The Heat Is On

by Charise Mericle Harper

  Chef Gary came over to watch. “How’s it going?”

  Rae added a small amount of buttermilk to her flour mixture. “I want the crust to stick and be crunchy so I’m making this coating a little lumpy on purpose. It’s an experiment. I hope it works.” She coated two pieces of chicken in the batter and carefully placed them in the hot oil using tongs.

  Chef Gary nodded approvingly. “Nice work, Rae.”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  Everyone was busy at the end. Plating was important. The food had to look as good as it tasted.

  Oliver nudged the lasagna out of the pan and onto the center of a large plate. It held together in a perfect mini rectangle. He arranged a display of thinly sliced fried eggplants and tomatoes in an artistic swirl around the edge.

  Caroline scooped out a piece of the pie, careful to keep the biscuit intact. She placed it in the middle of a plate and decorated one edge with cooked carrots and parsnips cut to look like leaves.

  Rae balanced her chicken on end, resting up against her golden brown biscuit. She added a tiny ramekin of spicy butter garnished with a nasturtium leaf.

  “TIME!” called Chef Gary.

  The hands went up.

  “CUT!” yelled Steve.

  “Five-minute break!” shouted Chef Nancy.

  Rae, Oliver, and Caroline stood to the side while the camerapeople took close-ups of the food.

  Caroline moved next to Rae. “I wonder if I made it the way you make it? If it tastes the same?”

  Rae leaned over to look. “It looks good . . . but I won’t get to taste it.” She shrugged. “We’ll never know.”

  Chapter 12

  ow for my favorite part,” said Chef Gary. “The tasting! We’re proud of you. This wasn’t easy, but you adapted well. Chef Porter and I can’t wait to try the comfort dishes you’ve prepared. Caroline, will you please bring your plate to the table?”

  Caroline walked to the front and set her plate down.

  “Perfect golden brown crust on the biscuit,” said Chef Porter.

  “Nice presentation,” said Chef Gary.

  Chef Porter pointed to the leaves on the side of the plate. “Are these cooked?”

  “Yes,” answered Caroline, “you can eat them.” She waited for Chef Porter to pick up one of the three forks, but she didn’t. Caroline stared at the table. Three forks! Why were there three forks? Was Chef Aimee coming?

  Chef Gary looked out into the room. “Rae, can you please join us?”

  Caroline froze. Rae was the other fork!

  Chef Gary handed out the forks. “We’ll all take a bite at the same time. On three. One, two, three.” Three forks attacked the pot pie.

  “Flakey!” said Chef Porter. “I was right about the crust—it’s just the right amount of crispy.”

  “And the chicken is tender,” added Chef Gary.

  Chef Porter licked her spoon. “The sauce is sophisticated. I like the bitterness. Nicely done.”

  Chef Gary looked at Rae. “So, what do you think? Does it taste like home? Be honest.”

  Rae shot an apologetic look at Caroline, then mumbled something under her breath.

  “What was that?” asked Chef Gary. “Can you repeat it?”

  “No, Chef, it doesn’t taste like home.”

  “What’s different?” asked Chef Porter.

  “Parsnips,” said Rae. “I don’t like them. I usually only put in a tiny piece, because my grandma makes me. But this has a lot and no potatoes.”

  Caroline leaned forward. “Well, I didn’t know that! There wasn’t a recipe, plus there weren’t any potatoes listed!”

  Rae gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh no! I forgot the potatoes!”

  “Well,” said Chef Gary. “That’s good to know and . . .”

  “Well, I enjoyed the parsnips!” interrupted Chef Porter. She smiled at Caroline. “In fact I’m sure I preferred them over potatoes. It was very good.”

  “Thank you, Chef.” Having Chef Porter on your side was like winning a special award. Caroline smiled, but not at Rae. It was hard to be judged by a good friend.

  “Caroline, please stay here. Rae, you may go back to your workstation. Oliver, can you bring your plate to the table?”

  Oliver carried up the lasagna and set it carefully on the table.

