Once the fishy smell disappeared from the air, Enoki took a look at the oil. There wasn’t a good thermometer ze could find. Ze instead grabbed a small, clean cooking stick. Enoki grabbed Bob the bowl, who quickly turned into Bob the fry basket, and dropped it with the soon to be fries into the bubbling oil.

Daikon looked over with a curious grin. “Well, that sounds like a fire waiting to happen.”

“It kinda is, which is why you lower it slowly.” The strachy oily smell rose into the air, replacing the fishy scent as Enoki let go of the basket. “Get some salt ready. If it’s not a fine grain and you can grind it, take care of it please.”

“Right.” 

Daikon got the salt, which looked the size of flakes of kosher salt back home, and grabbed a mortar and pedestal to grind them to a fine dust. He swirled it with his finger as Enoki dumped the fries onto a clean looking cloth. A chance for the oil to be removed was something ze had learned was important to the frying process. Though the still slightly soft fries looked tempting.

Not being able to help hirself, Enoki popped one of the fried erikins in hir mouth. Ze huffed and puffed as the barely cooled fry released a burst of strachy, oily, and slightly citrus like steam into hir mouth.

“Enoki?” Daikon spoke with a hint of concern. 

“It’s ahhh, it’s ok.” Ze reached for a small cup and scooped some water to cool hir mouth. “Not ready for the salt. Need to go again.”

Daikon nodded as he moved to the patties and mushrooms. “I’ll make sure these don’t burn.”

The fry was still not crispy enough. Well, that was expected. And a step most didn't realize they needed for the best fries. As Enoki grabbed the spuds and threw them back into the basket, ze couldn’t help but wonder. Was ze being cooked to perfection like the fries with this new life?

It was something to ponder later.

Just as ze dropped in the fries for their second go, the owner walked in. “A few minutes left, friends. I’ll say it is smelling good in here.”

Enoki was already moving to a cutting board, preparing to slice the pickled cactus palm found earlier. “It’s almost ready. This is something loved by my family.”

“Family recipes are always lovely.” He watched, ears twitching and his eyes almost sparkling at the sight. “It’s certainly fun to see you trying your best here.”

Daikon pulled the buns out and set down the tray. With one swift movement he gently pushed the centaur out. “Yes well, we don’t need someone else in the kitchen right now. Please leave my flurry of a chaos storm alone for a few more minutes.”

As the centaur left, Enoki glanced back. “Thanks. I get nervous when people watch me cook like that.”

“You didn’t seem to mind last night.” He handed hir a bulb that smelled like a green onion but looked more like a shallot.

“That was with friends. This is a judge. I never did well in contests.” Enoki looked at the sizzling fries and patties. “For now, let's focus on getting this done.”

“Right. Show me what to do and I'll make it happen.”

It was strange seeing Daikon this serious. But at the same time, it was kind of nice. Maybe it’d be like this when he showed hir how to make Orc dishes. Or maybe it was like this for him when he could cook with his now missing friend.

Ze took the not-a-shallot and started slicing, uncovering a lovely shade of violet inside. At least it’d look more like a burger from home. “Bun, please.”

Daikon handed one over, already sliced in half. Within moments Enoki had the patty with it’s lightly browned mushrooms slid onto the bun. The little bit of grease and gravy that had formed soaked slightly into the bottom bun. The top bun was put on top with the pickled cactus, the not-shallot called a Jenitina, a few leaves of a blue lettuce, a slice of a dark orange cheese, and soft and juicy red quina. Enoki was rather glad ze found the quina, which looked like a cucumber shaped tomato. Burgers didn’t feel like a burger to hir without some tomato slices. Honestly, it tasted like a blend of the two without the crispness. 

Enoki pulled out the fries and quickly tossed them in salt and some of the k’potin powder. Ze was going to trust the elves that first day were right about it making the tuber taste better. Daikon had plated a few more of the burgers, copying what ze had done, as Enoki finished placing the fries down. 

“You’re pretty good at being a sous chef.” Enoki said with a small smile. “I’m sure your friend you mentioned would be proud.”

“I think they’ll be mad that I was cooking with someone else.” He spoke in a soft and sad voice. “But this was always nice for me.”

“Well, let's show off what we made.” Enoki scooped up three of the plates and started walking out of the kitchen, hoping this was going to be a good enough meal for the centaur. If nothing else, it was fun cooking with Daikon.

