Essdara meets Neiran and Penny
This was fun, Essdara really felt the difference between her and the students a few times. :)
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Essdara comes in from the kitchens, sweaty and tired-looking, bearing a small plate with some meatrolls and wherry slices on it. She finds an empty seat and sets the plate there, and then goes to get a glass of juice from the serving tables.
Penny's gait as she enters conveys a far more energetic outlook on life than anyone's allowed to have after a long, long day of caucus classes and crafter's work. There's practically a bounce in her step, and she hums lightly under her breath as she goes to fetch herself a drink from the serving tables. She flashes a friendly smile at those she passes, culminating in a sweet sort of smile, shy but charming, at Essdara as she waits her turn at the pitchers.
Essdara glances at the girl, and can't help but return the smile; infections cheer is good. She fills her glass and steps aside, "I recommend the klah, if you're not as hot as I am. There's a bit of anise in one of the pots, it gives it a nice little kick, something less boring than it normally is." She offers, as she turns to go back to her meal.
There is no bounce in Neiran's step, though there is no noticeable drag, either. As even as ever, he strides into the living caverns unhurried some time after Penny. Seeing the cavern already flooded with diners, replete with all the noise of chatting and clanging cutlery, draws a small frown from him. He edges along the queue, to adorn his plate with a healthful, spartan meal heavier on greens than proteins. There is no infectious cheer here, the Journeyman's expression bland as he holds his plate and gazes out across the tables, seeking an empty spot away from others.
Penny's grimace is instant, but her tone rather apologetic -- "I've never been able to drink klah and enjoy it," she admits with a shrug. "I am a tea drinker, through and through. Unfortunate, for this region, as the only tea you can get is some sort of leaf that tastes as if it was reconstituted a couple of times and then freeze-dried between and back." She reaches out for a glass as Essdara steps away, selecting the citrus juice and pouring herself a liberal serving of it.
Essdara pauses at that. "Now, see, that's not entirely true. But, it does take more effort. Mint, for instance, holds it's flavor well regardless, and is great as a tea... Especially for anyone with an unhappy stomach. And Chamomile is a bit herder to get good here, but with the Caucus around, not that bad, and is very relaxing, I find, though some people seem to react poorly to it."
A familiar voice at the beverage table so close by draws Neiran's attention. Essdara, oddly enough, says essentially what he would have, sparing him the need to speak up. He winds up only staring in that general direction for a moment more, and then his gaze travels elsewhere -- a table far removed from the main entranceway and the hearths is his target. Some riders have just left there, leaving plates behind for drudges to pick up. Before anyone else can take the spot, Neiran whisks himself there and puts his plate down. The other plates are neatly stacked and set to one corner of the table so a drudge can simply pick them up and remove them. That done, he picks up his fork and knife to begin eating.
"Ahh, but good black tea?" Penny raises one finger. "For some reason it doesn't seem to ship well. Or there simply isn't enough of a demand for it to make it worth shipping it here. Perhaps not, perhaps it's just me and my picky tastes." She takes a happy sip of her juice, apparently needing to wet her throat before even contemplating dinner. Now she glances towards the food, looking thoughtful -- in time to see Neiran scurry off in pursuit of his table. She looks after him for a moment or two before returning to her perusal of the choices. "Any recommendations on the rest of dinner?" she asks Essdara hopefully.
Essdara looks over at the food tables thoughtfully. "I didn't do much interesting today, I'm sorry to say. Well, not for broad consumption... I made myself a few meatrolls with some horseradish, which are, well, a bit on the harsh side, but I like that. The wherry is pretty fresh, I brought it out maybe a half hour ago, while the meatrolls look like they should be rotated out soon. Roast tubers are, as always, delectable, and the greens today were really fresh and tasty." She grins, "I do recommend, though, some of the sweet buns, they are really good today."
Neiran says nothing when someone sits just a little to his left. He simply ignores them, continuing to eat his spring greens with even, mechanical chews.
Penny looks dubious at the mention of greens, but as she selects a plate she nonetheless forks a liberal amount on her plate -- a rare sight, as Penny tends to neglect the green part of her diet. "You're a cook?" she asks, glancing over at the young woman as she moves down towards the recommended wherry. "I see I shall have to befriend you and then get secret special handouts on the pretext of a favor to a friend." Her lips curve, as per usual, into a smile again. "Come sit with us!" Her plate now complete and surprisingly balanced between wherry, potatoes, and half a plate of greens, she walks over and seats herself across the table from Neiran without so much as asking him. She does smile at him, though; but that's hardly unusual, she smiles most of the time.
