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Baking: Sweet and Savory | Monday, 3rd period

Hannibal nodded at the students as they filed in, pleased to see new faces as well as old. "Hello and good morning. For those of you who haven't met me, I'm Dr. Hannibal Lecter. We will normally be meeting in the Danger Shop, where we've access to whatever tools we'll need, but today is only for introductions and an overview.

"We will be covering baking this semester, which is the process of cooking things using dry heat. I will do my best to take things as methodically as possible, so that even if you've never baked before, you will be able to do so. If you ever have a problem understanding things, please let me know."

He passed out the syllabus. "This is also available online, if you prefer. Should you need to contact me, my phone number and e-mail address are both there. Also, I live just across from the school. You are welcome to call, write, or drop by for help, although if you do the latter without the former, be aware I may not always be home." He grimaced in long-suffering. "Also, watch out for the flamingos."

When everybody had a syllabus, he leaned back on the desk and continued. "Should you need anything and be unable to reach me, Sparkle is my teaching assistant for the semester." He nodded to Sparkle.

"So, since the first day is for introductions, and it's early enough in the week you hopefully haven't gotten tired of them yet, let's go around the room; please let me know your name and class, what experience you may already have in baking, and if there's anything you particularly are looking forward to learning."

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Ready to bake! Or at least to eat Hannibal's baking today.

Cosette Fauchelevent

Kathy Li

Sparkle

Emma Swan

Kira Yukimura

Discuss what you know and what you'd like to.

"I'm Kathy Li and I'm a junior," Kathy said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears. "Umm, I've mostly made cakes from boxes and stuff. And bread in my mom's bread machine. But I have a lot of experience eating baked goods? We live right down the street from a fabulous Korean bakery."

...That had sounded less stupid in her head.

"I'd like to learn how to make baked goods from around the world. Not just the usual cookies and pies that you can buy in any 7-11 in the country."

Hannibal smiled. "As the students who've been in my classes before can tell you, there is little usual or boring about the foods I enjoy. I'm happy to focus on a range of cuisines," he assured her.

"And you may be surprised how useful experience eating can be. If you know what the flavor or texture of something is supposed to be, it can help a great deal."

"Well, if anyone isn't sure whether the filling in that Korean pastry is supposed to look like that, I'm their girl," Kathy said. "And I'm willing to stand as assurance that, yes, red bean paste really is delicious."

"I rather enjoy it myself," Hannibal answered. "And should we try for any Korean pastries, we will definitely be using you as a resource."

Sparkle just grinned a little as he introduced himself to the class. Yeah, he had this.

"I'm Sparkle," he said, because obviously. Hannibal had already pointed him out as TA. "Junior, and, like, the sum total of my baking experience is whatever Hannibal's already taught me to do. Unless Bagel Bites count. I don't think bagel bites count."

Bagel Bites didn't count.

"But I'm looking forward to learning the quick and easy stuff- you know, the stuff I'll probably be living on after high school before I scratch out a place for myself? There, uh, there is quick and easy stuff in baking, right?"

"It doesn't tend to be the quickest and easiest, but I'm certain I can find a few things," Hannibal answered.

"And hey, if not, at least I'll be able to impress people with all of my fancy baking skills," Sparkle decided. "I didn't have those before."

"Also true." Hannibal quirked a little smile at him. "And you can always hold a bake sale if you like."

"... Oh shit, that is a thing people do, isn't it?"

You've created a monster, Hannibal.

"Well, that's that, then. Bake sales all the time, now. Forever."

"Your final for this class is, you will all be unsurprised to discover, to bake things." Hannibal spread his hands. "I see no reason we couldn't sell them, although I will have to check with the school."

"That... would be kind of awesome," Sparkle decreed, grinning. "Kind of trial by fire, too, if you're not the only person who has to eat it."

Sparkle was no stranger to being put on the spot. He'd do fine.

"I'm Cosette, and I'm in my second year, and I can bake some breads and fairly simple pastries and things." As it would not have occurred to her to make them out of a boxed mix, it did not occur to her to specify this. "But I'd like to learn to do more, and I agree with Kathy. Learning how to make things from around the world would be interesting."

"Very good." Hannibal nodded to her. "There are a lot of interesting techniques we can learn, so I'm pleased to find interest in it. And welcome back to my class, Mademoiselle."

"I'm glad to be back, Monsieur," Cosette answered, smiling. "The lessons have been useful, and the food wonderful. I look forward to more of both."

"Emma, I'm a senior," Emma said. "And just what I've learnt in class, pretty much."

"Welcome back, Emma." Hannibal smiled at her. "Anything in particular you'd like to learn this semester?"

"The kind of things that don't need a lot of ingredients or equipment, I guess." She liked the fancy food Hannibal cooked, but she was realistic about what her finances were going to look like.

"So, we have two votes for international food, and two for easy," Hannibal noted with a smile. "I will do my best."

"I'm Kira, and I'm a sophomore," she said. "I've made cakes from boxes and chocolate chip cookies from scratch because that's not terribly complicated, I think? But I'd like to learn more about baking pies, because it's something sweet that you can also pretend is vaguely healthy."

"That depends upon the pie, I suppose." Hannibal smiled. "Welcome, Kira; we will definitely be covering pies at some point."

He knows that's why most of you take these classes.

Today, you get:
Cracked pepper focaccia with truffle oil (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cracked-Pepper-Focaccia-with-Truffle-Oil-104687)
Mini meat pies with veal filling (https://www.finedininglovers.com/recipes/brunch/meat-pie-recipe/)
Vanilla almond cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream (http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/vanilla-almond-cupcakes-with-salted-caramel-buttercream/) (only not made with cake mix!)

Sparkle was almost sorry he didn't bring his bag along, because he'd so be smuggling some of those meat pies and cupcakes out of here.

... Not that he had to. He could probably just ask for the extras and Hannibal would be happy to let him take them along. But, you know, old habits...

Just meant he was going to enjoy them all the more right here and now. Mmm, meat pie.

Because squishy meat pies and squashed-flat cupcakes were...well, at least they were an improvement over Pop Tarts!

Right? And now Sparkle had a fridge to put the meat pies in, instead of trying to hoover them all down before they went bad at room temperature!

If you need him, he's here.

Once he pings in.

Sparkle was so here, in case you needed help, like, remembering somebody's name or something.

Not much for the TA to do here, yet.

oh god, make the phones stop.

... Sparkle's been a Senior for half a year, he's student council president, and I still introduce him as a Junior. HE'S IN GRADE TWELVE OKAY EVEN HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THESE WEIRD NAMED YEARS.

I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT!

I CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO KNOW HOW SCHOOLS WORK OMG. THAT'S CRAZY TALK.

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Baking: Sweet and Savory | Monday, 3rd period

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Talk to Hannibal!

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OOC!

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