[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

The two women made their way out of the turbolift and down the corridor, each laden with baskets full of ingredients. Devra had decided the lesson would be better if each had their own meal to prepare, and thus had ordered four times the normal amount necessary. As Jovireh had suspected, some things had to be replicated, but at least the computer had them available. Likely for the rare instance of diplomatic visitors from Romulus.

Devra was beside herself with excitement. While Jovireh didn't share quite the same enthusiasm, she wasn't as nervous as the last time they had arrived for dinner with the couple. Hopefully her mother had gotten all the intrusive questions out of her system, and she seemed to developing quite the friendship with Judy. All of that helped to reduce the awkwardness a little, and Jov would be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to having Romulan food again.

Stopping at the door, Jovireh shifted the basket in her hands to make it easier to press the chime.

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

"Thank you for having us!" Devra replied exuberantly, followed by a quieter greeting from Jov, as both women entered and slipped their shoes off before carrying the baskets into the kitchen. They systematically began unpacking, Devra occasionally instructing where to put something. Once everything was organized on the counter, Jov put the baskets off to the side out of the way, and Devra picked up one of the two bottles, turning to Max. "If you would do the honors..." she handed him the bottle to be opened before turning to speak to both their hosts. "I was so glad the replicators had a synthehol recipe for kali-fal. It's not as potent as ale or whiskey, so is most often enjoyed with meals. You'll notice it has a very strong aroma, designed to open the olfactory glands. Much like sight... Smell is also important for enjoying food." Sharing her life with a Romulan had certainly taught the Betazoid woman a great deal about the secretive culture, and she enjoyed the opportunity to pass some of that on with people she knew would appreciate it.

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

"Don't worry, once the bottle airs out a little it won't be quite so strong," Jovireh reassured them with a grin. She remembered her mother had always opened the bottle in the kitchen and let it air out before pouring it, but likely didn't do so now so they could have the full experience.

They both chuckled at Judy's explanation of not having the same tolerance as she did in college. "Even if you did, it still probably would have laid you out," Jovireh grinned, a little teasingly. Devra nodded her agreement. "I'm pretty sure you're the only one here who's ever been able to drink more than a couple glasses," she told her daughter. Jov shook her head with a laugh, turning back to the couple with a brief explanation. "Father had me start drinking at an early age, so I could build up a tolerance. Comes in handy... Except for when I'm trying to get drunk. Romulan ale is about the only thing that'll get me more than buzzed." 

"So! Are we ready to start cooking?" Devra asked, clearly excited for the plans for the evening.

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

Devra took an apron and handed one to Jov, who put it on without a word, deciding she might as well get in the spirit of things. She grinned when Judy asked what they would be starting with. "We decided on one of my favorites - travit. The animal is akin to an Earth cow, raised for both milk and meat, the latter having lots of options for preparation." Her excitement began seeping through, as she couldn't remember the last time she'd had properly prepared travit. The restaurant on 173 that served Romulan food had the bad habit of trying to cook it like beef.

"The meat takes awhile to cook, so we'll start off by preparing that and work on the sides while it's in the oven," Devra added to actually answer the question. After taking another sip from her glass, she turned toward the organized pile of ingredients, and passed out the four raw steaks that did look quite like those from Earth, albeit a slightly different shade. "The first step - and one many non-natives don't know about - is to tenderize the meat and squeeze out all the blood. But don't drain it, as the blood is a key ingredient for the baste."

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

Devra nodded in response to Max's question. "If that's what you're comfortable with using, it works just as well as any other method." Such as the method Jovireh was currently using. The young hybrid had started using her hands to knead the raw steak, before holding it over the bowl that had been produced and squeezing it until the blood dripped out. She remembered back to the occasional times in her childhood when her mother had let her help prepare dinner. This had always been one of her favorite parts...

The Betazoid's eyes widened slightly at the brief exchange between the couple. During her time on Earth, she had learned a bit about Human cultures and religions, though she'd had no idea their hosts followed one with dietary restrictions. "Well, now I'm definitely glad I decided against the hlai." She replied with a grin. While she didn't know much about what was 'kosher', she doubted a person-sized flightless bird would fall into that category.

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

Devra's grin broadened as the couple began to use their hands to tenderize the meat as well, and she did the same. She had always personally felt it added a unique touch to the texture, but she honestly only started doing it when Jovireh had started asking to help make dinner. There was no way Devra was going to let her five year old have anything that could be used to hit something - or someone. It was a practical decision that had turned into sort of a family tradition, one that she was happy to share with another family. "Oh, you probably said something and I just didn't make the connection," she replied to Judy with a shrug. "Humans have so many religions... Try as I might, I can never keep them straight." The people she worked with on Earth had been very generous and patient when it came to her mixing up their religious practices. She never stopped trying though, as she personally believed that was even more of an insult than getting something wrong.

While the other women talked, Jov glanced over at Max with a grin. "Apparently, Mother only abandoned the mallet when I asked to help make dinner when I was a kid. For some reason she didn't want to teach me how to beat things into a pulp," she told him, the mischievous expression on her face saying she knew exactly why her mother hadn't trusted her with a mallet, and Devra likely had every reason for it.

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Tag Judith Eastman

[PO2 Jovireh Velal / Devra Kul - Front Ear - Corridor to CO's Quarters]

"Variety is a big part of what makes something beautiful," Devra replied to Judy with a smile. "Yet it's so easy to forget that. People - of any species - get so caught up in doing something right, they forget about the way that makes them happy." That had been a rather large barrier between her and Endon when they first met. Each were set in their own ways, and it had taken them a couple years to remember that they could share in each others' cultures and views without sacrificing their own, so long as they kept an open mind. She also reached over to drain the blood from the meat she'd been working on into the bowl.

Jovireh gave Max a small shrug. "Well... considering I have yet to beat anything - or anyone - with a hammer, I can't exactly say it didn't work." She replied with amusement. She could hear her mother and Judy in their own conversation, and it was becoming more and more apparent just how well the two other women got along. It was a relief, and something she was grateful for. While she didn't know much about Judy's social life, she knew her mother had been sorely lacking in meaningful friendships for quite some time. This move seemed to be turning out to be even more beneficial than she had initially realized.

"Alright," Devra redirected her attention back to the lesson at hand. "Once you have the meat as tender as you like it, and drained as much of the blood as you can, we can add the seasonings to turn it into a baste." Romulans traditionally believed that meat tasted better when cooked in its own blood, which she personally found in amusing conflict with their severe distaste for Klingon cuisine. She had often teased Endon about it, but knew better than to ever voice her opinion on the matter to another Romulan.

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Tag Judith Eastman