Enoki carefully walked out with three of the plates, making sure to only use hir two hands and not sprout a third. Daikon happily brought out three more, ready to enjoy the fruits of their labor. As they came out, the entire inn went silent.  A few people moved closer, hoping to get a smell or taste of the food in question. Enoki set hir plates down in front of the old centaur and Crackle the trouble maker. Crackle was quite literally bouncing up and down on the tips of her hooves, causing her mane and ears to bounce along in time.

“That! Looks! So! Good!” Crackle was already being slightly pulled away by Kraken’s hand on the back of her shirt. The dragon kin blankly took their own plate with the free hand.

“We wait for the owner and chef. You know this.” They grumbled softly, sniffing the food as they spoke.

Enoki was sure they were holding back a bit of drool as they looked at the plate. Enoki’s attention was drawn back to the old centaur as a small chuckle came from him. 

“Well, it looks like a sandwich with an interesting side. Let’s see if it’s truly that special hmm? But feel free to eat your own. Chef first, after all.” 

If the innkeeper actually gestured to Enoki’s plate, ze couldn’t tell. As soon as he said ze could eat, Enoki was already picking up the burger with both hands. Little bits of the chopped pickled cactus palm fell onto the plate as Enoki took the first bite. The meat had, to the best of hir ability, been cooked to medium rare, leaving a soft pink and juicy center. The fat had melted perfectly into it and the mushrooms, creating an oily taste without the greasy feel. Little pops of sharp pepper followed by milder garlic and onion tones came out with each bite of the meat. The green buns, as strange as they looked, perfectly absorbed the juices from everything without becoming soggy. The texture reminded hir of a potato roll with its slightly crisp exterior and moist and dense interior. Ze would have preferred the rolls had more time to cool, but if wishes were fishes Enoki would have a crab boil every day.

The second bite was what sent hir to the old cookouts back home. There was a bit of the patty that had gotten more crisp than the others. The sliced mushrooms coated in the gentle gravy, while maintaining its own meaty texture with an almost pork like flavor. Almost like having soft cooked bacon pieces on top. The saltiness of that mixed with the sweet and sour flavor of the almost mushy pickles, the crisp leaf, and the juice of the quina gently dripping down Enoki’s chin. The sharpness of the cheese with each chew gently surged forward before disappearing into the background, helping let each piece shine.

Swallowing that bite, ze quickly grabbed two of the fries and popped them in hir mouth with the grace of a starving toddler. The erikin fries coated in k’potin had been the right choice. The crispy outside and fluffy inside fries had a new flavor profile. It was now more like a mix of cumin, paprika, cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lime. In a more refreshing way than smacking you over the head with sour, everything came together like a symphony of flavors in hir mouth. 

Ze was so lost in enjoying the flavors as ze continued to eat, the question of a name barely registered. 

“Oh, burger.” Ze quickly said, eating a few more fries. “It's a burger.”

“The dish’s name?” The owner asked as Enoki went to take another bite. 

Ze paused and looked to see the old centaur had already eaten half the plate, looking quite happy. “Oh uh, Burger.”

“Ah of course you did say it was a family dish. It makes sense it is named after your family.” He took another bite. “You may use the challenge room as long as you need Mix. Burger.”

Enoki tried to talk around the bite of food in hir mouth, covering it with hir hand so as not to spit food at anyone. “No it- It’s not named after my family.”

“You said it was a family recipe… Ah! They named it after you then? So this is-”

Daikon gave a smirk. “Well that’d be an Enoki Burger. Enoki is the mushroom of the gods after all.”

Enoki gave the orc a wide eyed stare. What was happening? Was ze being renamed Enoki Burger?

“Of course! And this side dish?” The old centaur picked up a fry, happily nibbling on it, his square pupils becoming larger in glee as he did. 

Ze swallowed quickly. Hir brain short circuited. French fries would take too long to explain. France didn’t exist. Instead hir mind landed on the next location ze could use. “Earth Fries. Be- because tubers are from the ground…”

The innkeeper paused and gave a laugh. “If I can meet your family, I would love to. To name the food after their child and the dirt. Such humor! Mix. Burger, it will be lovely to have you here tonight.”

As the others finished their food and the patrons resumed their business for the evening, Enoki could only think of the taunt hir brother gave as children. 

“If you love burgers so much why don’t you marry them?”

Well. Ze thought as hard as ze could towards hir brother. Apparently I did and took its last name. Ham and I will be happy together at least.