She’d dredge it in flour and fry it up with some potatoes and serve it with the loaf of bread she’d set aside for their supper.
When Aaron got home that afternoon, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.“Something smells wonderful!”
“When I got home from taking my baked goods to the store, there were a few pieces of cleaned fish on the table.I’m guessing Agnes caught some whitefish, and she knew I wanted to make some for you, so she delivered.”She turned in his arms and raised her lips for his kiss.“Since the fish was already clean, I’m just guessing it was whitefish.”
He kissed her slowly and thoroughly, making her tingle all the way down to her toes.“Yep, that’s definitely whitefish.”He planted one more kiss on her lips.“I can’t wait to try it.”
“I just hope there’s more where this comes from.Do you like it smoked as well?”
“I like it any way I can get it.Fresh fried is my favorite, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way I’ll eat it.You cook it, and I will eat it.”
“I’m excited for the bacon that will be coming in the spring.Can you imagine bacon with our breakfast every day?”
“Bacon?Where are we getting bacon from?”he asked.
“Didn’t I tell you?Sally is raising pigs.We’ll get a share, just like she gets desserts and bread from us.I love bacon.”
Aaron smiled.“I should have known one of you would raise pigs.”
“We’re all trying to make our own lives and each other’s lives easier.I hope it works.”
“If we get bacon out of it, then I say it works!”He moved to the table and sat in a chair to pull his boots off.“It’s starting to get too cold to work without gloves.I don’t suppose you knit?I have holes in both of mine.”
“I do.I’ll make new gloves this weekend if that works for you.”
He nodded.“I can get by with the holy ones until then.”He stretched.“I’ll be working in the lumber mill tomorrow.I prefer it to felling trees, but I only get a turn every few weeks.The three men whose wives I brought back from Skagway are all giving me their turns to repay me.And they’ve also each given me a little money to pay for expenses.”
“Oh, that’s good.Then me bringing three friends wasn’t too much of a burden.”
“I think it will help us in the end.I’m thankful not to have to work so many days outside.”
She scooped the fish from the frying pan and filled two plates with the fish and potatoes before cutting the bread she’d made that morning.She carried the plates and the bread to the table, along with a small amount of butter.“I wish we had a cow.”
He shook his head.“They don’t survive well in Alaska’s interior.I know some people near the ocean raise them without a problem, but we really can’t.”
“Agnes has goats, but she said it’s really hard to make butter from their cream.She is sharing goat cheese, though.”
“I like goat cheese,” he said as he buttered his bread.
She poured two cups of coffee and set them on the table before taking her seat.“I don’t think I’ve ever had whitefish.I hope I love it as much as you do.”
“So, do I.If you love it too, then you’ll make it more often.”
She laughed.“I’ll make it as often as I can, whether I like it or not.I’m not a horribly picky eater.”
“That’s a good thing.I’ve survived for years on mostly jerky and hardtack.You ladies are making it so we have a variety in our diets again.I have to say, I like it.”
“I hope you like dessert tonight.I made a blueberry cobbler.Maggie found wild blueberries in the summer, and she dried and canned them.This cobbler is from dried, so I’m not sure how it turned out.I’m experimenting, so I can decide whether I can sell them or not.”
“I’ll be happy to give my opinion.So far, I haven’t had a single complaint about anything you’ve cooked.”He cut into his fish and took a small bite, closing his eyes as the flavors rolled around in his mouth.“I would love it if you’d make this every night for the rest of our lives.”
“I’m glad I did a good job with that.I just guessed at how to fix it.”
“It’s wonderful.I love it with the fried potatoes.”
When she served the blueberry cobbler, she watched his face carefully.He took a bite and nodded.“I think it’s good.Just sweet enough.You can serve this every night as well.”
“Then I won’t be afraid to sell it.Thank you!”She cut into her own piece.“Maybe a tad bit more sugar...”
