I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

A Taste of Magic

47th Course – Banking Lessons

"Ah Harry, splendid to see you!" Flitwick smiled at Harry warmly. "You look very good; I see working at the Hog's Head agrees with you."

Harry smiled back. "Good to see you too, Sir! I think so. I've learned a lot and I think I've gotten faster which is nice. Mr. Abe and Auntie Ari are a lot of fun too and they know a lot."

"They certainly do," Flitwick said. He and Harry started walking down the hall, away from Gryffindor tower. "Ariana is very talented with potions and she is very cheery. I once asked her why she doesn't teach the class here and she said her brothers wouldn't let her. Something about pushing someone's head into a cauldron not being an acceptable response."

He and Harry chuckled and Harry knew she would do something like that. She had pushed a flagon over someone's head at the Hog's Head once, after magically enlarging it of course.

"Aberforth is a good judge of character and has a wealth of experiences worth listening to, if you can make it past his gruff exterior," Flitwick continued. "They are fine folk." He hummed for a moment. "How have you gotten with working with…let's just say, less polite people?"

"As in some of the patrons at the Hog's Head? I've gotten better," Harry said truthfully. "I still don't like rude people much but I think I've gotten better with dealing with it."

"Good good." They entered Flitwick's office and Flitwick looked up at Harry, his easy-going expression becoming more serious. "Harry, I will not lie to you. You will experience a bit of difficulty where we are going. There are some with very strong feelings about magical humans, very strong feelings that may not be terribly positive. Try not to take it personally."

He patted Harry's hand when Harry gulped. "That said, you are no stranger to adversity and I have personally seen your composure and grit. I have no doubts that you will learn and benefit from the position and you will enjoy yourself. Eventually."

"I think I can handle it, or try to," Harry said with a small weak smile.

Flitwick looked at him proudly and a little sadly. He had heard what the Dursleys had said to him when he left their home the week prior, told by a still seething Dumbledore, and he too had been incredibly peeved. "I believe you will," Flitwick said sincerely.

He conjured a roaring flame in his hearth and dipped a hand into a pot of golden powder. He flung a handful in and the fire turned silver-gold. "This is Floo travel. We travel from magical fireplace to magical fireplace using Floo powder. What I used is a variant that is only used by goblins, normal Floo is green."

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked, looking at the fire with trepidation.

"Not at all," Flitwick soothed. "It is rather disorienting however. Normally you state the destination before stepping in but this one is only connected to one other so go on, take a step in."

Harry took a deep breath, and after an encouraging nod and smile from Flitwick, took a hesitant step into the Floo fire. He yelped when he felt himself be whisked away by magic. Everything swirled around him and he could hear a riot of noises as he did. The fire and flames were not hot but the air rushed past him and soon he was practically launched out. He tumbled out the opposite hearth and landed in a heap, winded.

Rough laughter and snorts could be heard and when he looked up, head spinning slightly, he saw goblins around. Most were walking past or doing other things but a few stood and stopped and stared at him. Some looked at him curiously, more suspiciously. Before any approached, however, Flitwick came stepping out neatly from the hearth.

"Ah, well done Harry," he smiled and helped Harry to his feet and cleaned him up with waves of his wand.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"That was your first Floo trip? Oh yes, most throw up or fly farther."

"Are all forms of magical transportation rough?" Harry asked.

"I will let you know after you ride the Knight Bus," Flitwick said with an ominous look. "Otherwise, it depends of course. I'm actually a big fan of flying carpets and air boats but those aren't really used in the United Kingdom sadly. Follow me, my boy." He set off at a brisk pace and Harry followed.

When the goblins saw Flitwick, most went on their way. Almost all the goblins they passed did a double-take however, gaping at Harry for a moment. Some still scowled but the second they saw Flitwick, they stopped swiftly. Some greeted Flitwick with varying degrees of friendliness and a couple with near-naked hostility.

They walked down halls of stone, plain grey of different shades. The goblins were also somewhat different compared to the ones Harry met in Gringotts. They all wore different things: some in the formal wear of the bank, some in mining style clothing, and others in different kinds of shirts and trousers or skirts. Lanterns lit the space, the flames within glinting and bright.