  “How did you get that perfect rectangle?” asked Chef Gary.

  Oliver sighed. “I was running out of time, and I knew the lasagna would cook faster in a smaller dish, so I used a mini loaf pan.”

  “Clever and attractive,” said Chef Gary. “Good problem solving.”

  Chef Porter leaned in closer. “I like how it looks too. A comfort meal for one. I can’t wait to try it. Ratatouille has always been one of my favorites, though this will be the first time . . . lasagna style.”

  Chef Gary handed Caroline a fork. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded nervously. Being a judge was harder than being judged.

  “Okay, forks in on three. One, two, three!” Everyone took a taste.

  “Oh! Rich and savory!” said Chef Gary.

  Chef Porter held up her fork. “And the texture of the noodles is al dente—not too soft, not too hard—perfect! Perhaps a little more goat cheese?”

  Caroline nodded in agreement.

  Chef Gary noticed. “So, Caroline, how does it compare?”

  “It’s almost the same, just more goat cheese and I like it better in a bigger pan, because I don’t like crunchy noodles. I always ask for a middle piece.”

  Chef Porter shook her head. “Not me—I like how the noodles get crunchy on the edge, but everyone has their preference. Well done, Oliver!”

  Oliver bowed his head. “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Chef Gary sent Caroline back to her workstation and called Rae to the front.

  Rae stared at her plate. Oliver was going to rip her to shreds. Her biscuit was perfect, she knew that, but the fried chicken? She crossed her fingers. There was a lot that could be wrong. It could be too dry, too crunchy, not crunchy enough, or even raw—raw would be the worst!

  Chef Gary liked the presentation, and Chef Porter was excited to try the spicy butter, but their enthusiasm didn’t help her feel any less anxious.

  Instead of handing out forks, Chef Gary cut the biscuit and chicken into three pieces. Chef Gary counted to three and everyone took a bite.

  “Spicy!”

  “Flakey!”

  Oliver didn’t say a word.

  Chef Gary took a bite of chicken. “Nice crust, but not very juicy.”

  Oliver smirked.

  “That spicy butter is delicious,” gushed Chef Porter. “But I have to agree with Chef Gary about the chicken—it’s a little dry.”

  Oliver smiled.

  Chef Gary turned to Oliver. “What do you think? Does it feel like home cooking?”

  Oliver shook his head. “No, sir. But it’s not Rae’s fault. It’s impossible to make my fried chicken in only ninety minutes. Not even I could do it, because the chicken needs to marinate in the brine for at least six hours.”

  Oliver popped a piece of biscuit into his mouth. “This biscuit, though—it’s perfect!”

  Chef Porter looked at Rae. “Well, what do you say to that?”

  Rae forced an awkward grin. “Thank you?” Oliver had just saved her and given her a compliment. Why? Was it the stick-together pact?

  How do I feel about the other competitors? I like them and trust them. This is a food competition only. What happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen. Outside the kitchen we’re friends. We watch out for each other. What Oliver said proves that.

  Chef Gary and Chef Porter moved off to the side to discuss the competition.

  When they came back, Chef Gary was holding a cookbook. “Many chefs do not use these, but as you have seen, a recipe can be of the upmost importance. Especially if you want to replicate a dish. This was not an easy challenge, but you impressed us with your determination and enthusiasm. Rae, your biscuits were standout delicious. Caroli
ne, your pot pie was both homey and sophisticated. Oliver, your lasagna was a savory treat, and we were especially impressed by the creative way you solved the time issue for baking. The winner of this challenge is . . . Oliver!”

  Rae was disappointed, but not surprised. She’d win next time—she just had to—she was in last place.

  Oliver smiled and walked to the front. Everyone clapped. Even Rae.

  Monday

  Chapter 13

  hef Nancy stood at the head of the breakfast table. “It’s a full day today. Lots to do. Breakfast, interviews, and then we’ll head on our field trip to the Sunnyside Food Pantry. We’ll be volunteering, and then there’s a tour with the onsite manager. The cameras will be with us, so everyone needs to be on their best behavior. We’ll come back for lunch, and then continue with the activities marked on the schedule: a challenge and a lesson.”

