A/N- Alright, alright. You asked for it, now you have it. Part two in Cooking with Edward
After much urging from reviewers and such a great response to Edward's jaunt into cooking, I went ahead and wrote the actual competition. I hope it's up to par with all my other writings. I'm kind of trying to get the first few chapters of the sequel to "With Opened Eyes."
Again… I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just own this fabulous plot… in which Edward and Emmett compete for lead pastry chef in the House of Cullen.
"Emmett, put the cleaver down." I rolled my eyes. As if wielding a sharp object around Bella was a great idea.
"Don't we need this?" he asked.
"That's a meat cleaver. Cherry tarts have no meat in them." Bella giggled and then broke away from my embrace, much to my disappointment.
"Oh." Emmett's face was priceless. He placed the sharp blade back in the knife block and placed his hands on his hips. "So now what, Chef Edward?"
"Well, we have to make the crust first, so it says here," I pointed to the recipe, "Then we press the crusts into these little pie pans and pour cherry filling into them, then cover them up. Wait. It says something about sour mix." I furrowed my brow.
"Isn't sour mix something that you use to make margaritas?" Bella asked.
"Like we would know." Alice laughed. It was true. Margaritas were a recent invention, and as far as we were concerned, a trivial matter.
"Alright, where is everything? Don't we need like… flour or something?" Emmett asked snapping me out of my thoughts. Bella laughed out loud and took a seat across the island to watch with Esme, Alice and Carlisle.
I tried not to feel disgruntled. This was supposed to be a Bella and me activity. Not something everyone in the house would watch. I shook my head as I reached into cabinets for mixing bowls. I was being selfish. I spent all my time with Bella, and while my family endured my absence, sometimes they missed me. Esme especially.
When everything was laid out in front of us, I smiled broadly at my family sitting across the way. This would be good for all of us. A chance to laugh at our pitiful attempt at cooking. No, this would not end well. I could tell by the gleam in Emmett's eyes. But it would be entertaining.
"Seriously, you don't have to do this. Crust is really hard to make. When my mom was in a baking phase she tried and tried to get the crust right. It was always hard or doughy or it tasted wrong." Bella protested lightly.
I looked at her face. It was somewhere between an evil smirk and a shy grimace. It was almost too much for me. She was being so adorable. How had I survived those months without her? It was almost overwhelming to think about it.
"Oh who cares?" Emmett piped in, snapping me out of my enamored thoughts.
"I will when I have to taste these things and they don't taste right." Bella frowned at Emmett. Alice snickered.
"Alright, here are the rules," Bella looked directly at me, "No vampire speed or strength. This will be over in five minutes if you do. Keep to your own sides of the island. Both of you should have the same amount of ingredients."
"Aw… that's not how they do it on Iron Chef," Emmett whined.
"This is not Iron Chef." Bella rolled her eyes.
"She's right. It's a level playing field." Esme interjected, "Plus, I've never seen you boys work without your speed. This should be fun. And Edward, no reading Emmett's mind."
I scowled at Esme. She knew me well. I didn't necessarily think of reading Emmett's mind, but now that I didn't have the option…. Maybe if I read it before the competition started….
"Edward." Bella's tone was disapproving. She must have seen the look on my face.
"Alright, no reading Emmett's mind," I agreed, grudgingly.
"I can't believe you'd try to cheat that way," Emmett feigned offense, placing his hand on his chest, "And I believed you were a gentleman."
"Let's get on with it." I rolled my eyes at my brother's display.
"Alright, you have everything you need?" Bella asked. I looked at the recipe one more time and then at our supplies, separated on two sides of the island.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Alright. On your marks, get set… and… go!" Bella giggled, stunning me for a moment. That laugh always shot fire through me. Emmett was already kneading his crust. I frowned and set about putting together my own crust.
I had an advantage over Emmett. I had watched the Food network far more than he had. I tried to tap into all the knowledge that I had consumed. Crusts were different. There were cake crusts and bread crusts, but those came when you baked. Pie and tart crusts were a little more complicated. If I remembered correctly, they couldn't be handled much and if they were too wet or too dry they didn't bake right.
With all that in mind I began to work. The good thing about being a vampire was that I could follow the directions perfectly because of my heightened eyesight. That was something Bella couldn't stop me from using.
I looked up at her and smirked. She sent a disapproving glance my way. My smile faltered. Maybe she knew me better than I had once believed.
