Lights! Camera! Cook!

by Diane Muldrow

  Laughter exploded in the kitchen.

  “That’ll show them!” cried Peichi. “For mowing us down on the skating rink!” And the girls began to laugh all over again.

  Brrrriiinnnnggg! The phone rang again, and the girls screamed.

  “I’ll get it! I’ll get it!” squealed Amanda. “Hello? Sssshhh, you guys, I can’t hear!...Oh, hi, Mr. Jordan.”

  The kitchen went silent.

  “...I’m fine...here’s Shawn.” Amanda quickly handed the phone to Shawn.

  “Hi, Dad...she is?...okay...okay. I’ll see you in a minute. ’Bye.”

  Shawn hung up the phone with a sigh. “My dad’s coming to pick me up,” she said. “Grandma Ruthie may have to go to the hospital, so he’ll have to fly down to South Carolina.”

  “Are you going to stay with us if he does?” asked Molly.

  “Yeah. Dad called your mom at work already. Anyway, he wants me to come home early so we can talk about everything.”

  That night, as the twins helped each other with math homework, they heard the phone ring.

  Mom came into their room. “It’s Shawn,” she said.

  The twins went into the den, each with an extension.

  “Hi. Shawn, they said. ”How are you?”

  “I’m okay. But Sonia called about half an hour ago, and Crandma Ruthie’s going into the hospital for sure. Tonight!”

  “Oh,” breathed the twins.

  “Dad said it’s because she’ll be more comfortable there. But I wonder if she’s getting worse, and he’s just not telling me. Anyway, he’s flying down there tomorrow morning. I told him I wanted to go, too! But he won’t let me ’cause I have that big science test on Friday. I’m really bummed that I’m not going with him.

  “Of course,” said Amanda sympathetically.

  “The good thing is that I’ll be here for the Dish job on Saturday,” added Shawn. “I’ll be staying with you guys starting tomorrow. Your mom knows-Dad just talked with her.”

  “Okay,” said Amanda. “We’ll help you study for your test.”

  Shawn sighed. “I just hope she gets better now that she’s in the hospital. But—what if she doesn’t?”

  “Don’t think that way, Shawn,” Molly said quickly. “She’s gonna get better. You have to believe it.”

  “You’ve got to, Shawn,” said Amanda encouragingly. “Do it for her.”

  “That’s really hard for me to do,” said Shawn slowly. “But I’ll try.”

  When the twins hung up, they faced each other, thinking, What if Grandma Ruthie doesn’t get better?

  It was too horrible to say out loud, even to each other.

  Chapter 5

  Before the girls knew it, it was Saturday morning. The Chef Girls had gotten through the week, with their math tests, science tests, music lessons, and after-school activities, but today there was no sleeping in. The girls had been up since seven-thirty to prepare for the big brunch. Though the girls had shopped for the food and made the strawberry butter and a coffee cake the night before, they’d arranged with Ms. Dupree to do most of the cooking at her house. The popovers and eggs Benedict had to be served immediately after they were prepared.

  Mrs. Moore drove the girls over to Ms. Dupree’s house in her big old Cadillac, the one she’d inherited from her Aunt Hazel.

  “Mom, can’t you at least paint this car?” asked Amanda with a pout, as they loaded boxes into the trunk.

  Mrs. Moore laughed. “You mean you don’t like gold?”

  Amanda wrinkled her nose. “It’s not really gold, Mom. It’s trying to be gold. And the black top is tacky.”

  “I love my big old gold car with the tacky black top,” said Mrs. Moore, her eyes twinkling. “And I’m keeping it until it dies, so you might as well get used to it!”

  I’ll never get used to this big ugly thing, thought Amanda.

  Half an hour later, Mom parked the car in front of Daphne Dupree’s home, a beautiful stone townhouse with a turret and a green wooden door.

  “Wow”, exclaimed everyone, including Mom.

  “Look at all those stained-glass windows!” Natasha pointed out.

  “I’ll bet the kitchen is going to be awesome,” commented Molly, opening the car door.

  “I think you’ll get a nice tip,” said Mom with a wink. “Have fun!”

