Sarah Smith > Quotes

“You were everything to me, Shay. You still are.”
― Sarah Smith, If You Never Come Back

“Life doesn’t always care what you have planned.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“Mom, I think you've done enough experimenting. All of these batches have been delicious."
I dip the other, unbitten end into a small dish of sweet chili sauce.
"You never know what people will want," she says. "Some like it with pork, some like it with chicken, some like it with shrimp."
Our post-work evening has been spent testing out different batches of lumpia for the upcoming Maui Food Festival. Ever since I told her we'd be competing to keep our spot on Makena Road, she's been in a food-prepping frenzy. Every night after work for the past week she's spent hours testing out new dishes, tweaking ingredients to get the flavors just right. Yesterday it was adjusting the level of fish sauce in the pansit, then attempting to perfect the ratio of rice noodle to meat and vegetables.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“You're going to love the ham, egg, and chips sandwich," Callum says. "It's Finn's favorite."
"Is that what inspired the ham, egg, and chip toasty on your menu?"
He whips his head around to peer at the counter, which is empty.
"The guy who took our order headed back to the kitchen," I say. "Is everything okay?"
"I just didn't want him to overhear and think I'm stealing his recipes. He might ban us from eating here, and then I'd never be able to eat the greatest sandwich ever made again."
I roll my eyes. "Come on. It can't be that good."
"Just wait."
"Honestly, the sandwich you serve is amazing. Your idea to put a layer of fries between the ham and the egg is mind blowing.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“CALLUM:You're awfully chatty today”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“And then someone asks if Callum is as skilled in the bedroom as he is in the kitchen. That's when my blood turns to magma.
I slam my hand on top of the metal countertop. "Listen the hell up!"
My shout silences every last one of the vloggers. The high schooler looks on with a shocked expression and mutters, "Yes, ma'am."
"My personal life isn't up for discussion. I'm also not interested in name-dropping any of you in a commercial when you've been harassing me and my customers every day since the festival. I'm here to cook and serve food, and you goddamn piranhas are crowding around my truck, making it impossible for my mother and me to serve our customers. Either get the hell out of the way so my customers can order, or else."
There's silence, followed by soft mutters. A scrawny, white guy in the back of the crowd tucks his phone into his pocket and crosses his arms, stubborn written across his frown. "Or else what?"
Leaning my head back, I puff out all the hot air pent up in my body. He's the pissant who asked about Callum's bedroom performance. I swipe a bottle of lemon-lime soda from the counter and give it a dozen of the most violent shakes I can manage. I stomp out of the truck and up to the offending vlogger.
Even when I'm standing two inches from him, he has the audacity to smirk. But when I twist off the cap, a stream of soda smashes him square in the face. My frustration dissipates with each violent burst of carbonated liquid.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“My mom’s family emigrated from the Philippines to the US when she was little, and cooking their family recipes was how they stayed connected with their roots.”
― Sarah Smith, Dessert Flirt Repeat

“I can chop, sauté, dice, whisk, knead. Massage. And rub. Among other things."
I bite my lip. This feels like some sort of indecent kitchen pillow talk. My eyes skim the shiny metal surface of the nearby prep table. If only there weren't a handful of servers due back in the kitchen at any minute, I'd demand he bend me over the shiny cold surface and show me for the millionth time just how good he is with his hands. That's a decidedly friends-with-benefits thought.
I shake my head and glance at the clock. Only four minutes of ogling time left.
"You look like you've got something on your mind." It's as if he can read the naughty thoughts crowding my head.
My eyes fall to the floor. It's time to rein in the pornographic kitchen euphemisms and focus back on the task at hand.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“He wraps his hand around my arm, but it’s not”
― Sarah Smith, Faker

“What? Cirque du Soleil? Princess tea party?” He guzzles from his water bottle. “Worse. Thunder From Down Under.”
― Sarah Smith, Dessert Flirt Repeat

“Callum takes a gigantic bite of his sandwich. I finally dig into mine and moan at the burst of flavor. It's the perfect bite of ham, malt vinegar mayo, fried egg, shoestring fries, and focaccia bread.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“I can't bear to think this British stud is heartbroken. What kind of monster breaks up with a hunk like that? #pickmeinstead
Nikki from @Tivas is an ice queen for leaving that hottie out to dry. Yo, Callum! I love @HungryChaps! Hit me up! I'll cheer you up! ”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“A pyramid of lumpia rests on the counter of our condo's kitchen, right next to the stove. Carefully, I maneuver one from the bottom of the pile and take a bite. It's a burst of all my favorite flavors: the rich, well-seasoned ground pork, the tender rice noodles, the crispy shredded cabbage and carrots, the even crispier fried flour wrapper holding everything together, and the tangy sweet chili dipping sauce.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“He and I opened this bank account together two years ago when we moved into this apartment to pay bills together. But when I started my business last year, I began using the account to save money to pay my ice cream shop bills too. Because of that, I was contributing the bulk of my earnings to that account. Ben hardly ever deposited money into it anymore. We even talked about taking his name off the account, but we were always too busy and never got around to it.”
― Sarah Smith, Dessert Flirt Repeat

“I squeal into my pillow, still processing the fact that Gage Grant and I are attracted to each other.”
― Sarah Smith, Dessert Flirt Repeat

“I’m not assuming or expecting anything. You don’t need to do a single thing for me. Ever.”
― Sarah Smith, Dessert Flirt Repeat

“Matteo holds up a forkful of fish. "Just take this exquisite bite of fish. The way it plays on your tongue-- the salt, the richness, the luscious texture."
Matteo takes his butter knife in his left hand and brushes a mound of pineapple fried rice on his fork. He holds it up in front of him, catching the light of the nearby overhead chandelier. It's like he's an appraiser scrutinizing a gemstone in the light.
"And this rice. My oh my, this rice. The perfect complement to the delicately fried fish with its sweet chunks of succulent pineapple and salty bacon." He slaps his free hand on his knee and lets out a throaty chuckle that booms against the dining room walls. "Who would have thought to add bacon as a twist in fried rice?”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“succulent pineapple and salty bacon.” He slaps his free hand on his knee and lets out a throaty chuckle that booms against the dining room walls. “Who would have thought to add bacon as a twist in fried rice?”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down

“She chats about frying up pork chops and sunny-side up eggs over white rice with brown gravy.
"Sounds bloody delicious. That would make a great menu special for today." Callum says as he stands at the far end of the meal table to crack endless eggs into a giant metal bowl. When he's done, I'll scramble them in a huge wok along with some bacon, peas, carrots, and white rice to make our signature fried rice.”
― Sarah Smith, Simmer Down