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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#270: The Perfect Recipe

Writing can often feel like trying to follow the perfect recipe: with the right inciting incident, you can push your character out of their status quo or comfort zone, and if you sprinkle some challenges in there, you get character development. Then, you turn the heat up until you reach a boiling point — maybe you even toss in a third-act crisis — and just before it spills over, you add the finishing touches and plate it up.

But sometimes, no matter how carefully you stick to a recipe, things don’t turn out as planned. That’s when, like any great chef, you realize it’s better to forgo exact steps and simply season to taste.

This week’s prompts take inspiration from the world of food, so grab your aprons and preheat your ovens — let’s get cooking!

This week's prompts

Write a story in the form of a recipe.

Short Story – 82 stories

Start or end your story with two people discussing an important matter over a meal.

Dramatic – 60 stories

Write a story inspired by the saying “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Angst – 59 stories

Set your story in a kitchen, either early in the day or late at night.

Short Story – 82 stories

Write a story about someone searching for a missing ingredient, literally or metaphorically.

Dramatic – 53 stories

Stories

“The Visit (Inspired by the play The Visit of the Old Lady by Friedrich Dürrenmatt)” by Ivana Pavićević

Submitted to Contest #270

"Stop the train," she said in a cold, indifferent tone. "But ma'am, the trains never stop in Gilen," the conductor responded nervously. "Give him 500 euros," she said to her servant in the same unchanged tone. The servant, as if knowing exactly what was expected of him, handed over the money. Klara stood up, limping ever so slightly, and made her way to the exit. The conductor quietly added, "You should have pulled the brake." With a smile like the Mona Lisa but with eyes brimming with malice, she responded casually, "I never pull the brakes...

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“Forget Me Not” by Wren Chase

Submitted to Contest #270

Janie:My hands ache from the rapidly developing blisters on my palms. My arms feel tight and burn from the intensive labor of digging a hole in the damp earth, big enough for a person to fit inside. Tonight, I’ll show him what true love looks like, even if it means spilling blood. I force the pointed tip of the shovel into the dirt, time and time again, until I feel a bead of rain splash on my cheek. I heed Mother Nature’s warning and begin to drag Ms. Bumble Gum Pink Bimbo Barbie, I mean Brynn, into the loamy soil. With the rain tonight, I ...

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“Karma's Kitchen” by Kyria Nakita

Submitted to Contest #270

Karma’s Kitchen was buzzing with life, an upscale hotspot that blended Southern soul food with a Caribbean twist. Warm amber lights bathed the polished tables, and the low hum of conversation filled the air, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter. The walls were adorned with eclectic art and historical jazz musicians that captured the essence of the South and the islands. The sweet smoky aroma of jerk chicken, collard greens, and fried plantains lingered in the air, tempting every guest who walked through the door. This wasn’t ...

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“The Frozen Vows” by Dannette Tillery

Submitted to Contest #270

Chapter 1Determined footsteps crunched through the mushy snow as the woman in a white cashmere coat hurried down the crowded sidewalk. Her long brown hair, pulled into a ponytail, swayed in the chilly air.“Shouldn’t have worn heels today.” She slipped slightly in her pink boots before stopping in front of Sweet City Bridal. After a quick glance at her reflection, she entered.The doorbell rang, and she froze. There, standing just feet away, was the last person she wanted to see—Ben Park. His dark-hooded eyes widened in shock.“Hi! You must be ...

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“Of Method and Madness” by Ajene Amenti

Submitted to Contest #270

“Your sugar is a little low," The nurse said. "But the doctor will be in shortly. Would you like some juice while you wait?”“Sure,” Joshua said. “Do you have any cranberry juice?”The nurse frowned. “Sorry, all we have is orange. Cranberry seems to go quick.”“Oh okay, no thank you.” He smiled. “I don’t want my breath to stink worse than it already does.”His awkward attempt at a laugh ended with him coughing, all but souring the moment. The nurse smiled politely and left the room. Embarrassed, he slumped in the hospital chair and tried imagini...

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“Fearless Love” by Savannah Pond

Submitted to Contest #270

My hands were shaking as I knocked on the door. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be getting an answer or worse yet if the door would be slammed shut in my face. The wind was rustling through the trees and rain was steadily coming down. It was a cold autumn night and honestly the warmth from the inside of the house would have seemed irresistibly inviting if it weren’t for the given circumstances. I had made a mistake. I had met my girlfriend Gracie about six months ago and she was everything I had ever ...

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“Fever.” by Leah Huston

Submitted to Contest #270

I have a fever. People hallucinate when they have fevers, right? I came here to get a glass of water because I was thirsty, because of my fever. I came to the kitchen and grabbed my favorite glass from its spot on the counter. I walked to the sink, and that’s when I saw whatever was standing there outside. There used to be a door there, right? It’s just a window now, the door is gone. It must just be because of my fever, I’m hallucinating. People hallucinate when they have fevers, right? Then why do my feet hurt so bad? They didn’t when I wa...

