(Wow, the RNG gods REALLY do not like my dragons for whatever reason. Maybe changing up the species will help?)
The clan was still recovering from their losses the day before- it would have been bad enough suffering the loss of food, but the fact that the judges hadn't even gotten to taste the food was leaving Mora and Crow more than slightly bitter. But they were still determined to make the best of it, and so they had sent Carbry along, despite his protests that he didn't normally do well around even small groups of dragons, let alone an entire competition full of them. The autistic Pearldancer was left to grumble about the state of affairs the entire way to the competition grounds, despite Meliadoul's reassurances that today was a more sweet-based round and that rumors abounded that the judge sitting in was a bit more lenient with his judgement than the last two had apparently been. He didn't like that he was more or less being forced into the role of food preparation, but he would just have to fight down his anxiety over being surrounded by other, more skilled dragons and hope that his dish would impress. He'd been meaning to get out more and explore, anyway- what better way to do it than being around dragons who wouldn't mind if he went on long-winded speeches about the art of food preparation?
He stepped up to the table, surveying all of the required ingredients that were placed before him- honeycomb fragments, nymphs, and honeybees. Part of Carbry panicked as he glanced them over- there was nothing even remotely resembling chocolate or sweets here, something that was normally his specialty! But perhaps...perhaps he could make something out of this yet. Honeycomb was still a delectable treat if utilized correctly, and it had some of the same flavors and textures as chocolate did, if one stretched their imagination. He could make a variation on a recipe of his to see if it was enough to wow the judges, and submit it for the criticism that was sure to follow. Sweet Gladekeeper, please let the judge be at least SOMEWHAT merciful. And let me not fall victim to any freak accidents! Snatching up the honeycomb first, the Pearlcatcher was quick to slice it into even sections with a precision that clearly told of someone who knew their way around a kitchen. Leaving the honeycomb behind, he next whisked a small bar of chocolate off of a nearby supply shelf, along with butter and some form of syrup that had been resting in a bottle. Looking over the cubes of honey that he had cut out with a critical eye, Carbry nodded silently, satisfied with the beginning part of the work. At least he hadn't actually had to make the honeycomb himself- gods above, his work would have been cut out for him and then some!
Instead he grabbed the chocolate and a rolling pin, using the blunt object to carefully mash the bar up into small pieces. He was quick to do the same with the nymphs and honeybees, trying to fight down the instinctive gag reflex that formed in his throat at the sight of the papery little bodies turning into minuscule fragments under his guidance. Setting the mixture of nymph and honeybees aside in a separate bowl, Carbry scooped the chocolate into a small bowl that was nearby, carefully adding chunks of butter into it along with the syrup. The Pearldancer male was then quick to build a small fire on top of the stove, holding the mixture above it so that it might be able to melt more easily. Several moments passed before he deemed the mixture of chocolate, butter, and syrup smooth enough to remove, carefully placing the pan down on one of the many heatproof tiles spread about the kitchen. Sweet Gladekeeper, he did NOT want a repeat of whatever had happened with Crow, even though he could be reassured that he didn't look quite as fiery as the warrior Snapper did.
He took the honeycomb up then, dropping it into the mixture and stirring so that each cube he'd cut out was evenly coated. Using a scoop, he gently extracted the honeycomb once he was done- now came the tricky part. While the mixture was not quite set, he carefully added the blended nymphs and honeybees to the top of the cubes, creating a kind of coating that Carbry hoped would bring the desired affect to the dish. With any luck, if he managed to pull it off, it would fulfill the requirements of being sweet but having a slight crunch to it at the same time. Now the only thing left to do was freeze it- and thankfully, there were more than enough devices with Ice magic upon them within the kitchen to safely do so. Lining a small plate with foil to ensure that the honeycomb would not stick, the Pearlcatcher carefully set each small cube upon the tray, sliding them into the fridge in order to cool. He was left to sit and anxiously wind his claws together while he waited, a stim that bordered on being a nervous tic that helped keep his mind occupied and off of more troubling matters.
Once the cubes were sufficiently chilled for the mixture on the top to harden, Carbry withdrew them, scooping the dish up within his claws as he carefully made his way around the kitchen- he wasn't going to very well leave it on the counter and risk yet another freak accident happening, not when he was so close to showing off a well-prepared dish! Once the cubes were cooled just enough to be edible, he placed the dish in front of the Tundra judge with a dip of his head, his tone slightly louder than it should have been as he spoke up. "Honeycomb crunches with a topping of blended nymphs and honeybees," he spoke, the look in his eyes practically pleading with the judge to hurry up and eat the food before bad luck saw it fit to strike.