I wondered if her mind reading capabilities would be the gift she brought with her when Carlisle changed her. I rid myself of those thoughts just as quickly as they came. I was still set against her being changed. She didn't need to be changed. Not for a while anyways. I don't know why it had to be so soon, besides her petty human reasons. Age meant nothing to me.
I soon had my crust ready. It felt light in my hands, but I couldn't let that be judgment. I had super strength. Any punch that Bella could minister was more or less a whisper against my skin. Why would dough be any different?
"Edward, you're behind." Emmett chanted from across the island. He was standing over a batch of already made cherry tarts. I had to quit letting my thoughts get in the way of tasks at hand. It was a horrible problem I seemed to have, especially since I met Bella. I suppose I had much more to think about with her on the loose.
"This isn't a timed competition." I warned.
"Who said?" Bella asked.
"You didn't say it was timed when you made all those rules." I reminded her and began lining four small pie pans with the thin dough.
"Oh please. Iron Chef isn't Iron Chef without the timed races." Emmett huffed.
"And Bella has already said this isn't Iron Chef," I hastily jogged his memory.
"Edward! You're making it impossible to enjoy this." Bella scowled. I smirked at her. It was way too cute to hear her scolding me, "Now finish those tarts so you and Emmett can both put them into the oven."
"Yes, ma'am." I nodded and refocused my attention on the unfinished tarts. Before long I was ready. And my tarts looked prettier than Emmett's, with pressed edges and leftover dough in heart shapes on top of the tarts.
"Oh show off." Emmett murmured from his position, leaning against the counter. I grinned in satisfaction. We put the tarts in the oven and then looked back at the four spectators.
"Now what?" Emmett asked.
"You sit and wait." Bella laughed.
"That is my least favorite thing to do!" Emmett ripped his apron off and threw it on the counter in an overdramatic motion.
"Well, what happens on Iron Chef when they get done fixing one dish?" Esme asked patiently.
"They don't have time to wait." I reminded her.
"Oh. So they don't make desserts on the show?" Carlisle asked.
"I think they have before. But they're always top of the stove desserts. Or something you can make in a Dutch oven." Emmett shrugged.
There was more harmless bickering back and forth as we waited for the tarts to be done. Esme and Carlisle were trying to understand the concept of the show. Alice was trying to figure out where Bella got the idea for cherry tarts. Rosalie and Jasper drifted in as the timer went off and we pulled them out.
"Do we have any whipped cream?" Bella asked, eyeing the tarts that were coming out of the oven.
"Bella… you have to wait for them to cool." I warned, "And what is whipped cream?"
I hadn't expected her reaction to my question. She doubled over in silent laughter, much to mine and my family's confusion. Tears were streaming down her face before she could compose herself. I was distracted by the emotions that played on her face. She could have so many expressions. Every one of them fascinated me. Made me want to be closer to her.
Instinctively, I moved around the counter. She smiled softly at my approach and slid off the bar stool. More of her mind reading techniques I suppose. I felt an electric charge surge through me when she placed her hands on my waist.
For a split second, I felt the hunger that always ached inside of me when she was near. The gut wrenching pain of thirst that pushed me to just drink from her. To taste the paradise that ran through her veins. But my rational mind took over and I stomped down the urge, frustrated with myself, as usual.
I placed my hands on her shoulders and bent down to kiss her forehead and inhale the scent that threatened to drive me crazy.
Only when Carlisle cleared his throat did I realize that I had been in my own little world with Bella, not conscious of everyone around us.
"Sometimes I wonder if you guys aren't worse than Emmett and Rosalie with the displays of affection around here," Alice commented, with a grimace. Everyone's thoughts seemed to be centered around how it was either annoying or encouraging to see me so comfortable with Bella in front of them.
"Oh, you're just jealous," Bella laughed, then looked up at me, "And whipped cream, love, is a fluffy confection that goes well with dessert." She was holding back her laughter. I could tell.
"Alright," Emmett interrupted before I could think any more, "Bella, let's have a taste of these. Tell us who wins."
I sighed and let go, pushing her around the island. She picked up one tart from each pan and examined them.
"They both look very nice," Bella was patronizing us, "Nice presentation both of you. Now for the taste test." She was reaching for a knife from the block. Images of Bella slicing a finger or her forearm automatically played through my head. Wait… that was a vision from Alice's mind. Not good.
"I don't think so. Go over there and sit down. We'll cut them." I pulled her away from the tarts and sharp knives and led her to a stool.
Emmett cut a piece from both of the tarts and served them on twin dessert plates. This was completely ridiculous. They looked like severed body parts laying on the white surface.
