The Chef Test
It was lunchtime at Royal Prep. The students were all eating in the cafeteria when Merryweather flew in.
"Students, I have an announcement." She called. "On Friday, we are going to have a school chef contest. You will have to put together three courses, an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. You will be paired into groups of two, and the group with the best meal wins a special culinary trophy. The judges will be myself, Flora, and Fauna. Start planning."
"Shall we be partners, Hildegarde?" Amber offered.
"Of course." Hildegarde smiled.
"Cleo, would you like to be my partner?" Vivian asked.
"Sure, why not?" Cleo smiled.
June and Lena also partnered up, leaving Sofia and Madeline to pair up.
"This is going to be fun!" Sofia smiled.
"What kind of food should we make?" Madeline asked.
"I don't know." Sofia admitted. "We should check out a cook book from the library. Maybe then, we could get some ideas."
"Good idea." Madeline smiled.
The two girls travelled to the library, where the eccentric librarian, was stacking books.
"Hello, Mrs. Higgins." Sofia smiled.
"Hellodilly-odilly, dears." Mrs. Higgin nodded. "Anything I can help you with today?"
"Could you please tell us where you keep the books on baking?" Madeline asked.
"Right over there." Mrs. Higgins pointed to a bookcase on the far side of the room.
"Thanks, Mrs. Higgins." Sofia grinned.
The girls looked at the lines of books.
"This looks like a good one." Madeline noted. "Food Made Easy."
"Then let's borrow it." Sofia agreed.
After checking the book out, the sisters left the library, reading through the books recipes.
"This is going to be great!" Sofia declared.
"I know!" Madeline agreed.
"Are you two talking about the cooking contest this Friday?" James asked.
"Yes, why?" Sofia asked.
"Me and Jin are working together too." James smiled.
"Good to know." Madeline nodded, as the Royal Carriage landed at the castle.
"Let's go." Sofia announced as she Madeline disembarked first and ran inside the castle.
"Dad, mom?" Madeline called.
"Girls, is there something wrong?" Miranda asked.
"No, Mom." Sofia shook her head.
"It's just that we have a chef contest at school on Friday." Madeline declared. "We already have the dessert thought out." Madeline declared.
"Is it jingly-wiggly pudding?" Roland asked.
"How did you know, dad?" Sofia asked.
"Just a lucky guess." Roland smiled.
"Dad, mom, can me and Sofia use the kitchen by ourselves please?" Madeline asked.
"Now girls, you know the castle rules." Roland shook his head.
"Your father is right, girls." Miranda agreed. "You can't be allowed in the kitchen unless you have a grown-up to help you, remember?"
"But mom, we want to make it by ourselves." Sofia declared.
"Girls, what is really going on?" Roland asked.
"Well, whoever makes the best meal will win a special trophy." Sofia revealed.
Madeline showed their parents "Food Made Easy".
"With this book, it'll be... well, easy!" She declared.
"I still don't think you should work unsupervised." Miranda sighed.
"What about chef Pierre?" Roland asked. "He can keep an eye on them while they work."
"I suppose that could work." Miranda mused. "As long as he's not too put out by it."
"I'll ask him in a little while." Roland declared. "Now, get ready girls. It's almost time for dinner."
After dinner, the girls walked up to their bedroom. They read their cookbook until it was time for bed, joined by their animal friends.
"A whole book about food?" Clover smiled. "Now that's something' I can really sink my teeth into!"
"You'd better not." Robin declared. "That is a library book, after all."
Miranda knocked on the bedroom door.
"Lights out, girls." She instructed.
"Right, mom." The girls chorused.
Sofia paused momentarily to place the book on a nearby table, then joined Madeline in going to sleep.
The next day, Sofia and Madeline were pleased to hear that Pierre had agreed to supervise them. The second they entered the kitchen, Pierre gave them chef hats and aprons to wear.
"Proper attire, s'il vous plait!" He declared.
"So, what should we do for the starter?" Sofia thought.
Madeline looked through the cookbook.
"How about this?" She offered. "Finger sandwiches. They look pretty easy to make."
"Okay, then." Sofia noddd. "Chef Pierre, can we get the ingredients from your pantry?"
"But of course." Pierre nodded. "Not too much though, zat food is for everyone!"
Sofia and Madeline went to work, Pierre giving them a hand cutting the bread. Though the end result was a little uneven in terms of shape, the finger sandwiches looked great. After tasting the finger sandwiches (and finding them delicious), Sofia and Madeline moved on to the main course.
