The Chef Who Knew Vegetables

-- "It's a service-oriented restaurant."
-- "What this town needs is a food-oriented restaurant."

-------------------- [excerpts from a conversation in Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who Played Post Office]------------------
Qwilleran and his date walked to the restaurant, which occupied an old stone residence rezoned for commercial use.
"The Lanspeaks named it after their cow," Melinda said, "and they did the whole place in dairy colors:  milk white, straw beige, and butter yellow.  It's a service-oriented restaurant."
Qwilleran grunted.  "What this town needs is a food-oriented restaurant."

A young hostess greeted them.  "My name is Vicki, and I'm your hostperson.  Your waitperson is Matthew, and he'll do everything possible to make your visit enjoyable."
A young man immediately appeared.  "My name is Matthew.  I am your waitperson, and I am at your service."
"My name is Jim," Qwilleran replied.  "I am your customer, and I am very hungry.  The lady's name is Melinda.  She is my guest, and she is hungry, too."

"And thirsty," Melinda added.  "Okay, Qwill, tell me all about the break-in last night.  How did he get into the house?"... [some talk of the Mystery and Clues]...

Matthew arrived with Melinda's champagne and Qwilleran's mineral water.  "This is your champagne cooler," he said, "and these are your chilled glasses."
"We'd also like an appetizer," Qwilleran told him.  "Bring us some paté de caneton."
"That's kind of a meatloaf made of ground-up duck," the waitperson explained helpfully.
"Thank you, Matthew.  It sounds delicious."
Melinda drank a toast to Qwilleran for exposing a deplorable crime.
Apologetically he said, "I'm afraid it's going to be a nasty scandal when everything comes to light."...[talk of the Mystery and Clues]...

After studying the menu they ordered trout almandine.
"That's trout with almonds," said the waitperson, eager to be of service.
"Fine.  And we'd like asparagus."
"That's extra," Matthew warned.
While they waited for the entrée Melinda said to Qwilleran, "So you were wrong about the New Jersey connection.  There was no sinister plot to eliminate you and grab the inheritance."...[Mystery - Clues]...

The entrée was served.  "This is your trout almandine and asparagus on heated plates," said Matthew.
Qwilleran stared at the vegetable. 

"This isn't asparagus.  It's broccoli."

"Sorry.  I'll take it back."  Matthew removed the plates but soon returned with them. 

"The chef says it's asparagus."

They ate their trout and broccoli in silence until Qwilleran said, "If Koko hadn't sniffed out the Daisy situation, and if I hadn't started investigating, Penelope and Tiffany and Della would be alive today."
"And a murderer would be at large," Melinda reminded him....[Mystery-Clue-talk]...

After the tossed salad on a chilled plate with a chilled fork, and after the Ribier grapes with homemade cheese, and after coffee...Qwilleran and Melinda walked back to her father's house.------- [end excerpts]

= = = = = = = = The above excerpts provide a "taste" of food-chat from a Lilian Jackson Braun "Cat Who" mystery. 

("The chef says it's asparagus" -- LOL)

Each of her mysteries is titled "The Cat Who..." something.
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards  (1966)
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern  (1967)
The Cat Who Turned On And Off  (1968)
The Cat Who Saw Red    (1986)
The Cat Who Played Brahms    (1987)
The Cat Who Played Post Office  (1987)
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare  (1988)
The Cat Who Sniffed Glue  (1988)
The Cat Who Went Underground  (1989)
The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts  (1990)
-- etc., to a total of 30.

And it's interesting to note that she began these books in the 60s -- the first three -- and then began writing them again in the 80s -- after retiring from a career at the Detroit Free Press. ...

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{excerpts, The Cat Who Played Post Office.  Lilian Jackson Braun.  Copyright, 1987.  Jove, Berkley Publishing Group, N.Y.}

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