Cooking with Matt

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa is discussing where she and Matt can take over the kitchen and the rats are moving out of the way. Her plan is fairly simple, everything they'll have will be baked in the end as that gives more time for cleaning afterwards.

Everything isn't prepped but a lot of things are as that means more time for the good parts of cooking. When she's sure that everything's set then she goes to the door to see if she can spot him.

Comments

[semicharmed]

"That we could," he concurs, with a grin.

And goes for the cheddar.

(In the spirit of full disclosure, he may eat some of it before it makes it into any pie.)

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa won't mind if he does after all it's good New Zealand cheddar.

Soon from the stove delicious smells of various meats cooking waft towards Matt and Tiwa's quiet as she manages them.

[semicharmed]

Matt inhales pleasantly, eyes closing.

"That smells really good."

[piwakawaka]

"Thanks, I've got all the recipes down so you can have them,"

Though they're family recipes so might take some deciphering.

[semicharmed]

"I'm not sure I could do this on my own."

[piwakawaka]

"I'm sure you can find someone to help you, just promise them they get to eat as well,"

He's Matt and people gather around him.

[semicharmed]

He grins.

"Getting to eat my cooking: temptation or deterrent?"

A few years ago, he'd have found the idea of people gathering around him ludicrous and kind of sad (in the sense that it clearly wasn't happening). But now ...

Yeah.

Touche.

[piwakawaka]

"If you cook like I show you how to cook, it'll be temptation, promise. Once you've finished the cheese. I need you to get the pans ready. They're over there,"

The pans are pretty simple, just some ramekins on top of a cookie sheet.

[semicharmed]

"I'm almost done," he says, nodding.

"What does getting the pans ready entail?"

[piwakawaka]

"Do you see the pastry? Take that and cut round pieces to go in each one of the pans. We'll use the leftover for the tops."

[semicharmed]

Cheese down, pastry to go!

The first thing Matt learns about pastry dough is that cutting round pieces is more difficult than one might imagine.

The second thing he learns is that lifting and transporting those demi-round pieces is way more difficult than one might imagine.

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa giggles unhelpfully and after covering the various meats, comes over to show him some tricks,

"It doesn't have to be too neat as it's going to bake anyway."

[semicharmed]

"But it droops," Matt protests.

[piwakawaka]

"It will puff when it bakes, I promise and you'll tuck that in with the top part and then we won't lose any pie filling."

[semicharmed]

Matt does his best to spread the pastry dough around in a more-or-less-even array.

"As long as I really haven't destroyed these pies."

[piwakawaka]

"No, you haven't and they don't have to be terribly neat,"

Pies for home eating don't need the same elegance as ones that get sold.

[semicharmed]

"Oh aces," Matt says cheerfully.

"Because they definitely aren't."

Still, with a little poking and prodding and pushing, they nearly look presentable.

[piwakawaka]

"Good as I'm bringing over the fillings. We'll have four of each kind."

[semicharmed]

Matt steps back chivalrously ... or at least decisively ... to allow Tiwa access to the crusts.

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa grins at him and puts a pan into his hands,

"Spoon equal amounts of that into each one and then put the cheese over them, be generous."

[semicharmed]

Matt looks momentarily panicked, but then it registers that those are very easy directions.

"Equal amounts," he notes, "generosity. Got it."

[piwakawaka]

She laughs at the moment of panic and starts on putting the other fillings in the pies.

Soon they're all full and she starts rolling out the leftover pastry for the tops, "They're looking good."

[semicharmed]

Matt has a bit more of a spring in his step at the pronouncement.

"How much did you cook the meat, by the way? Or, I guess the recipe'll say that."

[piwakawaka]

"Chicken most of the way as that helps it soak up all the curry flavors, beef browned and mainly cooked, it's mince so cooks fast. Lamb not quite as much since you want it to still be a little tender,"

As she looks over the pies, she points out as the meat's fairly obvious to see though the chicken's a bit hidden by curry.

[semicharmed]

"But now we're going to bake it, so it'll cook more."

This is sllllightly a question.