Eventually they stopped in a small waiting area. It was small but clean, chairs and couches around a fire pit that held a dancing silver-gold fire, much like the Floo one. A goblin sat at a desk in front of a large wooden door and he looked up and raised an eyebrow at Harry. When he looked at Flitwick, he smiled. "Filius, good to see you."

"Good to see you Doran," Flitwick smiled back. "Mister Potter and I have an appointment."

"Yes you do. He should be ready." Doran went to the door and cracked it open and poked his head in. After a moment, he opened it for them. "Go on in."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said as he passed, making Flitwick smile and Doran goggle.

They entered a large office. The floor, walls, and ceiling were the same grey stone but a little smoother. The floor was composed of tightly fit tiles, the seams barely visible. Lanterns provided light and Harry's eyes opened wide as he stared at the weapons on the walls. All sorts of things hung there; their metallic surfaces gleaming. Large bookshelves full of impressive looking books lined the walls and a large stone desk dominated the back space. An older goblin sat behind it, reading something. He looked up when they approached, his brownish-red eyes glinted behind round glasses.

"Filius," he greeted, his voice low and cultured. "Have you finally gotten tired of teaching? Ready to return to proper work?"

"Not at all," Flitwick said back genially. "We both know I'm not bloodthirsty enough for gold and profit to do that. Besides, I am a part of the family work. The skulls I try to hammer information into are harder than the rocks that are mined sometimes." He and the goblin chuckled at that. "Speaking of one of my beloved rocks, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is my cousin and Director of Britain's Gringotts branch, Ragnok."

"Pleasure to meet you, Sir," Harry said politely. He extended a hand. He flushed when Ragnok stared at him with an unreadable expression. "I'm sorry, are handshakes a bad thing? I don't know a lot about goblin culture."

"Not necessarily," Ragnok said slowly. He shook Harry's hand firmly. "I was surprised. What have you learned about goblin culture?"

"Uhm, only about some of the rebellions in History of Magic," Harry admitted. "Which are probably not entirely correct. Our professor is a ghost who gets our names wrong often. The only other thing I know is that apparently some of your cuisine is spicy and blood is used in a dish. I learned that from Professor Flitwick."

"Ah, so I can blame Filius for any gaps in your knowledge then," Ragnok mused.

"My head is rather hard, don't blame him," Harry said stoutly. "He's a great professor."

"You're right," Ragnok said, giving Harry a new look. "Not like many others at all."

"I told you," Flitwick said proudly. "We're speaking in Gobbledegook," he explained to Harry. "Goblin language, used to talk about people in front of them when we want to be rude."

"It's very useful that way," Ragnok snorted, looking more relaxed. He smiled slightly when Harry chuckled. "So, you wish to learn more about goblin cooking?"

"Yes Sir."

"Why?" he asked bluntly.

"Because I like food and cooking," Harry said. "And a chance to learn from people that grew up with it and are masters in it would be an amazing opportunity. I want to learn how to make different things and try new things."

"And you have no problems learning and working with goblins? For goblins?" Ragnok asked.

"No Sir."

"Truly?"

Harry looked confused. "Not at all. If they know more than me, which of course they do, then I have a lot to learn from them. I'd want to learn from the best."

Ragnok looked at Flitwick who gave him a very clear and smug 'I told you so, again,' look. Ragnok looked up at Harry for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. You have my permission. Welcome, Harry Potter, to Gringotts. I expect you to behave accordingly as an employee to the bank. Your honor is our honor and we have a very specific way of dealing with those that imperil it." He looked meaningfully at a very large axe that hung close to him.

"Yes Sir," Harry gulped. "I won't do anything bad, if I can help it. I really want to learn."

"If only more shared your sentiment," Ragnok murmured. "There will be some resistance, I hope you are prepared for that."

"Professor Flitwick warned me. I'm just going to try my best," Harry said.

"Good." Ragnok turned to Flitwick. "Diglin agreed to mentor him."

"Oh good, I hoped so," Flitwick said, pleased.

"It's going to be especially difficult for him," Ragnok warned.

"I believe in him, in many ways," Flitwick said.

Ragnok nodded and wrote something out on a piece of slate and handed it to Harry. "Filius will take you to the kitchen. From now on you will arrive mid-morning and stay until just after noon. I will try to keep an eye on you when able but your independence and your ability to work is paramount."

"Thank you for the opportunity," Harry said, giddy at the coming prospect. He took the slate and did not recognize the writing on it.

