The Mata Hari Institute of Culinary Excellence

[Pleater]

I suddenly remembered that I had not eaten, and so wandered along the the southern dining room and repeated my breakfast.

As I was eating a Technician came in and handed me a sheet with part of a recipe on it.

'Madam Bronwen would like this made. Please note the time you add the vermouth, she said.'

Basically it was three pounds of mixed dried fruit, comprising raisins, cherries, sultanas, currents, dates, candied peel, preserved ginger plus half a pound of apple stewed in a little water, the rind and juice of a large orange and a large lemon, a large spoonful of apricot jam and another of bitter orange marmalade. To be mixed with white vermouth - martini bianco, that is, covered over and left overnight.

Of course the recipe was far more detailed than that, and I spent some time weighing and chopping the fruit to the specifications. Part way through the final mixing together Mister Brown came in.
'I can't stop.' I said anxiously.
'I'll wait.' he said and found a stool.
When the bowl was covered and I had washed my hands I turned to him.
'Shouldn't that go in the fridge?'
'No, it is left at room temperature for twenty four hours.'
'Mm - I was talking to the ladies about the situation - Globo-Fashion eh?'
'So it seems.'
The intercom set in my pocket went to alert and I started, then pulled it out and put it on over my head scarf. Mister McGreagor was excited.
'I've found the head man who was at the Globo-Fashion event. E.M. Naste - he's a bit of an eminence grise, he only appeared here, not at any of the other events around the world - but he has rented a place about twenty miles away. He got the event organisers to find it for him, and they are doing a food run three times a week - they are supplying food for the staff and two other people. The driver recognised the woman from the cd - it's Ivana Rulital.'