|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 6:31:58 GMT -5
*Lizzie's head hurt. This whole Alex thing was making her batty. And the last thing she wanted after a long day of work cooking was to go home and cook some more. She sighed heavily and stood outside The Grasshopper and the Scorpion, looking up at its sign.*
That's a funny name for a place.
*She opened her purse and frowned. Well, maybe she could get something small. She stepped inside and looked around. Nice, cozy. She smiled, but just a little. Letting her eyes adjust to the light, she stood by the door for a while. She didn't know if this was one of those fancy restaurants where the man comes and gets you.*
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 6:38:54 GMT -5
*Jeremy finished wiping down the counter and putting the dishes away in time to see Lizzie enter. He grinned and whirled his dish towel around, tucking it into his apron.*
"Howdy, ma'am... mademoiselle." Never going to get the hang of that.
"Sit wherever you'd like. Though being just you and all I'd suggest something near the kitchen. Better service."
*He adds a wink as he grabs a chilled glass of water and a few pieces of bread for her to snack on.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 6:45:03 GMT -5
*Lizzie laughed lightly and shook her head as she stepped further into the space and towards the kitchen.*
"Nah, please. I ain't ever thought of myself as no 'mademoiselle'."
*She sat near the kitchen as she was suggested to.*
"Just plain Lizzie does me just fine."
*She glanced around, noticing the lack of others. Her brow furrowed a bit.*
"Umm...Mister, before you get to makin' anything too fancy, I...I don't got that much on me."
*She pulled her purse up without grace and started to empty its contents on the table. She wanted to make sure he knew what she could afford.*
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 6:48:24 GMT -5
*Jeremy grinned as he set the bread on the table.*
"Well just plain Lizzie, if we're being honest with each other I've got to tell you that if I wanted to make money I wouldn't have opened a place where I cook what I like without worrying about the popular food of the area."
*He motioned to her purse.*
"Please... don't worry about paying. What can I get you?"
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 6:53:31 GMT -5
*Lizzie's laugh bubbled out of her. He was a might bit funny. But in a good way. A way that made her relax. She lowered her eyes as she scooped the money back into her purse. Blushing slightly, she glanced around for a menu or board above the kitchen window.*
"Well, I...uh...hmm..."
*She looked back to him a bit sheepishly.*
"What'cha got?"
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 7:00:24 GMT -5
*The girl had a good laugh that brought a smile to his face.*
"Don't worry about the menu... that's just what I have stuff started for. I can whip up lots of stuff. Let's see... chicken, pork, a few different cuts of beef, lamb, duck, veal, couple different fishes. Some various pastas too if you're not looking for anything meaty."
*As he spoke he moved just into the kitchen to look over his ingredients. It may have been rude to leave your customer but he didn't seem to worry. This was his place and it was more about a personal experience than having a typical high end dinner.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 7:06:20 GMT -5
*She crinkled her nose at the pasta suggestion.*
"Aw nah, Mister. I like meat."
*Lizzie wasn't sure what to say. She bit her lip and scrunched her nose in indecision. She knew what she wanted, but could he make it? Did he even have the ingredients. She figured on something that might be easier.*
"Fried chicken? Would that be al'ight?"
*She smiled hopefully.*
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 7:16:24 GMT -5
*Jeremy brightened. At least it wasn't beef bourguignon. He bopped into the kitchen grabbing a heavy pan down from the rack. Giving it a quick spin he set it on the stove and added a very large amount of oil and butter.*
"That would be perfect. And what would you like with it? Can't have fried chicken without mashed potatoes, I could whip up some and throw in some sharp cheddar and garlic..."
*As he spoke he mixed some spices in with the flour adding a bit of corn starch to turn the batter into a glue.*
"My fried chicken is guaranteed to be pretty much the juiciest you've ever had."
*With that he picks up a rather wicked looking syringe and fills it with a spicy melted butter mixture. He grins as he begins injecting various breast, legs and thighs with the mix.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 7:20:11 GMT -5
*Lizzie giggled. She couldn't help it. He put her at a strange sort of ease.*
"I don't know about that, Mister. I've been told that mine's right fine..."
*Her brow furrowed as he pulled out the needle.*
"What in the devil is that?"
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 7:32:09 GMT -5
*He gives her a conspiratory look.*
"That, is a secret weapon in regards to making juicy chicken. Clarified butter and several spices. Looks wicked but it tastes divine. So what about those sides?"
*Jeremy continues prepping the chicken as he waits on the oil to heat. He dredges each piece in beat eggs and then into the flour mix. As he finishes with each one he sets them on a plate to let the batter 'set.' Rinsing the glue like mixture from his finger tips he looked out to Lizzie.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 7:39:20 GMT -5
*Lizzie could quite wrap her head around it, but it did sound interesting.*
"Uh...sure. Taters are just fine. And...umm...really, anything's good."
*She looked around the place a bit closer. There wasn't another customer, but there wasn't any other help either. That was a bit odd.*
"So...it's just you then, Mister? I mean, you handle the whole place yerself?"
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 7:52:35 GMT -5
*Dropping each piece into the oil, Jeremy smiled at the sizzles and pops.*
"Sure is. My best friend drops by every now and then to help with desserts but I like it this way. Quiet, no one getting in my way. And the biggest perk is nobody looks at me weird when I make fried chicken and mashed taters in the middle of Paris."
*Grinning he grabs a big pot and starts the potatoes.*
"What about you? Judging from the bit of flour on your skirt and the fact that you smell goo... like you've been on my side of the counter all day I'm guessing you are in the business?"
*A tiny bit of color rises in his cheeks at his slip.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 7:56:26 GMT -5
*Lizzie found a blush of her own and bit her lip.*
"Uh, yeah. Over at this place called Dahlia's."
*She wasn't sure she wanted to go into more detail about it. Instead she tried shifting the subject of conversation.*
"You ain't local either. Where 'ya from? 'Ya been here long?"
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy on Aug 29, 2007 8:07:05 GMT -5
Dahlia's... I know that name... isn't that the... oh.
*While the potatoes were boiling and the chicken happily frying Jeremy started mixing up a batter in a large bowl. As soon as he drops in the corn meal it's obvious that he's making cornbread.*
"Texas... little place on the Brazos. You?"
*He adds some of the bacon from this morning into the batter. Nothing healthy about comfort food.*
|
|
|
Post by Lizzie on Aug 29, 2007 8:11:25 GMT -5
*Lizzie's eyes lit up.*
"Texas? Just imagine! I mean, me too. Just a bit further west though. Ain't that something?"
*Her gaze wandered over him appreciatively, as though she had just found something that she hadn't realized she'd been looking for. She suddenly wanted to know everything about him. Anything that might remind her of home.*
"Why'd 'ya come all the way to Paris?"
*The question was eager, but she suddenly regretted it, in case he might ask her the reciprocate.*
|
|