Ma Michaels was occupied watching Tapiwa expertly peel six sweet potatoes inside the Inn's kitchen minutes later.
To be honest, she didn't understand why Tapiwa was wasting her time and peeling sweet potatoes that way.
They would either boil them until they were done or roast them with charcoal until they were done before eating them.
Peeling fresh sweet potatoes was new terrain for her, and she was excited to see what Tapiwa had planned for her.
Tapiwa, on the other hand, had organized her thoughts earlier and noted a few dishes that were not popular in her world but were very common in another world she had seen in her dream.
Tapiwa didn't want to show the exact recipe of what she was about to prepare, because there was no assurance that Ma Michaels would buy her recipes after she finished.
Tapiwa chose to make deep-fried sweet potato chips. She also decided to make regular-cut fresh chips rather than round and thin chips.
She rinsed the sweet potatoes with cold water after peeling them and then set them on the wooden board, where she began cutting them into long, thin, and regular cuts.
And because her movements were quick, efficient, and faultless, the sweet potatoes were quickly heaped onto a dish.
"Is this really, really, okay?" Ma Michaels inquired, watching Tapiwa do all of this.
Tapiwa responded with a bright smile, "Trust me. You will not be sorry. Is the oil hot enough?" she inquired, peering over the cooking stove.
Ma Michaels moved away from Tapiwa and peered over the stove, where a half-full wok of cooking oil was currently resting.
Ma Michael's heart broke as she looked at so much oil in a wok. She had never wasted oil in this way before, and now she was witnessing oil that might be used for months being used for only a single dish. How could she be cool in such a situation?
Tapiwa opened her mouth and began speaking in an encouraging tone, "Aunty, trust me," Tapiwa sensed Ma Michael's pain as she looked sorrowfully towards the stove, "You don't need to bother about oil with this recipe. You will still receive all the oil back as long as the oil warms sufficiently. So just relax."
Ma Michaels turned to face Tapiwa, who had just completed sprinkling the spices, which she obviously didn't witness being done, which was unfortunate, and shrugged her shoulders.
"That had better be true. I don't want a recipe that will cost me money. Oil is very expensive and should be used sparingly," Ma Michaels murmured.
"Don't be worried. I've done it before," Tapiwa informed the lady once more.
Ma Michaels turned to face Tapiwa, checking the stove once more, and announced firmly, "The oil is heated. You are free to proceed."
When Tapiwa heard that, she smiled and went about her business.
She simply took the plate with the sweet potato cuts and headed towards the stove because she didn't have much time and also wanted to conceal some important moves.
Instead of standing closer to the stove, she took a step back. The oil was hot, and she didn't want to risk burning herself for the sake of a dish.
Ma Michaels stared as Tapiwa single-handedly placed the cut sweet potatoes into the hot oil, and a sizzling sound filled the room every time a strip entered the hot oil.
All the spices that had been placed on the sweet potatoes began to generate an alluring smell that began to entice even the most obstinate lecherous guests who were drinking beer and being accompanied by Ba Michaels.
The two brothers glanced at Ba Michaels with the same perplexed expression that the elder was well aware of.
And just by glancing at them, he knew he was in for another headache. After all, these two are the type who won't stop until they get the answers they require.
"What is it again?" he inquired, grumbling.
"Uncle, what is Aunty cooking?" one of the brothers inquired, grinning at the elder man. "It has a very pleasant aroma."
"We're all here," Ba Michaels snorted, rolling his eyes at the young man. "How am I supposed to know what she's up to?"
"Can't you just go ahead and ask?"
"I'm not going to ask. You simply sit and wait. Dinner will be ready soon enough. Perhaps the fragrant food will become a part of it."
"Haha, Uncle, just be truthful. You're scared of Aunty, aren't you?"
Ba Michaels, looking irritated and his eyes growing hazy, exploded violently at the brothers, "You... I'll make her refuse to give you anything. Watch it!"
And while the lads were making a silly racket in the pub beneath the torturing and mouthwatering scent of sweet potatoes, Ma Michaels was still in shock.
She had never seen these typical food crops cooked in this manner before. And she was astounded only by smelling the fragrance coming from that pan and watching the erstwhile white sweet potatoes turn golden as they rolled in the oil.
'How can sweet potatoes be so appealing?'
Tapiwa was happy with herself at the same time. She had never prepared anything like this before and had only seen the recipes.
She had, however, observed one of the ladies she was related to eating and loving both potatoes and sweet potato fried chips, which piqued her interest.
And she couldn't help but be fascinated now that she was making them herself.
'I can hardly wait to try these.'
"Aunt, there are a variety of ways to prepare this type of dish, and what I'm currently preparing is a rough version of standard cut fried chips. When you have time, you can fully prepare and make something much crispier and fragrant than what I am making now," Tapiwa decided to tell Ma Michaels.
She wanted the older lady to be aware of the recipe she would be selling because it would be more sophisticated than what she was now cooking.
And her disclosure stunned Ma Michaels, who was already thinking that this was fantastic.
"Are you saying that this is just basic and that there is a better way to make it?"
"Of course, Aunty, how can I lie to you? Let's chat more about this after you've had a taste!" she claimed, her face arrogant.
Ma Michaels finally agreed that there was something wonderful going on when she saw Tapiwa's confidence, and her mouth was already watering as she looked at the golden-cooked chips inside the pan.
"I am looking forward to that, then."