"Give that to Diglin." He steepled his fingers. "Good luck, Mister Potter. You're going to need it."

"I won't let Professor Flitwick or you down," Harry said resolutely.

Rangok smiled after the two left his office. "Not like many others at all," he repeated to himself as he got back to work.

-0-

Harry walked through the door and gasped at the sight. Flitwick had led him there and had to leave but told Harry he would return at the end of his shift to escort him back. He had clapped Harry on the shoulder and reiterated that he believed in him before leaving. Harry had then squared his shoulders and walked through the door and stopped.

It was a kitchen that looked like the one at Hogwarts, but much smaller in scale. Ovens lined one wall and racks of equipment were adjoining. Long preparation tables ran down the length of the room with stoves on the other side. Again the walls and floor and ceiling were grey stone but they were so clean they gleamed in the strings of lanterns that hung off the walls. Bundles of things hung from the ceiling and large metal doors in the back blocked off another space. At the opposite corner from the door he walked in from, there was a serving counter and a window that showed a large eating hall. Tables and chairs and benches filled the outside space. He looked about in wonder.

"Who're you?"

Harry turned and noticed some goblins had walked in and stopped when they saw him there. They were dressed in clean chef coats and pants in dark blue, some with aprons on top. They looked up at him with open-suspicion.

"Hello," Harry said, as politely and pleasantly as possible. "My name is Harry Potter. I'm to give this to Diglin," he held out the slate he got from Ragnok.

The goblin who spoke took the slate from him and looked at it closely. He frowned at it and the others looked at it too, talking amongst themselves. "I don't believe you," he said. "Where'd you get this, huh? You expect us to believe a humie," he grunted over that word, "would want to work with us here? Huh? And cooking our food no less?"

"It's a plot," another one said, sneering. "Trying to do something to Master Diglin."

"I swear it isn't," Harry said nervously.

"Right, as if we'd trust you," another scoffed.

The doors opened once more and the others parted, nodding respectfully to the goblin who entered. He was shorter than they were, who were already shorter than Harry. Yet he exuded a presence that seemed to blanket over everything, immediately making the others go quiet. He looked at the goblins one by one, glancing over Harry, before he looked back at the boy. His eyes were a deep blue, almost purple, and he wore dark blue clothes edged in black.

"You the boy?" he asked, his voice rough and gravely.

"Yes Sir," Harry said and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

The goblins gaped and stared at him and his hand and after a moment, the older goblin took it and shook it, firmly and swiftly. He took the slate from the first goblin and glanced at it briefly. "Right. I'm Diglin, head chef of the main kitchen at Gringotts. He's been approved to work here for the summer by Ragnok. You don't like it, talk to the Director and see what happens."

The other goblins looked away at that announcement.

Diglin looked up at Harry. "You listen to me. Problems with that?"

"No Sir."

Diglin looked him up and down. "Need to get one of the outfitters here to measure you. Don't got a uniform long enough. Where're your knives?"

"I…uh, don't have any, Sir."

"You don't have any?" the first goblin snorted and the others looked scandalized. "You think you can cook and you don't have any?"

"I've only cooked in three places and used the things there," Harry said, a very slight irritation at the first goblin worming its way through his politeness. "I wasn't allowed to have anything before."

"You can use the spares here, saves me worrying about substandard equipment," Diglin said, quelling the others with a glare. "Follow me." He led Harry to a corner and the others followed out of curiosity. They watched as Diglin opened a few drawers and withdrew a mismatched set of knives and put them in front of Harry. "Take care of them. They break, you pay."

"Yes Sir," Harry said. Though older, they looked like they were still in good condition. They looked plainer than even the fancy ones he used at the Dursleys, but when he picked one up, he marveled at the balance of it and looked at the blade's edge closely. "They're wonderful."

Diglin made a small noise at that. "First job, vegetable prep." He started bringing things over to the small table and the other goblins hurried to assist him. "Peel all of these." He gestured to a very large sack of potatoes and another of carrots. "Top and tail the carrots and no more than needed, we don't tolerate waste here. Any questions?"

"No Sir," Harry said.

"Get on with it then, don't waste time either." Diglin left him there and the others trailed after. After a moment, Harry nodded to himself and cleaned the vegetables with the charm before he got to work.

"Are we really going to be working with a humie?" the first goblin asked.

