Don't Distract Me, I'm Cooking.

Doi approached Drake and Robin with a wide, a bit sly face. “Hey, guys,” he drawled. Robin was still watching some dumb brainwashing news on TV, saying nothing to the boy. Drake replied, “Oh, hi. How's it going?” Doi came nearer, his smile grew wider, “We're about to have some good time, I think. So, my mom called me to go to her house and to bring you guys too. She told me she wants to show us something.” Robin's eyes lit up as he heard this invitation. He knew that with Doi's mother there was also her younger sister, with who he can be the epitome of sarcasm. He immediately turned off the TV, and exclaimed, “What're we waiting for then!? C'mon, gang, gotta go!” As Drake grabbed his green and yellow checkered scarf and opened the door, Mani was standing here. “Hello, Doi. Lesley's been waiting for you and your friends,” Mani said to the littlest of the group. Doi waved his hand at the boy, obviously glad to see him. As the group entered the house, the woman with brown caret haircut greeted them. “Good tidings to you, my fellow children,” she said. Drake bowed down in response, “Same here, Miss Lesley. Doi told us you want to show something.” As Lesley wanted to reply, another woman with hair longer and brighter than hers drew herself near. “I see you've gathered 'em around, sis,” she said. “Robin, good to see ya!” Robin smirked at her, “Good to see ya too, Helen.” Lesley then continued, “So, I've brought you all here to show you some sweet stuff I made with my sister. To the kitchen!” Everyone followed her, Doi and Mani going first. As they walked, the two boys had a small talk about her and Helen. As Robin, Doi, Mani and Helen sat down and Lesley was about to open the oven, Drake intervened, “I'll do it, here.” He opened the oven and took out the baking tray, where was the apple strudel made by Lesley and Helen. The sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon filled the kitchen, and even Lesley herself murmured, “Mmm, wunderbar.” Meanwhile, Drake simply stated, “Oh, it's a strudel. Looks edible, by the way.” The group gathered around the table, anticipation evident on their faces. Lesley and Helen exchanged pleased glances as they watched the others admire their creation. Doi couldn't hide his excitement and eagerly reached for a slice of the apple strudel. Robin followed suit, his eyes gleaming with delight. “I must say, ladies, this looks absolutely amazing. I can't wait to taste it,” he remarked, shooting a mischievous glance at Helen. “What else you did expect from me?” Helen replied. “Me… and my sis, of course! What else did you expect, huh, Robbie?” Her and Robin's playful banter was a common occurrence whenever they got together. Drake, ever the observer, carefully examined the strudel before taking a slice. He savored the moment, appreciating the blend of flavors that danced on his palate. With a nod of approval, he said, “Miss Lesley, Miss Helen, you two have truly outdone yourselves. This is delicious.” Lesley cackled as some kind of a witch, but not the wicked one. Drake then took five more plates for the others and cut the slices for them. “Doi, Mani,” he said, serving the strudel, “the bigger slices are to you two. Here you are.” Doi and Mani nodded in appreciation. As the group indulged in the delectable treat, conversation flowed effortlessly. Laughter filled the air, and the warmth of friendship enveloped them all. They cherished these moments of togetherness, knowing that they were creating memories that would last a lifetime. Mani then chimed in, “So, Lesley. I think, Robin, Doi and Drake may want to try to make one for themselves.” Doi's eyes widened in excitement, “Yes, mom! Can you and Auntie Helen tell us how did you made it?” Drake even prepared the notepad and pencil, to write everything down. Lesley smiled at the enthusiasm of the boys. “Of course, we'd be delighted to share the recipe with you,” she replied. “Making an apple strudel is a fun and rewarding experience. First, you'll need some basic ingredients. Here's what you'll require… Helen, you too say something.” Helen chimed in, “Fine, sis. You'll require two cups all-purpose flour, one quarter teaspoon teaspoon salt, one half cup melted butter, one half cup lukewarm water, two tablespoons vegetable oil, four cups thinly sliced apples, one half cup granulated sugar, one teaspoon ground cinnamon, one half cup breadcrumbs, and powdered sugar for dusting.” Lesley, continued, “Once you have all the ingredients ready, you can start by making the dough. Mix the flour, salt, melted butter, lukewarm water, and vegetable oil together in a bowl. Knead the mixture until the dough becomes smooth and pliable. If it's too sticky, you can add a little more flour.” Helen added, “After the dough is ready, let it rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C. It's important to allow the dough to relax and become more elastic.” She then looked at Mani, “I'll leave you the rest, young boy. Too lazy to continue.” Mani rolled his eyes, but continued, “Next, roll out the dough into a large rectangular shape, making it as thin as possible without tearing it. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. The breadcrumbs will help absorb the excess moisture from the apples and prevent the strudel from becoming soggy.” Lesley explained the next step, “In a separate bowl, mix the sliced apples, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon together. Make sure the apples are well coated with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the breadcrumbs on the dough.” Mani added the next part, “Now comes the fun part! Carefully roll up the dough, starting from one of the longer sides. Make sure to tuck in the edges as you roll to seal in the filling. Once rolled, place the strudel seam-side down on a greased baking tray.” Helen finally stated the following, “Bake the apple strudel in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on it to avoid overbaking.” Doi concluded, his voice curious, “Once the strudel is ready, you need to remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes and dust the top with powdered sugar for a finishing touch, right?” Lesley and Helen nodded in agreement. And both Lesley, Helen, Mani — and even Doi — finally said, “And there you have it! Your homemade apple strudel is ready to be enjoyed.” Drake diligently jotted down the instructions on his notepad as Lesley and Helen explained the process. The boys were eager to try their hands at making their own strudel and couldn't wait to taste the results. After Robin finished devouring his strudel slice, he stood up and whispered something to Helen's ear. Her mouth curved in a sly grin, as she heard his voice. “Now, Drake,” she said, reaching out her hand. “The recipe costs 10 pounds, so gimme some money!” Drake exclaimed, playfully pouting his cheeks, “Hey, that's unfair! Robin, how could you!?” Robin laughed at his friend, but immediately got a flick to the head by him. Lesley, Helen and Doi laughed at the two, while Mani was looking at it with a smile, not understanding what's going on. With their tummies full and hearts content, Drake, Robin, and Doi thanked Lesley, Helen, and Mani for the delicious lunch they had shared. Drake, being the responsible one, offered to wash the plates as a token of gratitude. As Drake scrubbed the dishes, he couldn't help but reflect on the wonderful time they had spent together. It was moments like these, surrounded by good friends and good food, that made life truly special. Once the plates were clean and the kitchen tidied up, Drake approached Lesley, Helen, and Mani with a genuine smile. “Thank you all for the incredible meal and for sharing your recipe with us,” he said gratefully. “We had a fantastic time, but now it's time for us to head home.” The group exchanged warm goodbyes, promising to meet again soon for another memorable gathering. As Drake, Robin, and Doi made their way out of the house, they carried with them not only the recipe for a delicious apple strudel but also the cherished memories of a day filled with laughter, camaraderie, and the sweetness of friendship.