Disclaimer: The Straw Hats belong to Oda-sensei. I'm just happy to play in his sandbox.

Note: This story is rated T, mostly for language. Each chapter is a different letter written at different times in the series.

Letters Home

by Mako-clb

Chapter 1: Old Geezer

Old Geezer,

Don't get any ideas that I'm writing you a letter. I just forgot to leave my improvements to your salmon potato soup recipe before I left, so here it is.

Peel and dice 4 medium potatoes into 1/3-inch cubes
Peel and dice a small white onion into 1/2-inch cubes
Finely chop 4 tablespoons of dill
Cut a salmon filet it into 1/2-inch cubes instead of the 2-inch wide strips you use
Combine the potatoes and onions with 2 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt (just a pinch, not the handful you toss in)
Bring to a boil over moderate heat, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes while skimming off the foam
Add 2-1/2 cups of heavy cream and bring back to a boil over moderate heat
When the sauce starts to thicken, reduce to low heat and carefully add the salmon
Add half the dill and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat
Add a pinch of ground pepper and then mix in 4 tablespoons of butter (chop the butter into cubes before mixing it in so it mixes better)
Taste it and add more dill or salt as needed
Serve and garnish with the remaining dill

Also, your fighting style isn't crap. It came in handy to beat up some assholes who had been keeping the lovely redhead as a slave. We set her free, and I'll never let her come to harm again. You can count on it. And for saving her and her entire village, the mellorines were very appreciative.

Feeding the rubber idiot is a challenge. He'll eat just about anything I put in front of him, but if I don't watch him, he'll eat everyone's food. I have to cook a lot and fight him off so everyone gets fed. The only time he doesn't eat is when he's sleeping, I think. The idiot swordsman said he caught the captain eating in his sleep once, but he's a moron, so who knows.

Don't expect anything like this again, unless I come across a recipe I think would make your crap restaurant better or when I find All Blue.

Eggplant

Author's Note: The soup recipe is a real recipe for four, and one of my favorites to make. It's from the Nintendo DS Personal Trainer Cooking game with a few minor modifications from me.