“You will cook here as you’ve always cooked. I find your cooking excellent, worthy of a master cook in Yedo. I even sent one of your recipes to the Lady Kiritsubo in Osaka.” “Oh? Thank you. You do me too much honor. Which one, Mistress?” “The tiny, fresh eels and jellyfish and sliced oysters, with just the right touch of soya, that you make so well. Excellent! The best I’ve ever tasted.” “Oh, thank you, Mistress,” he groveled. “Of course your soups leave much to be desired.” “Oh, so sorry!”
