A man waits outside the “cozy” but dated inn in Milan where Franca works (59). Before he can enter, Franca bursts outside, scolding and chasing off assistants who ruined the soup she was making. The man puts on a show of “cheap flattery” and asks Franca if she would be willing to stay open to make him a meal (59). She is slightly put off by his lower-class appearance but decides to invite him in and prepare him a hare dish. She can tell he is satisfied while watching him eat and is joyful when he pronounces it the “best meal of my life” (61).

The man tells Franca he cannot pay her but that he has a “challenge” to leave in his place (62). He produces a sack of ingredients and a recipe, then asks if she thinks she can handle such a “difficult” task (62). Insulted, she assures him she can. After he is gone, she examines the contents of the bag and finds that it contains “two dozen” white truffles, an extreme rarity (63). Tempted to sell the truffles and forget the man, Franca instead decides to take on his challenge. She takes off work and gives herself five days to assemble the meal.