Nate appears in the doorway with a pastry-lined tin in his hands and raises an eyebrow."Are you having fun?"
"I was curious," I admit."Are we going to melt it?"
"No.Though I suppose it will probably melt while it's in the oven, but we're not going to."
"Then how are we going to get it fine enough to be the filling of a tart?"
"We're going to whip it."He covers the pastry with some greaseproof paper and tops it with baking beans before sliding it into the oven.He brings an hourglass over to the table and flips it.
I look down at the curds, a little confused about how this is going to work, but Nate doesn't seem too worried.
He pulls over his book of recipes and flips to a page near the front."Here, take a look.It's a family recipe."
"I thought you were born in the castle?"As far as I know, curd tart is from the north of the country, so not something someone from the capital is likely to have a family recipe for.
"I was," he responds."But my great-grandfather wasn't.He was born in North Falhaven.He came to the capital to find work.He brought this recipe with him.And a few others from around his hometown."
"Why didn't I know that?"
Nate shrugs."I guess it hasn't come up before."
I don't like the idea that there are things I don't know about him, even if I realise that's perfectly reasonable, especially when we've been apart for five and a half years.But I tear my thoughts away from that and look over the recipe.It's not a complicated one, just a case of mixing things together and baking.
"You've got mixed dried fruit," I say, looking over the ingredients that Nate has been collecting.
"I have."
"The recipe doesn't say mixed fruit.It says currants."
"It's better with mixed dried fruit," he responds.
"But it says currants."I put my finger on the page.
He laughs and leans over to grab the pencil next to his book and crosses outcurrantsto writedried fruit."Better?"
I frown.Because in theory, that's fixed it, but I know he's just humouring me."Maybe."
"All right, how about I go get some more pastry, and I'll make you two small tester ones.One with currants, and one with mixed fruit, then you can decide for yourself.You'll have to wait until tomorrow to try them though.Does that work?"
"I think so."I trust his judgement, but it's hard when what he's saying is contrary to the instructions.
"Good.Let me just deal with the pastry case in the oven, then I'll get started on those.Can you do the butter and sugar for me?"
I nod and weigh both of them out into a bowl so I can start beating them until the butter is light and fluffy from the sugar and the air.Nate pulls the pastry case out of the oven and removes the baking beans before sliding it back in.
Without meaning to, I find myself watching him as he leaves the room.I let out a sigh."I can't believe it took me so long to realise I love him," I say to Ember.
She doesn't respond, seeming to have settled down for a nap now that she's had her fill of food.
Nate returns a few minutes later with a rectangle of pastry and sets it down on the table.He looks into my bowl and nods."Now add the rest of the ingredients, and use the rotary whisk."
"The rotary whisk?"I echo."Won't that break on the curds?"
"It shouldn't do.Look."He prods at the curds a few times, and they start to fall apart."I've tried it a few other ways, but the rotary whisk is the best for getting the texture right.That's at least one thing I'm glad has been invented recently.It saves my arms."
I look down at them without meaning to."Your arms are nice," I blurt out.
He raises an eyebrow as he heads over to take the pastry case out of the oven and replace it with the two small ones he just made."Oh?"
