by Lee, Carol
The final interview had again been at Sinful Sweets. But this time, Julia just sat back and watched. She wanted to see how Sydney interacted with her customers. That was easy for Sydney. She had so many regulars from the small town of Twin Peaks, that she hadn’t even prepared for this final part of the interview process. She knew the families of all of her regulars and could easily ask them about the current happenings of their lives. And Maple was an added bonus. She was everybody’s best friend and made for an easy ice breaker for any new customers.
Julia had hired Sydney on the spot as soon as Sinful Sweets had closed after watching her for two hours with her customers. She could see that she was a people person, was truly invested in making delicious desserts for her customers, and had a gut feeling that professionalism would carry over to the Durans’ Christmas party.
Sydney had been over the moon, and being in the kitchen now, she was soaring even higher.
“Tea would be nice,” Sydney said. “Herbal, no caffeine, please.”
“Mint?” Julia asked, opening a cupboard above the counter to the left of all the windows, the cats still following her. She didn’t seem to notice their presence.
“Perfect.”
Julia put water on to boil in the kettle, took out two teacups and filled two loose leaf tea holders with dried mint leaves.
“I make it myself,” Julia said, pride in her voice, finally picking up one of the cats. “These are Cocoa and Mocha.” Julia was clearly smitten with the two calico cats who had eyes for no one else.
The two women made small talk until they each had a cup of homemade mint tea to sip from.
“I’d love to go over your menu,” Julia said, getting down to business.
“The party starts at five, and you’re expecting up to 100 guests. So I’ve planned for the full amount,” Sydney explained. She placed the menu in front of Julia:
5-8pm—Hors d'oeuvres
Deviled Eggs
Ham Quiches
Spinach Quiches
Cheese Quiches
Shrimp Scampi
Kale Chips
Artisan Bread
Black Bean Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Rosemary Dipping Oil
Balsamic Dipping Oil
7-10pm—Desserts
Gevulde Koeken (Almond Paste Cookies)
Gingerbread Cookies
Almond Snowballs
Pomegranate Parfaits
Eggnog
“I’ve left off drinks, as you had mentioned there would be a fully stocked bar and a bartender hired separately,” Sydney said, as Julia inspected the menu and made various faces that Sydney couldn’t interpret.
“No problem,” Julia said, finally looking up. Sydney still couldn’t read her expression. “Do you think this will be enough food?”
“What do you want to increase?”
“The hors d'oeuvres. Let’s add two more things. How about bacon wrapped stuffed mushrooms and cheese plates?”
“Great. I’ll add those to the list.”
“I think that’ll be enough then,” Julia agreed. “I set aside the afternoon so I can go shopping with you. Do you have a list already?”
“I’ll just have to add a few things so we can add these last two items. If you’re happy with the menu, let’s get going now.”
“Great. I have a supplier I’d like to use. I used him last year for our party and gave him a heads up that I’d be coming today with you.”
Sydney could tell that Julia was not going to be a hands-off host. She’d have to get used to that since she would be at her house for the next four nights and didn’t want any personal feelings getting in the way of her professionalism.
This job was especially big for Sydney and Sinful Sweets. Not only was she running her first catering event, but the Duran family was well known within Newhall.
Marcus Duran’s great-grandfather had founded a manufacturing company at the start of the 20th century in Newhall. It had grown over time, but they still produced the same item—pencils. Now, Marcus and his business partner, Howard, employed nearly every individual in Newhall, as well as people from the surrounding towns. There wasn’t a soul who didn’t know them. And anyone who was anyone would be coming tonight—even some of their employees. It would be a great opportunity for Sydney to get her name out there and get more catering jobs. If she wanted to expand in the area—even with their mail order options—she would need this to go well.
Sydney and Julia arrived at Natural Wonders—the upscale grocery store in Newhall where the first interview had taken place. Julia led the way to the back and asked for the store manager, Ryan Jacobson. He came out of the back and greeted Julia like an old friend.
“I’ve been expecting you all morning!” he said as they embraced and exchanged light kisses on the cheek.
“Ryan, this is Sydney. She’ll be catering the party on Saturday, I hope that you’ll be able to make it.”
“Nice to meet you, Sydney. Yes, I’ll be there. We’ve been looking forward to it all year. Last year’s was such a success. Sydney, you have your hands full living up to the expectations that were set last year with the food.”
Sydney wasn’t worried. She was excited for the challenge.
“My wife, Stacey, must have talked about it every day since last year!” Ryan finished.
“Stacey is on my husband’s board,” Julia explained, turning to Sydney.
“This is the social event of the year!” Ryan gushed. “So, what can I get you today so you can wow everyone with the food?”
Sydney produced her list, worried that they wouldn’t be able to find enough of everything in one place. But Ryan didn’t even look fazed as he scanned it.