  Rae sat up, attentive. “That is a lot.”

  “Absolutely,” agreed Chef Nancy. “So eat a good breakfast—you’ll need the energy. Interviews start in fifteen minutes.”

  I’ve never been to a food pantry before, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it works, and helping out, of course.

  I’ve donated food to the food pantry, but I haven’t visited the actual place where people go to get the food. It’s sad that people don’t have enough to eat, so I feel really good that we are going to help and be part of it.

  I’ve been to the food pantry before. I went with my dad a few times to get a box of food. The people there were really nice. It was kind of like shopping in a super-small grocery store, only there weren’t as many choices. I’m glad that I get to help out.

  They piled into a van and twenty minutes later pulled into the parking lot.

  Caroline looked around, confused. “I thought we were going to a store. Where is it?”

  Chef Nancy pointed to a big square industrial warehouse. “It’s inside there. They need a big space so they can organize and store all the food donations.”

  Sophia the onsite manager met them at the big open garage door. “Thank you for coming! We’re so excited to have you.”

  Sophia led them into the warehouse, where boxes and cans were organized on shelves. “We get these donations from stores, individuals, and corporations.” She pointed to a large group of boxes in the middle of the room. “And these are the boxes you’ll be sorting. We sort them out so it’s faster to stock the store. Let me show you the sorting bins.” She led them on a tour of the room, pointing out the various bins. “Dry soup bin, canned soup bin, bean bin, snack bin, candy bin, vegetable bin, fruit bin, chili bin, and juice bin. It’s pretty simple: you open the box, sort the contents into the various bins, flatten the box, and then put it in the recycling area. It’s usually faster to work as a team, but I’ll let you decide how to split things up.” Sophia pointed to a long, narrow hallway. “Chef Nancy and I will be in the store area at the other end. If you need anything, just come and find us. We’ll check back in an hour.”

  Chef Nancy followed Sophia down the hall, then turned for one last wave to the contestants.

  “What now?” asked Caroline. “There’s probably a hundred boxes.”

  Mark and Janet stood off to the side, filming.

  Oliver opened a box and pulled out two cans. “We get started.” He walked toward the soup bin.

  “Wait!” Rae waved her hands. “If we work together, it might go faster. We could each do a different job—like an assembly line.”

  It was a good plan and soon they had efficient rhythm of unpacking and sorting.

  Caroline dropped five boxes into the snack bin. “It’s kind of fun. How many boxes left?”

  Oliver stopped to count. “Twenty-three.”

  Rae looked at the clock. “If we speed it up, we might be able to finish before Chef Nancy gets back.”

  “Let’s do it!” shouted Caroline.

  It was close, they almost didn’t make it. Oliver was just flattening the last box when Chef Nancy and Sophia walked up.

  “WOW!” Sophia stared at the empty space in the middle of the room. “I can’t believe you finished!”

  “Teamwork!” said Oliver.

  Caroline and Rae moved next to him and smiled. Janet moved in for a close-up.

  Chef Nancy motioned for them to follow her. “Let’s visit the store.”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  When they got to the store, only Rae stepped inside. Oliver and Caroline watched from the entrance.

  Rae walked down the aisle. “This is pretty nice.”

  “Thank you,” said Sophia. “We like to think so.”

  Caroline pushed past Oliver to follow Rae. “I thought it would look like a real store, but it doesn’t. It looks homemade.”

  Rae nodded. “Yeah, but look! They have fresh fruit and vegetables. That’s pretty unusual. Plus, there’s a dairy section and a baking section! This is a good pantry.”

  “How do you know so much about food pantries?” asked Caroline.

  Rae wasn’t sure how to answer, but Chef Nancy saved her. She stepped to the center of the room and waved a can of green beans in the air.

  “How can we make these delicious?”

  Everyone had a different answer.

  “Add butter and sprinkle with Parmesan.”

  “Stir fry with sesame oil and garlic.”