"Hey, how about this?" Sofia asked, looking at the book. "Chicken salad."
"It seems simple enough." Madeline noted.
After another trip to the food stores to gain the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes, they set to work.
"First, you must toss ze salad." Pierre instructed.
Picking up a pair of salad tongs, Sofia tug into the vegetables, then flung them into the air, where they scattered across the kitchen floor.
"Oops." Sofia cringed.
"A tad more gentle, princess." Pierre used the tongs to lightly toss the salad. "Like zis, see?"
Sofia followed Pierre's example.
"Good." Pierre smiled. "Now, we add ze pieces of chicken."
Delicately, Pierre placed chicken pieces across the salad.
"Now, we toss again." Pierre added.
Madeline tossed the salad that time.
"And finally, ze dressing." Pierre added. "A sprinkle of honey mustard sauce. Strong, but not too overwhelming for ze palate."
Taking a bottle each, Sofia and Madeline lightly drizzled the liquid over the salad. Pierre then had a taste.
"Tres magnifique, ladies." Pierre smiled. "Remember, a chef loves his food, it's taste, it's aroma, everything. If you love your food, it will always turn out perfect! Now, we move on to dessert."
"Oh, we already know what to make for dessert." Madeline smiled. "Jiggly-wiggly pudding."
"It's our favorite." Sofia added. "We always love having it. You really make it good, chef Pierre."
"Merci, Princesses." Pierre smirked. "Please, allow me ze pleasure of showing you how to make it."
Another load of ingredients were brought; Jelly, chocolate, cream, etc.
"Now, ze secret to exquisite jiggly-wiggly pudding is to mix it just so." Pierre instructed. "It must be done, first in a clockwise motion, then in counterclockwise, perfectly even. It makes for superb consistency. Now, you try."
Sofia and Madeline stirred, a little haphazardly.
"It's kind of tricky." Madeline admitted.
"Think of it like dancing." Pierre suggested. "Imagine your spoons are waltzing to a beautiful song."
"I think I'm doing it!" Sofia smiled.
Pierre had a spoonful.
"A little thick." He admitted. "But still, not bad!"
Madeline was mad that Sofia was able to catch on faster then she did. After Pierre had left to set the dining table, she rounded on her sister.
"Sofia, you are a big show off!" She growled.
"I'm not a show off, Madeline." Sofia protested. "Besides, Pierre liked both of ours, remember?"
"Yeah, I saw that smile Pierre had when he tasted yours. "Madeline scoffed.
"If that's your attitude, maybe I should do this by myself!" Sofia yelled.
"We'll see about that." Madeline growled. "I'll have Dad get another cook to help me. Good bye!"
As Madeline left the kitchen, she bumped into Baileywick.
"Princess Madeline, could you and Sofia go wash up for dinner, please?" Baileywick asked.
"Sure, Baileywick." Madeline nodded. "But can I eat in my bedroom please?"
"As you wish." Baileywick nodded.
"Don't know why I ever wanted to stay here." She mumbled. "I should have just gone back with my friends."
She grumpily walked past Amber and James.
"James, where's Sofia?" Amber asked. "Those two are never apart."
"Maybe they had a fight." James shrugged.
Madeline washed her hands alone. As Sofia entered the dining room, Miranda notice Madeline was missing.
"Sofia, where's Maddie?" She asked.
Sofia didn't reply.
"Queen Miranda I am taking princess Madeline's dinner up to her room, as per her request." Baileywick declared.
"Very well, Baileywick. "Roland nodded.
Baileywick left the dinner hall with Madeline's food on a tray.
"Sofia, what is wrong with you and your sister?" Roland asked. "You're never apart."
"I don't have a sister anymore." Sofia snarled as she ate her dinner.
Meanwhile, in the girls bedroom, Madeline had moved her stuff to the second bed.
"Here is your dinner, Madeline." Baileywick declared.
"Thanks, Baileywick." Madeline smiled, as Baileywick set the tray down on the girls table. "That'll be all."
"As you wish." Baileywick bowed, then departed the room.
"Oh, I wish I had my friends here with me." Madeline groaned.
She finished her dinner, then went to make her bed up.
Later that night, when the Girls were in bed, and still not talking to each other, Miranda came to tuck them in for the night. She saw them in their separate beds.
"Okay girls, what is all of this about?" Miranda asked.
