#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Yes ma'am" She cleans her boots , "I DID talk to Marsellies, and of course to Sally Mae.. already lost to them"

Well , takes off her boots and puts on the slippers, pleased they have troll sized

She gesture to a pair of troll-sized slippers that have fluffy dog ears on them. "Don't you worry, no daughter of mine would ever begrudge a guest, even if she weren't a Daireann to boot." A proud smile.

"Tell you what, I'll honor your request - if you tell me what Marseillus made. Not the recipe, mind, but what dish did he bring forth in challenge and education?"

"I've heard good things about the trolls here. THane Dancia seemed powerful nice." She has put the new slippers on "And he.. well, he licked me good with Bouillabaisse, said nobody in the Duchy could beat him at Marseille dishes. Given his name I guess he has some pride in it"

A sniff. "Marseille is a port city, so it makes sense he used seafood. I trust he got something fresh brought in? I love Apples, I do, but you just plumb can't make a decent bouillabaisse with lake perch and crawdads." The coffee has brewed, hot and fragrant, and mugs and trimmings set out.

"I know" Relieved to have someone who understands "Sea food is not our strongest point on the farm. He knew it too. But they're not supposed to go easy on me. Ingredients for that one were sea going, yes ma'am. I learned a bit on the differences"

"Well, I bet if you can cook worth your salt... and I imagine you'd not have the pepper to carry a rolling pin or call yourself a hearth if you couldn't, I bet you can cook up a darned fine mess of blue gill or walleye." She makes sure Kourtney has a mug to sip before starting to gather ingredients.

"Now me, I'm not going to call in the the reserves to air lift me the finest fish from the Pacific. We're a good five hours away from the shore, and in the middle of winter besides. One mark of a good chef is not simply being good at ONE dish, " A tiny dig there, "But being able to produce something remarkable no matter the season!"

"That's what Hearth Agnes says, kind of. She says respect what nature gives you and you might find she works with you"

Ingredients have started to appear... pearl onions, celeriac, carrots - hearty, cold hardy root veg, jarred tomato paste, a small thyme plant from the windowsill.

"Be a dear and lift me out that clod from the freezer, will you?" Is that an entire chuck roast? No, it can't be - on a proper beef cow that would be easily 100 lbs. It's smaller, shaped a little different... does Kourtney recognize game meat?

Kourtney does so, promptly without complaint "This deer?" She inquires

A warm smile. "That it is, a right plump doe. I'm fixing to challenge you on a nice warm dish for this weather. If you're going to be a Hearth, you can't get much more satisfying or rib-sticking than a nice bowl of red meat, whether you call it beef stew or Boeuf Bourguignon... or Cerf for deer, that is. Here's my challenge for you. You can have your pick of the ingredients, we have prime beef or venison, root vegetables, and spices, though it smells like you have a thing or two you brought yourself."

"We have wine as well if you wish it for the stock, but you'd be on your own to pick the right blend. Let me tell you, even in a stew, the right bottle can make or break the sauce."

"Deer is Cerf? huh. I've had deer before but didn't know it was called that" She clearly is making a metal note, then at the rest "I have plenty of ingredients but as the Cuillinary Ronin I must play to house rules." She admits "If you'd like to see what I have... well, I'll show you" Deer set down, wherre is proper, she opens her back pack, and pulls out what appears to be a wooden box shaped a bit like an icebox, the words 'No Westinghouse for the Wicked', and then, she unfolds it, and unfolds it, and.. soon it's as big as a pantry, the lower part of it refrigerated. the top full of spices, pastas, and more "It's a gift from Aunt Agnes. Says she used to use it when she was my age"

the selection is quality salt of the earth "I thik I'll pick the Venison, Iowa potatoes..."

She steps back, and hands on her hips. "Well, I'll BE." HIGH PRAISE.

"I know, right?" A bit of wilder pride there "Like Mary Poppins bag"

"That's a neat little piece of business if I've ever seen it. Let's say this - you choose whatever you think works best from either pantry if you wish, and I'll make my own recipe, and may the best stew win."

