Cinderella and Pancake

On the first Idul Fitri day I didn’t set alarm for the next morning. It didn’t matter what time I should get up. The next day I heard Anugerah getting up and watching television. Not long after that I heard Pelangi coming out the room. Then I fell asleep again. At 8 o’clock I got up. When I came out of my bedroom, Anugerah said “Why do you get up so late today!” I just smiled to him. For me it was a compliment because he has said implicitly that normally I always get up early.

I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I wanted to make oatmeal pancake. I got the recipe from an American friend and I have made it once. It was very good and healthy. I took the recipe and read it carefully to ensure that I have all ingredients and follow the steps correctly. It’s okay if you laugh at me. I like cooking and I got compliments from people about my cooking. But I still need a recipe before me, no matter how many times I have made it and this pancake was my second time.

We have a pantry and kitchen. There is a window that connects the two places. If you have a helper it’s ok but not if you are alone because the cooker and oven are in the kitchen and you have to work in the pantry which has more space. So I had to go back and forth between pantry and kitchen and had to pass the living room. Pelangi sat there watching a film, Cinderella Story 2 and Anugerah played play station (PS).

Now I have all ingredients and cooking utensils in front of me. So the first step is to heat the milk but not to boil. Then stir in the oatmeal. Let it stand for 10 minute. In the meanwhile I need to mix butter and eggs and in another bowl mix other dry ingredients and stir it to the combination of butter and eggs. Then stir in milk and oatmeal. Ok, it’s easy. Oatmeal already in the warm milk, now eggs and butter in another bowl. But, why does the mix of eggs and butter become so thin? Ach, maybe it will be thick after I stir the oatmeal and the dry ingredients in it. So, I stir in them. But no, it’s not thick at all. Try the mixer, it will mix better. Still, it is not mixed and remains thin. Oh…help! What did I wrong? Why was the first time just ok and no problem at all?

I read the recipe again and more carefully. Aha! I got it! It’s not the recipe that is wrong, it’s (of course) me. I should stir in the butter and eggs in the pan of milk and oatmeal and not in another bowl.

“Is the pancake almost finished?” I heard my children asking me. I also heard a song of the film Cinderella Story 2. Is this a Cinderella feeling? That you had to work hard while others just seat relax and ask about food? Yesterday she had watched the same film and a couple days ago, and last week and many other times. She knows exactly the plot, songs and even conversations. Why doesn’t she do it the same with her lessons? But ok, now is not the time to think about that. The pancake, yes, concentrate on the pancake because it must be finished.
Finally I gave up the American pancake. I threw the batter away. Then I took another cookery book. A Dutch one. This recipe is for sure okay because I just used it last week and the children liked the pancakes very much.
“When is it finished? I am hungry!” I heard Anugerah asking again. In this situation I’d tend to get angry but I heard voice in my ears repeatedly “Take it easy. This is holiday. You want to spend time together nicely, don’t you?” The voice has won. I became calm and just said “Almost!”

The Dutch recipe is much easier. After going back and forth again between pantry and kitchen and passing Pelangi watching television and Anugerah playing PS, finally the first pancake is baked. Now they can see a real pancake.

I looked around and saw a lot of dishes in both pantry and kitchen. I still had to bake a lot of pancakes and then do the dishes. The Cinderella feeling was still there. Would a prince try to find me?

"Hmmm… this is delicious”I saw Anugerah eating the pancake and smiled to me. My prince has found me.