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“A Season of Chances” by Cassandra Knight

Submitted to Contest #270

The rain tippity tapped on the window just before it slowly streaked down the glass, blurring the view through my kitchen window. The humid summer air flowing in through the windows filled the house with scents of pollen from the blooming flowers and trees. Despite the breeze, it was hard to breathe, the oxygen in the room feeling like honey traveling into my nose and through my lungs. A knot formed in my throat and my stomach churned. I stood there staring at my reflection in front of me, my hands gripping the edge of the sink, replaying th...

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“To Sneak A Snack” by Andrea Krist

Submitted to Contest #270

Pico peer around the corner into the dark kitchen. The room smelled like cut lemons and the remains of dinner. Light from the streetlamp shone in through the window above the sink and made the laminate floor shine like fresh ice on a lake. Beneath the counter hummed the dishwasher. Its rhythmic swish and thump like a thunderous rain storm. His long nose twitched with his whiskers. Beyond the disinfectant chemicals the humans of this house used to clean every surface, he could smell traces of beef, potatoes, carrots, corn, and green beans. He...

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“Who Are You” by Erin Bunker

Submitted to Contest #270

Warning: This story contains sexually explicit content. Reader discretion is advised. Sunlight shimmered through the trees outside the kitchen window, the rays sliding across the table and backlighting the steam rising from her coffee cup. She brought the cup to her lips, sipping slowly as the corners of her lips curled up in a smile. Last night was incredible. She stared out the window, her eyes not truly seeing the amber leaves on the trees in the yard. Instead, all she could see was his eyes- dark and dangerous as he stared down at ...

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“Alloy” by Lori Elle

Submitted to Contest #270

He never lets her see him so bothered, but this time she catches him unaware. He doesn’t notice that she has come upon him from behind, barefoot, quiet as a summer’s breeze. She enters the kitchen from the screened-in porch and sees him huddled over a page of the morning paper. He clenches his fist, and when he releases his grip the paper is wrinkled; it looks damp to her. She stops, fascinated. He touches his fingertips to his forehead. From her position, she can’t discern that his eyes are closed.Don’t you know what it means when they braz...

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“Muted Mornings” by Alesia Lelaj

Submitted to Contest #270

The early lights of day peer through the kitchen windows and yet not a moment throughout the night did we shut our eyes. The golden hues reflect against the stark white kitchen and it makes me wonder why in this day and age it has become the norm to paint your entire home a cold hospital white or beige color. To replicate the colorful hues of nature is to bring beauty into your home. Green plants in red clay pots on the windowsills. Deep ocean blue wooden cabinets with carved details around the edges. Multicolored flowers sat atop white or w...

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“The love I didn't know I could lose” by Elise M. Rieber

Submitted to Contest #270

The cat meowed, the dog barked and I cried. Or I was trying to cry, the wild winter wind was so harsh, it made of my deeply dramatic moment a mockery. I was supposed to have a beautiful flushed face and dainty teardrops on my cheeks, but I just looked like an idiot with my eyes squinted and lips cracked. I was also really hungry. I rose like the prettiest rose, kissed by a heavenly sunrise in a time lost long ago, in a Victorian era, when beauty was appreciated beyond words, loved to the point of creation. My type of beauty. My mother used t...

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“Biscuits Forever” by Craig Bradley

Submitted to Contest #270

This morning I got up as usual and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. This time of year it’s dark at 6am so I switched on the overhead light, but I’ve been doing this for so long I’m sure I could do everything blindfolded if I had to.I turned on the stove to heat it up, then got out the mixing bowl, the measuring cups, and the biscuit pan. I set the skillet on the stovetop and put a dab of lard in it so it would be ready to fry the eggs and bacon once I turned on the burner. I took the flour jar out of the cupboard, the wooden ...

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“Moonlight Sonata” by Pink Pen Doodles

Submitted to Contest #270

The staccato of late night TV wound down as Avi watched his father slowly shuffle off into the gloom of the unlit staircase leading up to his room, forgetting to turn on the lights as always. “Dad, turn on the lights so you don’t run into anything,” Avi called after his father, knowing well that his words would go unheeded again. Resignedly, Avi himself shuffled into the kitchen to clean up. The yellow moon hung outside the window, its round belly peeking in upon the dirty dishes that lay—some in the sink and some around it. Avi flicked on t...

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$250

Prize money

336

Contest entries

133

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 04, 2024 EST

Won by Jay Wayne 🏆

Title: Add Vodka to Taste

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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