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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 – 60 stories

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

Short Story – 83 stories

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

Dramatic – 53 stories

Stories

“It Ain’t Just Potato Salad ” by Linda Kenah

Submitted to Contest #270

Arianna awoke about an hour before the alarm clock at her bedside had a chance to wail. She shut it off, no longer needing the buzzer. The dread that engulfed her the previous evening almost choked her now. She swallowed hard, and climbed out of bed. Moving robotically, she showered and dressed before heading down to the kitchen.It was impossible to avoid – the cause of all her angst. Still sitting on the table, the envelope addressed to her was disfigured with the words “FINAL NOTICE” in large red letters. She had i...

21 comments 21
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“The Blue Marble” by Michelle Oliver

Submitted to Contest #270

Jadis knew the restaurant wasn’t particularly fancy, or even very friendly. That’s why she chose it. No-one asked questions at this far end of the galaxy, not if they wanted to stay alive. Zark sat down opposite her in a cloud of tentacles and body odour.“Zelgfish pie?” He asked, holding the plate out on one globular tentacle.Jadis shook her head, her stomach revolting at the sight. “Look, I just want to go home. OK?”“Favours ain’t free,” Zark said as he shovelled the pie into each of his mouths.“I’ve got the goods.”One white whiskered ...

11 comments 11
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“Hmmmm…” by Helen A Howard

Submitted to Contest #270

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKED ALASKAYou’ll need two quarts vanilla Ice cream.Hmmmm…One quart sounds more than enough, let alone two. What exactly is a quart anyway? It sounds medieval. I’d better find out fast. Siri will know. Is it sad that I’ve become quite fond of Siri these days and sometimes feel like flirting a little? But then he does have a nice voice.Hey Siri.Ah ha. (What can she be wanting now?)You can make your own or buy it from a store if you prefer.In my case, definitely the latter. Even if it does feel a bit like cheating! Will R even...

20 comments 20
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“Single Serve Birthday Cake (Family Recipe)” by Elaine Guinto

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #270

INGREDIENTS2 parents (overbearing, preferably judgmental)1 partner, living with you, well and truly done with you17 days of poor communication5 weeks till the lease runs out1 desperate birthday party2 drunk texts from your ex (seen by partner)Between 3 and 7 shots of tequilaINSTRUCTIONSAt Thanksgiving dinner, sit silently as your parents (not for the first time) criticize your partner: their outfit, their career, their taste in music, and any of the other myriad things they’re sensitive about. Your family has always been good at that: hittin...

8 comments 8
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“Corn Dogs in the Kitchen” by W. H. Goodwater

Submitted to Contest #270

“Mom, I really don’t know what to do anymore.”Every cell in his body vibrated wildly. His fingers felt heavy and cold. He reached up to touch his face, and it was too warm. He unclenched his jaw and gave a deep sigh, trying to let out some of the jitters bouncing around inside.“What’s wrong?”“I can’t seem to make the right decision,” he said with exasperation. It felt good to get out, like letting steam free from a covered pot boiling too hot. She waited patiently for more, so he continued.“Everything I try leads to failure. I'm sorry I coul...

12 comments 12
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“Tick Tock” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #270

(TW - This story contains sensitive content.)Whispering, “One, two, three, four,” she dumped the scoops into the coffeemaker. “Fuck it.” She added another scoop and flipped on the switch.The wave of nausea hit her as the pot started hissing. Grabbing hold of the counter, she closed her eyes. It was there, no doubt about it. No second guessing if it was her imagination or maybe something she ate. “Damn it.” She wiped her forehead, which was covered in a clammy film of sweat. Daryl’s thick snoring was th...

16 comments 16
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“Whispers in the Candlelight” by Jim LaFleur

Submitted to Contest #270

The clock on the wall ticked softly, each second stretching into the next with a languid ease. It was late, long past the hour when the rest of the world surrendered to sleep. Yet, Amelia found herself awake, drawn to the quiet hush of the kitchen like a moth to a flame. The moon hung low outside the window, casting silvery beams that sliced through the gauzy curtains, painting spectral patterns across the worn wooden floor. She stepped barefoot onto the cool tiles, the faint chill seeping up through her soles. The air was thick with the sce...

