Today's cooking extract comes from an "inn, called The Silver Shadow" in Dragaera City. This inn was "somewhat reminiscent of Valabar's Restaurant in distant Adrilankha. "They seated themselves, and asked the obsequious waiter to bring them a good red wine, a dish of kethna sauteed with green onions, mushrooms, and sage, and a bowl of fruit. Then they sat quietly, speaking only of such innocuous subjects as fashion and the weather, until the plates of food arrived, and the waiter departed. As they began eating, Dunaan said, 'You have, Mario, acquired a certain reputation.' 'Have I?' the one addressed replied mildly. 'I had not been aware of it.' 'It is, nevertheless, true.' 'Well I hope, then, that it is a good one.' 'I think so. It is, in all events, the reason I wish to speak to you.' Mario stabbed a piece of kethna with his skewer in a motion precise and graceful, acquiring both an onion and a mushroom at the same time. He lifted these to his mouth and nodded for Dunaan to continue. 'We have a task for which we believe you are qualified. I should warn you at once that it will not be easy.' Mario, having finished the piece of kethna, bit into a whitefruit, somehow contriving to eat it without, as usually happens to victims of this fruit, finding that it has exploded into his face or down his chin. He chewed thoughtfully, brought his napkin up to his lips and expelled a few seeds, then swallowed. 'Very well,' he said. 'I understand. It will not be easy.' " Five Hundred Years After, Chapter the Nineteenth, pages 289-290. "'A few moments only,' said Mario. 'A few moments that I will spend boiling these rednuts in this liqueur before spooning them onto the cold fruit, and eating them before the temperatures have evened out. I suggest, My Lord, you busy yourself in the same way, and, before the bowl of nuts has exhausted itself, well, I believe I will have an answer for you.' This plan was instantly adopted, and Dunaan applied his full attention to the rednuts, the liqueur, and the iced fruit, while Mario thought matters over." Five Hundred Years After, Chapter the Nineteenth, page 292.