Curio Court Resources
'I cannot say' Abdoul gave a broad grin, a bright twinkle in his eye, 'you know I cannot tell you my secret mix of herbs and spices' and dipped the ladle into the near empty jar on the charcoal fired cooking ring, and scraped it around.
He brought forth a great concoction and carefully ladled it into a wide, flat bread and garnished it with a veritable herb-garden of green leaves, edible flowers and some garish green sauce. He expertly rolled the whole thing into a kind of tube, folded an end over and presented it to his customer, who like so many others was more than a regular.
'You go try and make it yourself, we see if you as good cook as Abdoul, see if you can match the famous Ibn Abban of Curio Court.' he chuckled 'see you tomorrow then, eh?'
With his last afternoon customer retiring to the shade of the harbour cut, Abdoul gazed around. Sitting on the porch of the Grey Lady Tavern was a new face to Curio. Abdoul wheeled his garish brightly coloured cart over toward the place, 'Hey, fisherman! Yes, you there, fisherman in the shady seat! What! you can't smell the delights of Abdoul Ibn Abbans cooking pot? Your nose not working? Eh?'
A new regular, he thought, that would be good for business.
'Hey fisherman, you look the hungry type. Abdoul Ibn Abban doesnt like to see a man go hungry. Come, try my wares, you are new here, for you it is free today.' Abdoul proffered a rolled bread, half filled with the absolute last remains from the pot 'Eat! less cleaning for me!' he joked as the fisherman regarded him casually.
'I will, thankyou' said the fisherman, and held out his hand 'but hold fast on those Cabbah leaves, eh, wouldnt want me all dreamy eyed in the heat of the afternoon would we now, to be taken advantage of....'
Abdoul was a little taken aback. 'Cabbah leaves? oh, yes, Cabbah leaves. ah, you are no fisherman, eh?' Abdoul looked the man up and down. He had the ruddy colour and build of a fisherman, but more than that, he had an edge to him. He was bare chested, and the scars of battle showed through here and there, if you looked hard. His eyes were keen and his wit probably as sharp as the long knife Abdoul spotted in his right boot. 'You know of the Cabbah, my friend'
'and I know its effects, all too well' a wry smile crept over the sailors face.
'You have visited the Pearl Coast, then.' Abdoul returned the smile. 'well, eat anyway, and pick out the leaves eh? and it is still a free meal my friend, but don't you go telling my other friends eh? thats my secret you know.'
'Don't worry, I shall not say, but truely I shall enjoy a free meal now and then, you are most kind'.