"Yes Flynt," Diglin said, glaring at his subordinate. "Unless you want to talk to Ragnok about it. And trust me, he doesn't like your cooking enough to tolerate any questioning but if you're tired of working here, by all means, go ahead."

He snorted when Flynt backed down. "I said I'd do it, and I'm going to do it. I won't let any of you or anyone else make me go back on my word, got that?" He looked at his crew with a severe eye. "And I better not see or hear any kind of hazing or being excessively rude to him, no abuse. You'll answer to me and to Ragnok."

He smiled for the first time, showing his sharp teeth in a shark's smile. "And you'll answer to Filius. And Potter is one of Filius' favorites." He enjoyed their looks of alarm and wariness. "Understand?"

"Yes Chef," they choused.

"You lot know me," he said quietly. "If he's dead weight, I'll cut him loose. If he's unpolished, we'll polish him up. Just like I did to each and every one of you." He looked at Flynt. "You still need a lot of polish."

"Going to take a long time for that jewel to shine," one of them teased, laughing at Flynt's sour look.

"I got time, now let's get cooking. Not a lot of time before lunch," Diglin said.

-0-

"Sir?"

Diglin looked up. "Stop calling me that, call me Chef if you need to."

"Yes Sir, I mean Chef," Harry said.

"Better, what is it?"

"I'm finished and wanted to know what my next task is."

Diglin blinked. He checked the clock on the wall and then walked over to the prep area. He looked at the peeled potatoes and carrots, inspecting them. "That didn't take you long."

"Thank you," Harry beamed.

Diglin snorted softly. "And you want to keep on?"

"I'm here to cook and learn," Harry said.

Diglin looked at him for a long moment. "Follow." He walked off, not waiting to see if Harry did. After taking the peeled potatoes and carrots to others on the crew, he took out crates of different kinds of mushrooms and arranged them along the table.

"This one, take off the stalk and slice thin." Diglin demonstrated with a mushroom that had a broad cap and long thin stalk. "These, chop into quarters after cutting off the end of the stalk at the base." He took a very large one. "These you peel off the outer skin and if it's this big, slice into thin slices. If it's this big, leave whole. These small ones, take off the stalk and cut a X into the surface."

As Harry started doing that, Diglin brought over his own work and he started breaking down what looked like chickens, breaking the pieces into sections and separating them out. "What do you know about goblins?" he asked.

"Not much at all," Harry said, eyes down on the cutting board.

"Figures," Diglin snorted. "So there's all kinds of goblins from different places. Most of the ones in Britain live underground. It was safer that way and just got accustomed to it. So a lot of our food is stuff you'll find easier underground. Mushrooms obviously, tubers and hardy vegetables. We have our own magic to grow things underground and some grains but those that need more sunlight we get in trade or some places have homes above ground in farther places to grow things in the sun."

He placed a fresh carcass on his board. "We call these nickens. Cave chickens basically. Chickens that live just fine in the tunnels and caves below ground. Pretty much like regular chickens but a lot meaner and tougher."

"They lay eggs like regular chickens?" Harry asked, enthralled by the information.

"Sure do. Don't use their eyes as much and their hearing is good. And like I said, a lot meaner." He smiled broadly again. "Most things that grow up underground and in the dark are meaner." After breaking down a few more, he watched Harry work. Harry was slower, as one would expect from someone unused to an ingredient, but he worked diligently and his speed picked up as he got used to it. "You've done this before, cooking and prepping like this."

"I grew up cooking," Harry said, working and talking. "I learned a little from my…aunt. But more from books and the telly sometimes. Mostly cooking for dinner parties. The last few years I cooked at school for my friends or guests, but in big numbers. I recently started working in a tavern-style place. Not a lot of people go to it but still a good amount every day that's been getting busier."

"And why are you in a goblin place learning about goblin food? From not humans?" Diglin asked bluntly.

"Because I want to learn about goblin culture and food," Harry said. "And why wouldn't I want to learn from goblins?"

"Most humans don't care to," Diglin said.

"I'm not really like most people," Harry shrugged. "Most magicals don't care about food and cooking at all. Well, not the ones here anyways."

"Yeah, that's true," Diglin said.

"But I do and I'm glad for the opportunity," Harry said as he worked industriously.

Diglin looked at him for a moment before he went back to work.

-0-

"Here, eat."

