Fall 2022 | Occasus | Issue 12

Ube Brownies
“There’s clearly a hair in my food.” Aubrey says, her pink polished finger pointing to the strand dipping into her chicken flavoured broth. She looks back up to the chef standing above her, who she had insisted on speaking to due to the long hair swimming in her chicken sotanghan soup.
 
“I can see that,” Kel says, her hand moving to rest on the elm table as she inspects the bowl. She motions to the hairnet confining her shoulder length, black hair. “And like I said before, my hair is tucked away while working. That’s not mine.”
 
Aubrey exhales sharply, her face flushing red. “So, what? You’re not going to do anything about this?”
 
“What do you want me to do?”
 
“Well, I don’t see why I should pay for this when it’s contaminated.”
 
“It’s your hair!” Kel frowns, pulling the lilac, broth-coated strand out of the bowl and holding it up for comparison. She studies Aubrey’s light purple, curled locks, her eyes darting between the girl and the hair in question. She places the loose strand down onto a napkin.
 
“There. Your soup is fine. Let me know if you need anything else,” Kel says, grinning tightly before escaping to the kitchen.
 
Kel doesn’t usually waste her energy arguing with customers. Then again, she isn’t used to customers requesting to speak to her over something as stupid as their own hair falling into their food.
 
Kel isn’t used to new customers at all. Her family’s small restaurant is frequented by the same loyal patrons with the rare occasional new customer. Maybe that’s why she noticed Aubrey from the moment she entered the restaurant, or maybe it was her striking pastel skirt and cardigan. Or her long, lavender hair. 
 
Aubrey scoffs, palms pushing against the tabletop to stand before leaving the restaurant. 
The following night, five minutes to eight, the bell over the door chimes.
 
“We’re closing,” Kel states, back turned towards the door as she hunches over the last un-cleared table, stacking empty plates into a pile.
 
“Sorry, I won’t be long. I just wanted to apologize.”
 
Kel turns to find Aubrey, who is standing at the door with a pink ceramic baking dish in her hands.
 
“I don’t know what came over me yesterday, I wasn’t having the best day… not that that’s an excuse for how I acted,” Aubrey’s hand meets her hair, twirling a lilac strand around her index finger.
 
“Anyways, I’m sorry about the whole hair thing. I shouldn’t have stormed out like that, regardless of who’s hair it was.” Aubrey holds out the pink pan towards Kel.
 
“Oh… It’s okay. I’m sorry too.” The feeling of her cheeks heating up surprises Kel. She steps towards Aubrey, noting the strange purple block inside of the baking dish.
 
“What’s this…?” Kel asks as Aubrey hands her the dish.
 
“I made them for you! Ube brownies.”
 
“Ube in brownies?” Kel’s nose wrinkles. She’s skeptical of this untraditional use of the classic Filipino ingredient.
 
Aubrey smiles, “I tried some before I brought them over, they won’t kill you.”
 
“Well, thank you… would you like some tea?”
Kel’s family’s Toronto apartment is just above their restaurant; their vast assortment of teas makes it a perfect place for the two to share tea and desserts. Aubrey sits at the dining room table adorned with small dessert plates, removing the cling wrap from the baking dish as Kel heats the kettle on the stove.
 
Aubrey sighs as she waits for the water to boil, scanning the cramped yet cozy dining room. The yellow wallpaper scattered with golden flecks combined with the heat from the gas stove in the kitchen makes Aubrey feel warm. It is a nice contrast from the 15-minute bus ride to Kel’s restaurant, with the doors constantly opening and closing at each stop, letting in the chilling winter air. The wall is decorated with a wooden fork and knife large enough for a giant to use, a staple in Filipino dining rooms.
 
Aubrey stands impatiently, walking into the kitchen with Kel. She picks up the small box of loose-leaf tea next to the stove, squinting to read the label.
 
“Tye-gwan-ing?”
 
Kel’s mouth forms a small smile, her dark eyes becoming thin crescents. “Tie Guan Yin. It’s a type of oolong tea.”
 
“Oolong? I’ve never tried that. I usually go for black tea with lots of milk and even more sugar.”
 
Taking the box from Aubrey, Kel drops a couple pinches of the rolled, roasted leaves into her tea pot. She uses a floral-patterned dish towel to hold the kettle, pouring the warm water into the clay pot.
 
“You’ll like it, it’s lighter than black tea. Good with heavier desserts.”
 
After methodically pouring their tea, alternating cups as she pours for a balanced infusion, Kel cuts into the brownies and places a square on each plate. Aubrey smiles, encouraging Kel to try the dessert.
 
Kel takes a small bite. The intense, dark chocolate and the light, almost nutty sweetness of the ube mingle pleasantly on her taste buds. She raises her eyebrows, the combination of flavours oddly pleasing.
 
“It’s good.” She says, taking a larger second bite.
 
Aubrey smiles, “Thanks, that means a lot. From what I tried of the soup you made yesterday, you’re a pretty talented chef.”
 
Blood rushes to Kel’s cheeks, surprising her again. She nods shyly, reaching for a second brownie.
 
“That good, hm? You should consider adding it to your menu. Since I like you, I’ll give you the recipe for free.”
 
“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Kel grins, prompting a wide smile from the lavender-haired girl opposite her. Aubrey sips her tea, its gentle, floral notes complimenting the overwhelming sweetness of the brownies. 
Kel pulls her knit scarf over her face and her sleeves over her bare hands in attempt to avoid the terrorizing, cold wind. She trails slowly behind Aubrey, who skips down the snow-covered sidewalk, grocery bags in hand.
 
