they were being served their dinner in temeraire 's courtyard : a truly splendid dinner , of stewed oxheads and bowls of live eels , seasoned expertly with pepper and vinegar , which unfortunately maximus did not seem to much enjoy , nor immortalis and messoria ; they poked a little anxiously at the squirming masses and then nudged the bowls aside , although they were pleased enough with the oxheads , so tender the meat fell off the bones and with the skull cracked open so one might take them into one 's mouth and suck upon them for the excellent brains .