[ LOG ] What do you call a fake noodle?

[bossyboiler]

Who: Winter, Yelena and Kate
When: April 1, evening
Where: Their apartment.
Summary: Kate is going to teach Winter how to cook and Yelena how to bake. Then it's movie night!
Warnings: N/A

Kate is going to teach Yelena and Winter how to bake and cook. She has faith in them. They are both competent individuals and she is certain that they can follow written instructions. It's all about the recipe.

She has selected two recipes for them each to follow. Kate will teach them the same day but at different times. After all, the cookies will take longer to prep than the pasta.

After dinner and desert, Kate thought they could watch a movie. She found one in the Library called the Iron Giant. While it is animated, the synopsis of the story seems compelling. And certainly a cartoon would provide more escape than a traditional film. There shouldn't be anything triggering in it.

What could go wrong?

Comments

[musicdied]

Yelena glances from Kate to the container of sugar, which looks decidedly solid and dry, and back again, brow furrowing slightly as though she suspects there might be a joke in play to which she isn't privy.

"That makes no sense," she says after a moment. "Explain?"

[bossyboiler]

"I know it makes no sense but it's true. You have to mix it with the eggs and butter to make sure that it is evenly mixed before you add the flour." Kate takes a breath, "I can answer that more in depth but I don't know how much you want me to go into baking chemistry."

[musicdied]

"I want you to go all the way," Yelena says, then reviews her choice of words and wrinkles her nose slightly. "But not the way that sounded, because this is not a terrible porno."

She turns to survey the ingredients, noting their positions, and those of the tools. "I will remember that sugar is wet because that sounds ridiculous enough to stick, but knowing the why will help me apply it when I don't have you to supervise."

[bossyboiler]

"No, it's not but if we're ever strapped for cash..." Kate laughs a little. The idea is too amusing for her to finish the thought. "Okay. Okay."

She reverts to a more serious mode because baking is very serious to her. "So when you mix the sugar in with the other actual wet ingredients, it dissolves quicker and mixes more thoroughly in without having to spend so much time mixing." A pause to let that sink in and then, "Also it has something to do with gluten formation but please don't ask me to explain that. I'd need a whiteboard."

[musicdied]

Yelena pretends to consider this gravely for a moment before nodding. "I'll let you off the hook for the gluten explanation. This time."

She scans the recipe - for the third time, having apparently decided to approach the lesson as though it's a mission, all jokes aside - then goes to turn on the oven.

[bossyboiler]

"Are you sure? I use different colored markers to make it more interesting." Kate says with a small smile. In truth, it is not interesting at all. It does explain everything, however.

While Yelena turns the oven on, Kate goes to fix herself coffee. Of course, she's going to make a pot. Yelena might want some and Kate might want a second cup. "Let me know if you have questions. I'm going to try not to interfere," try being the keyword.

[musicdied]

"Oh, well if there are coloured markers..." Yelena says teasingly.

She considers a moment, then glances over at Kate. "Are there any other ingredients I should know about that aren't treated like someone who isn't a baker would expect?"

[bossyboiler]

Kate rolls her eyes at Yelena's gentle teasing. Colored markers help! It shows the breakdown of each subject into the various sub-categories and Yelena knows how Kate feels about organization.

"Don't mix up your baking powder and baking soda. And when in doubt follow the recipe."

[musicdied]

"What is the difference?" Yelena asks. "I've always wondered."

She pulls out one of the bowls to begin sifting the dry ingredients together, measurements careful and precise, like she's building a bomb, not making cookies.

[bossyboiler]

Yelena is building a bomb. It's good way of looking at it. One wrong move though and instead of an explosion, she'll be left with a dud.

"Both help baked goods rise. Baking soda is just sodium bicarbonate and needs liquid and an acid to work. Baking powder has that already in it plus an acid built in so it only needs a liquid to become activated." She knows this question because she's asked it before. "I know you're going to ask why don't you just use baking powder instead of the soda and my answer is going to be because of chemistry."