[Network Video]

[doubled_speed]

Hey all!

[Are you shocked to see Tommy? Probably not. Someone said something about cooking, of course he's going to weigh in. At least the video is a rather stationary thing, his comm clearly propped up on a counter in the diner's kitchen.]

I don't know about you, but I'm in for the idea of us getting some good food in us. Maybe we can talk too when we're there? If we're going.

Anyway, gonna say that the diner is pretty stocked up and I'm happy to be prep assistant on any cooking in the Diner. Just remember Diner Rules. Don't be a dick and all of that.

And anyone cooking has to promise to help carry their own shit to the thing.

[Says the guy currently, on screen, cutting a tuber with enough speed that his hands are a literal blur.]

So, uh, food time? We could use it?

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Another brief flicker of a blush and then Tommy was trying to focus on more chopping. There is always chopping needed.

"Thanks."

[crystalmaster]

"You want some help with that?" Radley asks, eager to get on with working in the diner. It's so empowering to finally have something he's really good at.

[doubled_speed]

Well, that's an idea. Very early helpfulness.

"I'm gonna chop. You're welcome to look through the spices I've got to figure out what smells nice?"

[crystalmaster]

"Sure!"

Radley went to the cupboard and soon found the spices. He quickly selected favorites.

"I like these best."

[doubled_speed]

Tommy smirks and starts getting his things together from the chopped goods.

"I've got some veggie stock I'm going to have to defrost. I'm going moderately savory and heavy because it's late in the year and all that. Seems right."

[crystalmaster]

"Works for me. Yeah, it's definitely the right time of year for it. Good and warm against the cold outside."

[doubled_speed]

Well, at least he's not crazy.

"My mom makes stews at this time of the year. Always has a small pot of something on, in case I come over. Seemed right."

[crystalmaster]

"That sounds delicious," Radley smiles.

[doubled_speed]

"It was," he agreed with a nod. Fuck he missed her right now.

[crystalmaster]

Radley looked around at the food finished with more being prepared.

"Is there anything else I can do to help?"

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, actually.

"I've been trying for YEARS to figure out how to make broths thicker without just taking out the broth. What the fuck am I doing wrong?"

He didn't know about thickening agents like flower or even potato starch.

[crystalmaster]

Radley perked up at this.

"How are you making them?"

[doubled_speed]

"Mostly I just chop things up and then put them in the pot with some water."

That's how it works, right? That's all that matters?

[crystalmaster]

"You don't thicken the broth at all?"

[doubled_speed]

Tommy just looks at him. That was what he was talking about here.

"I put the stuff in, I put in the water, I try and cook the water off some. That's... What else am I supposed to do?"

[crystalmaster]

"Well, for a thicker consistency, it can be as simple as adding a little flour," Radley said. "Here, I'll show you if you have everything ready."

[doubled_speed]

"You're kidding," Tommy says, staring at the guy. "I could... I could just add flour? You have to be kidding."

Someone tell him he has not been fucking up this hard for this long.

[crystalmaster]

"There's other thickening agents too, but flour is probably the most convenient and easiest to get hold of," Radley said as he put things in the pot.

[doubled_speed]

"Flour isn't something we're rolling in here," Tommy answered. "It's one of my most common replicator orders in a month. Flour and sugar, as much as I can get. Sometimes dairy too."

Most of his replicated requests are just to feed people.

[crystalmaster]

Radley winced. "Well, at least you get some. Potato starch is used too, but I'm guessing that would be harder to get."

[doubled_speed]

"Tigertubers are starchy. Maybe I could use them for it?"

How would he, though?

"I guess I always just believed things got thick by cooking long enough.

[crystalmaster]

"It's worth a try. Maybe those are the best option here. I'll experiment and see if it'll work."

He smiled a bit. "Sadly, no."

[doubled_speed]

"Happy to have the experimentation happen," Tommy says with a smile. "Learning is important."

[crystalmaster]

Radley works with the food for a while and then presents the results of the stew. "It looks like tigertubers do make good potato starch," he smiles. "How's this consistency?"

[doubled_speed]

"It's not so bad," Tommy says with a smile. "Damn, I can't believe I'm fucking this up."