The Baker and His Ingredients- A Short Story

There once was a chef entrusted with cooking for the council’s head table.  The chef was honored at once by this treasured position.  He was well known for his past feats with roasts, vegetables and pies.  As he took on his new position he ensured he had all of the necessary ingredients in their just spaces.  The onions were separate from the tomatoes.  The flour, which had been hard to come by due to the past years droughts, was carefully sealed to prevent the weevils from devouring it.  The knives clean, sharpened were positioned at ready next to the cutting board across from the set of mixing bowls.  The area around the oven was clear to prevent any mishaps.

It came time for the first meal to be cooked.  The Chef leaned into his strengths and began brine a fine slab of meat for a roast.  He looked over the available amenities and selected asparagus as a side and identified some nice creamer potatoes for adding to the roast as it cooked.  He noted that he had a considerable amount of blueberries so figured he could make a blueberry pie as a dessert. 

With the Brine’s duration complete he began the fire for the roast.  As he moved about he incidentally caught the sleeve of his new chef coat on a small protruding nail.  As he put his attention to freeing himself without tearing his new coat he incidentally backed too close to the fire.  It began smoldering and he flung it from himself onto the floor attempting to stamp the light out.  He saw the flour container in close proximity and decided that instead of searing his shoes as well he would dampen the flames by dumping some of the flour on the blaze.  This did indeed work and he wiped off the char marks on his shoe and admitted the loss of his new jacket, although he hoped it could be salvaged to some extent.  He resettled himself and continued his efforts for the meal.  Soon his kitchen helpers would be coming in and he wanted to have a good start before their arrival.

Eventually the staff did arrive and the Chef provided orders for everyone.  One of the staff members the Chef particularly enjoyed being around.  They were close to being amorous and the Chef would sometimes be giddy when she was helping out.  This day she brought him a flower chain assembled in the shape of a heart.  He beamed and felt his spirit lift as if free from gravity.  When she went to the garden to gather some garnishes he went to her station and sprinkled some flour and drew a heart in the middle of it.  

Word came by way of the messenger that it was hoped that the desert could be a pie as there were a few guests who were coming from an area that didn’t have the resources for that type of desert.  The Chef beamed.  He gleefully admitted that he already did have just that in mind and it was planned to be a blueberry pie.  The messenger went off appearing to be in a similar state of satisfaction as the Chef.  When he arrived back at his station one of his assistants informed the Chef that the local governess had requested some flour for a paper mache project.  The Chef being in a dually fueled bliss replied that of course she could take what she needed and he returned to his station.

With the main dish dealt with and the sides coming along nicely it was time to begin the pie.  The Chef moved about gathering his ingredients.  You don’t need much for a pie.  When he got to his flour container his heart dropped a few inches.  There were only a few tablespoons of flour left in the container.  It would be impossible to create a pie.  In fact the only thing he could make would be a small crust island amid a sea of blueberries in a pie tin.  He began to notice his frustration in the heat of his neck.  His menu was disheveled now, his message to the messenger stood incorrect.  He began declaring that the lack of flour was ridiculous.  He verbally berated his staff on the topic that the kitchen should be stocked with resources.  One of the less meek staff reminded him that it was stocked after dinner yesterday and that reserves were low.  She then asked what he had used it for.  After reflection, the Chef realized his mistake of not saving the flour for its identified purpose but in the other ways in which it disappeared from his stock.  He regretted his mismanagement of his resources immediately.

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