The clan was still recovering from their losses the day before- it would have been bad enough suffering the loss of food, but the fact that the judges hadn't even gotten to taste the food was leaving Mora and Crow more than slightly bitter. But they were still determined to make the best of it, and so they had sent Carbry along, despite his protests that he didn't normally do well around even small groups of dragons, let alone an entire competition full of them. The autistic Pearldancer was left to grumble about the state of affairs the entire way to the competition grounds, despite Meliadoul's reassurances that today was a more sweet-based round and that rumors abounded that the judge sitting in was a bit more lenient with his judgement than the last two had apparently been. He didn't like that he was more or less being forced into the role of food preparation, but he would just have to fight down his anxiety over being surrounded by other, more skilled dragons and hope that his dish would impress. He'd been meaning to get out more and explore, anyway- what better way to do it than being around dragons who wouldn't mind if he went on long-winded speeches about the art of food preparation?
He stepped up to the table, surveying all of the required ingredients that were placed before him- honeycomb fragments, nymphs, and honeybees. Part of Carbry panicked as he glanced them over- there was nothing even remotely resembling chocolate or sweets here, something that was normally his specialty! But perhaps...perhaps he could make something out of this yet. Honeycomb was still a delectable treat if utilized correctly, and it had some of the same flavors and textures as chocolate did, if one stretched their imagination. He could make a variation on a recipe of his to see if it was enough to wow the judges, and submit it for the criticism that was sure to follow. Sweet Gladekeeper, please let the judge be at least SOMEWHAT merciful. And let me not fall victim to any freak accidents! Snatching up the honeycomb first, the Pearlcatcher was quick to slice it into even sections with a precision that clearly told of someone who knew their way around a kitchen. Leaving the honeycomb behind, he next whisked a small bar of chocolate off of a nearby supply shelf, along with butter and some form of syrup that had been resting in a bottle. Looking over the cubes of honey that he had cut out with a critical eye, Carbry nodded silently, satisfied with the beginning part of the work. At least he hadn't actually had to make the honeycomb himself- gods above, his work would have been cut out for him and then some!
Instead he grabbed the chocolate and a rolling pin, using the blunt object to carefully mash the bar up into small pieces. He was quick to do the same with the nymphs and honeybees, trying to fight down the instinctive gag reflex that formed in his throat at the sight of the papery little bodies turning into minuscule fragments under his guidance. Setting the mixture of nymph and honeybees aside in a separate bowl, Carbry scooped the chocolate into a small bowl that was nearby, carefully adding chunks of butter into it along with the syrup. The Pearldancer male was then quick to build a small fire on top of the stove, holding the mixture above it so that it might be able to melt more easily. Several moments passed before he deemed the mixture of chocolate, butter, and syrup smooth enough to remove, carefully placing the pan down on one of the many heatproof tiles spread about the kitchen. Sweet Gladekeeper, he did NOT want a repeat of whatever had happened with Crow, even though he could be reassured that he didn't look quite as fiery as the warrior Snapper did.
He took the honeycomb up then, dropping it into the mixture and stirring so that each cube he'd cut out was evenly coated. Using a scoop, he gently extracted the honeycomb once he was done- now came the tricky part. While the mixture was not quite set, he carefully added the blended nymphs and honeybees to the top of the cubes, creating a kind of coating that Carbry hoped would bring the desired affect to the dish. With any luck, if he managed to pull it off, it would fulfill the requirements of being sweet but having a slight crunch to it at the same time. Now the only thing left to do was freeze it- and thankfully, there were more than enough devices with Ice magic upon them within the kitchen to safely do so. Lining a small plate with foil to ensure that the honeycomb would not stick, the Pearlcatcher carefully set each small cube upon the tray, sliding them into the fridge in order to cool. He was left to sit and anxiously wind his claws together while he waited, a stim that bordered on being a nervous tic that helped keep his mind occupied and off of more troubling matters.
Once the cubes were sufficiently chilled for the mixture on the top to harden, Carbry withdrew them, scooping the dish up within his claws as he carefully made his way around the kitchen- he wasn't going to very well leave it on the counter and risk yet another freak accident happening, not when he was so close to showing off a well-prepared dish! Once the cubes were cooled just enough to be edible, he placed the dish in front of the Tundra judge with a dip of his head, his tone slightly louder than it should have been as he spoke up. "Honeycomb crunches with a topping of blended nymphs and honeybees," he spoke, the look in his eyes practically pleading with the judge to hurry up and eat the food before bad luck saw it fit to strike.