"I didn't say that."
Maria smirks.
"And I've taste-tested many meals in my time. I'm a pretty decent cook myself, after all, though most food that you can take to the desert is not exactly angelic in taste, to say the least. They've recently perfected how to put food in metal cans for long journeys, though, so that definitely helps. I get the feeling some of you people have had that technology for a loooong time, though..."
Richard nodded, taking a bit off the madeira cake and eating it.
"Interesting. Your world sounds like one of the fantasy worlds I used to dream of writing about."