Chapter 1 and part of Chapter 2

Once Upon a cake 

Chapter 1

 This is Me!

We all love the songs that our mothers would sing to us as children. My favorite has always been the Muffin Man. “Oh do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man? Oh do you know the muffin man who lives down Drury Lane?” Well I know the muffin man; he is a short chubby man of five feet, brown eyes, curly brown hair that is almost gone because of age, and a mustache that curls on the ends. His attire is nothing like a king, a worn chef coat and a chef hat that has patches and stains, but he wears it like a crown. He says he is rich but really has no money. He always is smiling that jolly old man! I am very close to the muffin man.  I see him every day baking in his hot bakery humming a familiar tune. His real name is Millen Mitali, which means kind friend.  This man is my father.

You did not know that the Muffin Man in the stories had a daughter did you! My name is Juliana Mitali, but people just call me Julie. I am very skinny, light auburn hair like my mother, and smoky gray eyes like as if something is burning in the oven as my papa says. I am very strange compared to the rest of my family simply because well… I like to bake cakes! The thing is we Italians do not generally bake cakes, so some of my aunts disapprove for my interest and passion of baking cakes. I cannot help it though I love the science, taste, and creativity of cakes.

Family is always first; and my family is huge! My favorite uncle is Tobin who works for the king as his manservant they are practically best friends. Well also, there is Uncle Angelo, Uncle Louie, and good old Uncle Mario. My Aunts, Agatha, Briana, and Coco. I will not even try to remember all twenty-six of my cousin’s names. Grandmamma is eighty-six years old. Yet, she can still dance with my uncles! She is so wise and full of life for a woman her age. I think it is because she loves living!  My grandmother Louisiette is like a mother to me because my mother passed away when I was born. My mother’s name was Elena Mitali. Don’t you think her name is beautiful. My father would tell me stories of her when I was a child about the silliest of things.  He tells me how she would sometimes sneak some batter out of the bowl she would giggle as if she a purposefully sinned. As he playfully batted at her fingers away with a spoon she would say, “Well you shouldn’t tempt me with that delicious batter!”  I love my mother and I feel like I know her even though we never really met.

My father has become famous for his sweet pastries all over the world. No! I am not going to give you any of the recipes! Our recipes have been in the family for centuries. We have everything to scrumptious cannoli, creamy lobster tails, crunchy sfogliatelle, sweet pandor! I can see your mouth watering! Well where did the name the muffin man come from then? Well you know how I am somewhat strange in the way that I like to bake cakes, well the same goes for my father he is unique because he makes muffins! He is practically obsessed with Muffins! Cinnamon, apple, peach, blueberry, vanilla, even strangely enough garlic muffins! The Americanos have written a song about my papa were everyone is asking do you know the muffin man. This is because everyone knows the muffin man’s food but not the muffin man himself.

Waking up at 6:00 in the morning is not my favorite way to begin a day. But then again it is how I begin every day! When I am getting ready in front of the mirror, I cannot help but think I could be a very beautiful lady. I smell the yummy aroma coming from our kitchen down stairs. I have trained my nose to recognize smells, today for breakfast we are having… ahhh a sweet cornetto smothered with a juniper berry jam and on the side a warm hot chocolate.  Papa always cooks breakfast, I fix lunch, and we both make dinner. Cooking has always been a fun activity that my Papa and me share together. Many chores are to be done, and to get them all done before the heat of the day is… literally impossible, but I try anyway. Here is my list, walk all the way to the market and collect the ingredients such as sugar, berries, salt, cream, eggs, onions, etc. These ingredients are for the bakery and change all the time depending on what we need.  Then I hitch a ride with Mr. Agostino who drives me all the way up to the mill on his donkey cart. His donkey’s name is Drusilla. Agostino loves his Drusilla he will talk to her like this when they are going over a rough spot down the lane, “Drusilla, do you remember why I chose this name for you? I named you Drusilla because your name means strong, you can be strong my lovely Drusilla.”

At the mill, I have to bargain with Stubborn Mrs. Carlotta. I don’t get it she always raises the price of flower and then when we are done bickering she lowers the price to the day before. Our argument goes something like this, “Young miss! You will only receive one pound of flower for 7699 Lira!” “Mrs. Carlotta you have no reason to raise your price! I will just have to take my business elsewhere!” “Wait! You are a right I’ll give you the four pounds of flower like every other day.”

 When I get home, I have to do my least favorite chore, starting the fire in the Wood burning Oven. We were the first in all of Drury to get an Oven! Even before the castle! I say this with great pride! Everyone thought that my Papa was crazy ordering this strange invention from France! Papa would answer back confidently, “You can never get anywhere in life without taking risks!” Because of that risk, our production is up by fifty percent! The reason I do not at all like building the fire because; first, this oven is not small! It is six feet by six feet! Second, I need to chop the wood. Backbreaking, agony! Third, by the time you are done lighting the fire you are sweaty, sore, and very tired.

Life is pretty much the same my little town called Drury. The lanes curve and twist, shops and houses line both sides of the road, and you can see our majestic castle on top of the hill surrounded by our sparkling lake! Old folk lord surrounds the lake with myth and legend. But the real magic comes from my papa’s bake shop down Drury Lane.

Chapter 2

           

“Here ye hear ye!” says the town herald.  In a small town with no news, the herald is always welcomed for the weekly gossip. “Listen one and all! Today I have a royal proclamation! The majestic majesty the queen Lilian Lawrence passed away on the 16^th of August! There shall be a day of mourning for the entire kingdom on the day August 17^th! No one shall bake! No one may work! No one is allowed to be merry! It will be a day of remembering our great queen!”

“Oh my!” “How sad!” says Mrs. Carlotta chattering with some of the most nosy women in town.  “Well she was very old!” says the short squat one. “She was 89 years old!” “I heard from the court jester the skinny one not the fat one that she had false teeth and a wig!” I frankly don’t know why she is talking for she has two brown hairy warts on the tip of her nose! “NO! it’s not possible!” “I always knew that hair was fake!” says the high pitched voice one with the arrogant sneer.  I have always been known for sticking my nose in the wrong conversation. “Mrs. Carlotta don’t you have any respect for the dead especially the queen!” “I mean who made the men rebuild your mill after ruffians burned it down!” “Surely your jealousy will not interfere with the kindness that she had shown you in the past!” “Why I say!” Hasn’t anyone taught you to respect the elderly! Why I should!... “She is right you know what gives you the right to judge those who you do not know!” turning around I see a young man will hazel eyes strong stature almost like a prince cowering over the women in the square. “We were just chatting what gives you the right to nose into somebody else’s business! What is your name?” I am Fredrick I am here to find a man named Tobin Mitali, perhaps you know him? “I know him he is my uncle. May I ask how you know him?” I can’t help be a little suspicious.” “Well you must be Julie!” He proclaimed as he gives me a warm Italian hug. I have never been a hugger so it was somewhat awkward. “He has told me so much about you! Well he is a friend of mine who works in the palace with me. I work in the stables. Can you tell me where to find him! I must speak to him!” “Well.. if you will just come this way he is in the bakery with my father I believe.”

Fredrick is so strange as he walks almost as if he was a horse corralled is the smallest pen possible for weeks on end and just was released. “So Tobin tells me you love to bake something called cakes am I right?  A yes. Well what about it, tell me more!  I currently created a new recipe if you must know!” “Yes I must know. So what about this new recipe Tobin tells me you will talk on end about them tell me more? He is right I am a sucker for someone who is willing to listen with curious ears. So I told him everything I know about the science of cakes all the way up to why Mrs. Adalberto’s cakes always turn out wrong. (To be continued)