Amish Cooking Class - The Seekers

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ;

  Walnut Creek

  Heidi moved about in the kitchen, checking her list and making sure all the ingredients were out for the main dish her students would make today. Lyle had made himself scarce, saying there were some things to do outside and in the barn this morning.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Heidi went to answer it. She found Kendra and Charlene on the porch. Charlene, her usual cheerful self, grinned as she entered the house. Kendra, on the other hand, shuffled in with shoulders slumped and lips pressed tightly together. Heidi noticed dark circles beneath the young woman’s eyes. Kendra looked like she’d lost her best friend. Should I say something? Do I ask her what’s wrong? No, she might think I’m being pushy and ought to mind my own business. If Kendra wants to talk about what’s bothering her, I’m sure she’ll speak up.

  “You’re the first ones here, so feel free to take a seat until the others arrive.” Heidi gestured to the living room.

  “What are we making today?” Charlene seated herself on the couch.

  “German pizza.” Heidi smiled. “It’s not a traditional pizza made with a flour crust, but I hope you’ll enjoy making it.”

  “If it’s as easy as haystack to make, I’ll be pleased.” Charlene clasped her hands to her chest. “Oh my, it tasted so good. I’m anxious to fix it for Len and his parents when they come to my place for supper next week.” She crossed her legs, bouncing her foot up and down. “Or maybe, if I like what we make today, I’ll fix it instead.”

  “Either would be a simple yet satisfying meal.” Heidi glanced at Kendra. She sat in the rocking chair with her head down and hands resting against her stomach. “Have you had a chance to make haystack since our last lesson, Kendra?”

  The sullen young woman’s only reply was a brief shake of her head.

  Heidi was about to ask if Kendra felt all right when the front door opened and Ron poked his head in. “Hope I’m not late. Had trouble sleeping last night, and by the time I did fall asleep, the light of day was streaming through the RV’s windows and woke me.” He ambled into the room and took a seat on the recliner, where he’d sat the last time.

  “How come you didn’t sleep well?” Charlene asked.

  Curling his fingers, Ron scrapped them through the ends of his short beard. “Just didn’t, that’s all.”

  Heidi figured she’d better say something to release the tension in the room. She looked over at Ron and smiled. “I was telling the ladies we’ll be making German pizza today.”

  Ron’s eyes brightened a bit. “Good to hear. I like most kinds of pizza—especially pepperoni with black olives.”

  “This isn’t a traditional pizza with a regular crust.” Heidi went on to share what she’d told Kendra and Charlene before he showed up.

  “What? To me, a pizza with no crust doesn’t sound like pizza at all.” Ron’s forehead wrinkles deepened. “How’s a person supposed to eat it, anyway?”

  “I’ll explain how it’s made and the best way to eat it once Eli and Loretta get here,” Heidi replied.

  Ron seemed satisfied with her response, for he flipped the recliner back and closed his eyes. Would he snooze right there on Lyle’s chair? Heidi glanced at the grandfather clock across the room. What’s keeping my other students?

  Chapter 21

  Ron opened his eyes and glanced around the room. Still no Eli. What’s wrong with that guy? As far as Ron was concerned, time was wasting, sitting here waiting for Eli to arrive. Ron took a frustrated breath. If the guy had to make the rest of us wait, he oughta quit the class. Course, Loretta’s not here yet, either. Wonder what’s holding them up?

  “Did you have a good week, Ron?” Charlene asked.

  “Okay, I guess. Got the part for my RV, but I’ve been too busy helping out around here to do anything with it yet.” Ron yawned and readjusted the chair’s footrest. Sitting here doing nothing, he felt sleepier by the minute.

  “If you need to get your vehicle running, don’t worry about us. Take care of your motor home first,” Heidi interjected. “If the chores don’t get done right away, it’s okay, they can wait.”

  “I’ll see,” he mumbled. “I promised Lyle I’d get certain things done, though. Since I don’t need to go anywhere right now, what’s a few more days going to matter fixing my rig?” Ron grasped the handle on the side of the chair and put it back to its normal position. “How much longer are we gonna wait on Eli? Shouldn’t we get started now?”

