Ariel had consider herself The best in the kitchen. At the age of twenty-six, she had opened three well known restaurants in her town. She was known as the goddess of kitchen utensils, women would envy her, men chased after her. Her charm and culinary skills had never failed her. Or so she thought.
To showcase her talent. Every of her family's gathering, birthday parties, and holiday. She took charge of the kitchen, ensuring the dishes were nothing short of perfection.
Her twin brother, Alex, had never shown any interest in cooking, he was more of a computer genius. He was the type to grab fast food, or heat up leftovers. Bro would eat anything as long as it was edible
Every year, their family held a gathering where everyone just came to relax and have fun. Ariel had never missed any of this gathering. Especially because of the annual cooking competition. And every competition she had emerged the winner, as expected of a professional chef.
Much to Ariel’s dismay, her twin was joining in the competition this year, he casually announced that he had been experimenting in the kitchen for a while. Ariel scoffed.
“Oh isn't that cute.” she said, stirring her homemade pasta sauce. “Maybe if you practice hard enough, someday you'll be able to make something edible that everyone can eat. And just maybe I might recognize your usefulness in the kitchen.”
Alex just smirked, he knew his sister can be arrogant when anyone challenges her cooking skills. And he wanted to put an end to that arrogance. “Why don't we have a little cook-off right now, just you and me, just for fun. Mom and dad could be the judge. About that?”
Ariel laughed. “You want to compete against me? Well suits yourself. Just so you know, I wouldn't go easy on you just because you're my brother. And don't cry when I beat your sorry butt”
The rules were simple, each one of them had to prepare a dish of their choice, and the best-tasting one would win.
Ariel without a doubt, went all out with all her recipes. She was making one of her famous signature dishes—herbed chicken with garlic butter sauce, a homemade baguette and perfectly roasted vegetables. The kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of her delicacy. She could already imagine the praises she'd received. Alex could never beat this. Not even if he tried.
Meanwhile, Alex worked in the shadows. He did everything quietly, not showing the slightest bit of nerve. He didn't want to go extravagant with his dish so he made something really simple and tasty. An apple pie. Ariel barely paid attention to him, too focused on perfecting her creation.
Time came to taste their dishes, Ariel confidently presented her meal. Their parents took bites, nodding in approval, just as she expected.
Alex's turn came, he set his apple pie on the table. The golden, flaky crust shimmered under the light. And goodness the aroma had the judges mouth watery. The scent of cinnamon and caramelized apple filled the room. Their mother impatiently took her first bite, her eyes widening. Their father followed, his expression thoughtful.
“This is…. increíble,” their mom said. Looking really impressed.
“The crust is the best I have ever had. Perfect.” their Dad added. “And the filling, just the right balance of sweet and tart. I can even eat this tomorrow for breakfast before I go to work. Alex my boy, you have really outdone yourself with this one.”
Ariel watched in awe as they kept eating, completely absorbed in Alex's pie. Still in disbelief, she placed a piece of the apple pie on a plate and took a bite. Her heart sank. It was absolutely perfect, the flavors melted in her mouth in perfect harmony. And the crust just had the right amount of crunch.
She had lost
Alex leaned back in his chair, grinning. “Guess I'm not so bad in the kitchen after all. Beating the world's best chef, the whole world should be talking about this for months.”
“Alright” she said with a small smile. “You got me. This was amazing.”
“So we all agreed, Alex won this year's competition. Good work guys. You all really did well.” Dad said. Always proud of his litter.
Alex chuckled looking at his sister. “Looks like you just had a taste of humble pie.”
Ariel rolled her eyes but laughed, finally realizing that maybe she wasn't the only talented cook in their family.
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