#rivervale_lodge

Kerri looks up from her notes. "Gerd, what do you say to the inclusion of an egg for each of us?"

"If BOTH of you agree to it?" A brow from Gerd to the Kourtney "What does the challenger say?"

"It would be a gods sent gift. " SHe nods

"I could manage without, but one egg opens up a world of possibilities." A nod to Kourtney.

Kourtney nods stoicly in return "One must make due but who doesn't enjoy giving just a bit more?" And she works.

"And if one is desperate enough in a siege to kill off the last egg-laying chickens, then gourmet cooking is not the priority. Here you go..." she gets an egg for herself and offers the egg basket to Kourtney so she can choose one.

Kourtney eyes them, then forgoes a larger egg for a medium sized brown one

Gerd raises a brow "Siege? Huh." Intrigued

"Well, that's how I envision a challenge like this, anyway," Kerri says, putting the eggs away and getting started on her cooking.

She works efficiently and confidently. If anything is going wrong along the way, she doesn't seem to show it.

Kourtney's own face is one of concentration. No panic or frustration shows if she's feeling either at all

There's frying...there's chopping...the blender is put into use at one point....

Kourtney's knife woork is really good. Then again, DeBukes use knives as tools since childling hood

At then end of the hour, Kerri presents an interesting-looking meal. "That's a salmon and cranberry bean chili, with an eggplant and Brussels sprout tampenade. And these are paleo tortillas. So you tear off a bit of the tortilla, load some of the chili on it, and top it with a generous dab of the tampenade."

"And yes, not technically a chili since there's no chili powder, but that's the most familiar name for that consistency."

Kourtney blushes lightly. Perhaps realizing before the food is tasted that she's been beat, "Charred Salmon burritos with a tapico flour wrap, rolled in spices, in the center of a rice less rice...."

that last get s a LOOK from Gerd. Kerri realizes 'riceless rice' is a good term to avoiding telling Gerd she'll be eating finally shreded egg plant skillfully ground into particles that look like rice

"Okay so how does this worik?" Gerd asks "Do I ask Frank to join me in taste testing or do it myself?"

"Clever..." Kerri says of the riceless rice. Then to Gerd, "I think we'd both trust your judgement, but maybe it would be good to also have a taster who doesn't know whose is whose?"

"Fair point I'll see if he's still in" Gerd vanishes for a bit

Kourtney whispers "Don't tell her about the 'rice'"

"Well, no, but she'll wonder where you got rice from, won't she?"

"Probably" A smile

Frank enters the kitchen behind Gerd. "Kerri, Kourtney?"

"Sir" Kourtney says "Thank you for coming"

"They just want us to try some food, " Gerd is explaining, "They don't want to tell us which is which . I know so you're more unbiased"

"Mmm." Frank nods and takes a seat "Happy to help."

Kerri gives Frank a grin and a nod as he settles in. "We both hope you enjoy."

Frank looks the dishes over; it's true, we eat with our eyes.

"You ladies know I'm not a foodie or gourmet or anything, right?"

"Perfectly okay," Kerri nods.

"Just tell us what you like."

"Actually helpful in some ways" Kourntey adds

"Hmmphm." Frank takes up his fork. "Does it matter which one I have first?"

"Not in the slightest" Gerd says

"Either one," Kerri agrees.

He takes one of the plates, pulls it closer, and takes a bite.

He chews thoughtfully, takes a sip of water, and then samples the other dish.

For one dish, the burrito is really good. Perhaps a foodie would consider touch over spiced, diluting the flavor of the char just a touch. the NOT rice looks so much like rice that it's a bit of a surprise, but not unpleasant at all. One might wonder how it might go with the right sauce

But it is still very tasty

For the other, the salmon & bean dish has a really nice blend of flavors to it. The tampenade mixture has an even more complex depth of flavors, with the garlic and ginger working through the vegetables. The tapioca tortillas are light and delicate, but still hold together well enough to carry the other parts of the meal.

He takes another sip of water, and then samples each dish again, carefully.

Gerd partakes as well, sampling what Frank isn't, then swapping

Kerri watches calmly, patiently. She's accustomed to having her food judged.

Gerd makes some 'mm' sounds

Kourtney puts on her own game face, quiet dignity rather than any internal worry

Frank wipes his lips. "So.... should Gerd and I compare notes or anything?"

"I guess that's up to you. Unless...Kourtney, what did they do at the other places?"

"Oh it varied. at one spot they talked it over openly with each other right in front of the chefs. At another they took turns. " She answers "I always try to respect what worked best for each hold"

"Really up to you two, then," Kerri says to Gerd and Frank.