  “We’re not waiting just for him,” Kendra spoke up. “Loretta’s not here yet, either.”

  Ron folded his arms. “Humph! Maybe they both need to learn how to tell time.”

  Kendra stopped rocking and rose from her chair. “Ya know what, Mr. Hensley? You’re rude and crude!” She walked over to the fireplace, staring up at the mantel.

  Ron’s face heated. “I’m only being honest, and you oughta mind your own business, young lady.” The last thing he needed was some smarty-pants girl giving him a piece of her mind. What is it with young people today, thinking they can talk to adults any way they choose? Where’s the respect? He shifted on the chair, ready to recline again. If he really thought about it, who was he to complain about disrespect when he’d stolen from the Troyers, right under their noses? It surprised him, but he actually felt a twinge of guilt.

  Heidi left her seat, too, and moved over to the window. “I see Loretta getting out of her minivan now, so as soon as she comes in, we’ll go to the kitchen and get started. When Eli arrives he can join us.”

  Tension knotted Kendra’s neck and shoulders as she stood by the fireplace. The audacity of that man, Ron. He is so ill mannered. She focused on the beautiful oil lamp sitting on the mantel. This was certainly more charming than her parents’ mantel, always cluttered with candles, fake flowers, statues, and the like. Framed pictures of Kendra and her sisters would have been better than all the junk Mom thought was important to display.

  Kendra’s clenched fingers dug into her palms. First Max, then Dad. Why do men treat me so awful? Of course Kendra knew not all men were bad. The affectionate gestures she’d seen Lyle give Heidi on the few occasions he’d been here had almost brought her to tears. Good men were certainly hard to find, though. Now she had to deal with someone like Ron, when the whole purpose of learning to cook from an Amish woman was supposed to be putting some fun in her life.

  She scrubbed a hand over her face. I can’t win.

  Eli pedaled as fast as his legs would allow. He didn’t want the class to start without him. He’d planned to walk to Heidi’s, but cleaning up after the skunk meant he was running late. Riding his bike was quicker than harnessing the horse to the buggy, and besides, a little exercise would probably be good for him.

  Coasting down the hill, Eli felt the warm breezes gently brushing his face. Today’s weather was beautiful, and everything seemed right with the world. Maybe the fresh air would help mask whatever might be left of his skunky smell. While the birds sang, nature’s blooms burst at the seams. Eli breathed deeply, hoping to capture the wind’s sweet scent.

  Even though he was in a hurry, the ride was peaceful and soothing, until a car came up behind him. The noisy muffler filled the otherwise serene morning with an annoying reverberation.

  Eli watched as the car sped up the road. For no reason that he could see, the driver slammed on his brakes. Then the vehicle spun around and came back, whizzing past Eli way too close. In an effort to keep from losing his balance, he gripped the handlebars tightly.

  Eli kept pedaling and never looked back, but he sensed what was about to happen. The blaring muffler drew closer, until the older model Mustang pulled up beside him, keeping pace with his bike. Four teenage boys—two in the front seat and two in the back—pointed and jeered at him. Several dents on the front fender of the car, amid scratches and dings throughout the paint, gave evidence of neglect.

  “Hey there!” The freckle-faced driver snickered. “Where’s your horse and buggy, Mr. Amish man?”

  Eli ignored them, lookin
g straight ahead. Who needs this type of aggravation, especially this morning? I’m gonna be late for sure.

  “Come on, man.” One of the boys in the backseat snickered. “Can’t ya pedal any faster than that?”

  The teens whooped and hollered. Do they get a thrill out of harassing me? This wasn’t the first time something like this had occurred. Others in his community had been teased and taunted by boisterous kids out for a good time. If I ignore them, maybe they’ll go away.

  Luckily, no other vehicles passed on either side, as the driver pulled away from Eli, weaving in and out of both lanes. They must be drunk or high on something.

  When the vehicle slowed up and moved closer to him again, one of the teens leaned out the window and knocked Eli’s straw hat off his head. Eli wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of watching him peddle away without his hat. He stopped and went back to retrieve it. Eli hoped the boys would drive onward, but to his disappointment, the car stopped. The young driver got out and, like a menacing cat on the prowl, meandered slowly toward him, while the other guys, arms folded, stood by the car and watched.

