Growing up, I was always around my grandma Meredith. She was the one who originally inspired my love for cooking and my dream of becoming a chef. Yet, one day I received a text that would turn my whole life around, “Grandma is seriously ill,” the text read, “and we need your help in assisting with her care.”
Without a second of hesitation, I agreed to travel back home. Thankfully, my boss at the restaurant let me take unpaid leave for the next several months so I could come home to help out with Gran. After driving across several states, I finally got back to our family home in West Virginia. Yet, what I saw was really bard for me to bear. The Meredith I saw then was not the lively, joyful Meredith I had seen while I was growing up.
“Tony!” she called to me from her bed, “It’s so good to see you! "
“Gran,” I sighed, “I’m not Tony. That’s dad, your son. I’m Hank.”
This was the start of a months-long journey of helping out around the house-cooking, cleaning, and, most of all, keeping Gran in good health and good spirits.
Every day, I cooked delicious food to keep everyone’s spirits high. But, secretly, I hoped that cooking some dishes that we had made together in my childhood would somehow help get Gran’s memory of me back, if not just for a moment.
Stews (炖菜), chops (排骨), roasts—I served all of these to Gran and my parents around the clock. When I wasn’t taking Gran out for strolls (散步) in her wheelchair or changing her bed sheets, I was cooking. I had cooked for dignitaries (显要人物) and rock stars while at the restaurant in New York City, but never had I poured my heart out into my meals than I did then for Grandma Meredith.
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When I was almost at my breaking point, I decided to make something simple.
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After taking a few bites, Gran finally called out my name—my actual name.
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The Birthday Cake
Josie was a girl who loved to bake. She always helped her uncle at his bakery. Mostly she carried ingredients from the refrigerator to the large work table. Sometimes Uncle Dave let Josie stir (搅拌) the cake batter (面糊) with a wooden spoon.
Josie wanted to learn to bake a cake on her own. She asked if Uncle Dave would show her how Her mother’s birthday was only two days away. If Josie made a cake all by herself, it would be a wonderful surprise.
On Saturday morning, Josie arrived at the bakery just as it was closing. The bakery always closed early on the weekend so Uncle Dave could walk his dogs. “Ready, Josie?” Uncle Dave asked “Ready!” Josie answered.
First, Uncle Dave had Josie get all the ingredients (原料) and line them up on the work table. Then he showed her how to measure flour and sugar so that she had the exact right amount. She added these ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Next, Uncle Dave tapped an egg on the side of the bowl to crack it. “Be careful not to get any bits of shell in the bowl,” he said.
Josie tapped her egg very gently on the bowl. It didn’t crack. She tried again, and this time the shell came apart. She pulled the egg apart over the bowl and watched the yellow egg yolk drop into the flour.
Now it was time to stir. “This is fun!” said Josie.
When the batter was ready, Uncle Dave helped Josie pour it into the cake pan. He gave Josie oven mitts (烤箱手套) and showed her how to put the pan in the oven without burning her hands.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
While the cake baked, Josie and Uncle Dave wiped off the table and washed all the dishes.
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On her mother’s birthday, Josie put the cake before her mom secretly.
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The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat my father to a special meal. I glanced through the cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as he left for work.
As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Dad loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face him laughing at my work.
I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Dad got home, we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing.
Looking out, I saw Dad standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in the rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder.
Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the. fermenting yeast (酵母) made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the "living thing" was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed by the whole thing, Dad or me.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
My dad tapped me gently on the shoulder, and we went inside.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At a party three months later, everyone wanted to try my bread.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I was young, the kitchen had an invisible“stop" sign put there by my mom. “No, you cannot enter here!” she always said to me. Well, I really don’t blame her as it is no place for kids.
I was just left outside in admiration, looking at what wonders the kitchen held. A few years passed by and I became very interested in food, both eating and preparing it. However, the kitchen was still out of bounds so I couldn’t experiment with cooking. But they couldn’t stop me forever now, could they?
It was early morning. Mom had gone for grocery shopping and no one else was at home. Time to strike! I walked through the dining room and there was the kitchen in front of me!
I stepped inside and took in the sight in front of me—cabinets (储藏柜 ) lining a wall, the oven (炉子) occupying the central place of another wall, the dishes sparkling like diamonds. I had seen it from outside but this time it was up close. As I hadn’t had breakfast, I decided to begin my first experience as a cook by making an omelette (煎蛋) . Sure I had seen Mom do it, so how could it be hard?
I searched the cabinets and finally found some eggs and onions. I knew the basics, so I began the work. I washed an onion first and then chopped it. Then came the egg. It took me two or three attempts to crack one open and into the bowl. I put the onion and some salt in the bowl too and mixed them. After that, I lighted the stove and put the frying pan on it and poured some oil in it... and poured some on the floor too, accidentally, of course! Till the pouring of the mixture into the pan, everything was going perfect—then I wondered what was used for turning the egg upside down in the pan.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Soon, I was running all over the kitchen, searching for the cooking spoon.
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While I was busy taking the burnt egg out in a plate, someone came up behind me.
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