Lev awkwardly clears his throat, and starts unpacking the bag; he takes out a steel pot, a strainer with a wooden handle, a tin baking sheet fitted with a metal drying rack, and a roll of baking paper. The utensils are all marked, somewhere relatively conspicuous, with blue nail varnish. Someone has used said nail varnish to draw a cartoony cow head on the side of the pot.

With a final flourish, Lev fishes out of the bag a pot of raspberry jam and a hideous contraption that looks more medical than culinary. He holds it up, sheepishly, and says, "jam syringe, nu? I was like, wondering ... I'll help thee make the latkes, but also make pontshiki?"

He bites his lip.

"Was worried whether mine help would be wanted, see, like, since some people get, nu. Rightfully hesitant around like, anything involving pots of boiling oil. And I'll grate the potatoes, regardless. I can sit down while doing that."