Dango Dreams

During a tour and tasting at Dan’s workshop, the conversation and general air was a bit different from usual. It wasn’t bad, per se, but Dan seemed to be inspecting Taffy’s movements and behavior more closely, like he was trying to discern something.

“Taffy,” he finally spoke, “You work as a fitness instructor, if I remember correctly?”

After taking a little bit to finish the dango she had in her mouth, the gluttony bun responded. “Yep! I’m also a personal trainer! I do shifts at both the gym and a spa not too far away.”

“I see. That’s very good. You see, I have been looking to train up some people myself. I’m looking for an apprentice in my profession, and—”

“Ohhh, that sounds so fun! Any way I can sit in?”

Dan adjusted his mochi hammer on his shoulder and huffed through his nostrils. As much as he appreciated Taffy’s excitement and interest in his work, he definitely did not appreciate interruptions. “Well, I was about to ask if you would be interested in taking some lessons I’ll be doing here later today. Someone with experience in rigorous exercise, as well as someone with clearly great taste, would be good assets for the position. I would like to see if you have what it takes.”

Taffy was holding her breath throughout the entirety of what Dan was saying. When he finished, she began bouncing in place and let out a resounding “YES!!!!!!!” 

Once he removed his hands from his ears, Dan grabbed a flier for dango-making lessons and handed it to the other succubun. “The lessons start at 6. Please be here on time.”

“Yes, sir!” Taffy saluted and immediately ran out of the workshop, waving back at Dan with flier in hand. “I’ll be back sooooon!”

Before long, it was time for the lessons to begin. While she definitely had her quirks, Taffy was always one to keep her promises; she had arrived a couple minutes early and was already situated at her station.

“Thank you all for being on time. It seemed that not everyone remembered or cared that I specified that mentees should be punctual. As such, we will start without them. If anyone hears the door knocking, do not let them in.”

Taffy nervously pulled on the collar of her half-cape. Dan seemed even more serious and intense than usual.

Dan continued, “First, decide from the start what kind of dango you will be making tonight. Choosing a variant that uses multiple flavors, such as hanami dango, is fine, but changing your mind partway through or trying to make a new combination is unprofessional. On each of your stations are ingredients for every dango type currently available at my shop. During instructions, you can ask me what you need to use for your desired flavor. Keep in mind that I won’t answer obvious questions.”

Taffy already made up her mind. Strawberry is her all-time favorite, and she could show off her knowledge by correctly using fresh strawberries instead of strawberry powder.

“All of you should have decided by now. We’ll begin making the dango now. Add the rice flour to the bowl. Since this is everyone’s first experience, I have pre-portioned the ingredients, so pour the rice flour container I have provided. After you’ve done that, add the sugar container. If all three on the sticks of dango you’re making will be the same flavor, you can add the flavoring ingredients now. If you’re making hanami dango, hold off on that for now.”

Done and done. Taffy placed her hands on her hips, ready for the next set of instructions.

“The next step is very important. Please add some of the hot water that I told you to start boiling when you got to your station and mix.”

“Easy-peasy!” Taffy chirped as she poured in the hot water. It splashed a bit, startling the gluttony bun a bit. She looked around at the others to see if anyone made the same mistake. A couple did, but more notably, some succubuns were stressing out from the fact that they didn’t boil their water as instructed. Needless to say, Taffy felt much better.

“Once it looks like it’s taking shape, knead the dough with your hands. Once it feels like soft, squishy clay, you can stop until it’s time for the next step.”

Excited for the most fun step so far, Taffy mixed and kneaded her dango dough with a smile.

“I see some that are ready. Lay out the dough and cut it into three even pieces. This will make it easier to make dango balls from. Once you’re done with that, everyone not making hanami dango should go ahead and mold the dough into individual 20-gram balls. Those making hanami dango, listen up.”

Taffy was making regular strawberry dango, so she was good to tune out and start balling up her dough. Her initial 3 cuts were quite a bit uneven, and a few balls were on the small side. She rubbed the back of her neck while she looked down at them, worried Dan would find them unacceptable.

“Alright. Everyone with completed balled dango, place them in the rest of the boiling water in the pot. Once they float to the top, leave them in there for another 2 minutes before taking them out and putting them in ice water.”

The smaller dango floated to the top first, so she took them out before the others. She sort of pushed them to the side in an attempt to not bring attention to them. The rest of the dango seemed to turn out fine, however.

“Once they’ve cooled down, skewer them onto the dango sticks. Three per stick. Add whatever topping is necessary. I will come by each station to evaluate your work.”

Sheepishly, Taffy skewered her small dango first. No point in hiding her mistake and have Dan notice a lack of dango at her station. By the time that she finished adding strawberry drizzle to each stick of dango, Dan arrived at her station.

“...I see that a few are rather small.”

Taffy shamefully hung her head as Dan picked up a normal-sized stick of dango and took a bite.

“However, the flavor is good. The texture is more than passable, as well. You have a lot of promise, but you need to work on being more precise on the details.”

Immediately, Taffy perked back up. “Oh! Th-thank you! I’ll keep trying, if you’ll let me!”

Dan put down the clean dango stick with a soft smile. “Be sure to practice as much as possible at home. Also, feel free to eat the rest of these. I know they’re your favorite.”

With that, Dan walked over to the next station. It took hardly any time at all for Taffy to start munching on her completed dango, imagining all of the delicious flavors she could try making next.