Spices and Trials.
Tuna Egg Roll.
Saffron couldn't believe it, after years of training and hard work, her dream of inheriting her father's restaurant was at her fingertips, all that stood in between her and her destiny was this door. But as her father told her once, "One door often leads to many more," but she couldn't back down now. She's worked too hard for this. Plus her parents paid a fortune to get her in. She just needed to suck it up and go in.
She breathed heavily and approached the door and walked through the gate and was met with a spectacle of about 50 or more students, but only a handful of them were ponies. That was to be expected as the school just opened its doors to ponies to attend.
Saffron also made a mental note that almost all of the students here came from very rich backgrounds, except for the pony students, only one or two looked like they came from a rich background.
Saffron, looking at her clock and realizing she came a bit too early, decided to take a seat at a bench. She was minding her own business when she felt somebody sit next to her.
Being curious, she turns to see the person who sat next to her was a dark blue Pegasus with a Nikon D3400 camera, the Pegasus paid her no attention and surfed through his collection of pictures.
"A photographer?" She asked.
The Pegasus shook his head, "More like a journalist." He corrected.
Saffron raised an eyebrow, "Why would a journalist attend a culinary school?" She asked.
The Pegasus chuckled, "That's what I said, I didn't want to even come here, but alas, my older sister forced me to come." He explained, finally looking at Saffron, "The name's Connor Jun." He introduced, holding a hand out.
Saffron shook his hand, "Saffron Masala." She introduced.
The two shook hands for awhile and Saffron noticed that Connor kept stealing glances at her bigger than usual chest. She smiles and brings the Pegasus in for a smothering hug that took him by surprise.
"You sneaky little pervert." She said, "Stealing glances at me like that will only get you in trouble." She teased, "Unless you want to end up in my stomach." She added, lightly licking the Pegasus on the head.
Connor shook his head and pulled out of Saffron's hug, "No thank you." He denied playfully before returning to his camera, "So, what brings you to Totsuki?" He asked.
Saffron shrugged, "I want to inherit my father's restaurant, and decided to come here to expand my horizon." She responded.
Connor smiled, "Well, I wish you good luck." He wished.
Saffron nodded, "You too." She replied.
It was then they heard the distinct sound of glass breaking and looked up to see a red haired boy with a scar over his left eyebrow and golden eyes choking what seemed to be like a very rich boy.
"You haven't even tasted our food! You don't get to judge the quality of it!" He shouts before dropping the kid to walk off in anger.
Connor scoffed and returned to his camera, "It's people like that is the reason I hated coming here." He said, "They take one look at you and immediately decide your worth." He scoffed.
Saffron nodded, "You're telling me, I lived in Canterlot." She replied just when the bell rung, "It's time to go!" She jolted out of her seat and ran towards the entrance exam… with Connor in tow.
"Hey hey hey, I can run on my own!" Connor tried to pry from the much stronger girl's grip, but to no avail.
Saffron soon made it to the entrance exam hall in time to get a front seat with Connor in tow.
"Man, girl, you have one hell of an arm." Connor complained, massaging his arm.
Saffron nodded, "Sorry, just got caught up in the heat of the moment." She apologized.
Connor chuckled, "Well, remind me not to get on your bad side." He jokes just as a huge cart rolled in with two girls, one long honey blonde with violet eyes and one with short pink hair with red eyes.
Connor scoffed, "Is it me or can anyone else smell the money off the both of them?" He asked.
Saffron nodded, "I can too." She agreed.
The honey-blonde looked at her assistant, "Hisako, please explain the entrance exam." She demanded in a haughty tone.
Hisako nods and takes out a piece of paper and begins reading it.
But halfway through, the honey-blonde interrupts her, "I don't have time for that." She declares before approaching the food cart and taking out an egg, "The main ingredient is an egg, I'll allow those creations that please my palate to enter." She challenges, scaring the entire room, "Furthermore, I will allow those who want to leave a minute to withdraw." She added.
And just like that… in a split second, Saffron, Connor, and the boy from outside were the only ones left.
But the honey-blonde, who the three contestants have learned was named Erina Nakiri, didn't seem to notice their presence and seemed to tease Hisako about something.
"Excuse us, but where's the kitchen?" Saffron spoke up.
"What?!" Erina questioned, highly surprised that someone was still there.
Seeing that she had their attention, Saffron continued, "You said the main ingredient has to be an egg." She repeated Erina's words, "Other than that, are there any other restrictions?" She asked.
Erina shook her head, "It can be whatever dish you please, as long as the egg is an essential ingredient." She confirmed, "But are you sure you want to take my challenge?" She asked.
It was Connor who spoke next, "Well Princess, we're still standing here, aren't we?" He asked smugly, "I don't think we'd be standing here if we didn't accept your challenge." He added.
Hisako was about to blow up, but Erina motioned for her to keep her wits, "Alright then, follow me." She ordered, walking into the kitchen with the three contestants following suite.
