Chapter 225: Family Dinner
Eventually, Ashlynn and Heila had settled in for much needed rest before freshening up and joining Amahle and her coven for dinner.
"Dis is ma specialty," Jacques said proudly when Ashlynn and Heila entered. "Catfish courtbouillon over white rice. She is simple, rich, and done ready to melt on your tongue," he said as he brought a large iron pan from the hearth over to the table and began to serve the delicate, flaky fish in a deep, rich red sauce.
"Try this, try this," Talauia added eagerly, dishing up portions of a bright green salad filled with wild lettuces, crisp, fresh cucumbers, finely diced peppers, and an odd creamy white dressing. "It’s a soursop salad, sweet, sour, and a little spicy too."
"You’ll have to wait for mine till the end," Amahle said, taking her place at the table with a warm smile. "The first blackberries have just come in and I couldn’t resist a cobbler."
"Everyone cooks?" Ashlynn asked, mildly surprised as she looked around the table. The portions everyone dished up were generous and Talauia seemed exceptionally excited about Jacques’s catfish dish, taking an extra fillet for herself before she’d even begun to eat.
"Dat’s de way of it at home, cher," Jacques said with a wide, toothy smile. "Don’t worry none, dis nephew can teach you a few tings right quick. Have you cooking up a storm in no time."
"Hehe," Heila giggled while sorting through her salad, piling up the spicy peppers on one side of her plate. "My lady is a very good cook," she said proudly. "She used her blossoming period to train her senses in Georg’s kitchens. She even pretended to be a kitchen girl just to spy on the Lothian’s summer villa."
"Mercy me," Amahle beamed. "You do have a number of surprises about you, don’t you, darlin’?"
"Maybe a few," Ashlynn said, her face red with embarrassment. "Jacques, did you pick this dish because you heard I miss fish from the sea?"