OOM: Christmas dinner with Pyrrha and Egil

[ostro_goth]

[[Ctd. from here.]]

Teja opens the door, laden as he is.

His usually comfortable, creatively untidy room is still that -- there is even Ferdinand the cat, sprawling all over Teja's bed, fast asleep. There are simply two new doors, one of them leading to a kitchen that provides all the modern comforts and appliances as well as a space to comfortably sit and eat, the other leading to Egil's room in Loki's apartment on the 12th floor.

One better should not think about how that works.

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"He might like it that way, indeed," Teja says, feeling oddly glad he might have something to contribute to feeding Egil.

[scarred_grin]

"I guess we know what he's doing tomorrow for lunch," she says with a grin. "He likes being able to feed himself, but he's not really good with spoons yet, so I like to give him things he can pick up. And things he can eat with spoons that aren't going to be really messy if he misses. He's got a real independent streak--he wants to be the one in charge when he's eating. He doesn't want to sit there while we stick spoons in his face."

[ostro_goth]

"As a fox, he can eat what he wishes, also," Teja says. "He learns independence much earlier, in his other shape."

He is frying plantains, quite correctly.

[scarred_grin]

"He likes to do things for himself, but he likes to have people there just in case," she says. "If you want to give him a treat, though..."

She lowers her voice to a whisper.

"We have ice cream, and then bathtime. He gets to practice using spoons, and he gets cleaned up again right afterward."

[ostro_goth]

"That shall make him happy," Teja agrees, remembering the last bathtime with Egil.

[scarred_grin]

"It's his favorite dessert," she says. "Anything cold, really, but especially that one. We do sorbets sometimes too. He doesn't know that word yet. Oh, and pudding. He doesn't get desserts every day, though--usually just fruit. He likes berries."

In fox shape, too.

[ostro_goth]

"There is an art and science to feeding a child so he will grow well and like different things, which in turn allows him to live here and there at will," Teja nods.

[scarred_grin]

"When I was a kid, we didn't have a choice," she says. "We ate what we were given, or we were punished. You're getting oatmeal again and you don't look excited about it? You get punished. I'm not gonna be like that--I mean, everybody has foods they don't like. But you don't know you won't like it until you try it."

Egil seems to have liked everything he's been given so far, but given his parents... that's not surprising.

[ostro_goth]

"Try everything once," Teja nods.

[scarred_grin]

"He makes a weird face if you eat pickles around him--it's kind of a strong scent, I guess--but I've never tried to feed him any, and he's never reached for them. Pickles aren't really a baby food anyway."

It's probably the vinegar.

[ostro_goth]

"Indeed," Teja says, "they are sour, and surely not pleasing to those not used to the taste. Are the plantains right this way?"

[scarred_grin]

"I like pickles--I never order any, but if I get a pickle slice with a sandwich, I always eat 'em," she says.

"Those look good. You just take 'em out, put 'em on the plate there, and put another batch in."

The stove area's a bit crowded now, as she transfers the meat to a pan and starts cooking it.

[ostro_goth]

He does as told, and finds himself pleased at being useful.

Ferdinand is still happy being petting and ruffled by little Egil.

[scarred_grin]

"This is one of Andi's recipes," she says as she stirs the meat. "It's like lasagna--you've had that, right? Living in Italy and all--but with the plantains instead of the noodles. We cook these, we layer them, and then we bake 'em for a bit to set everything."

So it's not all mysterious how things are going to go.

[ostro_goth]

"We did not have noodles in my time," Teja says, "but I have had lasagna, in Vinci, when I ate at an inn."

[scarred_grin]

"Good," she says. "'Cause if you hadn't had any, I'd have to make some for you tomorrow, and that might be a bit repetitive after having this today."

Even if they're fairly different dishes.

"I hope you like this. I know the... the flavor profile's probably different from what you're used to."

[ostro_goth]

"The things I am used to are simple, and surely have no flavour profiles at all," Teja says. "So I shall gladly try whichever ones you choose to make."

[scarred_grin]

"Everything's got a flavor profile," she says. "Unless your people just ate plain oatmeal all the time, in which case they still have a flavor profile, it's just really boring. Maybe they like things a little sweeter, or a little salty, or a little spicy, or they're not big on seasoning and just want the flavors of the ingredients to come through. This is kinda sweet and kinda salty in the different layers, so you get a range in every bite."

[ostro_goth]

"Ah, so that is what you mean," Teja says. "And no, we ate bread and meat much, and everything that the land offered fresh, and often what the ROmans around us ate, also. Moretum is typically Roman."

[scarred_grin]

"So you're gonna get a lot of foods that are probably nothing like what you're used to," she says. "But I know how to make a lot of things, and I like learning new recipes too, so I'm sure we can find lots of things you'll like. It's not gonna be all avocados and pizza."

Although those are important things too.

[ostro_goth]

Ferdinand is licking Egil's hair by now, and purring happily. Teja, casting a glance at the bed, smiles a little.

"I shall trust your knowledge of my taste, and of how to make food," he says.

[scarred_grin]

"You're gonna learn how to make grilled cheese sandwiches," she says, "and their slightly fancier cousin, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Omelets too, those are easy and you can put so many different things in them. That's all you really need, when I'm off at my hypothetical spy convention."

[ostro_goth]

"Why would you hypothetically convene with spies?`" Teja says, looking amused.

[scarred_grin]

"That's what I'm doing in our hypothetical scenario where I take your bike, and you and Egil are left to fend for yourselves in Italy," she says. "It can't be a hypothetical art thing, because you guys would be there too."

It makes sense to her.

Never mind that she's not a spy.

[ostro_goth]

"I see," Teja says. "A thing that you might go to, that you never would, so one may say you could, to make sure it is understood as such."