Dinner: Interrupted

"Well, since we're doing a fire in the firepit, I think I'm going to treat folks to a meal I had a couple of times in the fall at Brian's ranch in Colorado. Its a big kettle of homecooked ham and bean soup, with cornbread, all cooked over the open fire. The smoky flavor adds a lot to the soup and the cornbread. And, I think for dessert, I'll teach people how to make their own pies over the fire. Its fun. And I think I have enough pie irons to do that.

"If you're okay with helping in the kitchen, I could use you. I don't know if you've ever cooked over a firepit, but its a lot of fun in the fall. And there's something about cooking outdoors that makes everything taste better. If you like, you could help the house elves gather up some of the ingredients for the soup and the cornbread. We'll have to use the big soup kettle, and we'll put the cornbread in a few skillets. We'll put the cider in another kettle. There's a wooden work table in storage in the barn that I've used for food prep when I cook outdoors. If you can get someone to help you, we could bring that up to the firepit area and start putting ingredients and cookware on it."

Li smiled at the sound of the food Angus spoke of not that he'd tried any of those dishes he heard Angus ask if he was up to helping in the kitchen and nodded " I helped cook with the monks back in Japan so I am not overse to cooking." He said and smiled as he moved to the door to gather the things requested.

Son he had them all and was pushing the work table that he had levitated in front of him. Reaching the fire pit he looked at Angus " where should I place this?" He asked as he felt best to ask the man who would be using it.

"Right there is fine. Thank you," Angus said. Angus went inside and assembled a couple of baskets with his ingredients and one large cast iron kettle with his stock. It was very heavy. He figured he would have to get Jack to help him with that. Either that or he and Li would need to lift it together. The ring on the firepit would hold it, but bringing outside was sometimes an issue if it was full.

He bought the baskets outside and set them on the work table. "I've got it all now but the kettle. Its very heavy. Might need to find Jack to get him to bring it out. Its going to be too heavy for one person--unless that person is Jack.

"In the meantime, can you chop onions and dice up the ham for the soup? There' in that first basket there, and the knives are in the second basket. I'm going to make the cornbread batter."

Li placed it right where he had been told and nodded as Angus spoke to him again. It was now that Jack rounded the corner and stopped. "Oh, I heard my name." Jack said and chuckled " you have something heavy to move I'm your man" he added this made Li chuckle.

"is he always like this?" Li asked Angus as Jack chuckled and went to fetch the kettle returning with it up on his shoulder. Li watched as he moved and placed it over the fire.

"That were you wanted it Angus?" he asked hoping it was as he really wanted to go shower before the BBQ.