Essdara grins and shrugs, and snags her plate to go sit with the pair, landing next to Penny, "Yes, albeit a very junior one with an overinflated sense of her own skills... To hear them say it." She takes one of her meatrolls and nibbles at the corner, looking over at Neiran with a smile. "Good evening, sir." She offers, before turning back to Penny, "And if you ever want anything, well, I'm the one to ask. I usually have something interesting going on... In between my normal duties, of course. And I am always looking for people to try out what I make and let me know what they think. Oh! I'm Essdara, by the way."
The healer finishes chewing his latest mouthful. It can be seen that he eats his food in an orderly fashion, finishing all of one item before moving onto the next. A few sparse greens remain, a dollop of mashed tubers, and a little wherry. "Good evening," he says, once his mouth is clear. His dark eyes slide between Penny and Essdara, then back to his plate. And, miraculously, Neiran doesn't miss a beat before he asks, "how was your day, Penny?"
Penny glances in Neiran's direction as the 'sir' leaves Essdara's lips -- amusement is there, but she says nothing aloud. "Essdara," she repeats, looking back at her newly-discovered cook. "I'm Penny, as Neiran just mentioned." She's careful to say the healer's name -- just in case the two haven't met, of course. "I may not be the best person to try things out on," the smith cautions. "I'm a bit of a picky eater." She seems to enjoy the wherry though, taking a large bite before her eyes flicker inevitably back toward Neiran. "Quite well," she replies. "I finally figured out a repeated error I was making in this equation from a few days ago; I swear, sometimes I think I forget to turn my brain on when I sit down to work sometimes." A self-professed flake? At least she seems to be enjoying her dinner.
Essdara shrugs a bit, "Picky eaters are, to me anyway, a lot of fun. A lot of work, but when you get something right... You know you accomplished something." She grins, and takes a big bite of meatroll, which results in quite a bit of watering to her eyes. "OK, bit too much in these, I think..." A mild cough, and she looks over at Neiran, "I think I've seen you around before, but I don't think we've actually met... Neiran, is it?" Back to Penny, "Better you than me, though, on anything math-like. Oh, I can do what I need for recipes, but nothing really useful."
"A most satisfactory day, then," Neiran remarks. It's always pleasant to correct an ongoing problem and be able to move on. " He attends to slicing a sliver of his roast wherry, prudish enough that he holds his cutlery with forefinger extended, elbows neatly at his side as he makes the gentle sawing motion necessary. "Yes, it is Neiran. Well met, Essdara." He lifts his fork to his mouth, and chews neatly.
"You think being able to calculate the correct proportions in recipes isn't useful?" Penny eyes Essdara, one brow raised. "Perhaps I don't want to try your experiments after all." Her lips quirk back into a smile, though. Another fork-full goes into her mouth, greens this time -- and as she chews, she looks back down at her plate as if now regretting her sudden decision to eat a slightly healthier meal. A small sigh escapes as she looks back up, her smile returning once she's swallowed her mouthful and taken a sip of her juice. "Yes, most satisfactory," she agrees with the healer. "What about you? Any epiphanies?"
Essdara rolls her eyes, "Well, I mean, clearly it's useful to /me/, and other cooks, but I am sure it's nothing compared to what the students over at the Caucus need, is all I meant." She waves her meatroll at Penny a bit while saying so.
"No epiphanies. I am enjoying the weather, however." Somehow, this non sequitur is his attempt at a fluid conversation. "Soon I will be making a presentation in front of the Weyrleader, so my mind has been on that subject. I find myself encountering roadblocks in politics and social class, but that is nothing new." There ends another bout of forced sociability, and he looks down at his plate again. Surrounded by smiling, talented ladies, and all he wants to look at is the roasted wherry on his plate.
"Like we don't need to eat," Penny murmurs, casting a long-suffering glance at the ceiling. "You seem to think we're studying life and death and all things weighty and important, at the Caucus. Today I learned how to dress myself for a social gathering between ladies of a certain rank, and to which ranks the tea is served first," she says seriously. "I'm fairly certain that if I failed to learn this, the world might just crack down the center and break apart." She casts a rather uncomfortable glance at Neiran. "I... still haven't scheduled my meeting," she admits, almost guiltily. His attempt at discussing the weather is summarily ignored in favor of academia.
Essdara grins a little, "Your protestations of how unimportant it, and you by extension, are are rather belied by Neiran casually mentioning a presentation to the Weyrleader. Me, if I am really ambitious, I might get the chance to hand him a plate of food some day." A wink, "And, honestly, I'm happier that way. Certainly, noone cares who I talk to, cook for, or sleep with, whereas the rumors i hear about all the people over there... Shards, no, thank you."