“I’ll call a couple guys to help get everything from the back. Just hang tight,” he said, turning back to where he’d come from.
“I gave him plenty of notice that we’d be coming in today,” Julia said, seeing the worry on Sydney’s face. They needed well over 300 eggs alone! How could he fill the entire order with no real notice of what would be on it? “He’s never let me down before.”
“I’m just going to have a look around,” Sydney said, needing a break from Julia already.
“Great, I’ll come with you. They have amazing samples—cheeses, homemade chips, nuts, anything you could possibly want to try before buying! Even sushi!” Julia exclaimed as she made a beeline for the fish counter.
Sydney didn’t want to follow, but she couldn’t deny herself a free sushi sample from an upscale place like Natural Wonders.
She was even more surprised when she saw that there were three different options to choose from—spicy tuna, smoked salmon and the go-to California roll. She picked the spicy tuna and was delighted at the richness of the flavor.
“Good, isn’t it?” Julia asked before Sydney could swallow hers.
She nodded in agreement.
“Julia,” Ryan called. “All set. Come meet us out back with your car.”
Sydney and Julia went back out front, got into Julia’s oversized SUV towing a trailer and met Ryan out back. They saw a pile of crates full of their food. “I told you there was nothing to worry about,” Julia said, seeing the awe once again on Sydney’s face.
“Can’t wait to see you on Saturday,” Ryan told Julia, with another kiss on the cheek.
“It’ll be another one to remember,” she said, a look of passion in her eyes. Sydney wasn’t sure if she was high about the upcoming party, or just being around Ryan. Was there something going on that Sydney didn’t want to know about?
***
Back at the Durans’ house, in time for a late lunch before getting to work, Sydney knew she had to snap out of her surprise at everything. She was suddenly in a world that was new to her—the wealth, the lavishness, the socialites—and she had to at least make it appear that she was used to it.
She took her time, letting herself regain her composure in private, gathering the few things she’d need over the next few
days out of her car. She left her pots and pans, hoping that Grace had enough still at Sinful Sweets. They’d had to ration what they had so they could both work in different places. Now Sydney felt guilty for taking anything after seeing what was available in the kitchen.
She brought her bag of clothes and her personalized knives, able to carry everything in one trip. She saw Maple’s hair all over her bag of clothes and realized she already missed her dog. She’d make time tonight to call Mia and see how things were going there.
“I was thinking of making the bean dip and the artichoke dip today since they’ll keep the best. If I have time after those are done, I’ll also make some of the gingerbread cookies,” Sydney announced when she found Julia sitting at the kitchen island, reading a magazine. She’d hoped that she’d be able to work alone for two days until Grace arrived on Saturday.
“That sounds perfect. Did you buy canned or dried beans?” Julia asked.
“Dried. So I’ll get them going right away in the crock pot and make that dip last.”
“Don’t you think you should cook them overnight so they’re really soft?”
Sydney was wishing even harder that she could work alone.
“I’ll see if they get done in time. Otherwise, I can always make it first thing in the morning tomorrow,” she said, knowing they’d be done in time to make the dip tonight if she could get them all cooking immediately.
She started opening cupboard doors looking for a crock pot or the biggest pots she could find. They would need a lot of beans and she would probably have to put them in two different pots.
“Second door to the left,” Julia directed.
Sydney grimaced to herself with her back to Julia and lifted the first of two crock pots out from under the counter. She was pleased to see that between the two, she’d be able to easily cook enough beans all at once.
She poured in the black beans, followed by twice as much water. She’d let them soak in the water for a couple hours while she prepared the spinach artichoke dip.
She first filled the sink with water and poured in just over a cup of white vinegar. Even though they’d bought all organic produce, the transportation of vegetables attracted dirt and germs that she didn’t want to feed the guests.
Sydney could feel eyes like daggers in her back. She turned to see that Julia had put down her magazine and was staring at Sydney.
“I always use a diluted vinegar rinse to wash my veggies,” she explained without being asked. The eyes had said enough.
Julia silently picked her magazine back up and continued reading.
This could be a long weekend, Sydney thought to herself. She continued washing the vegetables that would go into both the artichoke and black bean dips, knowing it would be a late night if she managed to make both kinds of dip today.
As the vegetables sat in the rinse, Sydney made herself lunch, helping herself to anything that was in the kitchen, per the terms of her contract.
***
“How’s everything going?” Marcus asked his wife when he got home from the gym that evening.
Julia hadn’t left the kitchen once. Sydney was disappointed to not be fully trusted with preparing the food for Saturday’s party, but she’d managed to ignore Julia’s presence as much as possible. She had finished the artichoke dip and gingerbread cookies and was just about to start on the black bean dip.
“We’re moving along,” Julia said, her voice lacking confidence.