  Just then, Ms. Dupree opened the front door. She was petite and very stylish in a pale pink silk skirt, a white blouse, and a wide pink suede belt that was tied at the side. Her short-cropped black hair showed off a pair of lustrous pearl earrings that gleamed against her cocoa-colored skin.

  “Hello! Er—come in,” she said. “The kitchen’s straight ahead.” She seemed surprised about something, but she smiled politely at each of the Chef Girls as they introduced themselves and went inside.

  Wow! What a kitchen, thought the girls. It looked like something out of a decorating magazine. For one thing, it was huge—even bigger than the Moores’ kitchen—and uncluttered. Everything was new, from the stove that had two ovens, eight burners, and a big funnel, to the oversized chrome refrigerator. Even the gleaming faucets on the kitchen sink were elegant! The walls were a warm terra cotta color, and the modern cabinets were a tawny beige. It wasn’t homey like the Moores’ kitchen, but it was beautiful.

  As the girls began to put down their boxes of supplies in the kitchen, Ms. Dupree cleared her throat. “Um—I’ll be decorating outside in the garden while you’re cooking.” She patted her professional-grade stove. “Do you have any questions about the stove?”

  The girls shook their heads.

  “Well, let me know if you have any questions. About anything...anything at all.”

  “Okay,” said Molly.

  “Terrific,” said Ms. Dupree, though it didn’t sound like she meant it. She moved toward the door that led to the garden. Then she turned back sharply and said, “You have catered parties before, right?”

  “Right!” said Peichi cheerfully. “And they were even bigger than this pady!”

  The girls stifled giggles.

  “All right,” breathed Ms. Dupree. “I’ll be outside. Remember, this has to be perfect—it’s a very special day for my guests and me. Let me know as soon as you need help with anything.” After gathering up some of the flowers she’d been cutting at the sink, she marched outside.

  “Now I’m nervous,” whined Amanda. “What if we mess up? She’ll freak out on us!”

  “Don’t worry; we won’t mess up,” Shawn reassured her. “She probably didn’t expect a bunch of kids, that’s all.”

  “Come on!” said Molly to the group. “Let’s get started. We’ll show Ms. Dupree that Dish rocks!”

  “Ohmygosh!” whispered Natasha an hour later as she came back into the kitchen. “Famous people are at this party!”

  Most of the guests had arrived, and the Chef Girls could hear lots of laughing and talking going on in the garden, which Ms. Dupree had decorated with white netting. She’d set three tables with pink table linens, shining silverware, and center-pieces of fresh-cut flowers. Natasha had gone outside to bring Ms. Dupree the crystal champagne glasses.

  “Who’s out there?” asked Shawn, who was helping Peichi slide the popover pans into one of the ovens.

  “That lady who does the movie reviews on Entertainment Today!” exclaimed Natasha. “And Maris Miller from Good Day, America! She’s the one who’s getting married.”

  “Maris Miller?” gasped Molly. “She’s one of the most famous TV reporters!”

  “Is Ms. Dupree famous?” asked Peichi, but nobody knew.

  Things were beginning to feel hectic. While Natasha finished making the fruit salad and putting it in three different bowls, Molly and Amanda carefully made the hollandaise sauce. While they were glad they’d done a practice run, they didn’t think it was all that difficult to make.

  They combined egg yolks and lemon juice and whisked them together in a saucepan over low heat until it was slightly thickened. Then Molly took the pan off the hea
t and added melted butter into the pan a little at a time, while Amanda kept whisking it. They added salt, pepper, and some more lemon juice.

  Molly tasted the sauce with a spoon. “It’s good. Light and lemony.”

  “And it’s such a pretty color of yellow,” added Amanda happily. “Okay, time to start poaching the eggs!”

  Just then, Ms. Dupree appeared. “How’s everything going?” she asked. Her eyes darted around the room.

  “Everything’s almost ready,” Molly assured her. “By the time the popovers come out of the oven in twenty minutes, the eggs Benedict will be ready. Oh, would you please give us some baskets for the popovers?”

  “Certainly!” said Ms. Dupree. She reached up into a cupboard and brought out a few baskets and pink cloth napkins to line them with.

  “I have to tell you something.” Ms. Dupree began, looking around at the girls. “It’s just that—you all look so young to have your own catering business. I was surprised when I saw you get out of the car. And worried!” She chuckled, showing her pearly teeth. “Er—how old are you, exactly?”