Neiran looks at Penny a long moment. "I imagine that the fact you haven't scheduled your meeting does not mean you haven't made progress." His bland tone and the slight raise of his brow expresses some doubt as to whether or not he ought to credit Penny with that. He looks to Essdara afterwards. "If you have any influence in the kitchen, I would request that you attempt to promote the use of lentils and beans in more dishes, as an alternative to those who do not enjoy rich red meats steeped in sauces."
At the mention of rumors and clandestine affairs, Penny looks steadfastly at her plate. "It's as well not everyone wants to rule the world, else I think we'd have probably exterminated ourselves by now," she remarks brightly, oh-so-gently steering the conversation back away from who's sleeping with whom, just to stay on the safe side. Rumors can get out of hand, after all. At the mention of lentils, she seizes on Neiran's words and leans forward. "I counteract that request with an anti-request! If everything starts being full of lentils, I think I shall starve myself in protest."
Essdara raises a brow, clearly amused, but is not hard to steer away from the topic. "Well, the problem is, most of the people who eat here are, still, riders. And something about Impressing... They all seem to love their red meat. Meatrolls, wherry, herdbeast... The sheer volume of dead animal that passes through that kitchen is astonishing. And whenever we put out, erm, lighter fare, we end up throwing most of it away. That's wasteful, and so, really, we figure that either people will learn to like meat more, or else, lose a lot of weight..."
"A lentil dish served on the /side/," Neiran clarifies blandly, with a twitch of his mouth before he takes another bite. Essdara's explanation is hardly disappointing to the man; his face remains the same. "I thought so. It was not a matter of taste, but health." He presses his lips together, and narrows his eyes at his plate. Without having cleaned it up entirely, he slowly sets his fork and knife to the side, frowning at the leftover food he apparently will not consume.
Penny tilts her head to the side, frowning slightly. "Surely one dish or two of less rich food would get eaten, in a place this large?" A drastic about-face; apparently reassured that she's not about to be forced to dine solely on legumes, she's swung 'round to Neiran's point of view. "Perhaps there could be just one or two things, specialty dishes you could call them, that would remain on hand in the kitchens in just such an emergency case as Neiran's. I'm sure there's lots of people who have days where meat looks completely unattractive." Apparently it's never happened to Penny, though.
Essdara snorts, "There are some, who will remain nameless, who don't understand making something in less than titanic proportions. But, then, we're feeding hundreds and hundreds of people, three times each per day, at least. It's not as easy as it might seem, especially as people come in at all times expecting fresh hot food. Which means that even as it is, we end up with a deal of waste that I don't care for. I try to make something now and then along those lines, but it does go quickly, usually, and it takes me away from helping with the main dishes, which doesn't exactly make me popular." She shrugs, "And we have tubers, greens, even some salad if you look hard enough."
Emergency case? The healer stares at Penny a moment. But his gaze unfocused, staring /through/ her a moment later. "..Someone might try and see if that food could go to good use." A whispery observation, faintly grasping at an unexamined potential, a way to minimized waste. He looks down at his own plate, conscious that there is food left, for all he ate so little. With a mildly dismayed blink, he begins to rise. "Pardon me...I'm not feeling well," Neiran murmurs.
"If it goes quickly," Penny points out logically, "Then perhaps it'd be possible to persuade those in charge to relent from the norm more often." Blissfully ignorant of any reaction to her use of the term 'emergency', Penny forks another bite of greens into her mouth, frowning at her plate as she does so. Neiran's words cause her to momentarily forget her disastrous flirtation with nutrition and look up. "Surrounding cotholds?" she murmurs. "The smaller ones, specializers. Grains and greens to the herders, meat to the agriculturalists." She smiles almost sadly, shaking her head. "All the classes on economics tend to get inside your head eventually, don't they? There'd be no efficient method of transport," she says softly. "Not after it's been cooked, not during a pass, when the dragonriders are so busy." She cuts her little diatribe short, thoughtful expression replaced instantly by one of concern. "What's wrong?"
Essdara gives Neiran a mildly concerned look, "I hope you feel better, sir." She offers. Turning back to Penny, she shrugs. "Even in Weyrs, people get set in their ways. I get enough problems as it is, wanting to do things like make sure the food actually tastes good, without trying to convince them that just because there are some malcontents who want something different, that we should offer it to them. I mean, /I/ think it's good to have more variety, but my words don't go far." And almost bitter tone, "I'm just an uppity little girl, after all."