Marcus wanted nothing to do with the preparation and grabbed a beer out the fridge before leaving the kitchen.
“Are you sure the beans are done?” Julia asked.
“Yup. I’ve been keeping an eye on them all afternoon and mashing them as they cooked,” Sydney reassured her. “They’re well done and ready to be put in the food processor with the other ingredients.”
Julia didn’t respond, just returned to another magazine.
“Do you want to try a gingerbread cookie?” Sydney asked, hoping to make amends before the end of the day.
“I’d love that.”
Sydney brought a plate of cookies over. A few had broken when she’d taken them off the baking sheet, and she’d tried one already. It had been delicious. She’d used bell and snowflake cookie cutters and had artfully applied icing to two thirds of them. The rest she’d left plain.
“What do you think?” Sydney asked, when Julia had swallowed her first bite.
“It’s good. I think it will be better with the icing. Let me try one of those.”
Sydney was disappointed she wasn’t getting the same praise she’d received during her interview. She gave Julia a fully intact bell shaped gingerbread cookie with icing in stripes across it.
“Could we have some that are the traditional gingerbread shape?” Julia asked.
“There are already 150 cookies. I can make more tomorrow. How many gingerbread men do you want?”
“Let’s do another 50. These are delicious with the icing. You should add icing to all of them, too.”
Sydney smiled and turned back around, continuing to work on the black bean dip. She could feel Julia continuing to watch her, but she didn’t give her the pleasure of making eye contact until she had finished.
She started cleaning up, filling the dishwasher, soaking the crock pots and wiping down the counter.
“You’re finished then?” Julia asked, finally standing up. Sydney wondered how big her bladder was.
“For tonight. It’s past ten and I’m exhausted. Tomorrow will be a full day of baking and then Grace will be here Saturday morning to help with the finishing touches. I think I made good progress today,” Sydney said with satisfaction.
“Alright then.”
Julia turned and left in the direction that Marcus had headed hours earlier and Sydney was left to make her way to her room for the night.
She’d been told to use the back stairs, not the staircase by the front door, and as she walked upstairs, she pulled her phone out of her pocket for the first time since she’d arrived at the Durans’ in the morning. Three messages.
How’s everything going? Sinful Sweets is BUSY! Grace had written in the morning.
Thinking of you and reliving last night, Austin had written at lunch time.
The kids love having Maple! Maybe we’ll have to get our own dog . . . Mia had written a few hours ago.
It was too late for Sydney to call Mia, but she would try to make time the next day. She responded to the other two messages.
This is going to be a loooong weekend. But incredible kitchen, she wrote back to Grace. She couldn’t wait for Grace to arrive on Saturday to help absorb some of Julia’s micromanagement and to share in her love of the cooking space.
Thinking of you, too. Looking forward to the next meal we share! she wrote back to Austin. She hadn’t actually thought of him all day, but now that she was alone and going to bed, that’s all she could think about.
***
Friday morning, Sydney got up early. She was used to waking up and getting to the bakery when it was still dark. She was excited to get a jump start on the day’s baking without Julia hovering around her. She was happy to see that no one was in the kitchen and everything was just as she’d left it.
She started by finishing the dishes. She emptied the dishwasher and washed and dried the pots in the sink.
Then she got busy with almond snowballs and gevulde koeken. They’d both keep well until the next evening when they’d get eaten.
She was just finishing the powdered sugar coating on her final batch of snowballs when Julia walked in.
“You’re up early,” Julia said by way of greeting.
“Best time to be in the kitchen!” Sydney said, ready to give Julia another chance. Sleeping away her frustration and spending the last few hours baking alone had cleared her mind and given her a fresh outlook on the previous day. “Want to try a snowball? They’d be a great breakfast!”
“I think I’ll wait. Marcus and I will be gone most of the day. I
hope you’re alright with that,” Julia said, disappointment lacing her voice that she wouldn’t be in the kitchen with Sydney again.
“I should be able to manage.”
“Just call if you need anything. And make yourself at home.”
“Thanks.” Sydney was surprised at the more than welcoming tone in Julia’s voice before she finished speaking.
Julia and Marcus fixed themselves a quick breakfast that they ate in another room to give Sydney space to continue working, and then made themselves scarce.
Sydney found her rhythm and fell in love with her job all over again.
It was still early and she started getting bread dough ready to be baked later in the day. Her goal was to get half of the loaves finished and then have Grace finish the final loaves after she arrived the next morning. She also wanted to get the quiches finished, and make the additional 50 gingerbread men. The dipping oils and the parfaits could be made at the last minute and would be best fresh anyway. She’d make the deviled eggs the next morning, while Grace worked on the dough. But she would hard boil all 300 eggs today so they were cooled and easy to shell tomorrow.