Kitchen Encounter (Tsukasa Eishi x OC)

Chapter 12: Not Bad

Tense filled my body as I inhaled air and exhaled it. "Let’s do this, Cat."

Today is the day that I shall cook for Nakiri Erina whether I will make it or not to the spring selections. I have prepared and practiced throughly throughtout the past days in order to make the most delicious dish I can serve the blonde haired girl and I can safely say I'm ready.

"Good morning, Moretti-san. I hope you have prepared for today," a girl with light magenta colored hair greeted me by the door whom I assumed is Arato Hisako, Erina's secretary.

"Right this way, please." She gestured me where to go before standing beside the counter.

"Name?" Erina asked strictly as if she doesn't already know me.

"Name: Moretti Caterina
Year: 2nd
Age: 16 years old
Specialization: Italian cuisine," Arato-san replied after reading my information.

Yes, I only put Italian as my specialization. I want to keep my other specializations a secret for now. Plus, I think being a little mysterious is quite cool. It won't harm anyone.

Erina showed me a plate with a delicious crab before stating, "Your theme is crab. You may cook it in anyway you please. All you have to do is to impress me."

I nodded slowly before she started talking again. "Begin!"

At her mark, I took out my chef's knife from its case and began taking out the ingredients I needed.

First, I prepped my ingredients and chopped all that I need to be chopped. I grilled the crabs and vegetables before I heated a cooking pot and poured cooking oil onto it. Next, I sautéed garlic and onion before adding fish sauce and coconut cream, and let them boil.

I put in the ground black pepper, and then cook it for 10 minutes in medium heat until the liquid reduces. Then, I placed in the crabs and stirred, cooking it.

I added the kabocha squash and cooked it until the squash becomes a little soft. Next, I added the string beans, stir, and cook.

I wiped the sweat threatening to fall in my face with my arm as I quickly made my way through the kitchen and added my special touches to my dish. I waited for my dish to cook and while I was at it, I prepared the bowl to serve it in.

At last, I turned the heat off and transferred the food onto a bowl, garnishing it with cilantro and rosemary then serving it in a plate.

"Explain your dish," Erina requested despite already having an idea about my dish.

"My dish stems from a tropical country, the Philippines. It's blue crabs with coconut milk, kabocha squash, and string beans. I made it my own dish by adding my own touches to it. I call it, "Spiced creamy crab soup" I explained, my hand pointed to my dish.

"Honey and coconut milk? Wouldn't that be too sweet?" Erina muttered to herself as she sniffed the food and took the spoon I placed beside my dish and tasted it.

As if tasting paradise, she moaned in delight and started to imagine things as she ate my dish. That's so weird.

"The crab is so delicate. The moment that I took a bite of it the creaminess of the coconut milk mixed with its soft and tenderness! The spring beans adds quite a difference too with this texture and bitter taste!" She continued to eat my dish, almost as if she's going to strip of her clothes as she eats it.

"The honey does not at all overpower the dish. It adds a sweeter yet decadent taste to the dish." She finally got her composure back and placed the spoon down. "Did you add black and white pepper, cayenne powder, and ginger?"