"Ask miss show off." Madeline huffed.
"Maddie that isn't very nice." Miranda admonished her. "Sofia, what is going on here?"
"Nothing, mom." Sofia insisted.
"Girls, I've never seen you act like this before." Miranda declared. "Now, what is going on?"
"She's just angry that my jiggly-wiggly pudding was better then hers." Sofia said.
"Was not!" Madeline sneered.
"Girls, girls!" Miranda exclaimed. "You shouldn't fight over something like that. You two were entering the contest together, right?"
"Yeah." Sofia nodded. "We were."
"Then it shouldn't have mattered whose jiggly-wiggly pudding was better." Miranda declared. "As a team, you'd have both succeeded. Do you understand?"
"You're right, mom." Madeline sighed. "I'm sorry, Sofia I totally overreacted."
"I'm sorry too." Sofia declared. "I went a little overboard myself. Forgive me?"
"Sure." Madeline smiled.
The two girls got out of bed and hugged each other.
"That's my girls." Miranda smiled.
Miranda proceeded to tuck them both in. Reconciled, the girls' thoughts turned to the upcoming contest, and how they take part in it together.
The next morning, they quickly got dress and left the room with their backpacks and their book, and went down for breakfast. Roland had once again asked Pierre if he could watch the girls when they starting cooking.
"Of course I will keep a eye on them, your majesty." Pierre nodded. "Tell the girls to come when they are ready."
"Are you sure, chef Pierre?" Miranda asked.
"Oui." Pierre nodded. "Just have ze girls stop by ze the kitchen after school."
"Thank you, chef Pierre." Roland smiled.
After Pierre left, the girls raced down the stairs.
"Morning, mom and dad." Sofia and Madeline chorused as they went down the stairs.
"Girls, chef Pierre has agree to watch you two in the kitchen again." Miranda declared.
"Just remember girls." Roland declared. "It's not important whether you win or lose, as long as you have fun."
"Dad we know that." Sofia smiled.
At school, Amber and Hildegarde were boasting about their self-declared impending win.
"Freedenberg has some of the best food in the world." Hildegarde bragged. "Between that, and Amber's impeccable taste, we're sure to win, no problem."
"So true." Amber smirked. "They might as well give the trophy now."
"Don't be so sure, sis." James leapt in. "Me and Xandar might just surprise you."
"Don't count out me and Vivian!" Lena smiled.
"Boy, everyone's really getting into this contest." Sofia noticed.
"A lot of stiff competition, for sure." Madeline agreed. "But all we need to do is our best."
"Right." Sofia nodded. "Like dad said, it doesn't matter who wins, as long as we have fun."
"You got that right." Madeline agreed. "I hope Amber and James remember that."
I know, right?" Sofia smiled. "But anyways, this should be fun."
"You mean royal fun? " Madeline asked.
"No, it'll be fun." Sofia declared.
"Royal fun, Sofia?" Madeline smirked.
"No, Madeline." Sofia shook her head. "Fun."
"Royal fun." Madeline insisted.
"Fun." Sofia shot back.
"Royal fun." Madeline retorted.
"For the last time Madeline, it'll be fun." Sofia said stubbornly.
"Are you listening to me?" Madeline asked "It's royal fun."
"What's the difference?" Sofia asked.
"I... don't know." Madeline admitted. "But we are princesses, after all, so royal pretty much goes without saying!"
"If you say so." Sofia shrugged.
"And I do." Madeline grinned.
After school, Sofia and Madeline returned to the royal kitchen, where Pierre once again tutored them in the culinary arts. The last time they were in there, the girls were doing a trial run; This time, they were making the food they would be bringing to the contest the next morning. Their second attempts went much smoother then the first: The finger sandwiches were perfectly straight, the chicken salad had the right amount of dressing, and the jiggly-wiggly pudding had flawless consistency.
"Magnifique, ladies!" Pierre declared.
"Looks good, alright." Sofia smiled. "But will it be good enough?"
"We'll just have to wait until tomorrow." Madeline mused.
The Cafeteria at Royal Prep could not have been anymore busy then it already was. There wasn't even a little space on the tables, due to them being so full with the student's dishes. Flora, Fauna and Merryweather were going around the cafeteria judging the plates, arriving first at James and Zander's station.
"For the appetizer we have prepared celery sticks with peanut butter." James announced.
The headmistresses sampled the sticks, trading impressed expressions.
