Seemingly in love with his new abilities, Finlay spent the next 3 hours running an jumping all over the park. He's been shattering records on the track, none of them would make any kind book... he was tool assisted of course. It all still felt damn good, wind rushing by like he was the fucking spirit of speed. "WOOOO-HOOOO-OH! ohhh... oh... shit." Skipping breakfast had finally caught up, pangs of hunger rolling like a kettle drum. "Okay... Spec... that's enough... we're going home-" GRUMBLE! "-We're going to Strays." Grumble. "For a piping hot beef and cheese patty... coco-bread... soup should be ready too~" Grumble! Gruuuumble. "Okay that's enough of teasing my own stomach."
The trip back was certainly longer than he thought... did he really take this many turns? He never really paid much attention to it before. But the smell of the smoker outback of The Stray... called to him... he'd get some chicken too. The second he reached the door, waiting customers be damned, he made the call to the kitchen.
"Next open ticket, 1 Bowl of B'n'P stew, B'n'C Patty, 2 coco-bread, Jerk Chicken, double heat jerk dip with a side of fries. Seat's at the loner booth." Nodding to Dean and Melissa, before slinking away to said booth. it was a construction mistake that made this seat. A small, but comfy and almost hidden booth. The only people that could see him when he sat was the bar counter, since he was right next to it.
"Hey Ma. Hope you don't mind I came in."
"No Worries sweetie ...more like sweaty, what have you been doing... you're not trying boxing again are you?"
"Noooo, I learned my lesson after the Second knock out..."
"First punch, of your second spar you mean... Worst scare you've ever gave me... well second worst."
"He sucker punched me before the signal, that doesn't count and what do you mean second?"
"Remember the biker chick?"
"Ah. Say no more." That was a whole fiasco... never saw Ma throw a barstool before, and getting that mirror replaced. He had the odd ability to meet and date the worst drunks, probably thanks to his own weak liver... made for funny stories most of the time, absolute horror stories at others.
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Finlay wafted the smell to his face... soon he and his stomach shall be in an over-stuffed nirvana. he could see the heat of the coco-bead, fresh baked every day... First things first. Patty in the bread and take a massive bite, and watch the cheese stretch away... God he loved American cheeses, couldn't get that stretch with Jamaican cheese, the soft buttery bread helped cut away at the seasonings in the beef. There's a reason it's a best seller, neck and neck with the Jerk chicken... speaking of which..
No 2 restaurants make the exact same kind of Jerk, It was scary in a way... like a law of nature. The Strays took that into consideration and put a little spin on it to play into the fact. Deviating from the usual marinade most locations used, they used an emulsion of sea salt, brown sugar, honey, a very small amount of white wine, and a good mix of spices. (LHT: I'm not giving all my secrets away here, okay?) The next morning it's removed from the marinade and dab-dried before applying a wet-rub of a similar mix before smoking over apple wood, to finish it off on the grill while brushed with yet a 3rd layer of flavor, a spiced rum and honey sauce. Sweet-heat Jerk Chicken.
The Beef and Pumpkin stew was yet another deviation from the Jamaican "Tradition", favoring a French based Mirepoix while keeping the Jamaican sense of flavors. It took another good 45 minutes of low-slow simmering to really let it blend... but the meat was fall apart tender. He was in a spiral, going between the dishes all while spec watched, perched on the salt shaker.
* : "Is it really that good?"
Finlay: "...Is what that good?" Dipping a corner of the second coco-bread into the stew before biting into it.
* "Food, Finlay... I have no sense of taste, but your face says you enjoy this greatly."
"Well... yeah, I guess... this isn't usually like you, you're more of the Speak when spoken to type of... Well A.I., I assume."
* "I am designated as an A.I. that is correct, I learnt over time as well. You're usually lackadaisical, casual attitude led me to believe you wouldn't mind me opening Dialogue."
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"I don't mind, I more so curious as to why you care... Ya jealous?"
* "...I do not know... ALERT, Message from ICR. You'll be expected to bring some ingredients of your own choosing tomorrow... Your Exam time is from 8Am to 7Pm"
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The next day, 10 AM, ICR Kitchen 5.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Finlay cooked in silence, watched over by the Spider-woman on the ceiling... He didn't know when she had come in, she could have been there when he first stepped in the kitchen and nearly jumped for joy at the pile of Alien ingredients. He kept an eye on her through the reflection of anything nearby. The counters, the pots that were currently heating his soup stock, the knives he used. She had a similar uniform to him... so definitely a Chef by her own right. Proctor maybe? then again... he hadn't seen Ziq'drie today... that's a morbid thought to bury, along with his fear. Leave it alone and she'll leave you alone.... please leave me alone.