“We’re almost there!” Aubrey turns, reaching for Kel’s hand and pulling her along. Warmth courses through Kel’s body at the touch.
 
They enter Aubrey’s apartment and are met with the sweet floral aroma of the many houseplants cluttering the space. After removing puffy jackets, tall boots, and knit hats and scarves, they begin to unpack the groceries.
 
Aubrey reaches into the paper grocery bag, pulling out a box of Tie Guan Yin.
 
“So Kel, I was wondering,” she starts, opening the cabinet and sliding over her box of English breakfast tea to make room for the oolong.
 
“Is Kel short for something?”
 
Kel shakes her head, opening the fridge and placing the eggs and chicken they bought inside.
 
“No. Just Kel.”
 
“What does it mean?”
 
Kel shrugs, “It’s a combination of my parents’ names, Kenaz and Elle.”
 
 “It’s pretty, I love it.”
 
Kel turns away towards the grocery bags, waiting for the redness she knows is spreading across her cheeks to go away. She clears her throat, slipping vegetables and fruits into the refrigerator.
 
“So, what are we making today?” Aubrey asks, closing the cabinet as she finishes unpacking her bag. Today is Kel’s turn to show Aubrey a new recipe.
 
“Chicken adobo with rice.”
 
Aubrey sets cutting boards and the appropriate cutlery on the counter, following Kel’s instruction. She opens the fridge, removing the package of raw chicken as Kel slices onions.
 
“I don’t think I’ve had chicken thighs before. Why couldn’t we use chicken breast?”
 
“The fat from the thighs thickens the sauce so it forms more of a glaze.”
 
“Right.” Aubrey replies, placing the chicken on another cutting board before searching the pantry for the next ingredient.
 
“Kel, I don’t have any rice left!”
 
Kel sighs, “Are you sure? I thought you bought some when we were out.”
 
Aubrey shakes her head.
 
“We can’t have adobo on its own. It’s best served on top of rice.”
 
Aubrey continues her search through the pantry. “A-ha!” she says, pulling out a handful of instant ramen packages.
 
“That’s not rice.”
 
Aubrey grins, bringing the packages to the counter. “I know, but adobo glazed ramen sounds appetizing! We can half cook the noodles and let them soak up the sauce.”
“Okay, fine. We can try.”
The dial on the oven clicks as Aubrey turns on the heat. She leans her back against the counter, standing next to Kel, as small bubbles form at the bottom of the water-filled pot on the stove.
 
“The chicken’s marinating, the water’s boiling… what’s the next step?” Aubrey asks, turning to Kel. Kel slices a piece of onion into smaller pieces before setting the knife down on the cutting board.
 
“Now we wait.”
 
Aubrey nods, “Okay.” She pauses for a moment, then digs into the pocket of her pink, corduroy pants and pulls out her phone.
 
“What kind of music do you like?”
 
Kel shrugs, “I don’t know, I haven’t been listening to music much lately. Just whatever is on the radio.”
 
“You’re kidding, right?” Aubrey looks back to her phone and starts scrolling through her long list of playlists. “Listening to one of my tastefully handcrafted playlists is a necessary part of the whole cooking experience.”
 
After carefully selecting one, she hits shuffle play. Aubrey instantly reacts to the strumming pattern playing through the small wireless speaker on her counter. Her hands stretch toward the ceiling, and she spins around excitedly.
 
“I love this song! Come dance with me!” Aubrey smiles, reaching towards Kel.
 
“I don’t really dance…” Kel starts, Aubrey proceeding to grab her hands and pull her closer anyway. Kel moves stiffly, carefully stepping side to side.
 
She looks up when Aubrey starts to sing along to the lyrics of the song, Kel noting her long, lavender hair swaying with her movements. Kel feels a smile forming on her face as she watches the girl in front of her, her muscles starting to relax as she mirrors Aubrey until her movements come naturally. Aubrey smiles, grabbing Kel’s hand and spinning her. Kel can’t remember the last time she danced, and for a moment, she wonders why it’s been so long.
 
The aggressive bubbling in the pot on the stove suddenly diverts their attentions, the water pouring over the edge and slightly onto the surface, causing a loud sizzling sound.
 
Aubrey laughs, “I’ll get that.”
Aubrey uses chopsticks to separate the ramen into two bowls, setting them on the counter. She pulls up two stools for the two to sit on. She fills two mugs halfway with Tie Guan Yin, alternating between pours, setting them next to the bowls.
 
“So, how is it?” Aubrey asks, nudging Kel’s shoulder as she chews on the chicken adobo ramen.
 
As much as she hates to admit it, the ramen absorbs the adobo flavour perfectly. She shoots Aubrey a half grin while chewing, nodding her head.
 
Aubrey smiles. “So, I was right about using the ramen then?”
 
“I guess you have good ideas sometimes.”
 
Aubrey laughs, nudging Kel a bit harder.
 
“Come on, you love my ideas! My ube brownies are your favourite.”
 
The two eat until their bowls are empty, Aubrey sipping her cool tea to wash down the sweet and salty adobo glaze.
 
“Aubrey,” Kel begins, looking at the lilac haired girl beside her.
 
“Hm?”
 
“As much as I love your cooking, maybe I could take you out to a proper dinner?”
 
“Did you just admit you love my cooking?” Aubrey giggles, Kel feeling a familiar heat rise to her cheeks.
 
“I’m just teasing you. Of course, Kel…
 
…And since we’re admitting things, it was my hair in the soup.”
Cassidy Gregorio is a first-year science student from London Ontario.