They called it Tabasco
With the war all but started and the money flowing from coffers to the waiting hands of soldiers, Lucien had a thought, he didn't know much at all about the Stepstones beyond a map and a list of names. What were its people like, how did they treat, and as a middling idea, what did they eat?
To this end he called upon the knowledge of traders, Maesters, and some of his fathers lesser known acquaintances to show him not just the Stepstones from a Dragons eye view but also the culture of its people. In the span of weeks he learns of their songs and dances, for they are very communal. He learns of there way of treating with fellows and outsiders, their prayers and how they differ from they customs of both Westeros and Essos. But where Lucien truly finds passion is the food of the stepstones.
First come the Maesters, men of age and books ad scarcely set foot in the region and had spent most of their time pouring over old tomes and older records from years before. From them he finds recipes and accounts of tastes and colors, of the ingredients used and people involved. Lucien learned that most food on the stepstones comes from the sea, by way of fishmongers and captains who control the ports of the cities, and that the fish in the southern narrow sea are found in such variety that it would put even the esteemed fishermen of Pyke to shame.
Then come the traders, man and women who ply the sea-lanes and make a living taking goods and people across the Narrow Sea. These trade captains offer a font of information that, while not as academic as the Maesters, is very human in its approach. They tell stories of the fishermen using family owned ships to brave storm laden seas to pull their hauls to shore. So imaginative are their accounts that Lucien can almost smell the cooking fish, near taste the plants and spices they describe, and from this he hears the name of a particular spice called "Tabasco Sauce".
Finally now come the friends of his father, men and women called Pirates and smugglers. They've taken their time in coming to the mustering but when they heard of The Princes interest, they brought something important indeed, they had brought real food from the Stepstones. Great fish called Gulpers who span the length of a man, smaller fish called mist jumpers with wings that they might catch the bugs that skim the water in the morning, and a great hold of spices taken from a ancient farm, by gold or force they would not betray, and amazingly the practice to cook the food itself.
With some convincing, and no small amount of Westerland Wine, the Smugglers of the Narrow Sea agreed to make a dish, on the condition that Lucien would try every dish presented. Lucien, being the amicable and erudite prince that he is, agreed. They cook for the better part of a day, commandeering near the entirety of the keeps kitchen, from which can be heard curses and viscous fighting the entire time, and expel most of the servants from their path. For hours on end they labor before showing for dinner the feat they had made for the assembled dragon riders, captains, and nobles of note.
The main dish is a set of Gulpers the size of boars, ringed with leaf's and strange herbs, and paired with a white plant called "Cauliflower" which bulbs like certain mushrooms. The side dishes are threefold and made in abundance, first is a plate of the Mist Jumpers cut of their wings and then again into pieces to be placed upon sticks interspersed with various greens and smattered with a sauce, second is a plate of crab legs pulled from an exceptionably large thing called a "Salt Spider" which is second only in size to bear Islands "Bear Crabs", third and finally is a dish served with small plucked shrimp, finely chomped greens, and a kind of pressed and chopped grain called "noodles", the captains insisted it is a Valyrian invention and needed to be served to the Dragonriders.
The night went well and all attendees enjoy the food presented, commenting frequently on its exotic nature and surprising taste. The Northmen and Valemen particularly enjoy the crab, most of them have seen the coast and have fed on smaller crabs before, just as the Westermen and lesser lords greatly enjoy the Gulper, likening it to game beasts and the hunts of their childhood. But when Lucien tasted the sauce of the Mist jumper dish he stopped, for he had never tasted its like before, he asks the nearest captain what had gone into the dish and when told he latched onto the singular ingredient "Tabasco sauce", in a later journal he describes "...An explosion of flavor and taste..." and said "...it was as if I had tasted for the first time in my life, as like the dishes from childhood memory made by my mother...". So began the Targaryen addiction to Tabasco, a sauce from the Stepstones on the eve of war.
-an expert from "Dragon-fire dishes, a cookbook from the Narrow Sea"
(AN: Not my best work I'll admit, but I was inspired by
@Fanhunter696 , I wrote what is basically that really long first section of a cookbook that we all skip, because goddamn people I just want the food, and made up animals to go along with it, "Gulpers" are just big ass Groupers, think 4-5 feet, "Mist jumpers" are flying fish with a little more meat, "Salt Spiders" are European spider crabs, and "Bear crabs" are snow crabs. Lucien is a Targaryen and I like to think sometimes Targaryen blood madness shows in non-destructive ways sometimes and in this case its a dude that tastes Tabasco sauce for the first time ever and develops a potentially unhealthy obsession, hope y'all enjoyed)
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