Sweet Potato Fries

The restaurant in question rode the line between fast food and a proper sit down experience, but the quality of the food was unquestionably delicious.

Ash had decided to stop by Dale's Deal Diner on the way home from work for a change of pace. Rhea normally brought her dinner, but she wanted to spare her "inn mate" (just up the hall) from cooking just once. The Triple D (as it was often called) had advertised a special menu for tonight featuring local produce, including opportunities to buy said produce fresh. The new menu items featured avocados, pickles, sweet potatoes, and some more exotic vegetables that she knew came from far away.

It left her questioning if vegetables brought over from a dead world could be considered imports.

All the same, she'd included sweet potato fries and avocado burgers in her takeout order, anticipating that those would go over well with her group. She was particularly looking forward to the sweet potatoes, if only to further her running joke of being an egregiously orange person, but she didn't doubt that they'd taste good too. While she was waiting at the counter, she was about to ask about the origin of the produce promotion when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Asherah?"

She turned around to see a fluffy creature with a green body and a red head festooned with a small chef's hat waddle out of the kitchen doors. "Watenou?" she asked, stuffing down several sources of confusion. "What are you doing here?"

The Gremelon leader adjusted his hat. "Supplying the ingredients for a special event," he said. "Yes, before you ask, all of the produce on tonight's menu is Gremelon-grown."

"That's not really surprising, but are you cooking the new recipes too?" Ash knew that the Gremelons were avid gardeners and farmers, but she was less certain about their culinary skills.

"Cooking some, assisting with others," Watenou said. "Burgers and other meats are still handled by the regular chefs. However, I am seasoning the new vegetarian options and guiding the kitchen with our more... different offerings." A beat passed. "You ordered the sweet potato fries, did you not? I think you'll like the blend I chose for them."

"I'm, uh, looking forward to it," Ash replied. "It's not every day you experience food cooked by a fuzzy guy with what would be advanced degrees in several natural sciences."

Watenou grinned and puffed his chest out, one snaggletooth showing. "I believe there are fewer greater honors in life than escorting the literal fruits and vegetables of one's labor from farm to table."

"That sounds very... what do they call it? On brand for you," Ash said, smiling for the first time in the whole exchange and finally shoving aside the thoughts of the planet she once shared with the Gremelon leader.

"I take it that's a compliment?" Watenou gave a short chuckle. "And I take it you'll be at next Saturday's farmer's market at Canteloop?"

"Of course, of course. Rhea loved the barklogs you sold her at the last one." Ash's gaze averted as she remembered the strange veggie; it looked like a cucumber but it had a woody, almost nutty texture and flavor beyond the skin, which supposedly gave it its name.

"Perhaps I ought to give your rabbit-eared friend some recipes from the 'old world' as well," Watenou mused, tapping what would have been his chin. "What better way to keep them alive?"

"Oh gosh, you're right!" Ash felt astounded that she hadn't thought about that sooner. "We can post them on the NexusNet too!"

"I like the sound of that," Watenou said, nodding. "I am curious to see what twists they would take as they went across the Akatasphere."

"Order 21 for Cole!"

"That's my cue." Ash scooped up the bag. "I'd better get these back to Rhea and Khiro before they get cold. See you at the farmer's market!"

"Khiro? Ah, yes, the cat man. Her significant other. I've never seen someone eat a salad with that sort of gusto." Watenou waved a paw in farewell. "I'll gather my favorite recipes for our next stream on the NexusNet. Until then!"

As Ash left the diner, she couldn't help but feel buoyed by the notion of preserving more than just stories from a world long gone. Food and recipes were a part of culture, and those who would enjoy the next postings would understand just a bit more of like was life on Aylith before the end.

It made sense that Watenou, devoted to preserving nature, would carry along the lost world's culture as well.