  “Shawn and I are twelve,” Natasha spoke up. “And everyone else is eleven.”

  “But Amanda and I will turn twelve next month.” Molly said.

  Ms. Dupree’s eyes grew wide. “Twelve? Eleven?” she gasped. “When I was your age, I could barely break an egg into a bowl! Well, I’m very impressed with you girls!”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t say that until the food’s ready!” joked Peichi.

  “I’ll leave you alone now,” said Ms. Dupree. “Please use the china plates I’ve set out for you.”

  It was so helpful that Ms. Dupree had two ovens. Molly and Amanda were able to toast the English muffins in one while the popovers baked in the other.

  Once the muffins were toasted, Molly and Peichi placed each muffin-half on a china plate and laid the pieces of pink smoked salmon on each muffin-half. Amanda carefully placed the eggs in a large pan full of simmering water. She kept them there until they had poached and the whites were set but the yolks were still liquid. Then she lifted them out with a slotted spoon and drained them on a paper towel as Shawn brought out the popovers.

  “Whew, I’m glad that part is done,” said Amanda.

  Peichi quickly helped Shawn take the popovers out of the pans.

  “They’re so tall!” she exclaimed.

  “The strawberry butter’s outside already, right?” asked Shawn.

  “Right,” said natasha. “One bowl on each table.”

  All the girls helped put an egg on top of each muffin with salmon. Molly spooned some hollandaise sauce over the eggs, and Amanda garnished them with freshly chopped chives for more color.

  Wow! We did it! cried Peichi, looking at fifteen china plates. The eggs were covered with the pretty yellow sauce, and the pink salmon peeked out from underneath.

  “Let’s get these out there,” ordered Molly. “I’ll bring the coffeepot. Woo-hoo! We’re done!”

  “Molls, don’t forget clean-up,” Amanda reminded her.

  The next day was Sunday. In the afternoon, the Chef Girls and Elizabeth met up at the Brooklyn Public Library to study together. It bordered Prospect Park, a famous park that New Yorkers called “Brooklyn’s Backyard.” All the girls lived in houses or apartment buildings right near the park.

  They loved living in Brooklyn because it seemed to have everything. Prospect Park had a bird-watching center, an ice-skating rink, meadows that went on forever, thick woods, a zoo, and a lake where the girls rode pedal boats in the warm weather. Their extended neighborhood had a world-famous botanical garden and art museum, movie theaters, a puppet theater, funky toy stores, and restaurants serving food from China, Thailand, Japan, Italy, England, Poland, Russia, France, and the Middle East. If this wasn’t enough, only a quick subway ride under (or over-depending on which train you took) the East River was the island of Manhattan, otherwise known as “New York City” and “The Big Apple”!

  Molly looked up toward a high window, where sunshine was streaming in. “I can’t believe we’ve been here for three hours!” she exclaimed. She stretched her arms and wiggled impatiently in her seat. “I’m finished with my homework. Do you want to go soon?”

  “Let’s walk down to Harry’s,” suggested Shawn. “It’s only a few blocks away, and we haven’t been there in a long time!”

  “Good idea!” said Peichi. “Elizabeth, has Natasha taken you to Harry’s yet?”

  “No, what is it?

  “You’ll see,” said Amanda. “It’s our favorite place to hang out!

  “Aaahh!” exclaimed the girls as they walked into Harry’s fifteen minutes later, inhaling the smell of brewing coffee. They hated the taste of coffee, but it sure smelled great.

  “This place is so cute!” cried Elizabeth, looking around at the polished wooden floor, small marble tables, and mismatched china teacups that decorated the coffeehouse.

  “We don’t hang out here much,” Molly told Elizabeth, cause it’s expensive. It’s an old pharmacy—see the big wooden cabinets? That’s where the medicine bottles used to be. Oooh. let’s grab that table with the armchairs!”

  “This is a lot better than a pizza place,” observed Elizabeth. “Hmmm. What should I get?”

  “The brownie,” suggested Shawn, getting in line to order.

  “No, the lemon bar,” said Amanda.

