Flashback Cooking with Mama

[Taylani]

34 Fall 507

Her dance was done, her writing was finished, and all that remained was the last few of her chores and Taylani could retire to her room to rest. She was tired, it had been a long day full of hard grueling technique practices with her instructor but it would be worth it when she was in Riverfall theater dancing for a crowd. her red hair today was swept back in a simple pony tail, her clothing was a serviceable dress with no frills.

Her mother worked at crafting jewelry and her father was a blacksmith, both worked hard to pay for her instruction in dance but cuts had to be made here and there, and that included clothing. It was a sacrifice Taylani did not mind, and it didn't occur to her young mind that her parent's might have minded.

Her parents really didn't mind, Angelia and Sevestro had given up on having a child given they were both in their forties when Taylani had finally been conceived. Not a single hint of a pregnancy no matter how many times they prayed to the god of fertility, nothing had quickened in Angelia's womb. As a result they worked to make sure Taylani had what she could, and that included Dance lessons.

However much that they enjoyed to indulge their daughter in her dance lessons they also were determined that she learn some other skills. Angelia often sat her down with her while she crafted to impart that knowledge onto her, and tonight Angelia was going to show her a little bit about cooking.

"Tayla!" the voice calls from the cooking area, a mature woman's voice that Taylani recognized immediately. "Come into here please!"

Taylani sighed as she finished sweeping up the floor and throwing the dust outside the door before latching it and heading into the cooking area. "Coming Mama!" Though she didn't really want to learn how to cook, she secretly enjoyed all the time she spent with her mother. She loved the way Mama was able to make her feel special, smart, and safe.

Moving to the cooking area Taylani spies her mother in the corner beside the big wood stove, the top already heated though Angelia continued to feed a thick cord of wood into the bowls of the stove. It was hot in here, and already beads of sweat pearled on Taylani's brow. "Yes Mama?"

[Taylani]

Angelia raises from her bent position, turning to smile at her young daughter while wiping her hands on her apron. Beneath the apron was a dress of similar make as Taylani, again simply serviceable. Her hair was just the same shade of vibrant orange-red of her daughters, those hers is softened by the streaks of silver that denote her age. Her eyes the same shade of blue, in fact the only real difference other then age was Angelia was a little on the short side while Taylani already at the age of twelve stood at five foot six inches and still had growing to do.

"Good Taylani your here, go grab the iron skillet from its hook please and put it on the stove." Angelia says as she turns to her spice cupboard which was mostly bare. Spices were a luxury item that also were severely curtailed to afford Taylani's lessons. Though there was pepper and salt of plenty. Taking down the salt, measuring out a few miserly grains in her palm, Angelia waits until Taylani sets the skillet down on the hot stove top. "Now put just a little bit of lard...not that much just a little!"

Taylani returned a little of the lard she had scooped on to a spoon before shaking it into the skillet. It started to sizzle just a little which signified how hot it was. "Go wash your hands dear, you are cooking tonight's dinner." Angelia almost laughed at the dark look Taylani gave her but just as her daughter is dutiful she is indulgent and says nothing as Taylani goes to the bucket that held the water.

Taylani scoops out two ladles full of water into the basin then grabs the soap from the corner of the basin and vigorously dunks her hands in the water and then scrubs the soap across her hands until suds frothed over her fingers and wrists. Rinsing, and then toweling her hands dry, Taylani turns back to her mother.

[Taylani]

Angelia moves to the table where a burlap sack laid in the middle, "Stir the lard to keep it from burning Tayla," Angelia reminded absently as she pulled out a paper-wrapped poultry. It was not a large bird, a small chicken but the price was right. Then came a separately wrapped handful of leeks that will be seared on the hot stove to go with the chicken. As far as meals went this was not going to be a feast but their bellies will be full.

Angelia grabbed the sharp knife and swiftly cut the chicken into six distinct pieces. First the wings came off, then the legs, and then the breast and thighs were split in two. "Come Tayla, start with the legs and wings. You should be able to fit all of them in there. Use those tongs and lay them in skin down."

The red head twelve year old hesitated only a moment before she grabsed first one wing with the tongs, holding it well away from her body. Eww gross it was a raw piece of meat and it looked so pink and flabby. Nothing at all like the white juicy meat that Mama laid down before her occasionally. When she settled it into the lard that was sizzling in the skillet, Taylani did so a little too quickly and it splattered grease, causing a small fleck to land on her hand burning her.

"Careful Tayla, lay them in gently!" Her mother admonished but did not offer to take over. Taylani picked up the next wing, and exaggeratedly laid it in next to the other, and then the leg and another leg followed. "Next grab the pepper. Just a little now, in your palm and crush it..then sprinkle it over the chicken. It is not necessary but it gives it a little flavor."

Taylani poured the little round pebbles in her hand, just four, and used her palms to grind them together before sprinkling the dust over the wings and chicken. Without her mother having to tell her Taylani laid a lid over the top of the skillet, having seen her mother do that often.

[Taylani]

"It takes about thirteen chimes on each side. I say about because it is not exact. A bigger piece of meat will take a few ticks longer and a smaller piece a few ticks shorter." Angelia explains, as she goes back to the bucket and ladles out a cup of water to run over the leeks. The green leafs were a little wilted but the white bulb was bright and ripe.

Taylani watches her mother, trying not to look too interested or else her mother might try and get her in the kitchen more often, but she was interested. She has always enjoyed food, it was the source of her strength in dance, but it was more then that as well. Perhaps when she got too old to dance and settled down with a family she would take up cooking.

Soon it was time for Taylani to turn the chicken, and before she opened the lid Angelia had a warning. "Open it from the front, angle the lid so the back opens first or the steam will burn you." Taylani grabbed a town and grasped the handle on the lid, and with no small amount of apprehension lifted the lid as her mother said and as her mother had warned steam billowed from beneath.

Once the lid was off Taylani was surprised at how the meat that had went in was so pink and flaccid but now was white and firm, "It's not done yet Tayla, the middle will still be raw. Flip and close." How does her mother do that? Taylani wondered, it is as if her mother was reading her mind and knew what she was thinking. Obediently she flips the chicken, still remembering to do so slowly as the bright red spot on her hand where the grease had landed reminded her.

Another thirteen chimes go by and Tayla takes the wings and legs from the skillet and put them on a plate on the table. Next went in the breast and thighs, skin down, and another dash of salt and pepper. "These will take approximately fifteen chimes. Now take the leeks and put them on the back of the stove..not over the direct heat or they will scorch!" Angelia directed from the door of the kitchen, proud of her daughter.

Taylani lays the leek east to west on the back of the stove, a grimace coming to her face. She hated leeks, they were like biting into an onion. But she dutifully cooked them, and Angelia had to admonish her once to stop fiddling with the leeks and let them cook when she was rolling them back and forth with the tongs.

Soon enough the chicken was done. It was not as juicy as her mothers chicken turned out, and the skin on the breast and thighs were blackened but Sevestro and Angelia ate heartily and praised their daughters hard work.