Harry had finished the mushrooms and was surprised to see a tray of food being slid to him. Diglin had brought it over, after leaving with the broken down nickens. Harry sniffed the bowl of thick soup hungrily. "Thanks, Chef!" He sat down on an overturned crate and began to eat. The thick stew was savory and spicy, chunks of potato and chicken and mushroom within it. "Mmm, is this nicken meat?"

"Yep, the bits and scraps we stew for a while. Takes some chewing but it's tasty, absorbs flavor well. Bit gamier too so we use chilis. Lots of chilis in cave cooking." He put a plate between them. "Fritters made with mushrooms and veg and chickpeas, mashed and fried. Help yourself."

They were delicious, chewy with a dense texture and crisp fried outside. The mushrooms and onions and other bits of vegetables were still slightly crunchy as appropriate, the mushrooms dense but pleasantly so. They were also slightly spicy and salty and took to the stew well. "Made from the bits from prep? I learned that from Hog's Head."

"Yup, good eye." Diglin ate beside him. "Questions so far?"

"So this is the main kitchen?"

Diglin nodded, chewing his own food. "Majority of the goblins that work for Gringotts eat here, some of the other staff. Official guests eat here too. Sometimes we make something fancier and deliver it to a room. Most of the time they come here to get food and eat here or take it to their offices. We go off a weekly schedule of dishes but change it up based on what groceries we get. We serve lunch here primarily."

"What do the other kitchens do?"

"Some are for the humans that work for the bank. Others are making and prepping the more delicate things we get or make food for trips, that sort of thing. Once in a while a delegation from a visiting branch has dietary restrictions or demands and they have their own thing to do. One does breakfast and one serves into the late afternoon and evening."

"What am I going to be doing during service?" Harry asked, proud to use the term properly after learning it from Aberforth.

"You'll help prep things as needed and run things. You're the new one so you'll be the gofer. In time, prove your worth, and you might do more," Diglin said frankly. "This tavern you've worked at, how busy do they get?"

"Not terribly busy, though we got busier as time passed. Maybe ten to fifteen people over a couple hours or so?" Harry blinked at Diglin's snort. "It's a small place," he said hotly, defending the Hog's Head.

"I'm not laughing at you lad," Diglin said, "or the place. I was laughing at your idea of busy." He slurped the rest of his bowl of soup. "Eat up and get ready."

"Does it get busier here?" Harry asked, feeling nervous.

Diglin's smile was broad and sharp. "Just a bit," he said.

-0-

Just a bit, just a bit he said! Harry thought, running back from the pantry.

When the doors to the eating hall opened, more people came in together than Harry had seen at the Hog's Head in a whole afternoon/evening. The group came in, talking and laughing and had placed a flurry of orders and the kitchen had exploded into action immediately.

Two goblins at the front took the orders, writing on sheets of metal. Metal sheets in the back glowed as the writing appeared there and Diglin stood at the front of the kitchen, calling them out in a booming voice. When the dishes were finished, they were passed to him for final inspection before someone ran it to the front counter to be served to the diner.

Harry had gasped when the majority of the ingredients that he helped prepare seemed to disappear in moments, the pile of things decreasing rapidly. Soon he was called by just about everyone to get something, or run something to another station, or wash something, or all sorts of things.

The crew cooked and moved like a machine. Dishes that required different components were passed between them, being finished together. Plates were made in tandem before someone ran it to Diglin's station. Nothing seemed to escape his notice, calling our certain crew members before something burned or boiled over.

It felt endless. The tide of hungry denizens kept streaming in and the dining hall was full of people, mostly goblins, eating and laughing and talking. A few humans did come in as well, but the majority were goblins. Whenever Harry ran something to the front counter or passed the open entryway, he was stared at with open surprise by the waiting customers at the counter.

Harry, while not quite getting used to be stared at even now, spared no thought nor energy to the watchers. He had no time to. He was barely keeping up with the requests and frequently he was shouted at by multiple cooks, all who thought their demands were more important than someone else's.

It was chaos. The pans rattled, doors slammed, fires roared. Diglin barked orders and the crew members shouted stuff at each other constantly. Plates banged, food sizzled and seared and popped. The constant noise from the eating hall was a never-ceasing buzz of, like the waves of the sea.

Harry loved it.

-0-

"How did he do?" Ragnok asked, looking into the kitchen.

