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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“I wanted to congratulate your kids for entering the contest together,” Chef Rosa says. “I know what a supermarket like Deals Deals can do to family businesses. I lost my restaurant to them, too, before I came to the Gastronomic Society.”

“Those vultures at Deals Deals have had a clutch on us for a while now,” Dona Eulalia says. “No matter what we do, they keep lowering their prices, stealing our customers from us. We tried everything.”

“I’m very touched by your story,” Chef Rosa says. “My colleagues here have left me in charge of managing their line of restaurants in Recife and Olinda, and we’d all like to offer Salt and Sugar a contract to supply their kitchens. Your cake is a powerful statement to big sharks like Deals Deals. There’s a lot of strength in unity, and that’s what I hope this dish will inspire. It’s an homage to small family-owned businesses.”

“Are you serious?” I exclaim.

When they nod yes, I feel like I’m about to faint, but Pedro scoops me up into a hug. He winces a little because of his hurt ankle, but now Cintia, PC, and Victor are lifting us in their arms, too.

In the back, Seu Romário passes around samples of our cake for Mom and Dona Eulalia to try.

They take small bites and immediately close their eyes, surprise and elation written all over their faces. My heart swells. This is the first time Mom is trying one of my creations. I guess I’ve come a long way since my flower soup.

For the first time in decades, Ramires and Molinas blend in with cheers and excited hugs. No more yelling, no more fighting. Just a group of neighbors standing together.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24

The next day, Mom and I stand in front of Salt, while Pedro, Seu Romário, and Dona Eulalia stand in front of Sugar.

We’re back to eyeing each other from our respective sidewalks, our street dotted with bonfires to celebrate St. John’s Day tonight. I wink at Pedro. And he smiles back.

Silently, Mom and Dona Eulalia meet in the middle of the street. They pull out the recipes that once made the legendary Salt and Sugar cake and extend them to each other like an official peace offering.

They place the recipes in a glass box, piecing them back together. Reuniting our bakeries’ hearts. Reuniting our families. Like Great-grandma Elisa and Dona Elizabete Molina once dreamed.

The dream we dream together now.

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER...

“Hey, Lari, Pedro!” Dona Eulalia calls from inside Salt. “It’s time!” She begins ushering the crowd of Sugar bakers into Salt’s kitchen.