Neiran pushes his chair in, and waves his hand dismissively towards Penny. "You need not concern yourself with me. I'll be fine in a few hours. Good evening to you both, and pardon my rapid departure." He doesn't spare his usual nod, nor a final glance. Whatever has struck him is acting swiftly, and without any explanation he leaves, steps more swift than is his wont.
Penny manages to repress a grin, leaning back in her chair and laying her fork down. "Darling, you're speaking to the reigning Lady of uppity little girls. A female smith? You don't get much further out of the realm of the acceptable than that." Neiran's hasty departure causes her to turn in her chair, watching him as he exits. Her brow furrows, a faintly amused air hiding her concern. "I wonder if I should go after him," she murmurs aloud. "You know, just to make sure he doesn't keel over in the middle of the bowl or something."
Essdara shrugs a little, "Someone would notice, the place is just crawling with people these days." She smiles a little, "I won't say I have it as hard as you, ma'am, I will agree there. My problems are more my age than being a girl, so I know that they will get better in time. But it still rankles to have good ideas and recipes dismissed because they aren't the same as it's been done for as long as anyone can remember."
"I wasn't actually trying to play the whose-life-is-harder game," Penny assures her, laughing. Apparently her concern for Neiran isn't that great, as her cheer still seems to be quite genuine. A faintly contemplative look crosses her features, and she says musingly, "I think I may forbid you to call me 'ma'am'. It's very disconcerting." Her expression clears, and she refocuses on the younger woman. "Well, luckily enough, age is one of those things that comes surprisingly naturally. I haven't tasted your cooking, or at least... not that I've been specifically aware of, so I can't say for certain that it's worth it, but if you keep at it long enough they'll give in to your new ideas through sheer exhaustion. I had to keep reapplying for apprenticeship for a couple of turns, and I'm positive that my father caved simply because he was too tired to say 'no' anymore."
Essdara grins a bit, "Oh, I know. And I can be very patient... One advantage to being a good cook, you learn not to rush things. I've seen people think, in a rush, that if you just make the fire hotter, it will cook the food faster... And they end up with food that is raw in the middle, and charred on he outside, and inedible to all. And they haven't kicked me out, and I slip the odd thing in, and it goes well. I've a recipe for diced and roasted tubers with rosemary, garlic, salt, and butter that they do make many days. It's nothing complicated, really, so I doubt I am the first to do it, but they are a vast improvement over just baking some tubers and letting it go at that, which is what they usually do." A shrugs, "As for calling you ma'am... Anyone with the authority to forbid me to do anything, is likely deserving of the title. Now, you could /ask/ me, as a friend, and I would likely comply, but I fear I was raised to offer a basic politeness to my betters."
Penny chuckles, shaking her head. "Sometimes I -wish- I had a head for cooking. In this situation it doesn't matter, since I'm not in charge of producing my own food, but it rankles to be so horrible at something as I am at cooking." Her expression changes. "-You're- the one responsible for those tubers? Faranth, to think we've never spoken before. Obviously our meeting was fated." She drains the last of her juice and pushes her plate away, leaving the rest of her greens untouched. "I was teasing," she notes, with a smile. "Serves me right for thinking that I'm so clever. All right, then, as a friend and new-found adorer of your garlic and rosemary tubers, I'll ask you please not to call me ma'am. Superior in rank, perhaps, but not necessarily your better. I think you'd have to know me a little to make -that- particular judgement call."
Essdara smiles and nods, "That, I can agree with, Penny. And, well, everyone has their talent in the world. I would no more make a good smith than you would make a cook. But together, I can make the food that keeps you going, so you can make nice sharp knives, and thus my food gets better. So, I have no complaints there, other than the cost of good knives!" She smiles brightly, "And yes, those tubers are my favorite at the moment, and judging by the fact that they are gone almost as fast as we make them, I would say they are a success."
"If those tubers are an example of your innovative cooking," Penny declares, "then you can sign me up for whatever experimental cooking you plan on doing in the future." She glances, not quite surreptitiously, toward the entryway through which Neiran departed, and then down at her plate. "I think my attempt to switch things up backfired. Some day someone will figure out how to cook a vegetable in such a fashion that it becomes edible to me, but not day." She stands up, her chair scraping against the stone, and flashes the cook that same sweet smile from before. "It's been a real pleasure meeting you, Essdara. I'm afraid I have to, there's a lot of, well. Classes, you know." Her smile turns a touch winsome at her sudden inability to make a correct exiting line. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around here, and now that we know each other, I won't hesitate to ask for you recommendations!"
