Four Weddings and a Fiasco 1 The Wedding Gift Lucy Kevin

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everything should go great.
It helped that she was starting to actually believe it. If she had been feeling inspired in the
morning, after eating lunch at The Glass Square, Julie s head was fairly bursting with ideas.
Yesterday on set with Andrew, she d seen what she could do if she only trusted her palate
enough. Today, she was determined that Rose s new customers would have a wedding menu the likes
of which the world had never seen before.
I ve got to get back to the studio, anyway, he told them. The producers loved the idea of
local chefs cooking alongside me so much that they now want me to do that as a regular thing.
He made no direct mention of Julie, but even so she tensed, waiting for Rose to pick up on
their connection. Maybe she should have mentioned her impromptu appearance on his show, but there
hadn t really been time to talk to Rose about it since then, had there?
Fortunately, Rose replied, That sounds like fun, in a distracted way. Sorry, I ve got to run.
There are so many things to get ready. She actually broke into a bit of a jog in her heels as she
headed back inside.
Julie turned to Andrew. Thank you for a really lovely lunch.
It was my pleasure, Andrew said, and her breath actually hitched when he stared into her
eyes. I m looking forward to seeing you again. Very soon.
This time Julie s breath simply stopped altogether. Finally, when Andrew had driven away
and she remembered how to breathe again, she turned for the kitchen and saw Rose talking something
over with RJ.
Whatever the gardener said had her boss laughing out loud for a moment. Rose quickly
recovered her composure, however, then hurried off to start making phone calls. The Rose Chalet s
proprietor never seemed to slow down.
Julie worked to follow her lead as she started writing out the menu and preparing the dishes
taking shape in her head. The details weren t quite all there yet, almost as if they were half-
remembered tastes of something, rather than the carefully laid out processes Julie normally stuck
with.
She knew it would be far safer to do something tried-and-true. Except that was what she d
tried with Andrew yesterday, and look at how that had turned out.
Besides, the thought of doing things that way today suddenly felt restrictive.
Instead, she tasted and smelled the dishes as she worked on them. Piece by piece, the menu
came together. A first course of squid, served with papaya segments. For the main course, traditional
meats presented sushi style, relatively rare and backed by delicately flavored rice wrapped in greens.
It was just a small change, but one that seemed to make a huge difference. As for the dessert, she
would flamb� pancakes at the table, dripping with a mixed berry and savory ice cream filling. It
would undoubtedly make a statement at a wedding.
It was a lot of work, all the usual slicing, blending and preparing, slow-cooking meat and
freezing desserts, plus the extra time needed to work out how it should all go together. So when Rose
put her head around the kitchen door to announce that their new clients, the soon-to-be O Neils, had
arrived, Julie was hurriedly putting the finishing touches to her handwritten menu.
Something smells good, Rose said. Will it all be ready on time?
Julie nodded. She would nail this presentation today even if it killed her. I ll have the three
courses out in a few minutes. As Andrew suggested yesterday, it s better if I get them all out together.
Okay, if you think you can do it seamlessly.
That, of course, was the big downside to suggesting that she present things all at once. She had
to plate up the first course even while the trio of sushi-style meats needed carving and the ice cream
had to come out of the freezer. Julie could have done with as many arms as the squid at the heart of
her first course.
Somehow, though, she did it. She headed into the dining room with the plates carefully
balanced, determined not to let the slightest slip ruin her perfect presentation.
This was going to be good. Better than good. This sample menu was going to be the one that
convinced Rose she needed Julie permanently. Julie was certain of it.
Until she caught sight of the couple waiting in the dining room. Both were a little older than
Julie had expected, and everything about them, from the cut of the future groom s suit to the neutral
shade of the bride-to-be s lipstick, combined to create an impression that was conservative, even
staid.
What had she done?
Sure, Julie had followed her heart, but looking at the O Neils sent butterflies somersaulting in
her stomach.
It was her childhood all over again, but with the added worry this time of losing a job she
really needed.
No, she counseled herself, she needed to be positive. She would remember what Andrew had
said: Promise me that for this afternoon you won t be cautious. You ve got good instincts, Julie.
For the first time in a very long time, she was going to be confident about her food, darn it.
Still, that was easier said than done when the groom, whom Rose introduced as Stephen, fixed
Julie with the expression of someone determined not to be impressed by anything, while the bride,
Rebecca, seemed to look at the food coming out with hawk-like suspicion.
This is Julie, our chef, Rose said. I m sure you ll just love what she has come up with. She
has assured me that it is going to be something special.
It had better be, Stephen said. For the money I m paying
Oh, hush now, Rebecca interrupted. We all know how much you re paying. You tell us
every few minutes. I just want everything to be perfect.
Then maybe I should show you what I have in mind? Julie said, putting the plates down on
the table. She took out her menu and handed it to the couple, who pored over it for a few seconds.
Their expressions soon told Julie everything she needed to know, and her heart hit her shoes with a
messy splat.
Does this say squid? Stephen asked.
We don t like squid, Rebecca chimed in. And what s this about the main course being done
sushi style? We don t want raw meat.
Actually, if I could explain why I
I don t see why you have to do all this fancy stuff at all, Stephen said, standing. This is a
wedding, not an excuse for you to try some crazy experiment. He turned to Rose. Really, Ms.
Martin, this was not what I expected from The Rose Chalet. If this is the best you can do, we will
have to think about going elsewhere.
I m sure if you only try it Julie began, but the man fixed her with a stare. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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