Adding on to this cause I thought of more stuff in regards to Nimona cooking.
I think Nimona would be really good at making meals out of basically nothing. Like she'd find a couple things in the back of a cupboard and be like 'this will do' and will somehow make something out of it. It's not the best, obviously, but it's still something. I also think she's good at making stuff that lasts a long time. She also doesn't like to waste food. Like if she can find a use for the scraps of something she will. She will find ways to use as much as each ingredient as possible.
When Bal and Ambrosius realise this about Nimona, they're both simultaneously impressed and concerned. Because like, 'Yes Nimona it's very impressive you lived off of food from bins and that you can make food out of basically nothing, but when was the last time you ate a proper meal?'
And this leads to Ambrosius and Ballister cooking for her and taking her out for food as much as they can, because what are they gonna do? Not make sure she has whatever food she needs and wants at all times? Of course not. Like they force her to eat vegetables on occasion but other than that, she can have whatever. They make sure that their house is stocked up on all the foods she likes, and they offer to take her out to restaurants/order takeaway they know she particularly likes.
Meanwhile Nimona is just struggling to comprehend that she has access to food whenever she wants it. Things like fresh fruit and warm meals that were a novelty for so long are now something she just has access to. And she doesn't even have to really work for it, it's just there. And like that's great for her obviously, but imagine how overwhelming it would be to go from not knowing when your next meal would be, to having access to whatever food you want all of the time.
And also, Nimona now has access to all the ingredients she could possibly want. She doesn't have to cobble something together with scraps anymore, she has ingredients to make whatever she wants whenever she wants, which is a freedom she probably hasn't had ever.
And the thing is, if Nimona tried to explain it, someone like Ambrosius probably wouldn't get it. Because Ambrosius was rich and had access to food whenever, and he's always had that. But Ballister? Ballister who was probably an orphan who (probably) grew up poor and didn't really have access to much food until the Queen decided to let him become a knight, which led to him being (sort of) taken care of by the institute, at least to the point where he had access to food? He would get it. And imagine how heartbreaking that would be. For Bal to have to realise that Nimona went through the same thing he did for a thousand years.
Anyway yeah sorry for rambling I love angst. I am also mildly frustrated by those who think Nimona can't cook, because she definitely can and if the kitchen does get set on fire it is because Nimona decided to be a heathen.