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THE QUEEN'S NEW MEAL Andry Chang

THE QUEEN’S NEW MEAL Andry Chang

Once upon a time, the Kingdom of Halethia was ruled by Queen Ulrisse the Wise. She was getting old, so naturally, she sometimes got sick.  Some of the ailments even kept her in bed for weeks.

The royal physician did his best to improve her condition. Finally, he said, “The main cause of Her Majesty’s ailments is obesity. The cause of her getting fat is none other than the delicious, grand yet glutinous royal meal she eats every day, thrice a day.”

Obeying the physician at last, when Queen Ulrisse recovered from her latest sickness, she decreed, “Hear ye, all ministers and officials! Send word to the whole continent, a cooking contest is about to take place here in the royal palace, to make a new royal meal! The food served must be delicious and also healthy! And the winner will be appointed as the new royal chef of Halethia!”

This announcement made Antonio, the current royal chef worried. He thought, “Alas, my job, my reputation is in danger! I must win this cooking contest no matter what!”

The Queen’s grand contest attracted many foremost and famous cooks throughout the continent. On contest day, hundreds of them came from far and wide and gathered in the royal orchard. They all seem busy, cooking and preparing unique, delightful meals according to their specialties.

Hansel and Gretel made a house of chocolate, candies and cream. Snow White concocted a magic apple that can satiate hunger by just smelling it. Also Sinbad the sailor was busy cooking an omelet out from an enormous roc bird’s egg on a giant fry pan.

Then, it’s time for tasting and judging. Queen Ulrisse inspected the food, assisted by the royal physician and Melvin, the queen’s trusted advisor. One-by-one, the queen tasted the delicious meal, the physician asked or determined the ingredients used, and the advisor wrote the results on the score sheet.

When Ulrisse tasted the Ginger Bread Man’s ginger bread, she commented, “Hmm, this bread is delicious and seems healthy. Alas, ginger is not my liking.” The Ginger Bread Man bended down sadly. Well, at least he can walk home proudly, knowing that many more people will like and enjoy ginger bread for years to come.

Jack, a peasant from Lore planted a magic bean which said to grow to a plant that yields tasty, nutritious and satiating multi-colored beans. However, a giant beanstalk sprouted from the ground and grew all the way through the clouds. It impressed the queen, yet Melvin crossed Jack’s name from the list of contestants.

Alfredo, the Halethian Royal Chef served a meal of vegetables braised with basil and minced beef. Its taste and aroma put a vigorous smile on Ulrisse’s chubby face. Even the physician and Melvin were convinced that Alfredo’s cooking was the best so far.

After tasting almost all food in the contest, Queen Ulrisse began to feel sick of overeating. Already losing her appetite, she arrived at a table covered with a simple tablecloth. On top of it, there’s a meal of salad served with slices of apple, melon, watermelon and cabbage on a basket-like plate.  The top of the meal was covered with some kind of yellow cream sauce. The whole serving was in red, white, yellow and green, so colorful like a rainbow. Standing on the table side is a young girl who bowed shyly.

With a deep sigh, Queen Ulrisse took a spoonful and tasted the meal. An unusual, refreshing feeling rushed into her like a cool breeze, curling a smile on her lips.

The queen asked the girl, “Tell me young lady, what’s your name?”

“Scarlett’s my name, Your Majesty,” the girl answered.

“What do you call this meal of yours?”

Scarlett said nervously, “I… I haven’t had a name for it yet. You see, it’s only salad with fresh fruits and vegetables.”

“What’s the name of the sauce then? It’s a bit sour but matches perfectly with the mix.”

“It’s called mayonnaise, Your Majesty.”

Ulrisse nodded. “I see it’s quite simple, and uncooked. What made you choose this meal for your presentation today?”

To this, Scarlett said, “I heard you got sick because of unhealthy food. Well, we all know that vegetables and fruits are the most nutritious, nourishing food of all. So, I invented a way to serve this meal without cooking it, so it stays fresh with all its nutrients intact. I sincerely hope that this meal can help Your Majesty to be happy, healthy and enjoy a long, fruitful life.”

Hearing that, the queen held Scarlett by her hand and turned at once towards the audience and contestants. She then decreed, “Hear ye, I herewith announce that Scarlett is the winner of this contest. Her simple yet healthy meal proves that she truly cares about my well-being. From now on, I shall appoint her not as my royal cook, but as my daughter, the Princess of Halethia! The queen hath spoken!”

Melvin and the royal physician nodded, absolutely agreed with this decision. Even the current royal cook, Alfredo sighed in relief of not losing his job. All he needed to do from now on was to prepare this newly appointed meal every day. But, what was the name for the new meal then?

Raising the fruit-salad basket from the table, Queen Ulrisse announced, “From now on, I shall name this meal Queen’s Salad, because it’s truly the queen of all meals. Want some?”