We came up with Peasants on Payday when we decided we would, each payday, splurge a little more than usual on fancier ingredients, or at least ingredients we're unfamiliar with. It usually yielded the meals I'm more likely to share here. As for my Crypto challenge, I'm looking forward to learning about it, and passing off small lessons I learn to the readers, but if we can make it to $1000 (or if we don't, that's fine too), I'll donate it all to a charity we vote on here!
RE: An octopus sashays out of a sunken ship to introduce himself...