"A classic starter, love the spread on top." Merryweather declared. "Seven points."
"The main course is ham and pepper sandwiches." Zandar said.
The headmistresses took a Sandwich each. A few seconds later, their faces were turning as red as Flora's dress.
"Oh my goodness." Fauna gasped. "My mouth is on fire! Two points!".
"The dessert is ice cream sundaes." Zandar declared.
As soon as he finished, the fairies guzzled the sundaes like nobody's business.
"That was refreshing." Flora sighed. "Nine points, which leaves you with eighteen out of thirty. Next, Amber and Hildegarde."
"For starters, we have caviar with toast points." Amber announced.
The fairies each took a toast point and dipped it into the caviar, bringing it to their mouths.
"A most refined delicacy." Merryweather noted. "Nine points."
"For the main course? Goose liver pate." Hildegarde join in.
The three judges each took a bite.
"Excellent." Fauna smiled. "Nine points."
"And finally, black forest gateau." Amber boasted.
The headmistresses each took a slice.
"Scrumptious." Flora grinned. "Another nine points, which puts you at twenty-seven out of thirty."
"It looks like Amber and Hildegarde are the ones to beat, children." Merryweather declared.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Hildegarde bragged.
"Next up, Maya and Vivian." Fauna announced.
"Our starter is ceviche." Vivian declared.
The judges tasted.
"Spicy, but not too spicy." Flora critiqued. "And on the whole, quite palatable. Nine points."
"Next, we have hummus." Maya declared.
The fairies tasted some.
"Very smooth, and tangy." Merryweather declared. "Eight points."
"And for dessert, we have gelatoes." Vivian finished.
The fairies licked at the frozen cones.
"A tasty treat, indeed." Fauna smiled. "Nine points, which puts you at twenty-six points."
Maya and Vivian smiled at each other.
"And finally, we have Sofia and Madeline." Flora announced.
"Our starter is finger sandwiches." Sofia declared.
The headmistresses each took a sandwich.
"Mmm, very good." Merryweather smiled. "Nine points."
"Our main course is chicken salad." Madeline declared.
The three fairies each tried a forkful.
"The honey mustard sauce is just divine." Fauna smiled. "Nine points."
"And our dessert is jiggly-wiggly pudding." Sofia added.
The assembled students gasped. This final taste would decide everything. The fairies each had a spoonful.
"My word." Flora gasped. "This is... the best jiggly-wiggly pudding I've ever had had! Ten points!"
"Which means Sofia and Madeline win the trophy!" Merryweather beamed.
"We did it, Madeline!" Sofia cheered.
"We sure did, sis!" Madeline agreed.
As their fellow students cheered, the two sisters were presented with their trophy.
"Congratulations, you two." Amber said humbly. "Who knew we had a couple of aspiring chefs in the family?"
"Thanks, Amber." Sofia and Madeline said together.
"Maybe next time, we should just make plain ham sandwiches." James said to Zandar.
"Sofia, I have an idea." Madeline declared
"What is it, Madeline?" Sofia asked.
"Sofia, why don't you, me and mom make dinner for the family while Pierre has the night off?" Madeline asked. "Give Pierre a night away from the Kitchen?"
"Good idea, Madeline." Sofia smiled.
After the girls returned to the castle and showed their parents their new trophy, Sofia said "Mom, dad, we have an idea.""
"What is it, girls?" Roland asked.
"Me and Madeline were talking, and we were wondering if mom and us could make the family dinner tonight, and let Pierre have the night off." Sofia said. "You know, as a 'thank you' for all his help."
"Girls, I think that is a wonderful idea." Miranda
"I'll talk to Pierre about him having the night off." Roland smiled.
Pierre was pleasantly surprised to be given the night off.
"Merci, your majesty!" He declared. "And merci to your wonderful daughters!"
"You're quite welcome, Pierre." Roland chuckled.
That night, Sofia, Madeline and Miranda made an old favorite from their village days; potato stew. James looked excited to try it. Amber was a tad apprehensive.
"Come on, Amber." Sofia urged. "Try it. It's really good!"
Hesitantly, Amber took a bite.
"Hey, this is good!" She realized. "Really good!"
"You see, Amber?" Madeline asked. "Food doesn't have to be fancy to taste good."
"Got that right." James agreed. "I wouldn't mind having it again sometime."
"Hear, hear." Roland smiled. "Our compliments to the chefs!"