying on frogs; sometimes in the late evening, he even noticed snakes that had eaten frogs, lying in the grass with bulging bellies, waiting for digestion.
After eating the frogs, they all seemed fine, not writhing in pain or lethargic with bleeding.
Just like the small fish he had snatched from the seabirds on the second day after arriving on the island, these were all tested and certified as safe food by the "wild food testers."