12 comments 12
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“Brenda's Story” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #270

Introducing Myself.My mother taught me this recipe for having great friendships. “Brenda,” she’d say, “the best way to have friends is to be a friend. It’s all up to you.”Take two heaped cups of patienceOne heartful of loveTwo handfuls of generosityA dash of laughterA headful of understandingSprinkle generously with kindnessAdd plenty of trust, and mix wellSpread throughout a lifetimeServe this sunshine into the lives of othersAnd however much you give awayYou will always have plenty.I wrote it into my diary and read it from time to tim...

16 comments 16
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“An American Dream” by Kim Olson

Submitted to Contest #270

I have a picture on my kitchen wall that talks to me and tells me stories. It shows a horse and buggy with its faceless driver traveling down cobblestoned streets. The picture appears repeatedly on my patterned gold wallpaper. At first when I heard it talk, early one morning, I thought I was going crazy, or was not yet awake and still dreaming. I live in my grandparents’ house, a house that my carpenter grandfather built long ago. Grandma would be 112 years old if she were alive today. My grandfather was slightly older than her.&nb...

15 comments 15
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“RECIPE FOR THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE: THE BIG BANG” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

Warning: This recipe is not for the faint of heart. Once created, it cannot be undone. Proceed with extreme caution.Ingredients:1 Void of Absolute DarknessNote: This isn’t a simple absence of light. This Void is a suffocating, consuming emptiness, devoid of warmth, sound, and existence itself. Found lurking in the cracks between dimensions, it clings like a predator. Handle it with care. It will stick to you like cold, wet death; pulling yourself free might be impossible.1 Single Point of Infinite Density and Heat (handle delicately)Note: Th...

11 comments 11
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“Grandma's Apple Pie” by James Scott

Submitted to Contest #270

Step One: Open a can of premade pastry and roll into two equal circles.I can’t believe I’ve resorted to canned pastry. After all these decades of making my own from scratch. It’s barbaric. The grandkids swear it tastes the same; that they don’t care either way. I can tell though. I can taste the additives and colourings. The tinge of mass production scarring the dough.Alas there is nothing to be done, my old hands can only handle so much these days. Gosh, when did I lose the smooth, supple things that my mind could will into anything. The fi...

11 comments 11
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“THE EDGE OF DECEPTION” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

The aroma of rich espresso and freshly baked bread clung to the warm, dimly lit bistro, a hidden gem tucked away in a quiet Parisian alley. Candlelight flickered atop white linen tablecloths, casting restless shadows across the intimate space. At a secluded corner table, Sarah Monroe traced the rim of her coffee cup with a delicate finger, the porcelain cool against her skin. The soft hum of jazz music blended with the clinking of glassware, the air thick with unspoken tension, like the brief pause before lightning strikes.Across from her, V...

16 comments 16
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“Chinese Food for Rosh Hashanah” by Luca King Greek

Submitted to Contest #270

The Recipe.“No, you are staying home and helping out with Rosh Hashanah.” said Naomi, who was starting to wind up to full-on manic mode and looked like she’d blown in on a storm. She threw her son’s laundry on the foot of his bed, then pulled up the window shades, throwing light on things best kept obscured. “There’s only one other trombone player, and she’s got Covid,” said Adam, hitting the pause button on his computer game. “Don’t they know it’s a high holiday?” said Naomi. “There’s only five Jews in the entire school,...

16 comments 16
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“REINCARNATION” by Elizabeth Hoban

Submitted to Contest #270

Aisle four of my local grocery store was the least likely place for a flashback but it happened just the same. While I browsed the colorful shelved foods and sundries, my motorized cart, with all its bells and whistles, died. Confident my doting daughter, Elizabeth, shopping somewhere in the store, would eventually come looking for me, I’d no choice but to wait.A kind, young man stopped and asked if I needed assistance, but I reassured him I was fine. Apparently, noticing my POW hat, he respectfully saluted me. “Thank you for your service, s...

11 comments 11
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“The Ku'u Up” by Kate Simkins

Submitted to Contest #270

“Curses!” I swore as I slapped another mosquito out of existence. “There will be none of me left!”My porter, Calixo, said nothing. He didn’t want to be here.“Come on, my man! It’s been days and you haven’t spoken a word! I know you can understand me.”Calixo made the sign of the cross and spat on the ground. Not speaking, per se, but interaction at least.“It’s just a legend, Calixo. There’s nothing to be scared of,” I said, as I navigated the tree roots and fallen branches of the jungle floor.Calixo stopped walking, abruptly, and threw my pac...

6 comments 6
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$250

Prize money

338

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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