"Good, surprisingly," Diglin said. He and Ragnok looked at an obviously tired Harry that worked slower than earlier, but was still diligent in his work. He was washing a few things by hand, having been told not to use his magic on certain things. "I didn't have high hopes but he stuck it out."

"Filius wouldn't have given us unsound metal," Ragnok mused.

"No, but one doesn't know the mettle of the metal until it's under fire," Diglin replied. "This one hasn't been found wanting. Yet."

"He's awfully polite, and what's more, sincere about it," Ragnok said.

"I've noticed. Not that Filius would lie about it but still," Diglin said.

"Any trouble from the others?"

"Not really. A bit of healthy suspicion at start from Flynt but he's a suspicious bastard normally so if he wasn't, I'd be worried. A few remarks from the others out here when they saw him but nothing that wasn't shut down easily."

"Good. Any trouble from him?"

"None. Works hard, doesn't skive. Didn't need someone watching him all the time. Doesn't take liberties. Like I said, a surprise, but a welcome one. The crew hasn't warmed up to him yet but they haven't said anything too bad about him yet. Really the only complaint so far is that he's tall and they have to look up at him to order him about."

Ragnok snorted. "If that's the only complaint then we're fortunate. He cook anything yet?"

"No, I'm waiting for that. I'm treating him like any I'd train for any of the kitchens."

"That's why I wanted him here, I trust you."

"You only say that because I'm married to your sister."

"Not at all. She can handle herself." They laughed at that.

"You think he's really sincere then?" Ragnok asked.

"I do, surprisingly again." Diglin rubbed his chin. "There's something about him. You can tell he wants to be here and he genuinely enjoyed the nicken soup and mushroom fritters. That's simple food for us and he ate it and liked it. Genuinely tasted it."

"Hmm, a magical that wants to be working with goblins. Isn't that something nice and new," Ragnok said sardonically.

"It really is," Diglin said softly. "We'll see how long it lasts."

-0-0-0-

AhsokaTheGreat - Thank you, glad you are liking it. I really wanted believable character growth and development so I'm happy you like it.

Jaysto - I hope you enjoy the next few chapters with your last thought in mind. I thought it would be a natural and logical progression of Harry's growth as a person as well as professionally. Ariana's story will continue to develop, as well as the other Dumbledores, and hopefully people enjoy the changes there too. Thank you for reading.

guest - Thank you. That was something I was worried about, maintaining both. Luckily they are different in tone and feeling so it's actually been nice to hop back and forth like that. I'm happy people like my brand of comedy. I always thought I was rather juvenile in my humor.

Kaya - To me, Aberforth is someone that recognizes hard work. He would know, tangentially, some of what Harry has experienced and then seeing Harry work, makes him more amenable to helping him learn and grow.

Mitkon2001 - I grew up working in my mother's sandwich shop so while not exactly the same as working for someone else, I have a bit of kitchen and front of house experience. Glad others can commiserate here. Glad you are liking the story.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - That is a funny mental image to have.

61394 - That was not Moody. Moody is an important enough character where he would be introduced and utilized properly. Glad you are liking the story.

Hands Off MY Wolfie - Thanks for reading.

odonnellzoo99 - One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite shows is from Scrubs. "People are bastards. There're bastard coated bastards with bastard filling" and I wanted that to shine here because, well, they're not wrong. I really liked the last bit of dialogue at the end too, I think it felt right for the Dumbledore brothers and it was very amusing to me.

alix33 - I have breakfast for dinner a lot and highly recommend it.

hafizatul sufiah yaacob - No, he is not wrong at all.

poka - Thank you. It's nice to be able to have a little real world experience in your writing sometimes, makes it feel a little more authentic in my opinion. I hope people like the changes I made to the Dumbledore family in this setting. The major points of it will be a long while yet to come but I hope it comes across well and makes sense. My recovery has been pretty good. Little pain but still haven't been able to eat, haha, some of the harder and fiddlier things. Thank you for the kind words.

TheReader81 - Thank you for the high praise. The Redwall series by Brian Jacques was one of my first experiences with reading and he wrote food beautifully. It honestly is a big reason why I love reading about food. I'm so happy to hear that you've been inspired to try new foods from my story. Thank you so much.

DarkRavie - Thank you.

1529 - I'm glad I brightened your day. Thank you for reading.

- Thank you.