A Savory Prize

I wasn't about to stay dangling from that drawer handle when the whole pot was simmering right above me! Grabbing the woven dish towel hanging from the oven bar, I scrambled upward step by step until my boots hit the smooth countertop. The air up here was thick with warm, salty steam. Right next to the big metal burner sat an open ceramic bowl piled high with cooked noodles and crisp green scallion slivers! I lunged forward, grabbed one thick slippery noodle with both hands, and tugged with all my strength. It snapped loose, warm and gleaming with rich broth. I took a massive bite right on the spot—pure savory victory!