"Cooking is very utilitarian where I come from," she says. "Limited ingredients. We have some treats, though, now and then."

Fresh croissants will be a cut above slivers of sugarcane or toasted grasshoppers, though.

He doesn't really need to coax her. Even if the stew didn't smell delicious, she's too conscientious to waste food under any circumstances. She sits again and dips the spoon in the broth to taste it. By her standards, it's incredibly rich, and it takes her a moment to process the various flavors--meat, vegetables, herbs. Her sigh of satisfaction is hopefully gratifying.

"...never had anything like it," she says honestly. "Where'd you learn to cook?"