  “Purée with butter, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper.”

  “Wonderful! Wonderful!” Sophia clapped her hands. “I’m going to write those down for our customers, and I might try them too!” She followed the group outside to the van. “Thank you for all your help today!”

  “We enjoyed it,” said Chef Nancy. She opened the door. Everyone got in except Rae. She ran back to Sophia for a hug. “Thank you!”

  And then it was back to Porter Farms!

  Chapter 14

  aroline, Oliver, and Rae sat at the big table in lodge, eating lunch. Soon they’d be heading to the filming studio for a challenge.

  Caroline nibbled her sandwich. “I never really knew what a food pantry was. I’m sort of feeling guilty about eating this sandwich.”

  Rae shook her head. “That’s silly! No one at a food pantry would be jealous of a sandwich! Now, if it was your fancy lasagna—that’s different.”

  Caroline smiled and took a bite. “I guess so, but it makes me feel lucky.”

  Rae nodded. “We are lucky, and that’s good not to forget.”

  ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅

  Fifteen minutes later they were in the filming studio.

  “We’ll start at the front table,” said Chef Nancy. “Chef Gary and Chef Aimee want to talk with you.”

  “ROLLING!” shouted Steve.

  Chef Gary put a paper bag on the table. “Did you enjoy helping at the food pantry?”

  “Yes, Chef!”

  Chef Aimee opened the bag, pulled out three cans of soup and read the titles as she lined them up on the table. “Tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup.”

  “Look familiar?” asked Chef Gary.

  The young chefs all nodded.

  Chef Gary rubbed his hands. “You worked well together at the pantry, so we thought we’d give you another assignment as a group.”

  Rae shot a worried look at Oliver. Sorting boxes together was not the same as cooking together.

  “We want you to create a comfort meal that can replicated by someone who shops at the pantry. This meal will include a main dish, a side dish, and a dessert. Each dish must include a can of soup. What you make will be up to you, and which soup you use will also be your choice.”

  Chef Aimee pointed to the pantry. “Our pantry has been limited to include only those items that you might find at a food pantry. You will have ten minutes to explore the pantry, decide on your soup, and discuss your meal plan. When you return, you’ll have sixty minutes to make your dish. Your time starts NOW!”

  Nobody moved.

  “NOW!” shouted Chef Gary.

  Rae grabbed Caroline’s
hand and took off for the pantry. Oliver followed close behind.

  Caroline stood in the center of the small room and spun in a slow circle. “There’s nothing here! Everything’s gone! What are we supposed to cook with?”

  Rae nodded. Caroline wasn’t exaggerating. Most of the shelves looked empty.

  Oliver pulled out a pen and a small notebook. “We need to make a list of what’s here! Then we can decide what to make.” He walked to one of the shelves and got started.

  Caroline ran to the fridge and listed off what she saw, “Chicken breasts, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk, butter, eggs, cottage cheese, and cream cheese.”

  Rae covered the fresh produce: “Onions and potatoes.”

  “Really? That’s all?” Caroline came to look for herself. “Not even fresh garlic?”

  “Nope.”

  “What about the dessert?” complained Rae. “Dessert from soup—that’s impossible.”

  Oliver pointed his pen. “Don’t worry, I got that covered. My grandma makes a tomato soup cake—I’ll just have to improvise a bit.”

  “That leaves chicken soup and mushroom soup,” said Caroline.

  A minute later, everything was decided. They ran back to the big table smiling.

  “Welcome back,” said Chef Aimee. “Are you ready?”

  “YES, CHEF!”

  “Wow, so excited. That makes me happy. You may choose your can of soup and proceed to your workstations.”

  Steve watched until all the contestants were in place and then, “CUT!”

  “Interview time!” announced Chef Nancy. “And then we’ll get started.”

  I chose the tomato soup. The tomato is actually a fruit, so it’s not that much of a stretch to make a dessert with it. I’m going to make tomato soup spice cake. The tomato soup keeps the cake moist. Normally I’d use homemade ingredients, but we just don’t have those kind of supplies today.