Once Saffron was in the kitchen, she marveled at the sight of it all, "Whoa! This place is huge! There so many utensils and knives here I've never seen in my life!" She marveled.
The red-haired kid joined in on her marveing, "I know right!" He agreed.
Connor chuckled, taking a picture before joining the two, "Seriously?" He asked.
Saffron and the kid nodded, "My mom and dad taught me how to cook at home and I rarely visited my dad's restaurant." She explained.
Connor nodded, "While it's nothing new to me, it's still impressive." He admitted.
Saffron was about to question him when Erina cleared her throat.
"You will be allowed 2 hours to prepare any dish of your choosing, but the egg must be an essential ingredient." She repeated, "Any questions?" She offered and Connor rose his hand, "Yes?" She asked.
"Well, I know you said no other restrictions, but would it matter if the dish is a pastry?" He asked.
Erina was taken aback by the question, but nodded, "That's fine as well." She confirmed.
Connor nodded, "There will be no further questioning." He assured.
Erina nods and raises her hand, "The time starts… now!" She initiated, and so began the cooking.
Saffron got busy by taking out tuna fish, carrots, eggs, bread flour, dry yeast, sugar, kosher salt, water, milk, and melted butter along with an assortment of teaspoons.
Saffron started by mixing the bread flour, yeast, sugar, and salt while she heated the milk, and once that was ready, she used her magic to add the milk and butter in the center while mixing it with a wooden spoon.
"Excuse me?" Erina questioned.
Saffron turned to her while still mixing the dough, "How can I help you?" She asked.
Erina pointed to Saffron's lavender glowing horn, "Are you using magic?" She asked curiously.
Saffron nodded, "The letter I got said that the use of magic is allowed." She explained, levitating said letter to the honey-blonde, "Is there any problem?" She asked.
Erina took the letter and read it over to herself before handing it back to the Unicorn. She shook her head, "Just wondering." She replied, returning to her sit.
Saffron nodded and returned her dough. She then started to knead it with her hands and then turned it lightly onto a floured cutting board and proceeded to knead it for a continuous 10 minutes.
She then brushed a bowl with olive oil and placed the dough inside with a tea towel overtop and placing it in the oven to rise.
While the dough is rising, Saffron gets to work on cutting the tuna, carrots, and cracking the eggs. She placed the eggs in a pan after glazing it with olive oil. She then proceeds to place the tuna and carrots inside another pan.
Now Saffron was making sure the tuna and carrots won't burn while also making scrambled eggs.
Once the eggs, tuna, and carrots was done, Saffron checked the dough to see that it has risen, and it had, so she took it out and placed it on the same flour slathered cutting board and began kneading it for two more minutes until it was elastic enough.
Once she was sure the dough was at the correct consistency, she tore many pieces apart and began to fill them with the tuna, eggs, and carrots. And then placing them one a pan with oil on it to fry.
She waited for 2 minutes for the eggrolls to cook and then placed them on a plate and served them to Erina.
"There you go, Tuna Egg Roll." She announced.
It was at this moment that Saffron also noted that the red-haired kid and Connor were gone, "Where are they?" She asked.
Hisako pointed to the entrance, "They already tested." She announced.
Saffron nodded and returned to Erina, "Now please, enjoy your meal." She said.
Erina nodded and picked up an eggroll and took a bite. Her face lit up like nothing Hisako has ever seen. She wore a huge toothy grin and the goofiest smiles one can ever see.
"The tuna, carrots, and dough provide a nice crunchy feeling that the scrambled eggs break apart with the smoothest textures!" Erina marveled, eating more of the eggroll, "The scrambled egg is dressed with light horseradish and allspice, and the cheese molds all the flavors together into one harmonious dish that just makes you want more!" She added.
Hisako raised an eyebrow, "Does it really taste that good?" She asked.
Saffron shrugged and motioned to the many more egg rolls on the plate, "You can try one if you want, I kind of made more than I anticipated." She admitted.
Hisako nodded and grabbed one and proceeded to bite into it. Her reaction was no less than Erina's, probably giving off a more goofy smile and expression, "This is egg roll perfection!" She marveled.
Saffron nodded, "So, do I pass or have I failed?" She asked.
Erina took Saffron's acceptance letter and wrote 'pass' on it, "You pass!" She declared.
Saffron nodded and took the paper, "So, what are you going to do with the access egg rolls?" She asked.
Erina shrugged, "You can do as you wish with them." She replied.
Saffron nodded, got a container out of her bag and packed it with egg rolls before placing it back in and walked outside.
Once outside of Totsuki, she saw a car with a dressed woman in front of it.
"Are you Saffron Masala?" She asked.
Saffron nodded, "How can I help you?" She asked.
The woman nodded, "You are to stay at a hotel before the entrance exam tomorrow." She instructed, opening the car door.
Saffron nodded and sat down in the passenger and was driven off to a nearby hotel. Once she got there, she got her room and went to sleep to get ready for her new high school.
Work Cited:
Dough Recipe