  Eli held his arms stiffly at his sides. Keep calm. Don’t do anything foolish that could rile them further.

  “Hey man, ya know what? You smell like a skunk.” Pointing a bony finger at Eli, the lanky adolescent plugged his nose.

  Eli’s brain told him to stand his ground—Be polite, don’t cause a scene. But his body tensed, hands drawing into fists. Giving this boy a piece of his mind would bring much satisfaction. The words formed in his head, but Eli kept quiet. Though it would get him nowhere, a good tongue-lashing would have made him feel better.

  The snickering kid came almost face-to-face with Eli. He stood several seconds then, eyes growing wide, whirled around and rushed back to the car. Eli raised his arms to shield his face when stones kicked up from the spinning wheels. He coughed as the dust settled down and the car’s motor grew fainter, until it was out of sight.

  “You okay?” Lester Hendricks, one of the patrol officers in the county, pulled up alongside Eli.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” Eli dusted off his hat. “Just a bunch of kids having fun, I guess. They sure took off when you came along.”

  “I saw the Mustang and know the teen driving it.” Lester frowned. “I’ve had a little trouble with him before—nothing big that would put him behind bars, but several warnings. If you want to file a report, I wouldn’t blame ya.”

  “Naw, I wanna forget it. Kids will be kids. I’m glad the incident’s over.”

  “Okay, but if you experience any more trouble with that bunch, you’d better contact the sheriff’s office.”

  “Will do.” Eli nodded and got back on his bike. “Thanks for stopping.”

  When Heidi opened the front door, she was taken aback, seeing a young boy and girl standing beside Loretta.

  “My babysitter canceled at the last minute, and I didn’t want to miss the class, so I brought Abby and Conner along.” Loretta glanced down at the children. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  Heidi shook her head, holding the door open for them. “It’s fine. I’ll find something to occupy them with while we’re having our class.” She showed Abby and Conner a basket of toys. “I keep these on hand to entertain my nieces and nephews.” Heidi turned to Loretta. “The children can either play in the living room or come to the kitchen with us and play on the floor while we cook the meal I have planned for today.”

  “If you don’t think they’ll get in the way, I’d feel better if they came with me so I can keep an eye on them,” Loretta replied.

  “Whatever you prefer is fine with me.”

  Loretta glanced around the room. “Isn’t Eli coming today?”

  “I believe so. When my husband checked for messages this morning there were none from Eli. I’m sure he would have called if he couldn’t make it.”

  “Here, let me carry that to the kitchen.” Ron took the toy basket from Heidi.

  After the adults were seated around the table and the children got settled on the throw rug in front of the basket, Heidi went to the refrigerator and took out the ingredients they would need.

  “Today we’re making German pizza,” Heidi explained to Loretta. “Instead of a regular crust, baked in an oven, we’ll use shredded potatoes for the base and cook the meal in a skillet on top of the stove.” She handed everyone a three-by-five card with the recipe printed out. The verse she’d included on the back this time was Psalm 71:1. “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.” Heidi hoped this scripture would be helpful to one or more of her students during the next few weeks.

  “It certainly seems different than a regular pizza.” Loretta stared at her recipe card.

  “It is, but I hope you’ll enjoy it.” Heidi gestured to the ingredients after placing them on the table. She also gave everyone a small skillet. “The first thing you will do is brown the ground beef with chopped onion, diced green pepper, salt, and pepper. We’ll do this two at a time, since it’ll be easier to double up at the stove. Charlene and Kendra, after you get your onion and pepper chopped then you can go first.”

  While everyone got busy, Heidi watched Loretta’s children at play. Abby seemed fully engrossed in a book as she sat cross-legged on the braided throw rug, thumbing through the pages. Conner found a wooden horse and buggy belonging to Lyle when he was a child. A smile formed on Heidi’s face as she watched the young boy push the horse along, making clip-clop noises with his tongue. He was obviously familiar with the sound.

