Sailing To Kapri
Captain Peanut Butter • Chapter 6
New to Baron Britpop Blastfurnace? You can read Books 1 & 2 here:
In the previous chapter, The Jellyfish narrowly escaped a pirate attack. Meanwhile, Britpop and Andelbert were onboard a Dutch merchant ship sailing toward home. This chapter continues their story.
I will take up the telling of the tale once again.
Andelbert and I went below deck and made our way to the galley. A stocky man stood with his back to us. A long tail of gray hair tied with a white piece of cloth hung down his back. The gallery was surprisingly orderly and clean. Copper pans hung on hooks in order from small to large. Shelves surrounding the brick hearth were arranged and stocked neatly with bags, crates, and spices. And one wall was filled with orderly rows of barrels, each labeled with its contents.
“Look at how tidy this galley is,” Andelbert whispered to me.
“Almost as nice as Versailles,” I replied.
Andelbert chuckled. The cook heard Andelbert and turned around. His eyes brightened, and he said, “Welcome, Lads. You must be passengers. Can I prepare anything for you?”
“Actually, we came to offer our services,” I replied.
“How do you mean?” The cook asked.
“Andelbert is a skilled baker. His bread is loved by all who taste it. In fact, the King of France requested the recipe after tasting a slice.”
“Well, that is a tale I would dearly love to hear. Sit down. I am Arjan Fare. But the crew calls me Opa. You may as well.”
“Well met, Opa. I am Baron Britpop Blastfurnace, and this is my dear friend Andelbert Swift. We would like to assist with preparing meals.”
“And it would be my great pleasure to bake bread for the crew,” Andelbert added.
Opa seemed surprised. “Well, I take great pride in my cooking, and the crew is accustomed to excellent food. I would need to sample your bread before I allow the crew to eat it.”
“If you are agreeable, I shall bake a loaf now,” Andelbert said.
“No time like the present. I shall oversee the process.”
“By all means. I am happy to share the recipe with you if you approve of it.”
“We shall see.”
Andelbert worked his magic. While the bread baked, Andelbert told Opa the story of baking bread for King Louis.
“I can scarcely believe it,” Opa said when Andelbert finished.
“It is the truth. I swear it,” I said. “As you will soon see for yourself.”
When the bread was done and cooled, Opa sliced a piece off the loaf and placed it in his mouth.
“Heaven’s light, Son. You were not exaggerating. This is the finest, most flavorful bread I have ever eaten. I would be a plain fool if I didn’t let you bake more.”
Andlebert smiled broadly and said, “Thank you. I would be happy to bake it daily for the crew.”
“And I am getting quite skilled at chopping onions,” I added.
Opa laughed. “There is always a need for chopping. Well, Lads, it appears I have two assistants. The stars have surely shone on me this trip.”
We sat at the table to enjoy the bread.
“Tell me about yourself, Baron. If you don’t mind. You look young to be a Baron.”
“Indeed. My Barony was a gift from Emperor Joseph for inventing silent horseshoes.”
“Silent horseshoes?”
“Yes. I coated horseshoes with rubber, making them less noisy on cobblestones. This allowed deliveries to be made to the palace while Emperor Joseph slept. He is a light sleeper.”
“Land’s end. I would have never imagined such a thing.”
“I was a blacksmith at the time. It was just a burst of inspiration I can’t explain.”
“Well, it certainly paid off. Well done, Baron.”
“Please, call me Britpop.”
Opa nodded.
“What about you, Andelbert? How did you become such an expert baker?”
“My mother arranged for me to apprentice with a baker in Kapri. I had never baked before, but I seemed to have a natural ability.”
“I’ll say.”
“What about you, Opa? How did you become a cook on a merchant ship?” I asked.
“My parents owned a tavern where I learned to cook. I was always experimenting with ingredients, trying to improve what we served. But I also longed for adventure. One day, a sea Captain visited our tavern. After he ate, he asked to meet the cook. When he saw that I was a young man, he offered me the job of cook on his ship. That was forty years ago. I now cook for his son. This job has fulfilled both of my desires. To travel and to cook.”
Captain Beknopt came down to check on us.
“Opa, I see you have met the Baron and his companion. I assume they made their intentions known. Of course, the decision is yours. It is your galley.”
“Yes, Captain. I am happy to accept their offer.” He handed a piece of bread to the Captain. “You must sample Andelbert’s bread.”
The Captain looked at Opa, who nodded his head in encouragement. He took the piece of bread and ate it. “It is very good,” Beknopt said. “Now, I have affairs to tend to. Good day.” Then he turned and left.
“He is not much for conversation, is he?” I asked.
“No, he is not. But he is a good man. And ‘very good’ is high praise from him. You should be pleased, Andelbert.”
That evening, the crew gathered for dinner. Introductions were made, and we assisted Opa in serving the meal, which was a hearty stew.
“Lads, I have a surprise for you,” Opa said.
A tall, thin sailor named Picket took a guess, “Apple pie?
“Better,” Opa replied.
“Not possible.”
“Wait and see. Andelbert, will you do the honors?”
“My pleasure.”
Andelbert pulled three loaves of bread out of the hearth and placed them on the table.
“Bread?” Picket asked. “Your bread is good, but it ain’t better than apple pie. Not much is.”
“Just taste it, swab.”
Picket took a bite, and his eyes widened. “Harpoon me with a swordfish. I never thought you could top your apple pie, but you did it. I ain’t never tasted nothing like it. It floods your mouth with an ocean of flavor.”
“The credit goes to Andelbert. He baked it.”
“Bravo, Sir. This is far and away the best bread I ever ate. And I ate a lot.”
“Thank you, Picket,” Andelbert replied.
The rest of the crew greedily grabbed the loaves to try it for themselves.
After devouring the bread and the stew, a young lad named Chinwag rose and said, “This bread is so fantastic, it deserves a tribute.”
There were cries of “no” and “have mercy.” But it didn’t deter Chinwag from stating his declaration.
“I have sailed the seas from east to west.
“I have put all the merchants to the test.
“To say there was better would be a jest.
“Andelbert, your bread is the best.”
The crew erupted in “Hear, hear!” Andelbert soaked up the accolades and beamed with pride.
After dinner, Andelbert and I stood on the deck looking out at the sea.
“Once again, you have won the hearts of the crew with your bread.”
“It is gratifying, I admit. But my heart still aches at the thought of Maria worrying about me.”
“It is troubling. But, with luck, we will make it safely home. And what a homecoming that will be.”
“I am eager for that day.”
“So am I.”
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I welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, corrections, typo catches, etc. Thank you.
Mark
"Heaven’s light!" You are making me hungry, Mark. I am heading to the kitchen for a sandwich. The bread will not be nearly as fine as Andelbert's, more's the pity. Cute story.
Hi Mark I’m very sorry if this is verging on the pedantic... on a ship of that size (brigs n barques) the galley would be near the main mast - amidships towards the bow - as the stern would be captains and officers quarters. SORRY !! 😶🌫️