Title: Getting ready to be the hostess
Author: Ree
Theme: Setsuna (bitter)
Genre: General
Version: Anime or Manga
Rating: G

Setsuna and her friends all belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked them very nicely if they wanted to play. They agreed, and quietly snuck out without Takeuchi-sensei's knowledge.

A/N: Yes, it really is a recipe for fudge. It is the one my family always makes.

Setsuna put down the dusting cloth. The apartment was completely clean. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out the recipe card box. Muttering to herself, she started flipping through them. "Chocolate chip cookies, Peanut butter cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, Sugar cookies, Chocolate cake, White cake, Red velvet cake, Yellow cake, Coconut Fudge. Ah! Here it is, Chocolate fudge." She pulled the recipe card out of the collection that Mako-chan had given her last week.

Setting the card down on the counter, she started pulling out the ingredients, measuring cups and spoons, large pot, and a long broiling pan. Once they were all set out, she read over the directions once again. A quick glance at the amount made, she decided to double the recipe. She knew how much chocolate the others could eat.

"Okay, let's start. The recipe calls for three cups of sugar, so I need six." She carefully measured six cups of sugar into the pot sitting on the stove.

"Next, two thirds cup of cocoa." She put one and a third cup of chocolate cocoa into the pot. It puffed up into her face as she poured it in. Licking it off her lips, she discovered that it tasted bitter. "It will definitely need all that sugar." Mako-chan had warned her that this recipe made a fudge that was super sweet, but it was a bittersweet. Picking up the milk jug she added two cups. Looking back at the card, she tried to figure out how much a dash of salt was. Picking up the shaker, she sprinkled just a little bit into the pot. Turning the pot onto medium , she grabbed the long handled wooden spoon, and began stirring the mixture until it was all dissolved.

Setting the spoon across the pot, she let it boil. "Now I have to wait until it boils to a soft-ball stage. Mako-chan's side note says to check it at about nine minutes, and if it is not ready re-check it in about two more minutes. Since I doubled the recipe, I guess I'll double the time."

While she waited, she started making sandwiches, and putting them neatly onto a tray. After nine minutes, she checked, but the fudge was far from done. She made a vegetable plate. 'Ami will at least eat some.' She set the bag of chips next to the bowl so it was ready to pour in once everyone arrived.

Re-checking on the fudge, she was glad she had chosen a really large pot. The chocolate was threatening to boil over. Dipping the spoon back in, she got a little of it out and dropped it into a cup of cold water. The little drop formed a ball in the water. "Okay, it has finally reached soft-ball stage." She pulled the pot off the hot eye. "What's next?"

Another look at the recipe said to add one teaspoon of vanilla and a fourth cup of butter. She added double the amount of each to the pot and stirred. "Now Mako-chan's helpful hints say to let the mixture cool for about five minutes, and since it cooked double the time I'll let it cool for ten minutes."

She puttered around putting the final touches on the apartment. 'I am not going to have Mako-chan come in here and absentmindedly start cleaning up.'

When the timer went off, she went back to making the fudge. "It's time to stir until the chocolate looses its glossy appearance. And Mako-chan says be prepared to stir alot." Sitting down at the table, she got started. Finally, when both of her arms were tired, it was ready. She quickly poured it into the greased broiling pan, and set it aside to cool. Glancing at the clock, she rushed to her room to change out of her cleaning clothes. 'Everything is ready, and they are supposed to be here in about twenty minutes. Which means Haruka and Michiru will be here shortly, and Rei will be on their heels. Usagi will be here in about thirty minutes.' Having everyone over for lunch was going to be fun.