The Story Behind Neopia's Weirdest Foods by hippiesoul |  |
DUNG KITCHEN - The Neopian menu has the weirdest foods. That's not new, we've
all heard about the odd combinations found in the stores, but did you know they
were not created randomly? Okay, some were in fact created randomly or by chance,
but there's a story behind them all. It's exactly those stories I want to investigate
and share with you. Today, I'll tell you about Cheese and Onion Baked Apples.
Cheese and Onion Baked Apple
To begin my research on this food, I went to the market and bought one of those
apples. 300 NP - not too expensive, good. As I sat in the kitchen, with the
baked apple in front of me, I analysed its smell. The sweet aroma of the warm
baked apple contrasted strongly with the scent of onions and cheese, but overall,
the smell was not disgusting. It actually was making me hungry.
I picked up my fork and grabbed some of the cheese on the top. It was regular
melted cheese, yellow, creamy and tasty. It did taste a bit like onions, but
the combination was strangely pleasant. I didn't dare to eat a piece of onion
by itself, so I chopped the apple, and ate bits of apple with a bit of cheese
and onion each time. At first, the taste of the onion together with the apple
was confusing, but the cheese blended it well, and by the third bit, I was enjoying
my meal immensely.
Apparently, this wonderful snack is only composed of a red apple baked with
cheese and onion slices. Simple, but delicious.
But knowing what it tasted and smelled like and what it was made of, wasn't
enough, I had to know more, so I figured I should ask someone who knows about
food. And who could know more about this food than the healthy food shop shopkeeper?
Off I was, to the healthy food shop, carrying my notebook and pen, ready to
get some information out of the green Quiggle.
It was tough to reach him, because I was unlucky enough to get there during
restock time, but after my shoe being mistaken for food and lots of pushing
and pulling, I was able to get near the shopkeeper. I tried to undo the mess
on my hair and clothes, and eventually asked him if he was available for a short
interview. He said he was, but it had to be quick because in eight minutes exactly
a new restock would occur and then the store would be in chaos, as usual. I
agreed, and promised to be quick, it were only a couple of questions.
"I'm researching a kind of food you sell here, the Cheese and Onion Baked Apple,"
I began, "So I was wondering if you could tell me something about it."
"Cheese and Onion baked Apple... yum, delicious, isn't it?" He said, adjusting
his 'Veg' badge, "But there isn't much I can tell you about it... Those aren't
baked here, they're delivered from a restaurant in Windy Wood Drive, where they
are made. Actually, the one Neopet who invented them, works there as a cook;
if you want info about them, it's him you should ask."
After he gave me the restaurant's name, I thanked him and left the shop swiftly,
heading to Windy Wood Drive, being careful not to bump into all the people who
were already rushing in for the next restock.
It was fairly easy to locate the said restaurant; all I had to do was follow
the huge signs that were all over the drive, indicating the restaurant's location.
Apparently, it was one of the most reputable restaurants in the area.
The restaurant was inside a very cute little house, painted all in a soft shade
of yellow, with the words 'Creator of the Cheese and Onion Baked Apples' written
next to the door. Because it wasn't meals' time, there weren't many people inside,
and the waiters were all gathered behind the counters, chatting cheerfully.
"Excuse me," I said, interrupting their chit chat, "I'm researching the Cheese
and Onion Baked Apple--"
"Yes, you want to talk to Magusty," one of them said, kindly, "Please, take
a sit, I'll call him."
"Magusty! There's someone here wanting to talk to you!" He called, peeking
inside the kitchen. Something was answered, and the waiter smiled at me and
then joined the others, continuing their conversation.
I waited for a few minutes which I used to prepare the questions I would ask
him.
"Hello, young one," a calm voice greeted me. It was Magusty, a spotted Mynci.
He was wearing an apron dirty with food spots and a white cook's hat on top
of his grey hair. If we consider that the hair on his head was grey, we could
say Magusty was quite old, but his eyes were young, and he sure was energetic.
I greeted him, and he sat in front of me.
"So you want to talk? About the Cheese and Onion Baked Apples, I guess." He
said, looking at my notebook, where the questions were written down.
"Well, yes, in fact, I am researching your creation, and wanted to know more.
Can you help?"
"Sure, ask away," he said, with a grin.
"Okay, then." I smiled and read the first question in my notebook, "When and
how did you create the Cheese and Onion Baked Apples?"
"There's an interesting story behind their creation..." He smiled dreamily, remembering
the day, and then began telling me the story, "I remember it well, because it
was both the worst and best day in my life. It was the sunny morning of the
5th of Hunting, and I was getting ready to work. I worked for a rich business
man, cooking his meals everyday. I wasn't exactly a good cook, and I still don't
consider myself one, but at the time, I must admit I was terrible. Oh, how many
were the times he yelled at me because his stomach was hurting from eating the
food I cooked... He threatened to fire me several times, but as he was friends
with my father, he never really did. But one day, I had been out the whole day
and completely forgot to cook his lunch. Oh, that time he almost exploded from
anger! And he really fired me!"
"He fired you?" I asked, writing his words down, "What happened next?"
"Using the excuse that my father would be upset if he didn't give me one last
chance, I managed to get the opportunity to prove I still deserved the job.
If I could cook something decent for his dinner, I would get to keep the job.
But I was worthless at cooking and he had never appreciated any of my meals,
so I knew for sure he would just fire me anyway, regardless of what I cooked,"
Magusty smiled again, and giggled at what he was about to tell, "I decided to
cook him the most awfully tasting meal ever and get the chance to laugh at his
reaction before being sent to the unemployment department. I chose some ingredients
that would be disgusting when together, and served him that for dinner. But
the impossible happened and he loved it! Even I loved it, when I tasted it!
I cooked it a couple more times, and got excellent remarks and comments on it,
so I quit my job and opened this little restaurant here."
Still giggling at the story, I asked my second question, "I guess it was quite
a surprise for you to discover what a success the Cheese and Onion Baked Apples
were! How exactly do you make them?"
"It's quite easy, actually. I just take some grated cheese and onion slices
and put them on top of a red apple, together with a secret ingredient I later
developed, and bake it. Now I don't guarantee that if you do it at home it will
taste the same, because the onion must be the specific brand in my garden, and
the secret ingredient is really secret, but you can try anyway."
"It's best not to, I would probably end up with a burnt kitchen and something
stinky and not even edible..." Magusty smiled once more, and waited for the third
question, "Exactly how popular are the Cheese and Onion Baked Apples?"
"I don't think they are utterly popular among Neopians, but this restaurant
is full most of the time with people wanting to eat them! I serve some other
dishes here, including my other baked apples creations, but from all of them,
Cheese and Onion Baked Apples is the most popular."
"And I'm sure once I publish this information, it will be even more popular!"
I finished taking my notes on the previous question, and asked one more, "Do
you have any plans for new kinds of foods?"
"Ah, I don't know, I've been so busy with the restaurant that I hardly have
any time to spare..." Magusty winked and added, "But who knows? You'll have to
wait to see."
Not having any more questions, I thanked Magusty and left the restaurant with
a bag full of Cheese and Onion Baked Apples that were to be my dinner that night,
an offer from the nice Mynci.
Before concluding my research on this item, I had to go out and ask for opinions
on it. I made a post in the chat boards, and guess what? The opinions were positive!
Most of the people have already tasted Cheese and Onion Baked Apples and loved
it!
And now that you know the story behind them, I'm sure you're curious to try
it out, too... Go ahead, it's wonderful as a snack or meal any time of the day!
Weird, but tasty! |
