Layton Drownout 2020

The Layton Family Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Summary: And a good time is had by all.

Flora twisted the knob, eyes narrowed in concentration, until she had turned the oven's temperature to 180°C.

"So three ounces?" asked Des.

"We're doubling the recipe," Hershel reminded him, "so I'd say six instead."

"Good grief, man, that's most of the block!"

"I know, but we don't want our finished product to be dry."

With a shrug, Des sliced the brick of butter into as close to four equal pieces as he could.

"Professor, wait!" Flora snatched up the recipe and held it up for her foster father to see. "You're trying to use butter! The recipe says we need margarine!"

Hershel chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"I understand your concern, Flora," he said, easing the book out of her trembling fingers, "but you needn't worry. In terms of cooking, butter and margarine are more-or-less interchangeable."

"And besides," Des cut in as he plopped the slices of butter into the scale pan, "butter is healthier than margarine. Do you know what either of them is made of?"

Flora pressed a finger against her cheek and hummed in thought.

"Butter is milk," Alfendi responded. "I know that. It's milk what got left out in an earthquake."

Des snorted and shakily dropped the last slice into the pan.

"I wouldn't have phrased it quite like that," said Hershel, "but yes. Butter is made of solidified dairy fats, usually created by churning milk or cream."

"But what about margarine?" Katrielle swung her tiny legs under her chair as she spoke. "What's that made of?"

"Traditionally," said Des, "animal fat."

Flora, Alfendi and Katrielle all balked.

"Ew!" squeaked the youngest of the three.

"Des, please," Hershel chided before turning to the trio. "What he says is correct – margarine was made of solidified animal fat when it was first created – but these days it's typically made with vegetable oil. You'll find that butter is overall healthier for you, as margarine tends to include non-essential trans fats, and even leaving that aside, butter simply tastes better."

"Which is why," said Des as he scraped the measured slices into the mixing bowl, "we're using it for this recipe instead of margarine."

He wrapped up what was left of the butter and returned it to the bread cupboard.

"But what about peanut butter?" asked Flora.

"Yeah, I've been wondering about that," said Alfendi. "The fuck is peanut butter made of?"

"ALFIE!"

Everybody in the kitchen froze. Des almost dropped the jar in shock and Flora covered herself with her arms.

Hershel cleared his throat. He hadn't meant to shout that loudly. It seemed some certain friends of his were rubbing off on him in ways he hadn't expected.

"My apologies," he said softly. "Alfendi, please watch your language. Katrielle is right beside you and her teachers won't look kindly upon me if a five-year-old girl is cursing at her classmates."

Alfendi withdrew into his bony shoulders.

"...sorry," he mumbled.

"Apology accepted," Hershel replied. "I'm afraid I can't say what separates peanut butter from regular butter aside from simply that it contains peanuts. That being said, you don't happen to be allergic, do you?"