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Essdara comes in from the kitchens, sweaty and tired-looking, bearing a small plate with some meatrolls and wherry slices on it. She finds an empty seat and sets the plate there, and then goes to get a glass of juice from the serving tables.
Penny's gait as she enters conveys a far more energetic outlook on life than anyone's allowed to have after a long, long day of caucus classes and crafter's work. There's practically a bounce in her step, and she hums lightly under her breath as she goes to fetch herself a drink from the serving tables. She flashes a friendly smile at those she passes, culminating in a sweet sort of smile, shy but charming, at Essdara as she waits her turn at the pitchers.
Essdara glances at the girl, and can't help but return the smile; infections cheer is good. She fills her glass and steps aside, "I recommend the klah, if you're not as hot as I am. There's a bit of anise in one of the pots, it gives it a nice little kick, something less boring than it normally is." She offers, as she turns to go back to her meal.
There is no bounce in Neiran's step, though there is no noticeable drag, either. As even as ever, he strides into the living caverns unhurried some time after Penny. Seeing the cavern already flooded with diners, replete with all the noise of chatting and clanging cutlery, draws a small frown from him. He edges along the queue, to adorn his plate with a healthful, spartan meal heavier on greens than proteins. There is no infectious cheer here, the Journeyman's expression bland as he holds his plate and gazes out across the tables, seeking an empty spot away from others.
Penny's grimace is instant, but her tone rather apologetic -- "I've never been able to drink klah and enjoy it," she admits with a shrug. "I am a tea drinker, through and through. Unfortunate, for this region, as the only tea you can get is some sort of leaf that tastes as if it was reconstituted a couple of times and then freeze-dried between and back." She reaches out for a glass as Essdara steps away, selecting the citrus juice and pouring herself a liberal serving of it.
Essdara pauses at that. "Now, see, that's not entirely true. But, it does take more effort. Mint, for instance, holds it's flavor well regardless, and is great as a tea... Especially for anyone with an unhappy stomach. And Chamomile is a bit herder to get good here, but with the Caucus around, not that bad, and is very relaxing, I find, though some people seem to react poorly to it."
A familiar voice at the beverage table so close by draws Neiran's attention. Essdara, oddly enough, says essentially what he would have, sparing him the need to speak up. He winds up only staring in that general direction for a moment more, and then his gaze travels elsewhere -- a table far removed from the main entranceway and the hearths is his target. Some riders have just left there, leaving plates behind for drudges to pick up. Before anyone else can take the spot, Neiran whisks himself there and puts his plate down. The other plates are neatly stacked and set to one corner of the table so a drudge can simply pick them up and remove them. That done, he picks up his fork and knife to begin eating.
"Ahh, but good black tea?" Penny raises one finger. "For some reason it doesn't seem to ship well. Or there simply isn't enough of a demand for it to make it worth shipping it here. Perhaps not, perhaps it's just me and my picky tastes." She takes a happy sip of her juice, apparently needing to wet her throat before even contemplating dinner. Now she glances towards the food, looking thoughtful -- in time to see Neiran scurry off in pursuit of his table. She looks after him for a moment or two before returning to her perusal of the choices. "Any recommendations on the rest of dinner?" she asks Essdara hopefully.
Essdara looks over at the food tables thoughtfully. "I didn't do much interesting today, I'm sorry to say. Well, not for broad consumption... I made myself a few meatrolls with some horseradish, which are, well, a bit on the harsh side, but I like that. The wherry is pretty fresh, I brought it out maybe a half hour ago, while the meatrolls look like they should be rotated out soon. Roast tubers are, as always, delectable, and the greens today were really fresh and tasty." She grins, "I do recommend, though, some of the sweet buns, they are really good today."
Neiran says nothing when someone sits just a little to his left. He simply ignores them, continuing to eat his spring greens with even, mechanical chews.
Penny looks dubious at the mention of greens, but as she selects a plate she nonetheless forks a liberal amount on her plate -- a rare sight, as Penny tends to neglect the green part of her diet. "You're a cook?" she asks, glancing over at the young woman as she moves down towards the recommended wherry. "I see I shall have to befriend you and then get secret special handouts on the pretext of a favor to a friend." Her lips curve, as per usual, into a smile again. "Come sit with us!" Her plate now complete and surprisingly balanced between wherry, potatoes, and half a plate of greens, she walks over and seats herself across the table from Neiran without so much as asking him. She does smile at him, though; but that's hardly unusual, she smiles most of the time.
