“Yeah ... Shawn got pretty upset with me for not e-mailing her! I felt really bad but at least she knows now that I was grounded from the computer. I still have to e-mail her and tell her the whole story about the pendant and Mr. McElroy and everything,” Peichi said.
Just then, the phone rang. As usual, Amanda was quick to answer it.
“Hello?...Oh, hi, Justin!”
“Justin!” cried Peichi and Molly. They began to giggle. Amanda waved at them as if to say, Be quiet! He’ll hear you!
“I’m okay” said Amanda into the receiver, as her face turned bright red. “Did you get my e-mail? Good! Well, we finally got paid, so we have some money for you... Peichi? Yeah, she’s here. How did you know? Oh, you called her house first...Uh, sure. Here she is—”
With a little pout, Amanda handed Peichi the phone. The twins stared at her as she spoke to Justin, and she made funny little faces back at the twins.
“Hel-lo, Justin! What’s up?” said Peichi. “...Yeah, everything’s okay...No, why would I be mad at you?...No, I’m not mad at your dad! He’s really nice! He was really nice to my grandparents. He has such an exciting job!...Okay we’ll call you if we ever need another cook. And we’ll drop off your money ... Bye!” She hung up.
“What did he say?” asked Amanda.
“He was worried that I’d be mad at him because of his dad,” said Peichi.
“Aw! That’s so cute,” said Molly.
“And he wants to cook with us again if we need him.”
“Wow!” said Amanda.
“Oh, really,” said Molly. She didn’t sound too thrilled.
BRRRIIIIIG!
Amanda snatched the phone.
“Hello?” she said, secretly hoping it would be Justin again. But it wasn’t. It was a voice Amanda had never heard before. She made a face at the others that said, Oh, no!
“Yes, this is the number for Dish,” Amanda replied. “Oh, you heard about us from Ms. Barlow?... That’s nice...” Molly and Peichi began to look anxiously at each other.
“Excuse me? I have to put you on hold for a minute,” said Amanda. “Okay.” She covered the mouthpiece tightly with her hand. “It’s another new client!” she said.
Suddenly, the three girls began to giggle. And they couldn’t stop!
“We need a break!” whispered Amanda. “Right? I know I do! Please?”
“Right!” said Molly.
“It’s unanimous!” said Peichi, and the girls started snickering again.
Amanda removed her hand from the receiver. “Hello?” she said. “I’m sorry, we’re all booked up for now!... Right. Um, thank you for calling, though! Bye-bye.”
“Whew,” said Molly and Peichi.
BRRRIIING!
As Peichi and Molly watched in disbelief, Amanda leaned back in the chaise lounge.
She slowly sipped her soda.
And let the phone ring until it stopped.
cooking tips From the chef Girls!
The Chef Girls are looking out for you! Here are some things you should know if you want to cook. (Remember to ask your parents if you can use knives and the stove!)
1. Tie back long hair so that it won’t get into the food or in the way as you work.
2. Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing that could drag in the food or on the stove burners.
3. Never cook in bare feet or open-toed shoes. Something sharp or hot could drop on your feet.
4. Always wash your hands with soap before you handle food.
5. Read through the recipe before you start. Gather your ingredients together and measure them before you begin.
6. Turn pot handles so that they won’t get knocked off the stove.
7. Use wooden spoons to stir hot liquids. Metal spoons can become very hot.
8. When cutting or peeling food, cut away from your hands.
9. Cut food on a cutting board, not the countertop.
10. Hand someone a knife with the knifepoint pointing to the floor.
11. Clean up as you go. It’s safer and neater.
12. Always use a dry pot holder to remove something hot from the oven. You could get burned with a wet one, since wet ones retain heat.
13. Make sure that any spills on the floor are cleaned up right away, so that you don’t slip and fall.
14. Don’t put knives in clean-up water. You could reach into the water and cut yourself.
15. Use a wire rack to cool hot baking dishes to avoid scorch marks on the countertop.
An Important Message From the Chef Girls!
Some foods can carry bacteria, such as salmonella, that can make you sick. To avoid salmonella, always cook poultry, ground beef, and eggs thoroughly before eating. Don’t eat or drink foods containing raw eggs. And wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.
Boiling Point Page 9