If I have Nothing (Absinthe Series 5)

Kabanata 19

Sa receiving room ay nandoon si Tita Aleah at Alexei. Nang makita ako ni Tita ay agad itong tumayo para salubungin ako. Nakita kong naupo si Rhett sa tabi ng kapatid at kinuha ang remote.

"Good morning po, Tita!"

She held my wrist. "Come on, I am excited. I prepared the ingredients na."

I giggled softly. "Ako din po. Are we going to cook the Stroganoff?" I asked while we're walking towards their kitchen leaving her sons in the receiving room.

"At marami pa!" She laughed and pulled me towards the center isle of the dirty kitchen. Nandoon na nga ang mga kadalasang ginagamit na putahe.

She started telling me what to do if I cooked a Beef Stroganoff. Kailangang marunong akong pumili ng parte ng karneng gagamitin para sa putahe. Then we proceeded on the other garments for the dish such as the mushroom and onion.

"Iwan muna kita dito. I have to attend to something. Make sure not to move the beef around too much." Tita Aleah winked at me before sauntering away from the kitchen. Hinarap ko ang aking niluluto. I actually watched videos on how to cook it so I was a bit knowledgeable.

Sinunod ko ang mushroom na hiniwa ko kanina sa pan kung saan nanlalambot na ang malalaking sibuyas na hiniwa kanina. After a few minutes that the mushroom had soften and turned brown, I turned off the induction and transferred it to another plate.

Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng paglalagay ng oil sa ribeye steak nang pumasok sa kitchen si Rhett. Kumunot ang noo niya nang makitang ako lamang ang nandoon. Tumigil siya sa tapat ng center isle, kaharap akong naghahanda sa karne.

"Where's mom?" he asked eyeing what I am doing. I sprinkled both salt and pepper to the meat.

"Lumabas. She said she had to do something." I turned my back on him and put the pan back on the induction. I chose a high heat and when the pan is heated, I added the meat in one layer.

I felt movements in the kitchen. Next thing I knew, Rhett was already beside me putting another casserole pot at the other induction. My brows furrowed like a thread pulled it together. Nakita kong naglagay siya ng tubig, mantika at asin doon.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I am going to cook pasta. It's a good pair with the Stroganoff."

Well, don't I know that? I was actually about to pair it with rice since Tita Aleah did not tell me about pairing the dish with a pasta.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa karne at nakitang medyo naluto iyong side na iyon. I turned it over gently, careful not to toppled it over. Naramdaman kong mas lumapit pa sa akin si Rhett. Napatingin ako sa kaniya.

His eyes softened to me a bit. May nagbabadyang multo ng ngiti sa labi pero agad ding nawala nang mahuli niya akong nakatingin.

"You enrolled already?" he asked silently.

"Hmm," sinamahan ko iyon ng tango. I followed what Tita Aleah said not to move the meat around too much. Umalis sa tabi ko si Rhett at pagbalik ay may kasama ng bote ng white wine.

He poured a right amount over the meat. Sumimangot ako sa kaniya. "Hey, I was the one cooking."

He smirked. "I really prefer if the meat has wine, flower." He put back the cap of the bottle and returned it at the center isle. Napansin ko naman iyon kanina pero hindi ako nagbalak na gamitin iyon. I wanted to try it without wine but Rhett just had to ruin the mood.

When the meat was cooked, I went back to the mushroom and onion and poured it over the meat. I stirred the ingredients before coming back for the heavy milk.