A treat.
A poem you can eat.

Nero Wolfe and his cook Fritz have prepared sumptuous recipes in the style of those of the famous British TV motorcycling cooks –Two Fat Ladies (and it is worth the two minutes to watch the linked video  ).  Nero Wolfe: “I beg you not to entrust these dishes to your cook unless he is an artist.  Cook them yourself, and only for an occasion that is worthy of them.”

Baked Scallops
The introduction is from Archie Goodwin, assistant to detective Nero Wolfe.
“When I returned to the office after letting her out, Wolfe had straightened up in his chair to lean forward and, with his head cocked, was sniffing the air.  For a second I thought he was pretending our ex-client had polluted the atmosphere with her perfume, but then I realised that he was merely trying to catch an odour from the kitchen, where Fritz was baking scallops in shells – or, probably, since I could catch the odour without sniffing, he was deciding whether Fritz had used only shallots in the sauce or had added an onion.”

1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
6 black pepper corns
1 pound cleaned bay scallops
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 sprig parsley
1 pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese

Preheat the oven to 350f. In a large saucepan, bring the wine and the water to the boil.  Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and the washed scallops and return to the boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes.  Drain the scallops and set aside.  In a small, heavy-bottomed pan melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook the minced shallots until translucent but not browned.  Add the flour and stir constantly until it starts to turn golden.  Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups of the hot broth in which the scallops were cooked.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the sprig of parsley, and the nutmeg, and cook for a few more minutes.  Strain the sauce into a bowl and add the scallops, the chopped parsley, lemon juice, and the remaining salt.  Stir well. Butter 4 or 6 baking shells and divide the scallop mixture evenly among them.  Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese; sprinkle the mixture over the filled shells and dot with the remaining butter.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden. (serves 4 to 6 as a first or luncheon course)

Thanks to Rex Stout.

My mouth is watering. What wonderful poetry this is.