A Series of Books for the Queen of the Sea

Thirteen pairs of feet moved across the sand to the Kitchen Tent, carrying thirteen hungry people with them. Marcella told them it would be a few moments while she put the finishing touches on the supper. She had made a beef stew using brined beef and fresh potatoes, carrots and onions (which were all lasting well), accompanied by a pan bread. Chocolate pudding dessert came from various packages, a pudding mix, water and powdered milk for half of the milk called for and coconut milk for the remainder. She only hoped the pudding would be palatable; the stew she knew to be better than what she could make from the cans, but very soon she would have to use the cans because that would be all that there was.

Marcella's audience of twelve was appreciative, and played their usual game of "who can guess the spice mixture." They generally seemed to be aware of the cayenne, and the sage was pretty obvious, but no one understood the role played by the turmeric and cinnamon in rounding out the mixture. She was pleased, in a way, but disappointed that people were not thinking of cinnamon in supper main dishes after having one with cinnamon in it three days in a row.