"Grand Mommy, I want to try cooking this Chicken Together. It"s such a funny name.""Yep, dear, it"s a funny t.i.tle indeed but I think this is for weddings or for engagement ceremonies."
Both of them were sitting together at the dining table. Part of the table was full of those papers from the hidden chamber. In front of Beauty were her laptop and a printer/scanner beside it. Each one of them was looking at every paper and arranged the t.i.tles alphabetically. Beauty then scanned and print them to a new set of papers so she had both soft and new hard copy.
"I"ll buy a clear folder tomorrow and place all of these aged old notes in it to preserve them well," Grand Mommy decided.
"I agree. Buy two of them so I can place these new ones in a clear folder as well. Easier to read and easier to keep."
"Hmmm, I agree, just make sure to give me a copy, too. I"ll buy three."
"Ok, Grand Mommy. Oh, by the way, I"ll go with you for... I need some ingredients for Chicken Entangled recipe."
"What? Chicken entangled? Haha, that"s funny and better." Then they continued with their work until noon time.
. . . . . .
Next day, both of them were wearing ap.r.o.ns busy in the kitchen. Beauty was manipulating the dressed chicken slowly while making sure everything would look fine after boiling. This dish was so tricky. The two birds must be entwined together with a thick thread, making sure they would not get separated while boiling. At the same time, they should remain in an upright manner together inside the boiling pot so it should be placed in another small pot to hold them in position.
"OK, we"re done here for now. I"ll prepare the vegetables and platter to make them look entangled lovers in a lily pod."
"Dear, why a need to make this dish look that way? Just place them on a platter of lettuce leaves. That will be enough." Grand Mommy interjected with an enquiring face that was saying "why to trouble yourself more?"
"Grand Mommy, I don"t want a simple presentation for this recipe. As you said, this dish is for weddings or engagements or simply for lovers. I want to portray the lover"s affections on a platter producing a complete food painting as a centerpiece on the couple"s table."
"OK, I"m not good with that. Just do as you wish. So what I"m going to do?"
"Just make sure to adjust to medium fire when it starts boiling. It should boil for at least an hour so that the taste will sip deep into the meat while it will become tender, and… to make the sauce thick enough to cover the entangled lovers when we placed them on top of the platter."
"Haha, entangled lovers, they"re just dead chickens. Your mind is full of imagination," the elder protested.
"If I"m not good even on that part then I won"t be your granddaughter," jokingly said Beauty.
"Ooohh, you"re b.u.t.tering me up. Haha, I"ll buy you a cup ice cream later." Grand Mommy laughed heartily while speaking.
They laughed together enjoying the bonding.
. . . . . .
At dinner time.
"Hmm, smells good, looks luscious and sumptuous but how are we going to eat this? These chickens are hugging each other. It"s bad to tear them apart." Grand Daddy"s face was feigning concern but was really giggling inside with the choice of words he used.
The three of them were laughing by the way the old man portrayed the dish. The two birds were like standing together with the b.r.e.a.s.t.s facing each other in a shallow bowl that would be enough to keep them vertical together. The skin was glistening orange in color while the sauce was dripping to the bowl under it making the two birds looked like bathing in a pool of orange sauce.
Three layers of big lettuce arranged like standing petals of a flower surrounding the shallow bowl where the two birds were placed. Heart shape tomatoes and carrots were arranged surrounding the lettuce. Small lettuce leaves were formed like small water lilies. There were six of them, three on each side of the chicken.
The platter was blue in color so the whole thing depicted water lilies in a pond where two birds sat on the biggest blooming water lily.
"Here, let me serve you both since you two are the lovers now and I don"t want to tear you apart." She was laughing as she sliced a portion from the breast of the left bird in a sloping manner that would look like half of a heart and gave it to her grandma. She also did the same to the other bird and gave it to her grandpa.
"How"s the taste?" asked Beauty with a face of antic.i.p.ation.
"Hmmm, I"m busy. I need more so I can savor its flavor. Give me more." Grand Daddy ordered her shamefully.
"You, shameless. Just answer Beauty properly," said grandma.
"Ha ha ha, it"s OK, Grand Mommy. Just let him enjoy this moment of bliss. I"ll taste it after I give more slices to the both of you." She gave them two more slices each.
Beauty sliced a bite and ate it directly. "Hmm, delicious as expected. The sauce is so thick and clinging to my taste buds. Not too sweet and not too salty. Perfect." She had to wipe her lips with her tongue to cleanse it from the sticking sauce.
"Lots of talks, just eat and eat. Food is for eating and not for talking." The old man scolded Beauty.
"Also, don"t forget you"re still in a strict diet for you to lose more weight. Lionel will be disheartened if he learns that you will eat too much chicken meat tonight." Grand Daddy joked as if telling Beauty "don"t eat a lot, but I"ll eat them all".
"Grand Daddy, you"re so unfair, just for tonight let me enjoy my Great Great Grand Mommy"s recipe."
Laughter was heard after the youngster spoke.
The two chickens were mostly eaten by grandpa and Beauty. Grand Mommy only ate a little.
The dish was so satisfying making them proud of the person who made the recipe.