Essdara grins and shrugs, and snags her plate to go sit with the pair, landing next to Penny, "Yes, albeit a very junior one with an overinflated sense of her own skills... To hear them say it." She takes one of her meatrolls and nibbles at the corner, looking over at Neiran with a smile. "Good evening, sir." She offers, before turning back to Penny, "And if you ever want anything, well, I'm the one to ask. I usually have something interesting going on... In between my normal duties, of course. And I am always looking for people to try out what I make and let me know what they think. Oh! I'm Essdara, by the way."
The healer finishes chewing his latest mouthful. It can be seen that he eats his food in an orderly fashion, finishing all of one item before moving onto the next. A few sparse greens remain, a dollop of mashed tubers, and a little wherry. "Good evening," he says, once his mouth is clear. His dark eyes slide between Penny and Essdara, then back to his plate. And, miraculously, Neiran doesn't miss a beat before he asks, "how was your day, Penny?"
Penny glances in Neiran's direction as the 'sir' leaves Essdara's lips -- amusement is there, but she says nothing aloud. "Essdara," she repeats, looking back at her newly-discovered cook. "I'm Penny, as Neiran just mentioned." She's careful to say the healer's name -- just in case the two haven't met, of course. "I may not be the best person to try things out on," the smith cautions. "I'm a bit of a picky eater." She seems to enjoy the wherry though, taking a large bite before her eyes flicker inevitably back toward Neiran. "Quite well," she replies. "I finally figured out a repeated error I was making in this equation from a few days ago; I swear, sometimes I think I forget to turn my brain on when I sit down to work sometimes." A self-professed flake? At least she seems to be enjoying her dinner.
Essdara shrugs a bit, "Picky eaters are, to me anyway, a lot of fun. A lot of work, but when you get something right... You know you accomplished something." She grins, and takes a big bite of meatroll, which results in quite a bit of watering to her eyes. "OK, bit too much in these, I think..." A mild cough, and she looks over at Neiran, "I think I've seen you around before, but I don't think we've actually met... Neiran, is it?" Back to Penny, "Better you than me, though, on anything math-like. Oh, I can do what I need for recipes, but nothing really useful."
"A most satisfactory day, then," Neiran remarks. It's always pleasant to correct an ongoing problem and be able to move on. " He attends to slicing a sliver of his roast wherry, prudish enough that he holds his cutlery with forefinger extended, elbows neatly at his side as he makes the gentle sawing motion necessary. "Yes, it is Neiran. Well met, Essdara." He lifts his fork to his mouth, and chews neatly.
"You think being able to calculate the correct proportions in recipes isn't useful?" Penny eyes Essdara, one brow raised. "Perhaps I don't want to try your experiments after all." Her lips quirk back into a smile, though. Another fork-full goes into her mouth, greens this time -- and as she chews, she looks back down at her plate as if now regretting her sudden decision to eat a slightly healthier meal. A small sigh escapes as she looks back up, her smile returning once she's swallowed her mouthful and taken a sip of her juice. "Yes, most satisfactory," she agrees with the healer. "What about you? Any epiphanies?"
Essdara rolls her eyes, "Well, I mean, clearly it's useful to /me/, and other cooks, but I am sure it's nothing compared to what the students over at the Caucus need, is all I meant." She waves her meatroll at Penny a bit while saying so.
"No epiphanies. I am enjoying the weather, however." Somehow, this non sequitur is his attempt at a fluid conversation. "Soon I will be making a presentation in front of the Weyrleader, so my mind has been on that subject. I find myself encountering roadblocks in politics and social class, but that is nothing new." There ends another bout of forced sociability, and he looks down at his plate again. Surrounded by smiling, talented ladies, and all he wants to look at is the roasted wherry on his plate.
"Like we don't need to eat," Penny murmurs, casting a long-suffering glance at the ceiling. "You seem to think we're studying life and death and all things weighty and important, at the Caucus. Today I learned how to dress myself for a social gathering between ladies of a certain rank, and to which ranks the tea is served first," she says seriously. "I'm fairly certain that if I failed to learn this, the world might just crack down the center and break apart." She casts a rather uncomfortable glance at Neiran. "I... still haven't scheduled my meeting," she admits, almost guiltily. His attempt at discussing the weather is summarily ignored in favor of academia.
Essdara grins a little, "Your protestations of how unimportant it, and you by extension, are are rather belied by Neiran casually mentioning a presentation to the Weyrleader. Me, if I am really ambitious, I might get the chance to hand him a plate of food some day." A wink, "And, honestly, I'm happier that way. Certainly, noone cares who I talk to, cook for, or sleep with, whereas the rumors i hear about all the people over there... Shards, no, thank you."