  “Yum! I’m getting a strawberry smoothie!” announced Peichi, looking up at a wooden board that listed the specials.

  “It’s time to call our moms,” Molly reminded the friends. While the girls were allowed to walk around Park Terrace without their parents, they had to be with a group and check in often.

  As Molly headed toward the back of the coffeehouse to use the phone, a woman got up from a table and began to walk toward her.

  It was Daphne Dupree! She gave Molly a big smile.

  “Hello!” said Daphne. “Um—”

  “Molly,” said Molly with a grin.

  Right, said Daphne. Well, what a coincidence! I was going to call you today!”

  “Really?” asked Molly puzzled. “Did we leave something at your house?”

  “No, no. Are you here with your friends?”

  “Yes, we’re up front.”

  Daphne turned and signaled to a handsome man at her table that she’d be right back, then followed Molly to the girls’ table.

  “Hi, Ms. Dupree,” chorused the Chef Girls.

  Hello! As I was just telling Molly, I was going to contact you today! You see, I’m a TV producer at Good Day, America. Have you ever heard of it?

  The girls giggled.

  “Sure,” said Natasha. “With Maris Miller and Thacher Hurley. We have it on every morning at our house!”

  Ms. Dupree smiled. “Good! Well, I had an idea after you left yesterday. I want you to be guests on the show for an interview—and do a cooking demonstration! ”

  The girls gasped.

  “You mean, we’d be on TV?” asked Natasha, not believing her ears.

  “Absolutely,” said Daphne. “We have an open time slot a week from tomorrow. That’s a Monday. What do you say?”

  “Absolutely!” cried Amanda. She looked around. “Right, everyone? We want to do this!”

  “But we’ll have to ask our parents,” Shawn spoke up.

  “Yes, of course,” said Daphne. She pulled a pen out of the pocket of her jean jacket. “Why don’t you write down your phone numbers, and I’ll talk it over with each of your parents. Just think, girls: If they say yes, you’ll be seen live—by millions of people all over the country!”

  chapter 6

  To: mooretimes2; BrooklynNatasha

  From: happyface

  happyface: Chef Girls! :-@ I can’t stop thinking about the fact that WE ARE GOING TO BE ON TV! We’re going to be famous! My parents think it’s great ... WHAT ARE ALL YOUR PARENTS GOING TO TELL DAPHNE DUPREE????? Especially yours, Natasha?I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

  BrooklynNatasha: Hi ev
eryone! Guess what, my parents actually said OK! :-ø And I think they are as excited as I am! Just think, here I am on the school paper and now I will be interviewed by one of the most famous journalists in the whole world! That is SO WEIRD!!!!

  mooretimes2: Guess what, our parents said OK too! Our mom was like, “It’ll be an educational experience for you girls.” We were like, “Hel-lo! We’re going to be celebrities!” ... Hi, it’s Shawn now, Dad said OK and that there will probably be a limo to pick us up, they do that for these kinds of shows!

  BrooklynNatasha: WOW! I guess that’s so they don’t have to worry you’ll be lateMy mom wants to come with me ... I feel like a geek

  happyface: Don’t, cuz my mom sez she’s coming 2!! WOW a limo

  mooretimes2: Ours, 2 ... maybe we’ll need 2 limos!!!!!!!

  happyface: I want a white one

  BrooklynNatasha: I hope the neighbors see me get in the limo!!! GTG, Mom sez 2 much computer timeb-b MWA

  happyface: c ya

  mooretimes2: 2morrow we’ll talk about what we’re gonna cook!!!!! Let’s meet B4 class in Main Hall. B-b <3 <3 <3

  “You know, this could be the best thing for our business,” commented Molly the next morning when the Chef Girls met up in the crowded Main Hall.

  “We’ll never have to put up flyers again,” said Shawn with a laugh. “So, what should we make? I wonder if they want us to make a whole meal or just one thing?”

  “A whole meal?” shrieked Peichi. “That’s too much.”

  “I know!” said Molly, snapping her fingers. “Let’s make a souffle!”

  “A souffle! What’s that?” asked Peichi.

  “It’s cool. I just saw a chef make it on one of those cooking shows. You just whip up some eggs and stuff, and bake it in the oven until it puffs up!”