| "What's Cooking?" | |
| Season/Series: | 10 |
|---|---|
| Number in season: | 10A |
| Original Airdate: |  May 26, 2006[1] September 27, 2006[3] November 20, 2006[2] May 7, 2008[4] |
| Credits | |
| Written by: | Hilary Illick |
| Storyboard by: | Stéphanie Gignac |
| Episodes | |
| Previous "World Girls" |
Next "Buster's Special Delivery" |
| Read transcript |
"What's Cooking?" is the first half of the tenth episode in the tenth season of Arthur.
Summary[]
Arthur thinks he can win the Lakewood Elementary cooking contest.
Plot[]
The intro starts with Arthur teaching D.W. to do the show. She is getting it right, but Arthur cuts, saying they need a different scene. First, they try the ocean, but it has too much motion. Next, they try outer space, but Arthur interrupts her twice, which frustrates her.
Ming Tsai is coming to judge the kids' cooking contest at Lakewood Elementary, and Arthur decides to bake a chocolate cake. Arthur's mother Jane reminds him that he will need help. The next day at the library, Sue Ellen meets Arthur and Buster and tells them she is going to make randang (water-buffalo stew), much to Arthur and Buster's dismay. At Brain's house, Brain shows Arthur and Buster around his hydrophonic greenhouse, explaining he will make a fruit tart using the best ingredients. Later at home, Arthur and Buster are working on their chocolate cake, with Arthur's father David trying to help. Buster suggests more sugar, but David stops him, prompting Arthur to insist David allow them to work on the cake by themselves. David agrees, but gives Arthur and Buster a piece of advice: always use baking powder to make a successful chocolate cake.
The next day at the cafeteria, Muffy, Arthur, and Buster worry about the contest, speculating that Ming Tsai may be a mean chef who will judge their food harshly. At home, Arthur plans to wake up early to make the cake. The day of the contest comes, but Arthur fails to follow David's advice and uses baking soda instead of baking powder. The cake fails to rise as a result, much to his horror, and he decides to leave the results at home.
As Arthur and Buster get to school, Muffy reveals that Ming Tsai is actually nice. At the contest, Ming Tsai is tasting the food and praising the students' efforts when David shows up with Arthur's failed attempt at a chocolate cake. He reveals that due to the baking soda/powder mix-up, Arthur had actually made some brownies, much to Arthur and Buster's surprise. Ming explains to a mortified Arthur that just because he made a mistake does not mean he failed as a cook, and tells the story of how pot stickers were invented due to a mistake: and, as he reveals upon tasting it, the brownies turned out delicious.
Ming then declares himself the winner of the contest, much to the shock and dismay of everyone else; Ming explains that the winner is the one who gets to eat the products of the cooking. He then gives them the brownies, declaring them all winners; the episode ends as the attendees all happily dig in to the food prepared for the contest.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Cameos[]
- Kate Read
- Fern Walters
- George Lundgren
- Alex Davidson
- Binky Barnes
- Jenna Morgan
- Maria Pappas
- Francine Frensky
- Miss Sweetwater
- Otis
- Kenny
- Prunella Deegan
- 3rd Grade Female Aardvark
- Mary Perchanok
- Jessica
- Jack Weasel
- Mary (3rd grader)
- 3rd Grade Female Cat (Number 2)
- Beulah McInnerny
- Paul Jacobs
- 3rd Grade Male Dog
- 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
- 3rd Grade Male Rat
- 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
- Helen
- Patrick
- Nancy
- Norman Hedgehog
- John
Trivia[]
- Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Together with an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or buttermilk, it creates gas which makes the cake fluffy. Without acid it does nothing, hence why Arthur's cake did not rise and became brownies. Baking powder is baking soda mixed with a weak acid, so no further acid is needed.
Episode connections[]
- In "Do You Believe in Magic?" a Ming Tsai poster is seen in the cafeteria, suggesting the two episodes may take place around the same time. Since that episode takes place six months away from D.W.'s birthday (March 1st), this episode could be set in September.
Production notes[]
- Arthur and Simply Ming are both produced by WGBH and air on PBS.
- Like all episodes of Season 10, this episode included the number '10' hidden in various places. For a list of them, see ARTHUR Season 10 Scavenger Hunt.
- This is the last episode to be followed by A Word from Us Kids on PBS airings, as it was replaced by Postcards From You until "The Blackout."
Cultural references[]
- Ming Tsai voices himself as a guest star in this episode.
- Muffy's fantasy features her on a show called "American Chef Idol" which is an obvious parody of the show "American Idol," right down to having Ming Tsai in place of Simon Cowell, one of the show's original judges who left in 2010.
- Sue Ellen mentions the Minangkabau people of Sumatra, Indonesia.
- Rendang is a spicy meat stew (not necessarily buffalo) that originated from the Minangkabau.
Errors[]
- In Arthur's fantasy of competing against Ming Tsai, Ming is said to have completed his shrimp dish in 10 seconds, but it actually took 16 seconds.
Home Video[]
DVD:
Gallery[]
Promotional images
Screenshots
References[]