A Night of Cupcakes and Companions

Humming softly to herself Celeste set everything up for the evening's get together, an improvised cooking class of sorts. The community had various types of get-togethers each month as a fun way for people to mingle, make new friends and meet other people.

Celeste had been asked to lead the event for the evening since she was the Home Economics teacher for the Academy, and perhaps, the most logical - if not the cheapest option. A real chef would probably have cost a fortune and the event was free to participants, all that was asked was a small donation to cover the cost of the food.

Glancing at the ingredients before her, she proceeded to distribute them among the cooking stations. There was butter, vegetable oil, eggs, sugar - both powdered and normal granular, chocolate, milk, flour, baking soda, flour, salt and vanilla extract. Tonight they'd be making chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting. An easy recipe - hopefully.

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Entering the classroom, Noel saw the very pretty, petite, white-haired woman at the front of the room, it was the Home Ec teacher Celeste. Waving to her, Noel went to stand at one of the stations. There he surveyed the ingredients before him. He recognised everything, but had no clue what or how to use much more than the eggs, sugar and salt...

Picking up the small bottle filled with a dark blackish brown liquid, Noel opened the bottle and removed the tiny lid. Not sure what it was, he took a whiff. Recognising the smell instantly, he smiled, "Ah. Nice. Vanilla."

@Keen

Noel would stare at his selection of baking ingredients, then up at Celeste, then around the classroom, then back at his ingredients. He could see others getting on with the recipe, but he was unsure how to start, did the butter go in the bowl first, or was it the sugar, or did it matter the order? Looking around the room at the other stations, he hoped by watching the others he might gain a clue or two.

Then, hearing a friendly voice addressing him, Noel looked over at the girl next to him. She had obviously noticed his confusion.

"Why thank you miss, yes, that'd be greatly appreciated," Noel said with a smile as he picked up the sugar and the butter, "Could you tell me do I put the sugar in first?" he said holding out a measured cup of granular sugar, "Or the butter?" he asked as he held up a stick of butter. "Or does it matter?" he added questioning, trying to make out what the young woman had in her bowl.

@Keen

Noel nodded at the sugar comment. Yes, he could do that. This wasn't so hard, he thought happily. However, when she mentioned the oven, Noel stared at the young woman, slightly confused, "The pre-what to the oven?" he uttered as he glanced around looking for his oven. Where was it? He was sure he must have one somewhere. It was a cooking class after all.

"I don't think I was given an oven to use..." he confessed with a silly grin, stroking his beard thoughtfully, but not too worried about making a fool of himself. "Maybe I can use yours?" he asked smiling.

@Keen

"A pleasure, Miss. Remi," Noel said with a smile, "I'm Mr. Sinterklass, but now that we are out of class hours, just call me, Noel," he winked.

"I really am a mess in the kitchen," he admitted, trying to find the whisk, not even sure what a whisk looked like, "I was told that I might learn a few basics this evening. But I fear the basics might be beyond me..." he admitted with a chuckle as he placed the sugar, flour and butter in the bowl.

"I see, you are getting along quite well." Noel said as he gestured to her bowl, "Do you like baking?" he asked curiously.

@Keen

"You are quite correct. Nobody starts out knowing how to do everything. Life is a journey of learning," Noel said with a thoughtful look at her before he turned and started moving the ingredients round his bowl just the way as she had shown him.

"Speaking of learning?" Noel said as he carefully measured out the baking powder and baking soda, thinking that each amount seemed very little and wondered if he had misread, "Is that correct - just a teaspoon of baking soda? That doesn't seem like enough to me..." he said as he scratched his bearded thoughtfully.

@Keen