#brightwindsbarony

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Cliff sees another troll approach the food truck. She's goth? that's new

He makes a mental note and finishes saucing the tamales, then serves with a bag of Fritos.

He waits to see if she orders.

"Hey," She looks over "Heard you make some fantastic tamales but also have some truly original.. or at least rare stuff. Anything you suggest for a girl who lives with one of the best cooks in Apples?"

Cliff shrugs, removing the toothpick from his thin lips. "Moving?" he rasps as loud as he can "Or I can put something together for you, if this is a challenge." he doesn't seem to think it is a BIG challenge.

"Consider it a challenge then," She reaches in for her wallet "I'll add 20% to what you usually charge if you can impress me"

Another casual shrug and he nods, replacing the toothpick and turning his back to address the cooking area. Fans blow loud.

After about 5-10 miutes (always seems a longer wait when you're hungry....) her order is up. It's a sample platter; Indian taco, tamales, fried nuggets and crunchy bits, three sisters soup, and what looks like... some kind of rare filet with greens?

"What's the fillet looking thing?" She takes it, of course

And a tall melon aqua fresca.

"Bison."

"Wow." She takes it ad samples eveything

It's good! Tastes authentic although she might not know authentic from not. Some of the flavor combinations are not familiar. The nuggets taste like chicken, the crunchy bits taste like fried. The drink is COLD and only slightly sweet.

Gerd eats, savors, and enjoys, then taps something down on a phone. Notes?

Then she looks up, "I owe you wenty percent more of your bill. Some of this I never tried before, and I wasn't joking about knowing a master chef."

"Didn't think you were." Business is at a lull; the cook comes out from the back of the truck to the little hi-top she is standing at to talk. He is masked and has shades on; little of his face is showing. His whisper is hoarse. He keeps a bit of extra distance between them.

She lowers her voice around the -M-o-r-t-a-l-s, when they show... and pays him the 20 percent extra

(((Not really busy - at a lull))

He puts a small plate of what look like cookies down, and a bowl of a pinkish ice cream.

"How willing are you to share the ingrediennts with me?" She asks "And, sorry, my name is Gerd"

Well, that's not likely a lie, what girl would CHOOSE to call herself that?

"Why do you want the ingredients?"

"Well knowledge of what was in each thing I guess? Some things I ddinn't recognize. Don't worry, I won't be upset if it was iguana"

He shakes his head. "No iguana. I try to stay local. Ingredients are common knowledge; on the internet, in books, so on."

"I'll look it up. Did you want to interview for my podcast?"

That amuses him. "Me? Podcast?"

"Yeah, G.E.R.D. Pod cast... Goth Eats Regional Dishes..." She tells him, "I flicker flash, means I travel as far as I like at least once I know a general area. So I figure why no make i work for me."

The cook doesn't answer right away; finally he whispers "I will consider this. How can I reach you?"

She gives her number to him and email

He jots it down on an order pad. "I will think on it." he says again.

"Gotcha" She nods "I know better than to pester. Amazing food either way though" She says "Can I have some of those fillets for the road so to speak? want to share them with the lodge"

"Lodge?"

"Troll freehold. Rivervale" She says makingg sure no mortal ears are hearing

"You call it a Lodge?"

"Yeah" She says "that so surpising? Very norse"

"Mmm. Suppose so; I haven't studies trolls, or the Norse, very much. Good to know."

"Oh true, you've ggot the whole Amerinndian food going here. There are, obviously a lot of differeces. Though we do call the baroness therre 'Chieftain' as she prefers the Troll way. If you ever want to visit, let me know." She offers

"Mm. Best cook in Apples?"

"That would be our Hearth, Kerri" Gerd says "Other cooks there are good too, but for my money? yeah, Kerri Davidson is the greatest chef in Concordia. She's got quite a lot of pennons prizes to lend wait to that"

The slaugh nods. "Some lend weight to that, yes."

A grin at something , wolf teeth "Okay. If you doubt, visit. She makes.. vintaged food too, though it migght lose a little. " She grins, then nods "See you, Cliff"

and turns and goes.

As he deals with an end to the lull

(End Scene)

And Nessa finds her mom and dad seeking her out "Nessa?"