Bella took the fork I offered her and tried Emmett's first. She kept her face impartial as she chewed. Then she turned to mine and sampled it. Again her expression was detached.
"Come on! Just tell us." Emmett bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. I'm surprised the motion didn't shake the house.
"Well, Emmett's was very nice. The crust was good and the topping and sour mix blended well together into the crust. And Edwards crust was light and flaky and just right for tarts. The hearts on top were a nice touch."
"So…" Alice raised an eyebrow at Bella.
"I can't choose. They're both good." Bella shrugged and looked a little distressed.
"That's not fair!" Emmett pouted, "You have to choose."
"No way. If I choose Edward's then you'll think it's because I'm biased. But if I choose yours then Edward will think it's because I don't want to hurt your feelings. So I call a stalemate." Bella shrugged.
"Stalemate? Stalemate? That is not fair. And I called you my favorite human!" Emmett rumbled.
"What would you think if I did this?" Bella asked and quicker than I realized she could move, she had taken the plate that held Emmett's cherry tart and flung it towards his face, coating him in crust and cherry topping. Time stood still for a moment as everyone stared at Emmett and Bella.
"I would think that you're going to get it." And then at human speed, Emmett was chasing Bella around the island, my cherry tart plate in hand. She screamed and tried to hide behind me.
"Hey, don't get me into this." I tried to move out of Emmett's way. Too late. He'd smashed the plate into my hair, "Oh, Emmett, tell me you didn't do that." I growled.
"Oh you better believe I did it." Emmett nodded. And suddenly a food fight ensued. All of us were grabbing for the uncut cherry tarts and flinging them around the kitchen. Throwing bits and pieces from the countertops and the floors. Reusing every piece of ammunition that was available. And laughing the entire time. Laughing so hard I'm sure if we could produce tears, we would have.
What a sight we were when we all stopped hurling things at each other. All of us were covered with cherries and little flakes of the tart shells. And the kitchen—my beautiful white, spotless kitchen—was splattered with pinkish red goop and tan crust.
"Bella, you could have told us food was fun. I mean, seriously, we hunt and that's fun sometimes, but this is just—genius." Jasper smiled, wiping a cherry from his shirt front.
"I'm not cleaning this up." Esme interjected, from her stool.
"I'll clean it up," I sighed, "It's my kitchen after all."
"Indeed it is. Speaking of cleaning up. I think I'm going to clean up." Carlisle nodded.
"I'm going to have to clean up," Rosalie whined, "Look at what you did to my white pants!" she pushed Emmett into the closest wall.
"I'm sorry! It's was Bella's fault!" Emmett tried to defend himself.
"If you had just walked away, we would not be covered in cherries! Come on. You ruined that shirt." Rosalie muttered. Apparently, the apron had not helped Emmett much, since it was in a pile on the counter. Everyone else followed Emmett and Rosalie thanking me for the amusement in their minds.
"This was entertaining." Bella sidled up to me, always careful of how she approached.
"I didn't expect it to be that entertaining," I smiled and pulled her closer.
"You look hilarious," she snickered, reaching up to pluck a piece of crust out of my hair.
"You look pretty scrumptious." I teased. Surprise registered in her eyes and I realized what I had said, "Not like that." I chuckled. I noticed a cherry resting in her hair and moved to pick it out.
"They really were good," she sighed, looking forlornly at the wayward cherry on the tip of my finger.
"Have a taste. It's not contaminated." I chuckled holding my finger towards her face. It was the wrong thing to suggest. The moment her lips touched my finger I was thrown into a tale spin. Electricity flew through me in a way I didn't know was possible. The gentleman in me pushed Bella away and rounded the counter in record time, even for me.
"Too much?" Bella asked, timidly smiling at me from the other side of the island.
"You are always too much," I nodded, breathing raggedly.
"Sorry." She shrugged.
"You're not to blame. I was the one that wasn't thinking." I snorted, beginning to clean dried cherry topping from the refrigerator.
She came around and wrapped her arms around my waist. I immediately shoved away all traces of monster in me and sighed. This was heaven.
"I think that you're very sweet for doing this. Thank you. Even if it was my morbid sense of humor that started this whole thing." She laughed against me. It was the best feeling in the world. I never wanted to lose it.
"I'm glad," I smiled, "Because now, you get to help me clean. And I have a feeling that cherries don't come off the ceiling without a fight." I pointed up, where a big splatter of red and tan hung onto the textured plaster.
A/N- TADA! Enough? Comments, questions and fun remarks are always welcome.