Neiran looks at Penny a long moment. "I imagine that the fact you haven't scheduled your meeting does not mean you haven't made progress." His bland tone and the slight raise of his brow expresses some doubt as to whether or not he ought to credit Penny with that. He looks to Essdara afterwards. "If you have any influence in the kitchen, I would request that you attempt to promote the use of lentils and beans in more dishes, as an alternative to those who do not enjoy rich red meats steeped in sauces."
At the mention of rumors and clandestine affairs, Penny looks steadfastly at her plate. "It's as well not everyone wants to rule the world, else I think we'd have probably exterminated ourselves by now," she remarks brightly, oh-so-gently steering the conversation back away from who's sleeping with whom, just to stay on the safe side. Rumors can get out of hand, after all. At the mention of lentils, she seizes on Neiran's words and leans forward. "I counteract that request with an anti-request! If everything starts being full of lentils, I think I shall starve myself in protest."
Essdara raises a brow, clearly amused, but is not hard to steer away from the topic. "Well, the problem is, most of the people who eat here are, still, riders. And something about Impressing... They all seem to love their red meat. Meatrolls, wherry, herdbeast... The sheer volume of dead animal that passes through that kitchen is astonishing. And whenever we put out, erm, lighter fare, we end up throwing most of it away. That's wasteful, and so, really, we figure that either people will learn to like meat more, or else, lose a lot of weight..."
"A lentil dish served on the /side/," Neiran clarifies blandly, with a twitch of his mouth before he takes another bite. Essdara's explanation is hardly disappointing to the man; his face remains the same. "I thought so. It was not a matter of taste, but health." He presses his lips together, and narrows his eyes at his plate. Without having cleaned it up entirely, he slowly sets his fork and knife to the side, frowning at the leftover food he apparently will not consume.
Penny tilts her head to the side, frowning slightly. "Surely one dish or two of less rich food would get eaten, in a place this large?" A drastic about-face; apparently reassured that she's not about to be forced to dine solely on legumes, she's swung 'round to Neiran's point of view. "Perhaps there could be just one or two things, specialty dishes you could call them, that would remain on hand in the kitchens in just such an emergency case as Neiran's. I'm sure there's lots of people who have days where meat looks completely unattractive." Apparently it's never happened to Penny, though.
Essdara snorts, "There are some, who will remain nameless, who don't understand making something in less than titanic proportions. But, then, we're feeding hundreds and hundreds of people, three times each per day, at least. It's not as easy as it might seem, especially as people come in at all times expecting fresh hot food. Which means that even as it is, we end up with a deal of waste that I don't care for. I try to make something now and then along those lines, but it does go quickly, usually, and it takes me away from helping with the main dishes, which doesn't exactly make me popular." She shrugs, "And we have tubers, greens, even some salad if you look hard enough."
Emergency case? The healer stares at Penny a moment. But his gaze unfocused, staring /through/ her a moment later. "..Someone might try and see if that food could go to good use." A whispery observation, faintly grasping at an unexamined potential, a way to minimized waste. He looks down at his own plate, conscious that there is food left, for all he ate so little. With a mildly dismayed blink, he begins to rise. "Pardon me...I'm not feeling well," Neiran murmurs.
"If it goes quickly," Penny points out logically, "Then perhaps it'd be possible to persuade those in charge to relent from the norm more often." Blissfully ignorant of any reaction to her use of the term 'emergency', Penny forks another bite of greens into her mouth, frowning at her plate as she does so. Neiran's words cause her to momentarily forget her disastrous flirtation with nutrition and look up. "Surrounding cotholds?" she murmurs. "The smaller ones, specializers. Grains and greens to the herders, meat to the agriculturalists." She smiles almost sadly, shaking her head. "All the classes on economics tend to get inside your head eventually, don't they? There'd be no efficient method of transport," she says softly. "Not after it's been cooked, not during a pass, when the dragonriders are so busy." She cuts her little diatribe short, thoughtful expression replaced instantly by one of concern. "What's wrong?"
Essdara gives Neiran a mildly concerned look, "I hope you feel better, sir." She offers. Turning back to Penny, she shrugs. "Even in Weyrs, people get set in their ways. I get enough problems as it is, wanting to do things like make sure the food actually tastes good, without trying to convince them that just because there are some malcontents who want something different, that we should offer it to them. I mean, /I/ think it's good to have more variety, but my words don't go far." And almost bitter tone, "I'm just an uppity little girl, after all."
