Seasonal Delights: Hot Pot

“What’s hot pot?” Bud asked while standing on a chair on his tippy-toes to look at the pot of boiling water on the table.

“Careful. Otherwise, you may fall in,” warned Patchington. He was bringing the plates of sauces over.

“What are those?”

“They’re dipping sauces for the food. They are optional,” he explained.

Bud sniffed the one placed in front of him. “It smells….funky.” 

Patchington laughed, “Give it a try before you judge it. Just because it is new, doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

Shelbert brought the raw ingredients over which included spinach, watercress, udon noodles and enoki mushroom. “Truffle is bringing over the meat.”

Truffle came shortly after with a plate of rolled up beef cuts. They were sliced thin and rolled into funny cylindrical shapes. He placed it down near the boiling pot. “Is this all?”

“The tofu,” Patchington pointed to the table.

“Ah, right.” Shelbert walked off to retrieve them.

Bud’s eyes darted from ingredient to ingredient. “They’re all raw…how are we supposed to eat it?”

Patchington smiled. “Quite perceptive of you,” he complimented. Bud smiled back at him. “You cook them in the boiling pot before eating.”

“What’s in the pot?” Bud continued.

Shelbert came back with the tofu. “The pot is split into two halves. One side has a spicy broth, while the other side has a more mild mushroom and chicken based broth.”

Bud screwed up his face, not fully understanding what they meant.

“Once we begin, you will understand more clearly.” Shelbert picked Bud up and sat him in his high chair. Bud kicked his little legs happily. 

“Where’s Tarte?” asked Patchington, pulling in his own chair and taking a seat at the head of the table. Shelbert sat down next to him and shrugged.

“I will check upstairs,” said Truffle. He was already making his way up the stairs.

“Can I start cooking?” Bud asked excitedly.

“It’s really hot. We will cook for you,” said Shelbert.

“Awwwwww…but I wanted to cook.”

Patchington gave Shelbert a look. “Let him try. Just make sure you’re careful, Bud.”

“Yes!”

Tarte and Truffle came down the stairs and joined the rest at the table. Tarte, as per usual, looked moody.

“Glad you could join us, Tarte,” cheered Shelbert. Tarte just flipped his hair and leaned on one of his paws.

“I’m cooking!” declared Bud.

“Says who?” asked Truffle, trying to snatch the tongs from the baobaby.

“Patchy did!” Bud frowned at his older roommate. “Stop it!” He pulled the tongs away from Truffle’s reaching paws. 

“It will be a nice meal for the winter time,” Shelbert said to Patchington.

“Indeed.” It had been some time since he had had hot pot at home. Most of the time, it’s eaten in a restaurant, but it’s such an easy meal to prepare that Patchington thought why not. “Let’s settle down and start cooking. Bud, you may begin.”

“H-how do I do this?” He fumbled with the tongs. Truffle sighed and got up to help him. Bud was not so careful, he accidentally dropped a few of the ingredients into the pot way too fast. The hot water nearly hit some of the others. “Oops…sorry.”

“Why don’t we get more tongs so that everyone else can join in?” suggested Patchington. “Tarte, would you mind grabbing more? They should be in that drawer.”

Tarte pushed away from the table and got up to do as he was told. His face was still sour but at least he was cooperating. When he came back, everyone except for Tarte had their own tongs so they too could cook.

Bud was still struggling. Patchington worried he may really fall in. “Hot pot is supposed to warm us in this cold weather, but we really don’t want to bathe in it. Understand, Bud?” He watched the baobaby try his best.

“Yes, sir!” Bud poked his tongue out a corner of his mouth, laser focused on putting a slide of beef on the spicy side.

Soon enough, everyone was eating and warmed up by the delicious hot food. Hot pot is always a good choice for the cold winter weather.