  Loretta has children but no husband. A knot formed in Heidi’s stomach. I have a husband but no kinner. Since I haven’t suffered the loss of my mate, I should feel thankful. Poor Loretta’s heart must be broken, becoming a widow at such a young age. She needs her husband, and these precious children need their father. It’s hard to understand why certain things happen. At times, life can be so unfair.

  Hearing a knock on the back door, Heidi jumped. Before she could get to the door, it opened and Eli let himself in. “Sorry I’m late. Ran into a little problem at home this morning, and also on the way here.”

  “Are you all right?” Loretta’s fingers touched her parted lips.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Hope I didn’t make you all wait too long.” Eli slipped his straw hat over a wall peg near the door.

  “It’s okay, we’ve barely gotten started.” Heidi pointed to an empty chair at the table. “You can begin by chopping the onion and green pepper set out for you.”

  As Eli walked past Heidi, her nose twitched. Is that a skunky odor?

  When Eli took a seat at the table, Ron’s nose wrinkled, sliding his chair to the left, which put more distance between the men. When it appeared Ron might say something more, Conner hopped up and darted over to his mother. “What’s that yucky smell?” He closed his eyes and plugged his nose.

  Loretta put a finger to her lips. “Shh. Conner, don’t be impolite.”

  Then Abby walked over to Eli and sniffed. “Phew! You stink, mister.”

  “Abby Donnelly!” Loretta shook her finger. “Apologize to Mr. Miller this instant.”

  Kendra and Charlene sucked in their breath, while Ron sneered at the child. Heidi’s sympathy went to Abby when her little chin quivered.

  “There’s no need to apologize, little lady.” Eli’s face flamed. “I’m afraid the yucky smell is me. Got my arm sprayed by a skunk hiding in my woodpile this morning.”

  “What did the skunk do after he sprayed you?” Abby took a step back before asking her question. Conner walked over and stood next to his sister.

  Eli rubbed his beard. “Well, the last I saw of Mr. Skunk, he was making a run for it toward the field behind my place.”

  Abby giggled. “You’re funny. You called him ‘Mr. Skunk.’”

  “Do you think he’ll come back?” Conner tilted his head.

  “I hope not.” Eli lifted his arm. “Skunks are kinda cute, but they don’t smell good when they lift their tail and let loose wit
h a spray.”

  “Did you use anything to get the smell out?” If he hadn’t, there were a few things Heidi could suggest.

  “I rubbed half a tomato on my skin, plus lots of soap and water.” Eli’s mouth stretched downward. “Figured the smell was gone.”

  “Hardly.” Ron rolled his eyes. “It’s far from gone, Eli. Can’t ya smell it?”

  “Not really. But then, I’ve been havin’ a little trouble with my allergies lately, so my sniffer isn’t working as well as it should.” Eli pushed back his chair. “I’d better head back home so I don’t ruin your cooking class. Don’t want your house to get all skunked up.”

  Heidi shook her head. “Nonsense. I want you to stay. The odor isn’t so bad, and if I open the kitchen window it’ll ventilate the room. After we’re finished with our German pizzas we’ll take them outside and eat our meal at the picnic table. How’s that sound?”

  “Oh, boy. A picnic!” Abby jumped up and down. Conner joined in.

  “Settle down now, you two,” Loretta scolded.

  Still a bit red in the face, Eli returned to his seat. Heidi hoped no one else would comment about the aroma of skunk. Eli has been embarrassed enough.

  Chapter 22

  While Loretta shredded potatoes, she glanced at Eli.

  Perspiration covered the poor man’s forehead, and he sat as far away from the others as possible. The smell wasn’t so horrible—at least from where she sat. Her eyes watered, but the odor from the onions she’d cut up could be the reason.

  Since Eli had been the last to arrive, Loretta wanted to be polite and introduce her children to him. She could have made introductions sooner, when the kids made comments about the skunky odor, but it didn’t feel appropriate right then. Besides, Loretta had been so embarrassed by what they’d said, she wasn’t thinking clearly. Now Abby and Conner were happily playing again, and Eli left the table to brown his ground beef. It might be best to wait until they’d finished making the pizza and were relaxing at the picnic table outdoors to make formal introductions.