He had brought in spices and fruits not sure what he was expected to cook. Only to find a bounty laid out before him. He only knew 1of the things before him, that damned Grandurr... and before it all sat a note with a single word. Cook. So cook he did, The first on his list was the sole meat on the table... some mutant chicken with 4 wings, it wasn't too different. save for the sheer size of the fucking thing. Whatever it was it had to be a good 70 lbs, when it was alive and clucking... or breathing lighting, JESUS it was big. He broke it down to workable pieces, wings for an oven BBQ with white rice. Legs to sear then bake after being seasoned. The breast meat was cubed to try frying in various ways, same with the thighs, everything else he used to make a soup. 1 veggie soup and 1 Cluckenbeast broth. He used Normal flour for the dumplings. After tasting the rest of the vegetables from other worlds, while they certainly looked different, he could only draw on what he knew to compare them to. His choices were careful, not wanting to make something go off because of weird textures, but most of them went into the soups. One a glorious yellow-orange... the other... was it the black carrot like things or the green potatoes? He had a blue veggie soup simmering away now...
There was an odd purple flour... he elected to use that and the strawberries he brought for a dessert. it was like Ube flour but it worked just as well as normal flour. The taste of the raw flour was... well it certainly left itself well into desserts, not over powering but it had depth on it's own. A swiss roll, with strawberries chopped into the whipped cream and decorated the sliced product.... it was still missing something. something sharp to cut through the sweet... something... citrus... fucking hell. Grabbing the Grandurr and the soldering Iron from the print station he set about making a sauce to pair... Citrus syrup? or just grab some powdered sugar and make a drizzle? His eye caught movement and he watched a reflection of the spider woman, dangling from a string to investigate his dessert... "Don't you fucking dare" ... she's reaching for it...
"Touch that before it's done, and I'll put you on a plate."
Startling the spider-woman alien enough to make her drop from the ceiling to the floor. It was all false bravado, no way he was coming within a country mile of touching her. He had enough trouble dealing with common house spiders... but he also didn't mean to make her hurt herself... between the guilt and the fear... guilt won out eventually and he brought the Grandurr juice over to quickly finish and plate the dessert. He was proud of the final look.
Laying a slice of the purple swiss roll flat and off center of the plate, bordering the sides of the cake with strawberry slices. Very lightly drizzle with some Grandurr glaze, then a dollop of regular Whipped cream in the middle of the spiral. There was still negative space to decorate... small pools of Grandurr glaze, it was on the fly but he blended the last of his strawberries and strained them over some crushed mint leaves. Thickened with powdered sugar and filled the spaces between the Grander glaze with larger pools of sweet red berry juice.
"...Sorry for getting harsh with you. You may try this now."
"...Is this an official entry?"
"mmm.... maybe? I still have alot of projects on the burners, but I think this'll be good enough for any menu."
"Finlay Roberts... you pass."
"eh- Already? but I still have-"
"The pass conditions of this test were to simply make a dish using both local and Foreign ingredients... Which you've done several times over... I was getting quite hungry just watching."
"Speaking of, What's up with that? A little hello or something to announce yourself would have done wonders for my nerves."
"... I've noticed that a number of humans find my appearance... scary. They usually perform better when they don't notice me at all."
"...understandable. Enjoy the cake."
Ziq'drie: "Not so fast! ... could you make another plate?" The mantis-woman called from the doorway. "Or several?" From smell or by watching over camera, it would seem he had attracted a crowd. "... The other Examinees are taking a break or still making decisions on what to make so... may as well try the first entry of the day..."
"... Alright. Single file! pick up your own plates and bowls, we're going buffet style, take what you want, if it's done.... the Veggie soup should be good to go to and the Wings should be another 5 minutes away. Rice is in the cooker."
Finlay spent the rest of the day making plates for Proctors of all shapes and sizes, the occasional Examinee... seeing what the competition was up to. Making a dish meant you passed... Earth was a bit too abundant in capable cooks apparently according to marble 4 armed Alien... he's going to have to ask for names at some point. The Major news was that They would officially evaluate the cooking after recreating them, Everyone still had to Participate in Exam 4, and they would announce accepted Cooks 2 days after...
"...Well Fffffffuck me, I'm not going to get any sleep."