Cooking by the Book

Frankie stared at the recipe book, he was to make a meal for his favorite brother in all the world but there were so many steps and complicated words like "unsalted butter" what the heck! butter is salted? oh and look at this "ounces! tea spoons!" gosh gosh gosh!! they were not going to do this the easy way it seems as they will just go with this recipe, spaghetti. Ok this spaghetti will be made and perfected! Making a fist with his little doughy paws, Frankie started to read the recipe book slowly. He needed to cook the sauce first! or should he do noodles first? this was hard but not hard enough for him to be put off by it!

He grabbed a pot of water and began to salt it like the book said, unaware that the book was too close to the stove he turned his back to it and looked for the box of noodles he had, where did he put them again? Oh yeah it was- what's that smell? it smells like burning but he didn't- THE BOOK! oh no the book! he quickly started trying to pat it out with the apron he had on but it was only fanning the flames, oh no! How about water? the pot of water was still on the stove and there was no time to lose! They picked up the book with some tongs and dropped it into the pot of water making a pssshhhhshhh sound. Was it safe? it looks like it as they turned off the stove to peer into the pot.

It was cloudy with ash and soot, oh dear that was the only recipe book he had and now it's gone as they picked it out of the water and threw it away, there was no saving it as they sighed and tried to think. Spaghetti will have to wait for now as Frankie had to find another thing to do for dinner but he really wanted those saucy noodles, it's very different from ramen which swims in a tasty broth. What is a bao to do? Well no point in being upset! They pulled on their little fall hat and scarf and left for the outside world! the city! New Bao City!

But where to go in New Bao City? there were a lot of places he could get the replacement for the book but maybe the book isn't what he needs, well he does but not this moment, they hurried along the streets to figure things out when a familiar tasty scent had him sniffing the air, Oh! He knows this scent! It's Rosebeary's Bistro! They had an idea! if Rosebeary isn't so busy maybe they can help them with cooking? or at least give him a recipe for spaghetti very quick as they entered the building and asked a worker if they could talk to the chef. It took a little bit but the proud little Rosebeary was there!

Frankie asked him for help on a dish, they weren't sure about some of the steps and his cookbook caught fire, long story! anyway they asked for help earnestly and Rosebeary let out a little sigh, it was slow at the moment so they wrote down the recipe very simply for the other, Wow! that was easy as they took the paper gratefully as they asked if he ever thought about writing a cook book, maybe he did maybe he didn't we'll never know as he asked if that was everything. Yup that was all and no he still won't accept that dishwashing job just yet, YET, Frankie then thanked them and left to cook that dish! they hurried home quickly to get started. There's no more time for delay! reading the simple to understand instructions they began to follow each step slowly.

Noodles boiling, sauce cooking, the kitchen was busy with the sound of food being made! The little bao was worried they won't be able to finish all the spaghetti he made but left overs is fine right? Frankie was so focused on the making of dinner he didn't hear their brother enter the room, BaoSmith touched them making the other jump and almost spill the sauce but after a few squeaks they calmed down. Both laughed it off but soon resumed their everyday actions; BaoSmith wondered how his brother got so good at cooking and watched him, was it from being born earlier?

Frankie finished cooking the spaghetti and handed the messily plated food to his little baother, BaoSmith thanked him and asked why he wasn't eating only to be told that he wanted his thoughts first, fair enough! The grey rock colored bao opened their mouth wide as possible and ate his first forkful of spaghetti. It was yummy! they squeaked happily and kicked their little peets in joy before eating more, Frankie let out a sigh and served a plate for himself and joined him, wow! Rosebeary's recipe was the best as they ate along with him.

The two managed to eat all the noodles and sat there comatose full of food, their faces sauced up and tummies bulging out, both were just happy to have eaten such a good meal as they digested in silence until BaoSmith asked what they should make tomorrow, it's good to plan ahead as they let out a squeak wondering what they could make, they started to bounce ideas back and forth well into the night. The dishes were sadly, left dirty.