Neiran pushes his chair in, and waves his hand dismissively towards Penny. "You need not concern yourself with me. I'll be fine in a few hours. Good evening to you both, and pardon my rapid departure." He doesn't spare his usual nod, nor a final glance. Whatever has struck him is acting swiftly, and without any explanation he leaves, steps more swift than is his wont.
Penny manages to repress a grin, leaning back in her chair and laying her fork down. "Darling, you're speaking to the reigning Lady of uppity little girls. A female smith? You don't get much further out of the realm of the acceptable than that." Neiran's hasty departure causes her to turn in her chair, watching him as he exits. Her brow furrows, a faintly amused air hiding her concern. "I wonder if I should go after him," she murmurs aloud. "You know, just to make sure he doesn't keel over in the middle of the bowl or something."
Essdara shrugs a little, "Someone would notice, the place is just crawling with people these days." She smiles a little, "I won't say I have it as hard as you, ma'am, I will agree there. My problems are more my age than being a girl, so I know that they will get better in time. But it still rankles to have good ideas and recipes dismissed because they aren't the same as it's been done for as long as anyone can remember."
"I wasn't actually trying to play the whose-life-is-harder game," Penny assures her, laughing. Apparently her concern for Neiran isn't that great, as her cheer still seems to be quite genuine. A faintly contemplative look crosses her features, and she says musingly, "I think I may forbid you to call me 'ma'am'. It's very disconcerting." Her expression clears, and she refocuses on the younger woman. "Well, luckily enough, age is one of those things that comes surprisingly naturally. I haven't tasted your cooking, or at least... not that I've been specifically aware of, so I can't say for certain that it's worth it, but if you keep at it long enough they'll give in to your new ideas through sheer exhaustion. I had to keep reapplying for apprenticeship for a couple of turns, and I'm positive that my father caved simply because he was too tired to say 'no' anymore."
Essdara grins a bit, "Oh, I know. And I can be very patient... One advantage to being a good cook, you learn not to rush things. I've seen people think, in a rush, that if you just make the fire hotter, it will cook the food faster... And they end up with food that is raw in the middle, and charred on he outside, and inedible to all. And they haven't kicked me out, and I slip the odd thing in, and it goes well. I've a recipe for diced and roasted tubers with rosemary, garlic, salt, and butter that they do make many days. It's nothing complicated, really, so I doubt I am the first to do it, but they are a vast improvement over just baking some tubers and letting it go at that, which is what they usually do." A shrugs, "As for calling you ma'am... Anyone with the authority to forbid me to do anything, is likely deserving of the title. Now, you could /ask/ me, as a friend, and I would likely comply, but I fear I was raised to offer a basic politeness to my betters."
Penny chuckles, shaking her head. "Sometimes I -wish- I had a head for cooking. In this situation it doesn't matter, since I'm not in charge of producing my own food, but it rankles to be so horrible at something as I am at cooking." Her expression changes. "-You're- the one responsible for those tubers? Faranth, to think we've never spoken before. Obviously our meeting was fated." She drains the last of her juice and pushes her plate away, leaving the rest of her greens untouched. "I was teasing," she notes, with a smile. "Serves me right for thinking that I'm so clever. All right, then, as a friend and new-found adorer of your garlic and rosemary tubers, I'll ask you please not to call me ma'am. Superior in rank, perhaps, but not necessarily your better. I think you'd have to know me a little to make -that- particular judgement call."
Essdara smiles and nods, "That, I can agree with, Penny. And, well, everyone has their talent in the world. I would no more make a good smith than you would make a cook. But together, I can make the food that keeps you going, so you can make nice sharp knives, and thus my food gets better. So, I have no complaints there, other than the cost of good knives!" She smiles brightly, "And yes, those tubers are my favorite at the moment, and judging by the fact that they are gone almost as fast as we make them, I would say they are a success."
"If those tubers are an example of your innovative cooking," Penny declares, "then you can sign me up for whatever experimental cooking you plan on doing in the future." She glances, not quite surreptitiously, toward the entryway through which Neiran departed, and then down at her plate. "I think my attempt to switch things up backfired. Some day someone will figure out how to cook a vegetable in such a fashion that it becomes edible to me, but not day." She stands up, her chair scraping against the stone, and flashes the cook that same sweet smile from before. "It's been a real pleasure meeting you, Essdara. I'm afraid I have to, there's a lot of, well. Classes, you know." Her smile turns a touch winsome at her sudden inability to make a correct exiting line. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around here, and now that we know each other, I won't hesitate to ask for you recommendations!"