She steps aside to call Gwen: "Make sure you bring your appetite for dinner, and those fledges with you as well. It's gonna be something to remember."

A chuckle. "Not a chance. We have a guest and we're cooking up two batches of stew. Just no snacking on the way home, my dear."

"Well, feel free to pick from my pantry too if you're short." Kourtney offers "Fair is fair" hten a blush "Ma'am, when I said if you're short, I meant short of a particular thing..."

While Marigold does not divulge her proportions, spice mixtures, or specifics, she does chatter as things come together.

"A boneless braising roast like this, the cut is called Paleron in french. See how the grain here is tighter than in corn-fed beef? It will have good flavor, but mind that it doesn't overcook. The lack of fat can be a concern, which is why we take game in the fall, and supplement in the dish with lardons - that is, bacon. I'll have you know that our bacon already comes from the DeBukes, fine stuff. Our sweet Briar, she's become quite the little butcher."

A merry laugh at the offer. "No offense taken. After all, I -am- short."

She listens, even as she works, "Oh, Briar! yeah! She stared an old sow to death, I hear"

Other little tidbits of advice... never use a wine to cook with that's not good enough to drink... searing off the meat in a large steak cut THEN cutting into pieces means plentiful browning, but no overcooking... and chocolate, in the sauce? Is that a trick to get her to mess up her stew and embarass the entire DeBuke clan?!

venison stew meat olive oil Salt and pepper, flour, onion, thyme sprigs, a bay leaf, ribs celery, a bottle of stout beer? A quart of beef broth, water, yellow potatoes, carrots, paprika... attouch of Worcestershire , brown sugar, garlic powder, Cayenne pepper, and paisley all pulled out even as she commits what the older woman says

She doesn't bother to ask if Kourtney is what the mortals call 'drinking age', but pours her tastes of red wine - 6 different bottles! No moonshine here, and at least one of them is older then Kourtney herself... then lets the wilder pick which wine to use for the sauce. From a pinot noir to a spanish Cote du Rhone? Or she might leave it out entirely!

Kourtney can't help but glance over, and picks a hearty red

Marigold DID throw a ringer in there, a sweet and heady Madeira dessert wine... but nods in approval at her choice. The dessert wine is whisked back, possibly to turn into something for afters.

"A port wine glaze can be rather lovely, but you must beware of the sweetness - save them for a dessert. Now, Marsala comes in sweet and dry, so you can ramble ramble ramble..."

She nods, her mind racing

Kourtney will notice that Marigold seems to be drinking... a lot. Wait, maybe not. But she tastes every ingredient, from carrot to onion to even a sliver of the raw meat, and then compares the wine before moving on.

She samples her booze too. Just a bit, makes a bit of a facee a the beer but sheh sticks witht it

Then... flour?? Is this lady really rolling out her own fresh pasta to use as a base? Just from flour, egg, and water now are silky strips of fresh thick noodles.

holy shit she tries nnot to gape

"It's not as intimidating as it looks... and if you told me you couldn't make a fine biscuit yourself, well, I'd eat my own cast iron pan."

"Well, yes ma'am, I ca, but yours are just.. pretty"

A smile from Marigold that is as warming as the oven!

She feels like a fool "I mean, the consistency even in prep is amazing" But she works on her own

"If you plan ahead, you can cook the aromatics in the broth and wine... or beer, and then let it cool. Marinate the meat in that overnight, and you get the flavor without more of the sharper tannins."

It is starting to smell delicious...

...from BOTH sides of the kitchen!

Indeed, the trolls hands work skillfully. The skilled nose of the boggan can tell just how well Kourtney's own blends are merging

A pause, and she sniffs again. "Stout, and... is that star anise?" Surprised, but... impressed.

A blush "Just a litle. Hoping it pays off"

"you could tell that from there by the scent?"

Out where the smell spreads, dogs lick their chops

"I have no doubt you'll do the same after, oh... more years than I'd care to say in the kitchen."

"too kind, Steward Marigold" She keeps working

"Feels like cheating to ask you while I'm competing, but as I expect to lose. I was wondering, how important is learng french to cookin?"