Moving Forward (Completed)

Chapter Thirty Six

When Katherine mentioned three cooks in the kitchen for Christmas, she had forgotten about Catalina... or maybe she had thought Catalina would prefer to relax since there were more than enough people available to cook. Of course that wasn't the case. Catalina was preparing food right along side Lucia, while Katherine and Rafael worked at the other end of the kitchen, both chuckling every now and then at the subdued, but still present cutting remarks between the two older women. Katherine's parents were cuddled on the couch, Natalie watching It's a Wonderful Life, while William read.

"Katherine?"

"Yes Catalina?"

"Would you like to help me make the maduros? Catalina smiled at her from across the kitchen island.

Katherine hesitated slightly while glancing at the potatoes she was in the middle of mashing, barely to the point of adding her milk and butter.

"I've got this." Rafael smiled, taking the potato masher from her and continuing where she left off as she went to join Catalina by the oil that had been heated.

Catalina smiled and handed her a plantain while instructing her on how to cut and peel it. Once the plantain was cut into pieces, Catalina showed her how to fry them, turning them once and then setting them on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.

"Now we mash them." Catalina smiled.

"Mash them?" Katherine knew they had been flatter at Thanksgiving but she hadn't really put much thought into how they got that way.

Catalina handed her a torn piece of brown paper bag and showed her how to lay it out. She then placed a chunk of plantain on one side, folded the paper over it, and used her hand to smash it.

She lifted the plantain higher for Katherine to see. "This is the thickness you're going for."

"Ok." Katherine nodded and soon they were both mashing the fried plantains.

Once they had made it through all the plantains, Catalina brought them back to the oil she had set to an even higher temp. "Now we fry them again."

Katherine watched Catalina fry a few so she could match the color and then took over, while Catalina took the finished maduros from the paper towel and salted them.

Lucia then pulled her aside to teach her how to make buñuelos. The kitchen was so infused with the smell of various foods, it even drew Katherine's parents closer, both looking for something to snack on while they waited for lunch... which at this rate would be dinner. Rafael offered up the recently finished batch of maduros and Katherine half expected him to be scolded for it. The truth was, they had made them to munch on while they waited on the rest of the food to finish cooking.

The meal itself was a mixture of cultures. The night before, Lucia had enlisted the help of Katherine to help prep and marinate the pork that would serve as the main dish. Mumbling something about someone needing to know how to make it properly after she passed, a sentiment Rafael had rolled his eyes at since he had also been taught to make the dish in his youth. Black beans and rice were included on the menu as well as a few of what Katherines family considered traditional. There was entirely too much food for the number of people, making Katherine wish for a moment that Amanda and Jesse had joined them... but only for a moment since Amanda had agreed to join Carisi's family for Christmas.

"You used to teach?" Lucia asked, directing her question to Natalie.

"I did, up until Katie was born. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I liked being able to stay home with Katherine."